Want to put a sensor in fountain.

[AnthemAVM]

I am moving into a new home and am planning the new set up. It has a fountain in the front of the home, and would like to have it come on each afteroon. The problem is it might not have water in it and don't want to burn out the pump.

 

Is there a way to put a sensor in, that if no water is registered it wouldn't go on?

 

Thanks

[Mark Sanctuary]

One of the IO Links with a sensor of some kind might work. I looked over Smarthome's list of sensors and did not see one there, so you may have to look for one on the web.

 

Thanks,

[ergodic]

SH has the Minotaur moisture sensors. You could use the X10 version with an X10 powerflash (cheaper) if you have X10 ingress to your ISY, or the Insteon version with an IOLinc (more $). I bought the Insteon to use as a floor water alarm where I have an automated catbox inside a closet that's connected up to the water supply, but I haven't received it yet so I can't vouch for it firsthand.

 

But for a fountain it might be a little cheaper to get a float switch at your local plumbing supply, epoxy it to the inside of the fountain unobtrusively somewhere, and run that to the IOLinc sensor input. It all can get a little complicated because it's outdoors.

 

My solution was simply an outletlinc in the outdoor box fed off an inside GFI, and a fountain pump with a builtin thermal cutout. One in the front and one on the back patio. The back one ran dry for three days one time with no harm. These pumps cost a little more, but are easy to find if you search a bit and that seems simpler to me.

[Mark Sanctuary]

I agree with the idea too of the pump handling it with a cutoff. Then you don't need the sensor at all.