I am starting remodel of my kids bathroom. Planning to include a water sensor on the floor to warn about overflow from sink, toilet, or bath (my kids are young and may put things in toilet they are not supposed to!!). I was thinking of putting the sensor on the floor behind the toilet. That would make it pretty unobtrusive. This way even if there was a tub overflow or sink overflow it should be picked up pretty soon too. Would this be prone to false alarms from normal floor mopping? Any other suggestions about placement?
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Water sensor placement in bathroom
- Thread starter robolo
- Start date
shenandoah75
Active Member
I'm planning on the same location in my bathrooms, but also putting one directly in the cabinet under sink too... A lot of water can accumulate in there, esp if there's a lip at the face frame (happened tome in the kitchen when the drain failed and RO kept putting out waste water one night)... Similar for kitchen: in sink cabinet, under dishwasher, behind fridge and behind the washer in the laundry
I may also try to put some in the floor joists below as the kids bath is on second floor above kitchen...
I may also try to put some in the floor joists below as the kids bath is on second floor above kitchen...
roussell
Active Member
I took a handful of my kid's marbles and slowly released them in the middle of the bathroom to find the tilt/low spot. It actually ended up being near the sink in our case. As far as false alarms when moping - If you monitor your incoming water usage at the meter - you could ignore a wet sensor for X minutes if you have no water flow in the house. Another option would be some type of "ignore" switch placed near the bathroom (or mop bucket) to disable the sensor for a period of time.
I suppose you could get fancy with something like:
If there is no mains water flow AND
if the mop bucket is missing from its home AND
if the bathroom floor is wet THEN
disable wet floor alarm for 30 minutes
Terry
I suppose you could get fancy with something like:
If there is no mains water flow AND
if the mop bucket is missing from its home AND
if the bathroom floor is wet THEN
disable wet floor alarm for 30 minutes
Terry
Ranger Digital
Active Member
rob, I think that it could be prone to false alarms depending on what sensor you use. I am using these as they are VERY cheap (and if you look at other online sellers you will see they are $10 to $23 each!)
http://www.safemart.com/index.asp?PageActi...amp;ProdID=6336
water sensors of course can be false alarmed by mop water and what about the boys that cant hit the toilet? LOL. it only takes 1/16th inch to trigger. its two tiny metal wires that contact when water fills the gap. im sure there are different ones though.
you cant beat this price. i am putting them behind the washer, under the jacuzzi, under every sink and dishwasher. why not? they are so cheap. what i have not figured out is what do i want it to trigger? a strobe? an alarm? a noice? cell phone? log? fun stuff!!
edit:note these are back up to 9.95 from 3.95. glad i bought 10.
http://www.safemart.com/index.asp?PageActi...amp;ProdID=6336
water sensors of course can be false alarmed by mop water and what about the boys that cant hit the toilet? LOL. it only takes 1/16th inch to trigger. its two tiny metal wires that contact when water fills the gap. im sure there are different ones though.
you cant beat this price. i am putting them behind the washer, under the jacuzzi, under every sink and dishwasher. why not? they are so cheap. what i have not figured out is what do i want it to trigger? a strobe? an alarm? a noice? cell phone? log? fun stuff!!
edit:note these are back up to 9.95 from 3.95. glad i bought 10.
Ranger Digital
Active Member
rous, thats using your marbles! great idea.
So when you guys are using multiple sensors for a location like the bathroom are you running them in parallel to a single zone of the (in my case) Elk M1?
Roussell, what do you use to detect water flow in the house? With regards to detecting if the mop bucket was nearby I suppose I could use an RFID attached to the mop bucket and have any wet alarm be ignored in that area...hmmm.. the posibilities with automation are endless!
Roussell, what do you use to detect water flow in the house? With regards to detecting if the mop bucket was nearby I suppose I could use an RFID attached to the mop bucket and have any wet alarm be ignored in that area...hmmm.. the posibilities with automation are endless!
Ranger Digital
Active Member
rob, i have not set it up yet but i am planning on running each sensor to its own zone. if several goe to a single zone, it wouldnt be able to tell me which sensor detected water would it? I can do each to a single zone because i have zone expansion boards so why not use them.
but if i find out that i can put several on a single zone, then i would surely do that.
rob, like your question to rous and cant wait to hear the answer!
but if i find out that i can put several on a single zone, then i would surely do that.
rob, like your question to rous and cant wait to hear the answer!
Ranger Digital
Active Member
rous, wouldnt that depend on how sensitive the water flow sensor is? some water flow meters detect a trickle, so if there is a leak it could be a trickle. or even a big leak that would make the water sensor send an alarm wouldnt go off coz its programmed to not go off if there is water flow. is my babble making sense? LOL
i am interested in your solution. please tell us more.
i am interested in your solution. please tell us more.
I would only use them in parallel for a single area...if I get a wet floor alarm for the master bathroom I don't need the alarm to tell me if it is from the sink in the master bath, the tub in the master bath or the toilet in the master bath...as soon as I go up there I will be able to locate the source. Each area (master bath, kids bath, kitchen, laundry room, water heater) would be on a separate zone.
politics123
Active Member
How does one wire these? The manual suggests a relay?? Aren't these just a N. O. zone? Can't I just plug these into any zone on my Elk? Great price, BTW!
Ranger Digital
Active Member
rob. ok i understand that. but there is no disadvantage to each having their own zone right? except for some additional programming and taking up additional zones?
is there a risk of not having at least five volts if i run several in parallell? the instructions are clear on making sure a MINIMUM of five volts. i was just going give them 12. maybe less. whatever is easiest.
is there a risk of not having at least five volts if i run several in parallell? the instructions are clear on making sure a MINIMUM of five volts. i was just going give them 12. maybe less. whatever is easiest.
Ranger Digital
Active Member
politics, i am with you GREAT price so why not add some? LOL
i have the same question on hooking up and I hope our fine intelligent friends here can help us newbies out.
i have the same question on hooking up and I hope our fine intelligent friends here can help us newbies out.
Ranger Digital
Active Member
politics, here is an install sheet. it appears they can hook up to a zone and to some power. no relay if you get min. five volts.
http://www.grisk.com/specialty/pdf/2800Installation.pdf
here is a bulletin on it. helpful
http://www.grisk.com/specialty/pdf/2800_te...cal-TB28001.pdf
and the specs. i feel these will work for us.
http://www.grisk.com/specialty/pdf/2800%20water%20sensor.pdf
http://www.grisk.com/specialty/pdf/2800Installation.pdf
here is a bulletin on it. helpful
http://www.grisk.com/specialty/pdf/2800_te...cal-TB28001.pdf
and the specs. i feel these will work for us.
http://www.grisk.com/specialty/pdf/2800%20water%20sensor.pdf
This should work http://www.systemsensor.com/html/ssm.html.
BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
I haven't studied the documentation on the G. Risk water sensor but what I think they are saying is you need a minimum of five volts from the zone, using an EOL resistor, without the zone violated.
From what I'm guessing, the Elk's zones, when used with an EOL resistor will have a "range" of voltage, I think somewhere between seven to ten volts (can't remember exact numbers as it's been a while since I messed with an Elk). This is of course for a normally closed sensor. If the voltage goes up over ten (i.e. zone is now "opened" or tripped) the zone will show violated. If a wire shorts for some reason, the voltage will show less (and some trouble/violation message will appear).
If the Elk used a smaller voltage for an EOL unviolated zone (say under five volts) you couldn't use this sensor. Of course there is also the issue of making sure that zone had enough current capability to drive that sensor.
I would also have to scratch my head when trying to parallel these sensors to one zone.
Let's see what other say...
EDIT: Also note that G Risk makes water sensors with a built in contact relay that would wire much like a glass break or motion sensor:
http://www.grisk.com/specialty/pdf/2600.pdf
http://www.safemart.com/index.asp?PageActi...amp;ProdID=6277
From what I'm guessing, the Elk's zones, when used with an EOL resistor will have a "range" of voltage, I think somewhere between seven to ten volts (can't remember exact numbers as it's been a while since I messed with an Elk). This is of course for a normally closed sensor. If the voltage goes up over ten (i.e. zone is now "opened" or tripped) the zone will show violated. If a wire shorts for some reason, the voltage will show less (and some trouble/violation message will appear).
If the Elk used a smaller voltage for an EOL unviolated zone (say under five volts) you couldn't use this sensor. Of course there is also the issue of making sure that zone had enough current capability to drive that sensor.
I would also have to scratch my head when trying to parallel these sensors to one zone.Let's see what other say...
EDIT: Also note that G Risk makes water sensors with a built in contact relay that would wire much like a glass break or motion sensor:
http://www.grisk.com/specialty/pdf/2600.pdf
http://www.safemart.com/index.asp?PageActi...amp;ProdID=6277
