Leak Testing Phyn Smart Water Sensors
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In this blog post we’re testing out Phyn Smart Water Sensors.
Quick intro on the Phyn Smart Water Sensor:
The Phyn Smart Water Sensor is a leak detection device you can put practically anywhere. This is especially true when paired with some of the accessories which allow the device to detect water in hard to reach places like under the washing machine, dishwasher and refrigerator. Pair it with Phyn Plus and you have full protection on your home with shutoff capabilities.
The tests:
- How long does it take the alarm to go off?
- How long does it take to get a notification on my phone?
- How long does it take Phyn Plus to shut off the water to my house?
These questions are best answered in video form. The side by side “Brady bunch” comparison is ridiculous, but very effective:
If you’d like to see the action at a more relaxed pace where you can see everything going on, feel free to look at this version. Note there are chapters so you can skip to the test that interests you the most because I’ll even admit it’s on the slow side, but when you want to see something it’s nice to have the option!
It takes about one second for the extension node to recognize the presence of water. The phone notification comes across between 12-13 seconds. Phyn Plus turns the water off in about 14 seconds.
It takes 2-3 seconds for the sensor cable to sense the presence of water and relay the message to Phyn Plus. The phone notification comes across between 12-13 seconds. Phyn Plus turns the water off between 15 to 17 seconds later.
The configuration of accessories does not matter. If there is a sensor cable, two sensor cables, an extension node or none–the timing is all about the same.
Phyn Smart Water Sensor 1 Leak Test Results
Phyn Smart Water Sensor 2 Leak Test Results
There is nothing slow about how fast they work once water hits a sensor.
Other info discovered during the Phyn Smart Water Sensor tests:
Pairing with Phyn Plus for auto shutoff capabilities.
Since this is a video on the water sensors, you can call Phyn Plus an accessory to a Phyn Smart water sensor or the water sensor as an accessory to Phyn Plus, but a main takeaway from this video you should know is that Phyn has a water monitor and shutoff system called Phyn Plus. This is a device put inline on the water main and if you enable auto shutoff with a sensor, when the sensor detects the presence of water, it can relay this information to Phyn Plus, immediately shutting the water off to the house. Having Phyn Plus is not a requirement for using the water sensor, but it is how a leak can be automatically stopped even if you are nowhere near your phone when an alert comes across.
Phyn app settings for Phyn Smart Water Sensor auto shutoff capability with Phyn Plus
Phyn Smart Water Sensor Notification–Your water was turned off.
Back to testing…here we have all the extensions which enhance the capability of the main sensor. In this video I’m going to try out all the different configurations on two sensors. For each scenario let’s see how well they work by timing. After sharing the test results I’m also going to cover some observations and ways to maximize the usefulness of these sensors and extensions.
The cable does a great job wicking and absorbing the water.
Oops–notice Phyn Plus in the upper left has a closed valve (the red mark halfway through the LED display is the indicator).
It is reusable, but it takes a little while for the cable to dry out. If you plug it back in before it is dry it will set the sensor off again. If you forget and plug it in, if the alarm goes off on the sensor it will shut off Phyn Plus again–even if you unplug it quickly. It’s too late–the alert is already sent. If you remember just in time before the alarm goes off, the sensor doesn’t send the notice across the network.
It takes almost an hour for the cable to dry in the winter in dry Arizona. I discovered that fun fact when I made the mistake of running a test without turning the valve on Phyn Plus back on–oops!
Every configuration has fast leak detection!
Phyn Smart Water Sensor two sensor cables and an extension node
From the results of these two sensors it looks like it doesn’t matter what configuration you have with the sensor or any combination of accessories–they all set off the alarm, Phyn Plus and phone notifications in a short amount of time. It takes an extra second or two for the cable to wick the water to where it is detected, but I’ll touch on this more in a minute. I’m impressed at the response speed of these sensors and how fast Phyn Plus shuts off. After looking at these results I’m considering maximizing the number of sensors in my home–that’s 9 that you can associate with a single Phyn Plus–I shared a workaround in the previous video.
How the sensor and extension node works.
Another item to consider is how the sensor and the extension node work. The sensor is only triggered when water connects at least two of the metal sensors on the bottom. Just touching one leg isn’t enough to complete the circuit and set off the alarm.
Likewise, that’s how the two sensors on the bottom of the extension node work. Placement is really important when it comes to getting the most value out of your sensor and extension node. Place the nodes in the grout line, or a similar place where the water has the path of least resistance in order to complete the circuit in the shortest amount of time.
Place the Phyn Smart Water Sensor and extension node at the lowest point–in the grout line.
If you have to get out a level on flooring to decide which side of an appliance to put an extension node or sensor cable, do it.
Place the Phyn Smart Water Sensor at the lowest point in the floor.
YMMV!
Now that I’ve shared my limited testing, here’s what may make my results different than your own. The test results may differ based on your network. It is also important to note these devices aren’t directly connected to each other–they use amazon web services. Another consideration is that when Phyn Plus shuts the water off to the house, water doesn’t immediately stop at the leak point. There is still water pressure in the line. Water will still come out at the leak point until pressure is relieved. This isn’t something specific to Phyn–it is across all shutoff systems with leak sensors.
There is a limit on how many sensors you can pair with Phyn Plus: 9.
If you are considering buying quite a few sensors you can save a little bit and maximize that sensor limit, for example, by putting a sensor under the kitchen sink and extending it’s detection footprint with some combination of cables and an extension node below the dishwasher next to it. There are some great combinations that can really prevent a lot of water damage. With this in mind, the cable, with it’s wicking ability, more than doubles the amount of space protected at just over half the cost of another sensor and it doesn’t count against the 9 sensor limit. The sensor with a cable is a really formidable tool against leaks.
These sensors paired with Phyn Plus are cheap insurance compared to a full blown water damage claim. Even though I have Phyn Plus, without the sensors, it takes a while for the algorithm to trigger shutoff and that’s justifiable because the point is to let you live your life uninterrupted and flag unusual events. The usage has to be out of the ordinary and with Phyn Plus, that doesn’t just mean when water runs longer than normal. A special feature of Phyn Plus is that it also looks for new pressure signatures–all water monitors aren’t created equal in this aspect. I know I’ve shared this in a couple past videos, but this scenario where a new fixture was allowed to run 19 gallons while allowing the irrigation to run hundreds of gallons.
Phyn Plus identifies new fixtures
That is still 19 gallons that could have been shut off earlier if there was a sensor in a real leak location. 19 gallons can cause a lot of damage.
Here’s the last test: how loud is the sensor.
I can hear the sensor echoing in a hard surface covered bathroom through two hollow core doors when I come in the front door. Now put the sensor in a cabinet under a sink and you’ll have to be closer to the room where it’s going off.
Let’s not forget, your phone going off in your pocket is possibly a more effective warning anyway.
In my opinion, the sensor’s strong point isn’t the sound.
The best part of a Phyn Smart Water Sensor is pairing it with Phyn Plus and shutting water off to the house, giving you a chance to address the leak later with minimal water damage.
Not just knowing about an event, but having the ability to DO something about it.
Now it is your turn and I’d love to hear from you. Are there any situations you are curious about that I haven’t tried? Drop a comment below!
PRICING / REVIEWS
○ Phyn Smart Water Sensors – https://www.phyn.com/smart-water-sensor/
○ Phyn Plus (10% off) – https://www.phyn.com/plus-smart-water-assistant/ enter discount code ‘Margaret10’ at checkout
○ Other pricing/reviews on Phyn Plus – https://amzn.to/2XUljro
A consolidated post on everything else I’ve shared on Phyn Plus:
The ULTIMATE Phyn Plus Resource [OUTSIDE of Phyn.com, of course]
