Take a look at this TPMS sensor

[Leigh2000]

It’s not my day today (again). Got up this morning, opened the boot then went to close it and it won’t close. 

Then this turned up-

It’s a TPMS sensor (obviously!- which I bought off eBay). I paid £60 for 4 so I was telling myself what a good deal but it’s not hermetically sealed. I’m therefore going to have to raise a case with eBay and get my money back. Another pain in the arse!

 

[NemesisUK]

Looks like it's been sealed with a clear potting compound?

[Leigh2000]

Yes. I can’t see it standing up to normal use if it’s fitted? What do you think?

[NemesisUK]

No different from the OE part?

[Leigh2000]

Is it not? I thought the OEM sensors were hermetically sealed with a plastic cover?  The seller is selling them claiming they’re brand new OEM, manufactured by Pacific who do make the oem sensors. 

Am I overreacting?

[Farqui]

The sealant looks professional and like others i've seen, so i'd say its OEM.

It came with a black plastic cover right?

[Leigh2000]

This is what they look like both sides... they’re obviously new as there’s no wear on the valves. 

[NemesisUK]

Looking at Britprius thread, it does appear there should be a cover but the potting looks similar? 

 

[Britprius]

To me these look as though they have been re built with new batteries, and valve stems. Magnifying the pictures if you look particularly at the potted area away from the batteries if I am not mistaken you can see some of the original white potting compound that has not been removed.
However I see no problem with this as far as use is concerned, but they should not be advertised as new if they are not. One other point is that the cover has a metal strip attached, and this acts as an aerial for the transmitter. If this is not in place it could reduce the range, and reliability of the signals.

John.

[Leigh2000]

6 hours ago, Britprius said:

To me these look as though they have been re built with new batteries, and valve stems. Magnifying the pictures if you look particularly at the potted area away from the batteries if I am not mistaken you can see some of the original white potting compound that has not been removed.

Yes, that’s what I thought. The fact that the plastic cover is missing is a give away. I had two taken out of my wheels a couple of weeks ago. On my two there was a plastic over over the batteries which was loose which suggested to me that someone had already tried to replace the batteries. 

 

6 hours ago, Britprius said:

However I see no problem with this as far as use is concerned, but they should not be advertised as new if they are not. One other point is that the cover has a metal strip attached, and this acts as an aerial for the transmitter. If this is not in place it could reduce the range, and reliability of the signals.

John.

This is a good enough reason for me to reject them. Especially the fact that the cover has a metal strip that acts as an aerial which is now absent.

My theory is that a clever entrepreneur has picked up a job lot of Pacific OEMS sensors from a foreign breaker and has gone about re-engineering them. If the plastic covers had been bonded back with a plastic epoxy I wouldn’t have questioned them at all.