I opened up my water meter box to check if my water meter was compatible with Flume water monitor and I saw what looks like a power connection (waterproof) in the box and it does not appear to be connected to anything.
Any idea what this is and could it be used for powering an automatic shut-off valve?
I wouldn't. This is service equipment and likely belongs to the utility company. Modifying may be problematic and cause you problems with the utility. {The unit is digital, so there are likely both power and communications lines somewhere in the path.}
If you want a water-flow shutoff, it should be on the other side of the house cut-off.
I can only tell you my meter has a cable coming from the sensor/dial to a small box that transmits usage data to a satellite (I'm told).
The small box is mounted on an external side of my house. It is battery powered which is expected to last for 10 years.
My meter is in my basement ("I'm in New England") hence the need for an outside remote transmitting box.
I have a Watercop shutoff valve. The specifications state:
For providing a Backup Power supply from a 12V Car
Battery or from any other DC supply (DC between 12V up
to max 16V DC and 5-10A instant current capability) has to
be done by connected here to terminal Block labeled P2.
So any power at the meter is likely not to be adequate even if it were offered for use.
Yeah - in any case, with the Flume water monitor in there, there is not going to be any space to fit a shut off valve. In Dallas, our water meters are outside (underground) next to the curb and there is no whole house shut off anywhere else. I had looked at getting a shut off valve installed after the meter, but the power required (and the cost of having the piping routed above ground and then back in) just did not make sense. We do have a shut off valve on the hot water heater, but to cut water to the whole house, we have to do it at the meter🤷🏻♂️
Do you have a basement where the plumbing is exposed?
I understand.
So your water comes from the street, goes to the meter (kinda under ground) enters the concrete floor then comes up individually in the kitchen, bathrooms etc? That means there are joints/fittings in the concrete?
Is the pipe coming into the house very deep?
No - house is built on slab.
I believe the frost line in Dallas is about 18”, so water lines are about 2’ deep.
Yeah - that’s what a plumber told me. And they don’t mark where the pipe goes into the concrete slab, so he said the “guess” based on the line from the meter and have to dig around to find the spot.
That is likely a pulse output. There should be a capacitor inside of the meter that is energized as the impeller runs and then sends a pulse down the water pipe. This is an older way to read meters like that remotely. Newer ones being deployed are digital and have a long term battery built in that is enough to drive a small radio for when the water company car comes by. The one in my house is newer because of the build and has a stubby antenna on it.
If you want to save money and find the water line, you could call the utility protection service and let them know you a planning to do some "landscaping" around your home. They will send out a locator who will mark the existing power, water, cable/phone. It should be free or minimal. In Ohio its free. Since your frost line is only 18" the water main shouldn't be more than 2' deep.
Once the water main is located, (and next to you home where the water main enters the slab)
& if you are handy with a shovel, you could dig out an area large enough to put in a vault for a water shut valve. You should be able to locate underground water vaults at a good home center in the plumbing/irrigation section.
Then call a plumber to install the vault and a ball valve.
I used this shutoff valve. Zigbee
May I ask what driver you use for this. Very good price.
That kinda sucks.
Perhaps the plumber can install the shutoff in a box right after the meter, then you only have to run wires into the house. I don't know how the run would be but it might be easier to run wires than find the pipe.
I use the driver linked below, however it is no longer maintained as the developer is no longer active in the Hubitat community. It may not work if you order one as the chinese mfgs seem to like to change minor details with successive production runs of their devices (IMO to lock you into their hub) . Physically it looks identical but the zigbee firmware could be slightly different enough to render it incompatible with this driver. YMMV
There is a HE user @kkossev who has been creating drivers for many of the Tuya devices. If you decide to order a valve one and find it doesn't work with the above driver, he may create a driver for you. There are less expensive vendors on Aliexpress for the same product if you do a little searching.
Here is another thread related to the Tuya valves. https://community.hubitat.com/t/tuya-zigbee-water-gas-valve/
I did not use the pipe clamp style mount that came with the valve, it was to flimsy. I opted to install a wooden block & "L" brackets to mount the valve.
Download the Hubitat app
