LED’s that flashes when your tyre is below the required pressure are now available. .jpg)
Running your tyres below the minimum required pressure can cause considerable damage to them. And anyone who has bought tyres for forestry machines will know that they cost a bit, and therefore would want maximum life from them. But how do you know when they are at the correct pressure?
Nokian carried out a study that showed that more than half of the owners of new machines had under-inflated tyres. Where under-inflation occurred, the tyres had many inner-tube failures and side-wall damage, with none occurring where tyre pressure was correct. Besides the tyre costs, the downtime costs associated with punctures must also be considered. Timber transport operators can also think of the fuel consumption benefits!
With the Nokian LED, the LED is fitted into the valve of the tyre. The light only starts to flash when the tyre pressure drops more than a certain amount (0.6 bar). The usual black valve cap is replaced with a white one. When the LED is activated, the valve cap flashes a clear red. The battery used for the LED is only used when the light is activated. Therefore, the battery life can be very long. Some of these LED tyre alert pressure indicators can be standby on the tyre for two to three years, and then still blink for up to three weeks after this.
Sources: http://www.nokianheavytyres.com , “In The Forest” 02.2009, a John Deere Forestry Customer Magazine for Asia-Pacific, Africa and China; and www.vehiclelight.com