Emergency water shut-off system for an apartment. Aquaguard, Neptune or Gidrolock? Comparison of leakage protection systems

The third of which states: a robot must take care of its safety to the extent that this does not contradict the First and Second Laws. Those. One of the tasks of a smart home is to take care of its safety, to prevent break-ins, fires, floods, and other damage. Today we will talk about protection against leaks and flooding.

Aquawatch is a system that automatically shuts off the water when flooding is detected. A pipe bursts - water rushes onto the floor, hits the sensor, and the servo drive turns off the taps on the risers. Of course, this will not save you from wet floors - some of the water will still end up on the floor, but the repair will protect you, and at the same time protect the neighbors below from compensation after flooding. Let's take a look, take the Aquaguard system apart and find out if it's that good?

Controller

The whole set is in this box:

The kit is shown on the front, and the operating principle of the system on the side:

There is also a good and clearly written user manual:

The main part of the system looks like this:

Two taps - for cold and hot water, main control unit, flood sensors, external power supply.
Here's a closer look at the main unit (TK03):

The controller is made in a very interesting way - it is assembled as a constructor into which additional extension blocks are inserted. Are 6 wired sensors not enough? Adding a panel, we get 18 sensors. Do we want to turn a regular system into a wireless one? We insert the radio base and connect it to a special connector. Do you need the ability to turn off the heating or the pump when the water is turned off? We connect the panel with power relays. Missing a standard battery pack? We insert another one and extend the autonomous operation of the system for another year (if the system only has wired sensors, then for three years).
The entire system, except for wired sensors, has a 4-year warranty. The sensors have a lifetime warranty. True, they promise free replacement of no more than 3 sensors per user, apparently guided by the consideration “if a person breaks 3 sensors in a row, then the problem is not in the sensors.”
My version has four sensors - two wired and two radio sensors. The system can simultaneously work with both. The maximum number of wireless sensors is 8 (2 included), or 20 with an expander panel (TK19). The number of wired sensors is almost unlimited - a chain of up to 100 pieces can be connected to each connector, for a total of as many as 600 pieces.
There is a page on the site that describes all possible components with article numbers - in the future I will list them in parentheses for convenience.
A very interesting solution. Here is the mechanism for connecting the blocks, on one side of the latch:

On the other is a place for the wires that connect the blocks to each other:

Let's sort it out. Although it’s difficult to call it disassembly - we just pull the board out of the slots:

Controller, squeaker (very loud and nasty):

Two 20F ionistors:

And one for 10:

These are the same Nano-UPS :)

But in essence, it’s correct - they store a reserve of energy, which is enough to operate the device and turn off the taps after the batteries are completely empty. In general, if an accident occurs, the system will work and shut off the water even if the batteries are dead. After this, you can still open the taps once with the button if you urgently need water and don’t have time to run for batteries - this point has been thought out, which is nice. But after this the batteries will have to be replaced.
Below on the board there are 14 connectors, one of which is for the battery pack, one for connecting blocks, 6 for wired sensors, and 6 for taps. As I already wrote, there can be an almost unlimited number of wired sensors - they can be connected in parallel to each other. True, when using a sensor with break monitoring, it must be the last in the chain - otherwise the controller will not notice the break after it.

Cranes

Here are two taps(TK12):

Each one has a strict piece of paper on it :)

We disassemble the faucet into two parts:

From the tap side:

A serious metal gear that closes a ball valve. In the first versions it was plastic, but they corrected this defect. From the engine side:

Also a metal gear of the output shaft of a gearbox (a device that reduces rotation speed and increases force). Everything looks serious. The cranes, by the way, are also special - with low friction, to make it easier to turn the crane with a small engine. It closes really easily - you can turn it with your finger without straining too much. Other systems have taps with a motor that is powered by 220V, but there is another problem - safety and the inability to turn off the tap when there is a power outage. And according to Murphy's law, the electricity will be cut off at the most inopportune moment. So I'd rather pay a little extra for a faucet with a low-voltage motor.

Sensor

Wired flood sensor (TK24), as simple as two pennies:

Wire, housing, and fiberglass plate with two contacts. The contacts get wet - the resistance decreases, the controller understands this and turns off the water. There is nothing to break here - the contacts are coated with immersion gold, which means they will not oxidize or rot.
Contact pads:

This is a “premium” sensor, and in simple terms - with protection against wire breakage. The problem is that for a controller, a “regular” sensor that doesn’t work and a sensor whose wire is broken are the same thing. Protection against this is a simple capacitor:

It conducts alternating current, and by its presence the controller can already determine three states - short circuit (flood), no short circuit (sensor in place), and no contact (broken wire).
The sensor is very simple, and if you have direct hands, you can make as many of them as you like for your needs - even a LUT from textolite, even from two strips of a tin can and a wire. Just take care of protection from splashes - otherwise one day during a shower you will be forced to get out of the bath and explain to the controller that it’s not a flood, but just a drop that fell :) But I’m talking about a homemade sensor - the “branded” ones have a body design that provides protection from accidental splashes . In addition, they will only work if the water level reaches 1mm over the entire sensor area - this is approximately 10-15ml of water.

Radio base and sensors

An additional unit (TK17), which adds several wireless sensors to the usual ones. There are two of them in the set, but you can buy and add 6 more - they are attached to this block. And another 12 sensors are connected to the expansion unit (TK19). As a result, the total number of wireless sensors is 20 pieces. I don’t know why there is so much, except for some large cottage.
The radio base board has its own personal ionistor, so as not to waste the energy of the main board on servicing the radio sensors.

Controller, and another tweeter:

And here are the radio sensors:

The right one is just a sensor (TK16), and the left one is a control panel sensor (TK18). The buttons can be used to close and open the taps at any time.
On the back of both sensors is the already familiar board with contacts:

The sensor is disassembled quite simply - you need to pry off the central part from all sides one by one with a flat screwdriver. It holds very firmly - as I understand it, it is made to prevent water penetration.

By the way, a sensor with a button is the same as a sensor without a button, only with a button:

So if your hands are itchy and your soldering iron is getting hot, you can attach a button - I checked, the contacts work.
On the back of the board are contacts for batteries (2xAAA):

Controller, harness and tweeter:

Assembly

We begin to assemble a system to suit our requirements. Add a second battery pack:

Simply insert the wires into the empty sockets of the connector:

And connect the two blocks together:

Let's take the radio base:

Disable the additional sensor unit and connect the radio base:

Connecting battery packs:

And let's put it all together:

Constructor. By the way, we forgot to connect the taps and the wired sensor. And external power, if necessary - when using it, battery power is not wasted, and wireless sensors are constantly polled. When using battery power, the reaction to pressing a button on a wireless sensor or to its flooding follows a slight delay - from 1 to 5 seconds.

Installation

First we do the simplest thing - we fasten the mounting panel with two screws:

And we hang the controller on it:

Let's disassemble the taps:

I did this for ease of installation on a ready-made system, because the engine protruded too much - it was not very convenient to mount.
We wrap the threads of the tap with fumlente:

We turn off the water, and think about where to insert the tap, so as not to call a plumber to reassemble the entire system?
I have some free space after the meter - where the check valve is located. Look at the lower pipe (I did not remove the process of installing the hot water faucet):

We unscrew what you have unscrewed. We see a loose thread - wrap it with fumlenta :)

Screw the valve onto the tap:

And we screw this whole structure back onto the counter.

We cut off the connecting pipe - the tap has taken up space, so why not move all the other pipes for this?

And put it in place:

We screw the engine into place and tidy up the wires:

We simply place radio sensors in places of possible flooding:

We take the wired one through a hole in the wall (it was necessary to cut the wire and then connect it using tape locks):

We lower the wire down:

We screw the platform to the floor and install the sensor itself:

And close the lid:

The sensors are located around the apartment like this:

One is under the sink, the other is under the washing machine. Wired sensor - under the bathroom. The plan was drawn in SweetHome 3D

Connect the wires to the controller:

Green - sensor. In the first connector (it is labeled as zero) - only the sensor (or chain of sensors) is turned on without monitoring for wire breakage. The remaining connectors contain sensors with open circuit monitoring.
Blue arrow - tap connectors. There is no difference, they all close and open the same way. Lilac and yellow - external and battery power, respectively. Blue - connector for expansion cards (we have a radio base connected to it).
In general, the system after installation looks like this:

All that remains is to comb the wires so that they do not hang over your head.

Examination

I didn’t break the pipe, but I had to figure out a small flood in the bathroom:

Price

You can buy the system on the official website.
The price depends on the set, for example the cheapest (TH00) will cost you 6,220 rubles. It includes two wired sensors, and one tap. An additional tap (TK12) is another 2,390 rubles. Thus, the most budget solution for an apartment with hot and cold water is 8,610 rubles.
The version of the system that I had will cost 15,990 rubles. Includes two taps, and four sensors - two wired and two radio.

Other protection system options

The choice of systems is not limited to the two most popular. If desired, you can find other similar devices.

Eg, "GIDROLOCK" system It is also reliable enough to protect various types of premises. It has a standard design. If a leak occurs, the control unit will not only stop it, but also emit a characteristic sound signal.

The control unit can be equipped with the following functions:

sensor circuit break monitoring;
Battery charge level monitoring;
weekly self-cleaning of ball channels.

The cost of the kit can range from $130 to $780.

System “Stop Flood “RaDuga” does not require laying wires, the sensors operate on a radio signal.

Protection against leakage is due to the operation of a solenoid valve that shuts off the water supply.

In this system, it is possible to increase the number of control sensors and . The response time of the equipment is 7 – 10 s.

The system has other advantages:

operating on a radio signal, it does not in any way affect the operation of other equipment;
the operation of the equipment does not depend on the electrical network; it is equipped with batteries;
There is a self-diagnosis system.

The cost of a complete set for cold and hot water risers is about $300.

How the devices that make up the system work

Leak sensor is a (rarely metal) container equipped with two sensitive contacts. On the surface of the contacts there is anti-corrosion coating.

There is no danger in touching the sensor as it is connected to a safe power source.

The sensor works like this: water, being an electrical conductor, closes the contacts, the resistance between them drops sharply, which for the controller is a signal of a leak. If small splashes come into contact, the sensor does not work.

Wireless sensors are completely autonomous and can be installed anywhere. But at the same time, the controller cannot check the functionality of the sensor.

Wired sensors are constantly under, which makes it possible for the controller to continuously monitor their performance.

The sensor can be installed in two ways:

Embed into the floor in those places where water accumulation is most likely (protrusion above the floor level 3 - 4 mm). In this case, the devices are installed with the contact plates facing up, and the wire is supplied to them using a corrugated tube.
If insertion is not possible, then the device is placed directly on the floor, with the contact plates facing down. The contacts do not touch the floor, since there are point protrusions on the body of the device. This prevents false alarms when water drops enter.

Once every three months, the sensor plates need to be wiped.

Controller mounted in a place convenient for notifying owners about a leak and allowing for maintenance of the device. If the system is wired, then the control unit should be located near the sensors, but so that water does not get on the housing.

The controller and solenoid valve must be powered through an RCD.

Actuators can be of two types:

blocking water;
signaling a leak (buzzers, sirens, SMS).

It is clear that just sending a signal does not solve the problem, so it is better if the system is equipped with devices that shut off the water. These can be solenoid valves or electrically actuated ball valves.

Solenoid valves They are very sensitive to the purity of water, so they place them between them and the valve. They require a constant supply of electricity, so such systems need to be equipped with additional power sources that turn on when there is no power.

Ball Valves can be removed from the controller at most. Than 100 m. They obey only the command given from the control unit.

The housings of these devices are made of stainless steel or chrome-plated brass. The valve is driven by a brushless electric drive, which consumes energy only during closing and opening of the ball valve. When the signal is triggered, the valve closing speed is calculated so as to prevent the development of water hammer.

Ball valves can be powered either from the central power supply or from an additional power source. Some systems have a "maintenance check" function that is designed to keep the valves in working order. In this case, once a week, at the command of the controller, the taps are turned at an angle of 3 to 5 degrees, which helps prevent the ball from becoming overgrown with deposits of salts and dirt.

It is best to have leaks installed by specialists who are well acquainted with the process and installation features in various rooms, but you can do it yourself.

If such a decision is made, then the following order of installation of system elements should be followed:

The automation unit is installed first;
then install the shut-off valves;
then they install control sensors and connect them to the control unit;
connect the electric drive of the locking devices to the controller;
testing the operation of the system.

Despite the apparent simplicity of installation, you need to remember that this will require upgrading the indoor plumbing system. And to do this, you need certain knowledge and skills, as well as a tool. If you have not done such things before, then it is not worth the risk. Otherwise, you will cause a flood before installing the protective system.

general review

Many of us are concerned about the problem of possible water leakage. Someone may have already encountered very, very unpleasant consequences if the washing machine leaked, a pipe broke, or the sink clogged.
How many problems this has caused for you and your neighbors!
The purpose of this article is to help you understand modern leakage protection systems, to help protect your home and yourself from unpleasant consequences.

So let's get started. Today, the most popular leakage protection systems are represented by such brands as "Hydrolock", "Aquawatch", "Neptune".
Each system has its own advantages and disadvantages, let’s try to figure out which of these systems is “better” and is right for you.
Let's look at all the advantages and disadvantages.

We inform you right away that the cost of each of the systems is significantly lower than the damage that a flood can cause in your apartment; the consequences of a flood can be long-term and, in addition to financial and moral troubles, lead to such consequences as the appearance of black mold - a very harmful phenomenon for health, followed by must be monitored, especially if there are small children in the house.

Leakage protection systems

Let's consider the capabilities of leakage protection systems
- Shutting off the leak in case of a faucet failure or a pipe break
- detection of water on the floor
- notification of the owner via SMS and sound signal
- possibility of remote operation with the system via the control panel
- ensuring the system operates in the event of a power outage

For a leakage protection system, the ability to operate automatically when no one is home is extremely important. The task is not only to stop the leak, but also to promptly notify the owner. For which, as mentioned above, there is the possibility of SMS notifications and a sound signal, which will allow you to quickly find out about a leak if you are at home.
All systems presented in the review consist of:

In all systems under consideration, to prevent electric shock, the voltage required to power the sensors does not exceed 5 Volts. The remaining devices are powered by a voltage of 12 V. 220 is used only for automatic recharging of uninterruptible power supplies.

Leakage protection systems are extremely necessary in apartment buildings, warehouses, and boiler rooms. We believe that the reasons that determine this need do not need to be described in detail, due to their obviousness: preserving goods in warehouses, protecting people and animals from flooding (including from hot water ), preventing serious accidents, preserving property.
Industrial class systems are capable of preventing leaks in industrial water supply systems, for example, in the event of errors by installers or welders - practically reducing the possible risk to zero.

Comparison: which is better: Aquaguard, Neptune or Gidrolock?

All these systems are made in Russia.
When objectively compared on a five-point scale, in terms of such indicators as cost, reliability and functionality, the “Hydrolock” system stands out as the leader - 5, followed by “Aquawatch” - 4, and then “Neptune” - 3. For more details, you can read about this below.

The advantages of "Gidrolok" include the possibility of installation in premises that do not have a permanent 220 V network, because the system can operate on UPS batteries for six months, which cannot be said about “Neptun” and “Aquawatch”.
"Gidrolok" has a more advanced design of ShEP drives - using brushless stepper motors. This approach to the construction of ShEP electric motors produces higher torque and reliability, and ensures that the rotor is locked during a blackout, which cannot be said about the Aquostrozh and Neptune commutator motors.
The Hydrolock system provides the ability to disconnect the ball valve from the electric drive and replace it separately.
However, the Akvastorozha taps have a higher speed of closing the taps than those of Gidrolok and Neptune, but have a significantly shorter service life.
"Gidrolok" exceeds the capabilities of competitors in the number of connected ball valves, the number of control zones, functionality and number of sensors, and the range of operating temperatures.
The service life of wireless sensors from Reneta batteries in Hydrolock is 10 years, which in practice is higher than that of Aquawatch; the Neptun system does not have battery-powered sensors at all.
“Hydrolock” is the most functional control of battery operation: under load, in idle mode and under load per unit of time; competitors do not provide this opportunity.
"Gidrolok" and "Akvastorozh" have an emergency button to shut off water in all controlled areas, "Neptun" does not have this option.
The Hydrolock kit includes a convenient and functional touchscreen remote control that operates via a radio signal; the Aqua Watchman has a radio button, while the Neptune does not provide such functionality.
"Hydrolock" allows you to expand the system by connecting external equipment, such as pumps for pumping out water, alarms; “Aquaguard” - only in the “PRO” configuration; “Neptune” has a non-expandable architecture.
The industrial version of the Hydrolock system provides for connecting a remote control with an indication to determine in which room of the building or facility a leak occurred, as well as additional control units; competitors do not have this option.
“Hydrolock” protects devices from short circuits and power surges, and has built-in fuses, which cannot be said about our other two, already familiar systems.
Hydrolock comes with a Siemens GSM modem, which is guaranteed to work in the system; Aquawatch has the ability to connect third-party modems for SMS notifications.
Hydroloka electric drives have a longer gearbox life, the drive power is 1.5 times higher than that of competitors. The operating range of the sensors is also higher for Hydrolock; when operating at a frequency of 868 MHz, they have a significantly greater signal transmission range, but at this frequency the noise immunity of the signal is significantly lower.
The Gidroloka radio unit is smaller in size than its competitors