Quick Water Sensor

[Goose66]

I have a couple of spare I/O Lincs that I would like to hook up to a water sensor to inform me of roof leaks while we troubleshoot a roofing problem. Unfortunately I leave to go out of town on Sunday for two weeks, so it is something I need to throw together right away. Anybody know of something I can buy at Lowes or Home Depot tomorrow to use as a water sensor that can be quickly interfaced with an I/O Linc?

EDIT: I just got the Z-wave module as well, so a Z-wave solution would work, as long as it is available commercially at a Lowes, Home Depot or Best Buy.

[Teken]

If your local electronic stores carry magnetic contact sensors that have the screws instead of leads coming straight out. You can insert two pieces of copper wire (14-2 Romex) and use that as the sensor(s).

In the ideal world a dedicated Leak Sensor would be the choice of champions. But, you can do the very same by using the internal I/O ports from the Open-Close Sensor. The benefit of using the Open-Close sensor is that it allows you to *High* mount the sensor for the best RF range / reception. While also ensuring the unit does not get flooded by water. It allows flexible placement of course and simply requires the person to extend the wire length.

I went this route before the Insteon Leak Sensor was released . . .

Right now I have a combination of Open-Close, Leak Sensor, 3rd Party Leak Sensor, and Security Alarm leak sensors in place. Going this route allowed flexible install, use case, and fail over protection in case of environmental conditions such as RF, failed batteries, cut wires. 

 

 

[Brian H]

Teken.

Will #14 wire fit into those small terminals on an I/OLinc?

 

[Teken]

1 hour ago, Brian H said:

Teken.

Will #14 wire fit into those small terminals on an I/OLinc?

 

Hi Brian H,

Apologies I was not more clear on the description of integration. The 14-2 Romex copper wire is inserted into the magnetic sensor which has the Phillips screws. Simple two conductor 24-2, 20-2, 20-4 alarm hook up wire would be used to extend into the Open-Close sensor. I wasn't trying to address the integration to the I/O Linc as there are too many failure points going that route.

Loss of power, powerline noise issue, to a lack of coupling / bridging in what ever area it may reside.

Keeping in mind I fully understand this is what the OP has and wants to use but wanted to offer an alternative for others considering doing the very same.

 

 

 

[Goose66]

1 hour ago, Teken said:

If your local electronic stores carry magnetic contact sensors that have the screws instead of leads coming straight out. You can insert two pieces of copper wire (14-2 Romex) and use that as the sensor(s). 

Magnetic contact sensor - you mean like a float switch? I will look for something along those lines, although the water doesn't really pool anywhere where a float switch could be used. I was thinking more of a damp or water contact type sensor.

[Teken]

Magnetic contact sensor - you mean like a float switch? I will look for something along those lines, although the water doesn't really pool anywhere where a float switch could be used. I was thinking more of a damp or water contact type sensor.

Im not too sure a float switch would be my go to choice. ? Here are some of the other water leak sensors I have in place and in use.

This long one are placed in locations where I need to cover a large area considering there is no guarantee water will pool or appear there.



In other locations where localized water and surface area is restricted I deploy these round cylinders.





The one I am speaking of literally looks like the contact for the Insteon GDO kit but obviously smaller in length and size.

The side terminals (screws) are used to affix two copper 14-2 Romex wires per your use case. For me I made them into what appeared to be stepped (Z) shaped pieces. Once water was present it would Bridge the two together to close the contacts.

Sorry couldn't find a photo of the sensor / setup as it's on my other phone. ☹️




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[TrojanHorse]

 

Im not too sure a float switch would be my go to choice. ? Here are some of the other water leak sensors I have in place and in use.

 

This long one are placed in locations where I need to cover a large area considering there is no guarantee water will pool or appear there.

 

 

In other locations where localized water and surface area is restricted I deploy these round cylinders.

 

 

 

The one I am speaking of literally looks like the contact for the Insteon GDO kit but obviously smaller in length and size.

 

The side terminals (screws) are used to affix two copper 14-2 Romex wires per your use case. For me I made them into what appeared to be stepped (Z) shaped pieces. Once water was present it would Bridge the two together to close the contacts.

 

Sorry couldn't find a photo of the sensor / setup as it's on my other phone. ☹️

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Hi Teken,

 

Do you have a link to that flat circuit-board-looking sensor and/or the others? I like that flat one. Thanks.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Teken]

2 hours ago, TrojanHorse said:

 

Hi Teken,

Do you have a link to that flat circuit-board-looking sensor and/or the others? I like that flat one. Thanks.

 

Sure here you go: http://www.getfloodstop.com/ 

The benefit of the flat and round sensors is that they can be daisy changed to make a super large sensor array to cover a much larger area. I have other water detection systems in place which use what is best described as a *Rope* style.

Essentially imagine a long piece of rope / wire that is intertwined and once it gets wet it will short out and connect to what ever monitoring system. This style of rope sensor is intended for special applications / environments.