Automated leakage protection systems using the example of the Aquastorozh complex

A small leak can cause very big problems for an apartment, and for a private house. Imperfection of the water supply system occurs in a variety of cases: in case of installation errors of the water supply elements, when using low-quality parts, in case of improper operation of the water supply system or in the absence of competent maintenance. A local catastrophe can occur even because of ordinary human absent-mindedness: they forgot to close the tap, etc. Prudent homeowners should pay attention to leakage protection systems.

How does leak protection work?

Modern systems that can protect the house from leaks are a set of several devices:

• controller
• a set of sensors;
• valves that are controlled by electric drives.

The sensors are installed in places where water leakage is possible: in the bathroom, near the washing machine and dishwasher, in the toilet, in the kitchen, etc. In case of leakage from the sensors, a signal is sent to the controller. The controller then shuts off the water in the system using specially installed valves.

Arrangement of sensors, controller and locking mechanisms of the automated leakage protection system “Aquastorozh” in a standard apartment or in a private house

Of course, some of the water will still be on the floor, but the leak will not last long. As soon as the sensors respond to a changing situation, the water will be shut off throughout the house and the flow will stop. This will prevent expensive repairs, as well as the cost of compensating the neighbors from below for a damaged apartment. The owners will only need to wipe the floor, eliminate the leak and reconnect the plumbing system. The Aquastorozh protection system is distinguished by its excellent characteristics. A detailed overview of this device is contained in the following video:

Features of the device "Aquastorozh"

One of the most popular leak prevention systems is called Aquastorozh. The box has detailed instructions, all devices are not difficult to assemble and install. The kit includes:

• main control unit;
• faucet for hot water;
• faucet for cold water;
• external power supply;
• Gulf sensors.

All elements look very stylish and neat, they easily fit into a modern interior.

The main control unit is designed very conveniently and allows you to adjust the system to the needs of a particular house. For example, if you want to make the system wireless, just insert a radio base for which a special connector is provided. With the same ease, this item can be removed. There are also connectors for additional panels, which allow you to increase the number of wired sensors if necessary.Connecting a special panel with power relays provides the ability to automatically turn off the pump or heat if water is not supplied to the system. In the same way, you can install an additional unit for batteries to increase the battery life of the system.

The Aquastorozh system consumes energy very moderately. Installed batteries will last for a year of efficient operation of the system using wireless sensors. If only wired sensors are used, the life of the system will increase three times. The manufacturer guarantees uninterrupted operation of the system for four years, however, no more than three damaged sensors will be replaced free of charge. The standard set of the Aquastorozh system can include both wired and wireless sensors. Both types of sensors can be connected to the system at the same time, being guided by a situation and expediency.

Wireless sensors can be installed in almost any suitable place, but they consume more power. In order to save electricity, you should pay attention to wired sensors. In addition, six more wireless sensors can be connected to the system. If you need more of them, you should purchase a panel expander TK-19, which allows you to increase the number of such sensors up to 20 pieces. Wired sensors can be installed much more. Each connector is designed for serial connection of 100 sensors. Thus, up to 600 sensors can be connected to six connectors.

In addition to conventional wired sensors, it is recommended to use special sensors with break monitoring. In a chain of wired sensors, such a device should be installed last. If a sensor with break monitoring is placed in the middle of the chain, the system will receive information about the break in front of such a sensor, but will not respond if a break occurs at the end of the chain.

The wired sensor is very simple. It consists of a textolite plate with two contacts, enclosed in a neat round case, and a pair of wires. If the contacts get wet, the controller responds to a decrease in voltage and turns off the water. The resistance of the contacts to environmental influences is provided by immersion gold plating. The sensor with wire break monitoring is also equipped with a capacitor. If the wire is broken, the controller reacts to the absence of contact on the sensor and gives the corresponding signal. The housing design provides protection against accidental splashes of water.

The diagram shows the device of the wired sensor of the Aquastorozh system. The metal contacts are gold plated, so they are not destroyed by moisture

Using the optional TK-17 unit, you can supplement the device with radio sensors. A separate ionistor is installed on the radio base board, providing it with the necessary power. There are also contacts for two AAA batteries.

It’s very convenient to work with the elements of the system, since it is disassembled and assembled in much the same way as a child’s. To disassemble the control unit, simply remove the board from the corresponding slots.

Inside are three ionistors: two at 20F and one at 10F. This is a fairly new and very useful development. These devices store energy that allows you to completely turn off the taps in the event of an accident, even if the main batteries are completely used up. The device has a special button that will allow you to restart the plumbing system after shutdown using ionistors. However, this will work only once, so it is recommended to immediately purchase and install the required number of batteries.

The crane of the Aquastorozh system is very reliable. In earlier versions for gears, plastic was used, which is now replaced with more durable metal

The controller board includes 14 connectors:

• for the battery pack - 1 connector;
• for connecting blocks - 1 connector;
• for wired sensors - 6 connectors;
• for cranes - 6 connectors.

Thus, the system can block six taps at once.

In the kit there are two cranes (TK-12). Inside each is a solid metal gear of a ball valve and a gear of the output shaft of the gearbox, also made of metal. This is a low friction design that allows you to rotate the crane using a low voltage engine.

The diagram shows the arrangement of the Aquastorozh crane and a conventional ball valve. This allows you to understand the features of the locking mechanism of an automated leakage protection system.

How to assemble and install “Aquastorozh”?

To assemble the Aquastorozh system with a radio unit, you must:

1. Add a second battery pack by inserting the wires into the slots on the dedicated connector and connecting the two battery packs together.
2. Connect the radio base to the socket of the additional sensor unit (which should be disconnected).
3. Connect faucet sensors and wire sensors to their respective sockets.
4. Install external power to the device (if necessary).
5. Connect the two halves of the controller.

Thus, the controller is assembled, now it is necessary to connect it to the plumbing system and place the sensors. To do this:

1. Install the controller in a suitable place using a special mounting panel.
2. Block the water in the plumbing system.
3. Install the cranes in a suitable place, carefully tightening the threads with a tape.
4. Place the radio sensors in suitable places on the floor.
5. Bring the wires of the remaining sensors to the necessary places (sometimes for this you need to make a hole in the wall, cut, and then connect the wire)
6. Disassemble the sensor, screw the platform to the floor, install the sensor itself and close it all with a lid.

On the controller board to the right of the socket to which the power supplies are connected, there are sockets for connecting wired sensors. Only to the socket, which is designated as zero, can you connect the sensor chains without monitoring the break. For the rest, such control is necessary.

This is how the locking mechanisms of the Aquastorozh leakage protection system look after installation. When mounting to an existing water supply, you may have to cut out part of the water pipe of the appropriate size

The figure shows the connection diagram of the Aquastorozh system, which helps to understand the procedure for connecting individual system elements to the controller board sockets

To the right are the sockets for connecting the cranes installed in the system. All of them act in the same way, you can choose arbitrarily. After all the necessary connections are connected, it remains to check the system and successfully use it.