Fibaro Flood Sensor Customization

jriker1 · November 29, 2019, 2:20pm

OK this may be a little out there but perhaps people already know the answer to this. I just ordered a couple Fibaro flood sensors.

Trying to do a couple things:

Connect a long cable to SENS1 and SENS2 inside the unit.
Also looking at how to wire this to power as supposedly it will act as a repeater then.

So the above shows SENS1 and SENS2. Apparently put a wire on these and it will trigger. What I don’t know if each SENS1 and SENS2 work independently or both need to be triggered to set off the alarm, and 2 if the built in sensors on the bottom trigger still as well, AND if in HA if you can tell which is being triggered. I’ve looked at this for the wire, but not sure based on how it reads, if it’s going to work: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079YB1T8J/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Also looking at how to wire to the wall which I assume uses +12 and Ground but can’t find anyone who has done this and how that would look. Then it would be a repeater which would be cool. Like take an old two prong cable and hook it up probably?

Thanks.

JR

firstof9 · November 29, 2019, 8:30pm

Reading their website it states SENS1 and SENS2 = 1 probe.

The Sensor detects resistance between electrodes 1 and 3, 1 and 2 and electrodes connected to contacts (SENS1 and SENS2).

The pins on the bottom are 1 detector and the wires on SENS1&2 would be another detector.

Source:

jriker1 · November 29, 2019, 8:32pm

Cool thanks. So I’m thinking something like this for the power so it’s a repeater.

Cut off the end.

firstof9 · November 29, 2019, 9:40pm

Recommend tinning the wires with solder after you nip the end off

jriker1 · January 5, 2020, 7:44pm

Just a follow-up on this. So I have done the following:

Connected the Fibaro to mains power in the basement.
Connected the Fibaro to an external probe for the basement unit
Mounted the Fibaro in the basement to the wall and ran it down into the sump pump. Wired it in between where the main unit triggers and the battery unit triggers. Thought that I will then know if the primary fails which actually had when I went to install the fibaro and had to replace it.

For the kitchen I left the unit as is and running on battery under the sink.

I can say one thing, and Fibaro wouldn’t respond to emails on this, looks like an either or situation. If you connect external probe wires the terminals on the bottom of the flood sensor get flaky. If you remove the probe wires the bottom ones work fine. So if they are supposed to both work, it seems Fibaro as well as Aeotec act up when you have an external probe.

Found that the alarm level was 2 when flooding and 3 when moved. Created an automations file for this and put in:

- id: flood_primary_water_pump_failed
  alias: "[Flood] Primary Water Pump Failed"
  initial_state: 'on'
  trigger:
    platform: numeric_state
    entity_id: sensor.fibaro_flood_sensor_basement_alarm_level
    above: 0
    below: 3
  action:
    - service: notify.john_and_sue
      data:
        message: 'Primary Sump Pump Failed!'

- id: flood_basement_sensor_tampered
  alias: "[Flood] Basement Sensor Tampered"
  initial_state: 'on'
  trigger:
    platform: numeric_state
    entity_id: sensor.fibaro_flood_sensor_basement_alarm_level
    above: 2
    below: 4
  action:
    - service: notify.john_and_sue
      data:
        message: 'Check basement Flood Sensor, may have been moved!'

- id: flood_kitchen_water_detected
  alias: "[Flood] Kitchen Water Detected"
  initial_state: 'on'
  trigger:
    platform: numeric_state
    entity_id: sensor.fibaro_flood_sensor_kitchen_alarm_level
    above: 0
    below: 3
  action:
    - service: notify.john_and_sue
      data:
        message: 'Kitchen flood sensor shows water!'

- id: flood_kitchen_sensor_tampered
  alias: "[Flood] Kitchen Sensor Tampered"
  initial_state: 'on'
  trigger:
    platform: numeric_state
    entity_id: sensor.fibaro_flood_sensor_kitchen_alarm_level
    above: 2
    below: 4
  action:
    - service: notify.john_and_sue
      data:
        message: 'Check kitchen Flood Sensor, may have been moved!'

Now I unplugged the primary and waiting to see what happens naturally but should work short of any splashing water. Any other thoughts to improve the above code and/or things I could do with displaying the status and the like visually?

firstof9 · January 5, 2020, 7:51pm

Only thing I’d maybe suggest for your automation is instead of a numeric_state using above/below, just template it to be 3 or 2.

jriker1 · January 7, 2020, 11:38pm

Question on this. So last night I was woken up by my phone triggering non stop of my primary sump pump failing. I think what’s happening is when the sump pump goes off it spits water all over in the pit but am not sure yet. I just see water on top of the sump pump above where the water would have drained, and can see water drops on the flood sensor as well. That said, I thought this thing would only go off if the sensor was fully submersed to complete a circuit. So basically what I think was happening is it kept going on and off constantly until I unplugged it. The alarm on the unit never went off so think it was just damp or something and was switching from 2 to 0 to 2 to 0 over and over for the alarm level.

That said, I am thinking of pulling this thing out and just putting in a Zooz Zen15 in and just monitor if the backup ever goes off with voltage spikes. What I’d like to try though, is there a way to modify my above automations so they only go off if it stays at a particular value within the range defined for 5 minutes?

Also should I expect with the above for it to constantly trigger or the fact that it was triggering constantly was because it was flipping between states?

firstof9 · January 8, 2020, 12:17am

Yup use the

for:
     minutes: 5

on the state.

I’d say it’s likely.

Tomahawk · January 8, 2020, 12:27am

I have done the same thing with the Fibaro flood sensor. Using å probe and connected to power. Has been working fine, but I only use the probe to sense the water. The battery status when connected to power displays constant 4.

jriker1 · January 8, 2020, 12:46am

I still have the tab blocking the battery so it doesn’t report at all. Below is kind of a picture or where my flood sensor probe is located. It is hard with all the stuff to get it to focus on what you want.

It’s about an inch above where the primary would normally trigger. I know when I had this thing just sitting on the ground for weeks before I put it into the pit never went off. Almost feel like I need to put an umbrella on top of it so it doesn’t get wet from above or turn it around as the leds are facing up right now. Hard to say. I would attach it to the secondary to the right but the pump is very large and can’t mount much of anything around that diameter.

jriker1 · January 8, 2020, 7:43pm

Well apparently this is a no go. Last night, shortly after I went to bed, it went off again. Based on my changes though it was more than 5 minutes into it sensing water. Plus the alarm was actually going off this time. Water was about an inch and a half down from where the sensor was. Funny When I didn’t have this thing in the pit,short of putting the probe in a bucket of water, it wouldn’t trigger. Just putting it on the cement and dumping water around it nothing would happen except maybe an occasional trigger to 2 and back to 0 but not much. May have to get those voltage monitors so I can see when the primary or backup are running and maybe keep this thing on the floor so if it goes over it maybe will detect that properly.

Also wondering if this will work any better or work at all with the Fibaro:

jriker1 · January 10, 2020, 1:33am

Any idea why when I reboot my phones get a Primary Sump Pump Failed! message? This happens even if the unit is unplugged and not reporting. The Kitchen one which is basically the same concept doesn’t do this.

firstof9 · January 10, 2020, 2:23am

No idea that doesn’t make any sense. What notification system are you using?

jriker1 · January 10, 2020, 3:16am

It’s this block of automation:

- id: flood_primary_water_pump_failed
  alias: "[Flood] Primary Water Pump Failed"
  initial_state: 'on'
  trigger:
    platform: numeric_state
    entity_id: sensor.fibaro_flood_sensor_basement_alarm_level
    above: 0
    below: 3
  action:
    - service: notify.john_and_sue
      data:
        message: 'Primary Sump Pump Failed!'

Goes to our iPhones

firstof9 · January 10, 2020, 2:29pm

Might need to see if you can add the

for:
     minutes: 5

to the trigger.
I hardly ever use numeric_state triggers.

jriker1 · January 10, 2020, 6:09pm

It’s in there already I just copied the script I originally posted. Apologizes.

- id: flood_primary_water_pump_failed
  alias: "[Flood] Primary Water Pump Failed"
  initial_state: 'on'
  trigger:
    platform: numeric_state
    entity_id: sensor.fibaro_flood_sensor_basement_alarm_level
    above: 0
    below: 3
    for: 00:05:00
  action:
    - service: notify.john_and_sue
      data:
        message: 'Primary Sump Pump Failed!'

firstof9 · January 10, 2020, 7:08pm

Are you using something like pushbullet? The app you’re using for notifications might be spazing out.

jriker1 · January 10, 2020, 7:15pm

Just the iOS app and the built in notification. Besides the action should never be even hit unless the triggers match or HA thinks they do no?

firstof9 · January 10, 2020, 7:18pm

Right but if you’re just rebooting your phone and the message comes up that tells me something’s funky with the app. Does HA stay the automation was triggered?

AxeBro · December 1, 2021, 9:05pm

Sorry to re-awaken this - but did your device have holes for the hardwired sensor and power, or did you drill those in yourself?

Thanks!