Leak detection alarm

[LLigetfa]

For years, I've been using an el cheapo Zircon Leak Alert http://www.zircon.com/products/more_leak_alert.html that I had modified with a remote probe. I soldered an RJ11 jack to it so that I could use a 25 foot phone cord to another RJ11 jack on the cover of my sump pit. I then drove two long stainless steel deck screws through the lid to act as probes. I placed the Leak Alert up in the living space next to the hot water tank.

Over the years, the system has degraded and started false-alarming. First I had moisture condense on the underside of the sump pit cover and had to insulate all but the tips of the screws. Then the cheap phone wire got damp and needed to be replaced. Now the local sensor on the Leak Alert started false-alarming. Unplugging the phone cord would not silence it.

Sure, I could break into the piggy bank and find $7 for another one but I wonder if there are any other reasonably priced units that can be chained together so that if one goes off, they all go off like wired smoke alarms do.

 

[Furd]

The best alarm system is only as good as the weakest link. I don't know what you might consider as "reasonably priced" so I can't give any specific recommendations but what I would likely do is to install a small float switch through the lid of the sump and connect it to an alarm that is powered from the AC main with a battery back-up. If you have a spare "point" on your home security system (assuming you have a security system) this might be the best answer.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[LLigetfa]

I don't know what you might consider as "reasonably priced"...

For me, "reasonably priced" would be less than three digits. For the time being, I removed the two metal contacts circled in the pic above so that it can still monitor my sump pit but in so doing it no longer monitors my HWT. I suppose that I could probably have washed it and chased away the moisture with WD40 but I have the feeling it has gotten more sensitive over time. I suppose I might be able to reverse engineer the circuitry and modify the sensitivity and I might still do that if I buy another identical unit.

I really can't complain... for $7 it served me well for many years. It was never designed to have remote probes attached to it with 25 feet of phone cord so the extreme sensitivity to a bit of humidity causing the false-alarms is not unexpected. I reduced the humidity in the sump pit by routing a vent to my HRV. It keeps the crawlspace smelling nicer too.

My home security system is a GSD bitch and she would not take kindly to be hard wired to a float switch.

 

[LLigetfa]

I really can't complain... for $7 it served me well for many years.

That was back in 2011. The same unit is still in service today. I test it a few times a year and replace the battery when it needs changing.

I did purchase a second unit back in 2011 to monitor the HWT.