Leak sensor saved the day

True!
So far, my internet has been 100%. Verizon fiber for me (Verizon sold out to Frontier, but they have been very reliable so far).
Power has been very reliable also (Edison). Of course, if your power goes out, there won't be any power to operate the valve unless a UPS or battery backup is installed for the HE hub, ONT for fiber, and the valve. All of which I have done so those bases are covered.
The Flume has it's own battery also and the Flue bridge is on a UPS also.

From what I have seen so far, NONE of the water detectors are local so that variable is out.... DANG IT! I despise cloud based integration!
I guess my weakest link is internet... kinda solves that problem.

Thanks for all the info!

The Titan add on valve operator for ball valves from Zooz is easy to install and also has battery backup and temperature sensor for autonomous freeze protection.

I can't see getting a bunch of detectors and no smart valve.

I have a ZEN34 on the wall near the door. When I leave the house, I turn off the water. I also use it for presence sensing. If on, home; if off, out.

On the radiant floor heat, if the pressure relief valve goes off you know you have a leak? Is that what the guy said? If that's on the boiler you don't want that to go off. The boiler also would have a low water level shutoff built in, but mine anyway, has a cold water makeup line plumbed in so it would keep pumping water in an attempt to keep the water level where it should. I'm thinking it's a mod-con propane boiler and the floor slab loop goes through the boiler, and not via a buffer tank. Is this slab on grade, or elevated? I'm not sure you'd call it a slab if it wasn't on grade, but I know just a little.

1 Like

Exactly what I have.

Incredibly easy to install, but it has a limited number of projected cycles...I forgot what it is, but it's not small. I figured, if I recall correctly, it'd last me 5 years opening and closing it once a day to water the plants. I have it on the un-treated line. A Water Cop valve/operator does the main line, but that required sweating.

1 Like

I'm about to replace my main water shutoff to my home. Indoors, in the basement. What are everyone's opinions & recommendations re: the Zooz Titan, Sinope, etc.

Titan is nice because it's not a permanent install (though some would say that's a minus). It has a beefy build, wired sensor, and optional battery pack. I like that you can schedule regular test actuations on it to prevent the valve getting sticky. It's a very solid device overall.

Plus, Jeff's got a great driver for it,

2 Likes

The phases of adulthood:

  1. What's a leak sensor?
  2. I NEED leak sensors EVERYWHERE
    a. Oh you just moved? HERE HAVE SOME LEAK SENSORS, HOUSEWARMING!
  3. I NEED SMART leak sensors EVERYWHERE <-- I am here
  4. I NEED a smart water shutoff

Unfortunately I'll need to pay a plumber to replace my shutoff valve, it's not the lever style that all of the smart shutoff options require.

2 Likes

I have the Sinope Shut-off valve and really like that it has a battery backup option. It works great.

1 Like

Not even sure if that's still for sale but we use the Water Cop and it's been 100% reliable the entire time we've had it.

Saved us a while back when our water heater started leaking when we were out of town. Zigbee leak sensor caught the leak and HSM told Water Cop to shut down water to the house.

2 Likes

I also have the Water Cop. It's an old one, not the Z-Wave version. A ZEN16 is involved for tie-in to Hubitat. I have it synced with my well pump as well.

2 Likes

And you can take the actuator body off by simply pulling a pin to operate the valve manually in a pinch. Really well designed. Flow sensor available for it too.

2 Likes

That sounds good to me.

I'm sorry if this is a dumb question. I don't know much about HVACs. We have an outdoor AC unit. Where would you put the water leak sensor?

Haha this is actually awesome.

My inside unit has PVC pipes that route water into a small condensate pump that pushes the water outside via a 1-inch clear PVC tube. I place leak sensors (1) right where the PVC pipe exits the inside unit and (2) on the ground by the small condensate pump. Both leak sensors have detected issues at one point or another.

1 Like

Not sure if this make a difference to you, but the Zooz Titan is on sale right now for $108. Normally, $180 I believe. I bit the bullet and ordered one.

2 Likes

I went through all 4 steps in less than a week. Bit the bullet and got the Zooz Titan since it's on their 4th of July sale for $108 (normally $180).

1 Like

In a typical residential application the AC system is a split system with an associated indoor unit somewhere in the house.... closet, basement, or attic. The indoor unit is what could leak and where you might need a leak detector, depending on location. You can tell if you have a split system if 2 pipes from the outdoor unit go into the house.

It is possible, but not likely, that your outdoor AC unit is a single packaged AC unit, but this is usually for commercial buildings. You can tell if you have a packaged unit if you have 2 ducts going into the house instead of pipes. If you have any questions, take some photos and post here on the forum.

Thank you! I’ll tag you when I take pics later. I’ll give it my best shot to figure out where the indoor unit is if there is one.

1 Like

So, the title of the thread doesn't specify the fluid.

How about natural gas or propane? :slight_smile:

I may have forgotten to say this in my earlier post. You need to share @Rxich's story w/your wife, agree w/her again about how lucky you guys were, and then get on the web and order anything you ever wanted for your HE fun. Just saying that you have window here that you need to take advantage of, if for no reason than to allow us to enjoy from afar. :smiley:

Interesting - wasn't aware that they did anything but Z-Wave.

Direct integration w/HE, or via vendor/cloud?

This is definitely, as others have already noted, a YNMV (your needs may vary) situation. These comments reminded me that at one point I was going to put my WaterCop on a UPS. This topic reminded me of that.

My main potential for a power outage and water leak occurring at the same time would be a significant earthquake, which is definitely a possibility in SoCal. If a quake took out power, and during the shaking the earthquake straps on my water heater failed and a leak started, having the WaterCop on UPS could be useful. The rest of my network and hubs are on UPS, so I would get an automatic water shutdown if I got "lucky" and the leak occurred during the window from power loss to UPS power running out.

1 Like