X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => User Modified Devices => Topic started by: systemdm on February 09, 2011, 11:32:41 PM
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Just having fun with the DS10A.
parts:
DS10A
#4-40 x 1-1/2" Machine screws
springs from 2 ball point pens
sponge cut to 1 x 1-1/2"
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Simple but nifty idea...patent pending? -:)
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I was just thinking about adding leak detection yesterday!
Like it.
Helpful from me!
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Hmmmm....Wonder what it would cost to patent... :o
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Hmmmm....Wonder what it would cost to patent... :o
Don't think you can patent it. The DS10 is X10's. I suspect they will object.
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Maybe the water sensor part could be patented - you can then hook that to ANY alarm system. ;-)
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So when the sponge gets full of water, the DS10a is triggered? Why? What causes a sponge full of water between the 2 sensors to do that? thank
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The switch moves in respect to the magnet. When the sponge gets wet. The springs from the pens pushes the switch closer to the magnet. Triggering a change from open to closed status.
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so when the sponge gets wet the springs push and thus compress the sponge? so this in turn forces the 2 sensors closer to each other? is this not backwards? you want the 2 sensors to go away from each other so they trigger right? not following???
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Yes it is backwards from a normal security use.
I would guess that is why it was called a NO {Normally Open} sensor.
There are other thread on water sensing with a DS10A on some automation sites.
I believe a search here may also find a few.
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couldn't you use a Normally Closed (NC) sensor, so that when the sponge gets wet and the two halves push together, the circuit would open.
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couldn't you use a Normally Closed (NC) sensor, so that when the sponge gets wet and the two halves push together, the circuit would open.
For a NC sensor you would want to do this:
http://forums.x10.com/index.php?topic=20345.0
I read that thread first & thus my mindset was NC sensor so that is why this thread for a NO sensor was not making sense. =)
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Many irrigation rain sensors use a similar concept. It is a stack of disks on a small spindle that expand when they get wet causing the compression of a micro switch. This is an interesting idea though.
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A Security Console may get confused by the reverse logic.
The DS10A mod may work fine for those with other systems not of an X10 brand.
Like this person is doing.
http://www.gardnerswebsite.com/ds10a/index.html
I have been playing around with his modification and may have found a way to trigger a DS10A in a normal way. closed is dry and open when wet.
Now that I have a DS10A I may try my theory out.
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Just connect it to a powerflash.
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Powerflash would be a great way to use it.
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Wish I would have had water protection...my boiler sprung a leak while I was out and the result was a hot water cleaned sub floor in the basement...quite the mess.
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Wish I would have had water protection...my boiler sprung a leak.................
You know your right! This is a good reminder for ALL OFF US. Boiler, hot water heater, washing machine hose, failed freezer, burst pipe, or rain water infiltration.... sooner or later we will have a wet floor.
Wether we use an autoshutoff (http://www.smarthome.com/71103/Petro-Meter-2500-075i-3-4-Leak-Guardian-Wireless-Flood-Prevention-System/p.aspx) or just a $10 noise maker (http://www.harborfreight.com/water-overflow-alarm-92334.html) or some combo Home Automation intergraded setup. We all need to exploit some sort of technology to help us monitor for ware damage.
I know my neighbors snickered at me when I pounded a hole in my basement floor and installed a pit and sump pump in my laundry room. None of our homes had ever taken in any real amount of rain water. But last spring sewer water backed up for the very first time ever on my street. I was one of the few that didn't lose carpet or furniture.