Hi
Can anyone let me know what the cable extension fitment does for a SNZB 05P leak detector ?
Does it allow me to connect the device to a usb supply to power the leak detector if the battery fails or the device is place in a really inaccessible location eg under a shower
Thanks
This sensor is 100% battery-powered. The cable does not provide power; it is solely used to detect water. The USB connector only serves as a connector and does not carry power to the sensor. I would advise against attempting to power it this way, as you could damage the PCB. The USB end of the cable allows you to connect multiple cables in a line, thus extending the detection circuit. However, remember that the sensor cannot detect the exact location of water, only that a section of the cable has become wet. It’s also important to remember that the sensor will report a leak for a while, even after the water has drained away, until the cable’s protective material has sufficiently dried out.
Ok. That help - thanks for that
So, im not sure if the usb connector provides any value for me. I suspect it would be better I sort a cr2477 battery eliminater and spend my money that way.
Once the device gets installed under the shower I need to be able to power it without the need to change batteries. Time to get the solder iron out ?
Thanks
Hmm
I’d consider a slightly different approach. It all depends on your physical setup.
But perhaps keep the sensor itself in an accessible place and run just the cable into the shower. The sensor doesn’t have to be near the water, after all.
Buy several of these cables if one isn’t long enough, and then the part in the shower that’s exposed to flooding will detect it. Put the sensor and the part of the cable outside the flooded area in an airtight container/box to avoid accidental alarms.
Ok, so the penny drops. All the extension cable does is extend the two pins on the top of the device that detects water (presumably by high resistance connection tending to short circuit).
So a 3 or 4.5 v usb conector from Aliexpress (£2-4) connected to a usb plug (2 for £9) on amazon and a tplink or sonoff mains plug@£10
Would give me a permanant battery to the SNZB device.
It will be installed under a shower tray close to drain plug, but then hidden behind shower tray skirting and led, behind skirting to a power supply in vanity unit (used for hairdryer/shaver/ toothbrush)- so once it is in - it stays in
But you have answered my question - thanks
Why do you need a permanent battery? The normal one probably works for years. That is why we use Zigbee and not WLAN.
Yes, this cable becomes the gold pins. The entire length of the cable becomes the sensing area, including the pins at the USB end of the cable.
The difference is that with the sensor itself, water must connect both pins. This is single-point detection, while the cable can cover a large area, increasing the chance of detecting water that could theoretically bypass the sensor itself.
And in your case, it adds the ability to reach hard-to-reach places without having to place the sensor itself there.
The sensor can only be powered via the battery contacts inside the sensor. You can’t power it via the gold pins. Furthermore, you must provide exactly the same parameters as the battery.
I don’t see the point of inserting the power cable into a hard-to-reach place and soldering it into the sensor there to simulate a battery.
The sensor itself is waterproof… modifying it will likely compromise its waterproofness.
I don’t see the point of modifying the sensor’s power supply and installing it in a hard-to-reach place. It’s easier to use dedicated cables and keep the sensor where changing the battery every 2-5 years won’t be a problem.
I feel like you’re reinventing the wheel, only yours is square… but you do as you see fit.
See last post
Once the device is installed and built in it is a major decoration task to replace a battery - better to remove the requirement at the outset
