Sunpass question

[mapcat]

I'm planning two trips to Florida over the next year, and so I got a Sunpass mini transponder. The instructions say that it must be affixed to the windshield by removing the backing and sticking the Sunpass directly on the glass. I'd like to be able to move it from one car to the other, so I didn't remove the backing, and simply used some clear packing tape to mount it flush with the windshield.

Since then, I've read some accounts (not here) that failing to remove the backing renders it inoperable. Something about it using the glass as an antenna (?!) and needing direct contact.

So, does anyone have experience getting one of these to work without removing the backing? If not, then if I do mount it directly on the windshield, will I be able to remove it and mount it in the other car? (I anticipate needing to move it only once, not back and forth repeatedly.) Otherwise, if I can't remove it intact, would I be able to get a free replacement if I returned the pieces?

I realize I could just buy two of them and not worry, but I'd prefer to save the $4.99 (I'll never need more than one at a time).

[jwolfer]

You can't buy a portable transponder but it is more expensive, based on you not wanting to spring for the $5.. I doubt you would buy one

[briantroutman]

Perhaps I'm wrong, but couldn't you get away with not using the transponder on the second vehicle at all? As long as you've established a SunPass account and registered both vehicles' information to it, the camera equipment will match up the plate number to the account and charge it at SunPass rates.

I ran into a situation about a month ago when I was in the process of moving to Tampa where I had forgotten to bring my SunPass transponder and was in town with a rental car looking at houses. I initially was avoiding all toll roads but then thought: Why can't I just add the rental car's plate to my SunPass account, even though I don't have the transponder? It worked perfectly, and I was charged the SunPass rates for my tolls.

[oscar]

Another question is whether SunPass will give you a hard time about transferring its supposedly non-transferable Mini transponders, even if you use the Scotch Tape trick. 

I wish I'd done that, not to switch transponders among vehicles, but to not buy a new Mini after a windshield replacement. I lost my car's Mini that way, after cracking my windshield in Saskatchewan.

Yet another question: do I even need to buy a new Mini if I take my car to Florida this winter? My SunPass account already has my car in the system, and in any case interoperability will come some day so I can in the long run get by with my E-ZPass (both car and truck) and TxTag (just my truck). It sounds, from briantroutman's experience, like that could work for me.

[mapcat]

Thanks for the suggestions. Oscar's situation gave me an idea, so I called them to find out what would happen if I needed to replace the windshield: could I peel it off, or would they send me a new one free of charge? Their policy is that if a transponder is damaged, it's the user's responsibility to buy a new one. And they reiterated that the Sunpass minis are meant for one car only, so unfortunately I can't register both vehicles to the one transponder, as Brian suggested.

However, I called back to ask about Brian's experience with the cameras, and they did say that, if I receive an invoice while driving the vehicle associated with the account, I could call and they would address it. They didn't provide any details, but they didn't say that they wouldn't adjust the tolls and debit my account, so I suppose if I go ahead with the tape mount and it doesn't work, I could claim ignorance and get the surcharges erased.

[1995hoo]

I can confirm the Mini works fine with scotch tape and leaving the backing in place. Yesterday going through the toll barrier on the Turnpike at the northern end of the ticket system, the "GO SUNPASS" message lit up as I went through, and I use scotch tape.

I have two cars registered on my account despite having just the one SunPass Mini.

[realjd]

The mini works fine just holding it up to the glass. The part in the instructions about using the glass as an antenna is absolutely bullshit.

Be sure to add your tags to yournsumoass your SunPass account. That way if the transponder doesn't scan for some reason, they have your plate on file and will bill your SunPass account instead of mailing you a ticket. If it's a rental, the SunPass website lets you specify start and end dates/times so you're not responsible for other peoples' tolls.

[1995hoo]

.... yournsumoass account. ....

Ok, that's obviously a typo of the sort that's routine on a touchscreen. But still, "sumoass account".... 

[UCFKnights]

Another thing is if you're in the central florida area, the E-Pass Minis are free (and fully compatible) with adding $15 credit to your toll account. They will only mail them to central florida addresses but I was able to pick them up in the past still. Sunpass does sometimes run similar deals as well, mainly when they're adding a new area facility.

[mapcat]

I can confirm the Mini works fine with scotch tape and leaving the backing in place. Yesterday going through the toll barrier on the Turnpike at the northern end of the ticket system, the "GO SUNPASS" message lit up as I went through, and I use scotch tape.

I have two cars registered on my account despite having just the one SunPass Mini.

The mini works fine just holding it up to the glass. The part in the instructions about using the glass as an antenna is absolutely bullshit.

Awesome--thanks!

Another thing is if you're in the central florida area, the E-Pass Minis are free (and fully compatible) with adding $15 credit to your toll account. They will only mail them to central florida addresses but I was able to pick them up in the past still. Sunpass does sometimes run similar deals as well, mainly when they're adding a new area facility.

Good to know. Where would I pick one up? As long as it's free I wouldn't mind having one for each car.

[mapcat]

Now that I've used it successfully for several days, I can also confirm that taping the mini to the windshield works with no problems.

Also, the Sunpass app is great--in most cases, the tolls were posted within minutes of my pass through the toll gate.