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Author Topic: Water Sensor Time of Year.  (Read 4404 times)

BaBaLou.

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Water Sensor Time of Year.
« on: June 12, 2010, 11:46:40 PM »

Good day to all you folks out there.

In need of making a simple water sensor setup using the powerflash or if there is a way, the Universal module.

With a 9v battery and some wire and the right polarity on the powerflash I get the results I was looking for. Its raw, not pretty but works, is it OK and safe to have a setup like that for just triggering x10 when the two ends of the wire meet water.

Seen the water sensor using the DS10A, nice one, but would like to use the powerflash or maybe the universal module, has a buzzer built-in which comes in handy.
So Any ideas?
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Brian H

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Re: Water Sensor Time of Year.
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2010, 10:31:21 AM »

Yes the Powerflash's input is completely isolated from the AC power line derived power supply that runs the Powerflash's electronics.
It is designed for low voltage inputs and should be fine. The 9 volts should be fine

Just for reference here:
Smarthome use to sell a watter and leak detector. They used a sensor from a 'Flood Stop' water detection system to trigger one of their I/OLincs. In their case it didn't work well because they tried to use the I/OLincs sensing current to run the detector and it was very sensitive to the waters conductivity and many time didn't work. ::)

They used this one.
http://www.getfloodstop.com/product_p/xs-01.htm
If the bare wires work OK go for it.
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HA Dave

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Re: Water Sensor Time of Year.
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2010, 11:01:37 AM »

In need of making a simple water sensor setup .......  has a buzzer built-in which comes in handy.
So Any ideas?

I have one of these from Harbor Freight Tools:  http://www.harborfreight.com/general-merch/security/water-overflow-alarm-92334.html 

I mounted mine is an area that I think, could be a concern, in my basement. Then thanks to the very long wire mounted the noise maker beside an upstairs heat/AC duct. It even beeps/chirps (like a smoke alarm) when the battery gets low.
« Last Edit: June 13, 2010, 11:05:13 AM by Dave_x10_L »
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BaBaLou.

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Re: Water Sensor Time of Year.
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2010, 01:21:59 PM »

Many Thanks.
I have a bunch of sensors I can use, mainly from sensors like the one that Dave_x10_L was talking about. Burned out a few from just playing with them. They work great, but after the last water leak at the business of which took out most of our java and coffee equipment with damages to our establishment as well as the pharmacy next door in the thousands, thank god for insurance.

The need was to instigate a water sensor and trigger reliably to the X10 system and then at least I would have had that phone call at the time it happend. Mind you, due to the fact the water break occurred in a flex line feeding our gaggia espresso machine. When that blew, it sprayed water over all our vital equipment and that resulted in equipment overheating before blowing the breakers. The hot water stored in the coffee machines was released and THAT hot water then triggered my MS10 sensor and set off the alarm.
That was nice, but too late to save anything. We estimated that from the time the water line blew until the alarm was triggered was about at least 45 minutes. We knew this from the Video Cam and Blue Iris, which picked up the motion of water from one cam, didn't have any cams on the equipment and didn't have Blue Iris set to trigger its alarm, if motion was seen.

All the same, the clean up was done and back to normal business the next day. I have since set the cams to help pick up sooner any occurrence of water or fire or such to help reach the problem faster and save my butt.
But when all was done, we get a wild rain storm that dumped a tone of rain at 2 am. The sump pump float in our home was trapped by my junk I left behind and in comes the water. The simple alarm like Dave mentioned did its job, but damn, it only had a 12" wire and left over the sump pump, in the sump pump room with the WELL insulated solid door closed. By the time we responded, could have been a hour or so, we had enough water to keep us busy for week to clean up. Thank god it was only rain water, many people in our area had, storm, sanitary and river water a foot high in their basement.
I have equipment to take care of problems when they occur, I just need to be able to react to them faster.
This project should work well for me. I will test to see how long of a wire for the sensor I could use with a 9v battery.
This application is needed for uses in kitchens, bathrooms, sump pump room, hot water tank and other possible area of water damage occurrence around the house and Business.
Many thanks for the confimation.
A helpfull to all.
BaBaLou. 
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HA Dave

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Re: Water Sensor Time of Year.
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2010, 02:17:06 PM »

....after the last water leak at the business of which took out most of our java and coffee equipment with damages to our establishment as well as the pharmacy next door in the thousands.... 

An automatic shut-off may be something worth looking at.

I've thought of doing something like that at my house. I had an ice maker spring a leak once... thankfully the wife was home and noticed it almost as soon as it started. A dish or clothe washing machine hose, or a hot water heater leak could make a huge mess... not to mention a pipe (they freeze and burst here). It would be nice to know these natural [and all too comman] problems are prevented when I am out of town.

For your business... you might want additional protection. If the least resistance... fills the neighbors business first... that would be the place to put a wireless sensor.
« Last Edit: June 13, 2010, 02:20:19 PM by Dave_x10_L »
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BaBaLou.

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Re: Water Sensor Time of Year.
« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2010, 10:41:49 PM »

Never enough protection.

The business damage was all due to one pex line connection giving way, plumber still swears it was from a defective brand. We did have all water lines and hot water tank inspected and appropriate repairs were made.

Having a whole house or independent shut off valve is most definitely an important option to consider.

The water sensor is a must for now. It will at least give me some peace of mind and security in responce to water leaks.
I do have plans to intall at least 4 at my business and 3 at my home.
I did find this http://www.aartech.ca/ws-04-water-siren-plus-water-alarm-with-output-terminals.html. Attached to a powerflash should do the work for me but a little costly thou.

Its amazing how much damage a little water line can cause.

Many thanks.
BaBaLou.
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