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DOCUMENTS
Features
- Battery Powered:Use anywhere in your home without running any wires or looking for power.
-
Built-In Buzzer:To alert those nearby when water is
detected.
- Flexible Installation:Use it anywhere - mount on a wall next to a fixture, place it next to a water heater, etc.
- Raido Protocol: Z-Wave(500 series)
- Capabilities: Notifications(Water Alarm) Binary Sensor (Water) Audible Alarm
- Low Profile:To fit underneath appliances and stay out of your way.
- Remote Sensor Probe:For use in tight spaces, sump pumps, or under appliances.
- Water Resistant:So you don't have to throw it away after one use.
- Radio Frequency: 908.4 MHz US
- Range: Up to 150’ depending on environment
The Leak Sensor
Use the Leak Sensor with your Z-Wave Hub to potentially save thousands of dollars in water damage. Get an alert or turn off your water main when an appliance malfunctions, the toilet leaks, or the sump pump starts to overflow. It also has multiple mounting options and a remote sensor probe, so the Leak Sensor can monitor any water-related appliance or fixture.
Leak Sensor Usage Ideas
Monitor Your (Water) Streaming Services
Receive an alert or shut off your water main if your toilet leaks. Place the Leak Sensor near your toilet or other fixtures and configure your Hub to take action when water is detected.
Your Sump Pump’s New Aquaitance
Know when the sump pump fills up, BEFORE it overflows. Dangle the remote sensor probe in the tank to receive a notification and hear an alarm if the water level rises higher than it should.
Fits in with Any Crowd
Stop worrying about appliances leaking. The remote sensor probe can fit under refrigerators, washing machines, and dishwashers to let you know when something fishy happens.
Frequently Asked Questions
QUESTIONS
The easiest way to automatically close your smart valve when the Leak Sensor detects water is to use a home automation Hub like Wink, SmartThings, or Vera. The Hub will let you control and monitor devices from different manufacturers or even protocols (like WiFi, Z-Wave, Zigbee, etc.) so you can worry about what the devices should do, now how they are talking to each other.
After you configure your Smart Valve to appear in your home automation Hub, do the same with the Leak Sensor and create an automation rule to automatically shut off the valve when the Leak Sensor detects moisture. If you need more specific details, take a look at our how-to’s page, or feel free to reach out to our support team.
The Leak Sensor is not designed for outdoor use. However, with some careful planning, you might be able to use it outside safely. There are a few things to keep in mind when using Z-Wave devices and electronics in general outside, each of which we will discuss closely:
- Extreme Heat and Cold
- Humidity/rain
- Z-Wave network coverage
Extreme Heat and Cold
In extremely cold conditions, three things happen in electronics:
- Water from the atmosphere will condense on the surface and either short the circuit or freeze and expand, causing components to come loose and malfunction.
- Since different materials expand and contract with changing temperatures at different rates, soldered and otherwise attached components can disconnect from each other.
- Batteries start to discharge and become ineffective.
Batteries are a concern with the Leak Sensor since it’s powered by a CR2 battery, along with thermal expansion. Since the Leak Sensor wasn’t designed to withstand these conditions, the cold could damage it, though it has better chances of survival in drier climates.
The heat should not interfere with proper functioning.
Humidity/Rain
Direct rainfall and high humidity will not be an issue with the Leak Sensor since it is water proof. It’s best to keep the Leak Sensor in a the driest possible environment, but it will still work if there is moisture.
Z-Wave Network Coverage
Z-Wave signals become weaker as they travel over distances (called “attenuation,”) and this is especially true when passing Z-Wave signals from the inside to the outside. The thickness and construction materials (iron bars, concrete, etc.) seen in exterior walls make it less friendly to Z-Wave signals than typical interior walls, and the potentially higher humidity levels outside will also interfere with your Z-Wave signal. It is best to include multiple extenders or plugged in devices near the external wall closest to your installation location, but still inside, so a stable connection is formed between the main controller and your device.
Because you care about your family! Floods can destroy your home, ruin you financially, and every second counts if you want to minimize the damage.
Sources of water in your home?
- Leaking basement window
- Appliance Water line breaks – refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers
- Clogged toilets, tubs, drains
- Sump pump failure
- Sewer backup
- Even a tiny, 1/8-inch crack in a pipe can release up to 250 gallons of water a day.
Even though flood insurance can replace your tasteful Swedish furniture, it won’t replace photo albums.
A Dome Leak Sensor can alert you immediately if something goes wrong, but combine it with the Dome Water Main Shut-Off and disaster can be averted even if you’re out of town.
Yes! Our Leak Sensor is perfect for monitoring sump pumps. To use in a Sump Pump, mount the sensor in its cradle and dangle the Remote Sensor Probe inside the Sump Pump pit. Make sure the probe is a few inches below the top of the pit, and configure your Hub to notify you or sound an alarm if the water level reaches too high.
Very well.
The legs on the bottom of the Leak Sensor are electrical contacts, and when something conductive (like water) touches them, it registers as a short circuit. That’s also why the sensor will not work if you use it in a metal pan – metal is a conductive surface that triggers the sensor.
The sensor also comes with a cradle and a remote probe to monitor hard to reach areas.
After a leak is detected, your sensor will sound an audible alarm on top of sending a message to your Z-Wave hub. That way, you can react to a leak even if your power goes out and your hub is offline.
Unfortunately, no. Only plugged in Z-Wave devices can extend your Z-Wave range. Battery powered devices save energy by not constantly listening for other devices’ signals and transmitting them to the primary controller. Plugged in devices, however, don’t have to worry about draining their battery, so they constantly listen for signals and repeat them back to the controller.
When planning your Z-Wave network, make sure all of your devices (or “nodes” in the network) have multiple paths for the signal to travel back to the primary controller. For example, if a Leak Sensor is at the other end of your home from your controller, make sure there are at least two plugged-in devices between the Leak Sensor and the primary controller, in case one of them loses connectivity due to temporary obstacles, loss of power, etc. Also, Z-Wave signals can only “hop” a maximum of four times from the controller, and it’s best to keep it to two hops if possible.
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