Re: Experience with Floodstopper - whole house water leak detection

[Sylvan Butler <ZsdbUse1+noZs_0505@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, 26 May 2005 07:33:40 -0400, Robert Green <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> The unreasonably high prices (when compared to the relative cheapness of
> electrically controlled valves) are leading me to design my own system.

Definitely.

> date.  Somewhere I read you can make a very cheap (one shot) water detector
> from a clothespin, some small brass wood screws, some wire and an aspirin.
> You wire the clothespin so that current flows when the clothespin's fingers
> touch.  Then, you insert an aspirin to keep the contacts separated.  When
> water hits the aspirin, it dissolves and the contacts close.

Kind of slow.  That may be desirable in some instances.

Maybe a good starting point for a water sensor, Harbor Freight has
little battery operated water alarms.  IIRC, sale price is about $5.
(One of them saved me a big mess last week when water main broke just
outside the basement wall at 3am).  The unit has an undocumented  1/8"
(3.5mm) jack which does not appear to be power.  Haven't traced the
circuit yet.  Maybe remote sensor?  Maybe audio or other alarm out...

Darn, looks like they have two now.  I have the second:
  http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=92334
  http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42702

sdb
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