How to convert between kg/cm2 and bar on a tire pressure gauge?
3 Answers
Tire pressure bar is an imperial pressure unit "bar", which is one of the units for measuring tire pressure. 1 bar = 1 ATM (standard atmospheric pressure). Besides bar, other units for tire pressure include kPa (kilopascal), psi, and kg/cm2 (kilogram pressure). The conversion formulas between them are: 1 bar = 100 kPa = 14.5 psi = 1.02 kg/cm2. More information about tire pressure gauges is as follows: 1. There are three types: pointer-type tire pressure gauges, digital tire pressure gauges, and alarm-type tire pressure gauges. The latter two can directly display tire pressure through numerical values or alarms, and their principles are relatively simple. The more complex one is the pointer-type tire pressure gauge, which requires reading the tire pressure from the value indicated by the pointer on the dial. 2. Pointer-type pressure gauges: They have two types of scales, black and red. The black scale unit is kg/cm2, and the red scale unit is psi. Among them, kg/cm2 is a unit of pressure, and psi is a way of expressing pressure, specifically meaning how much force is applied per square inch.
Converting the units on a tire pressure gauge from kg/cm² to bar is actually quite simple, and I often help friends with such car issues. 1 kg/cm² is approximately equal to 0.98 bar, so you can use the formula bar = kg/cm² × 0.98 for conversion. For example, if your tire pressure reads 2.5 kg/cm², it directly translates to about 2.45 bar. In daily use, many tire pressure gauges use the bar unit because it is more internationally standardized, while kg/cm² is commonly found on older equipment or in certain regions. Always check the unit before inflating to avoid incorrect pressure, which can shorten tire lifespan or reduce fuel efficiency. Too low tire pressure increases the risk of a blowout, while too high pressure reduces grip, compromising driving safety. I recommend checking tire pressure every two weeks, especially during seasonal changes, and using a digital tire pressure gauge for more accurate and convenient readings.
What I learned from tinkering with car tires: To convert kg/cm² to bar, simply multiply by 0.98—don't overcomplicate it. For example, if the tire pressure reads 3 kg/cm², it's roughly 2.94 bar. These two units (bar and kg/cm²) are often used interchangeably in automotive contexts, with bar being more common in European standards, while kg/cm² might appear in older models. When inflating, be careful not to mix up the units—overpressure risks tire damage, while underinflation increases fuel consumption. I also recommend using an onboard tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) as backup; it automatically alerts you to abnormalities. Regular maintenance checks with repeated unit conversions help build good habits for maintaining vehicle stability and reducing wear.
