Well Pump Electrical Shut-off When Leak Detected?

[RSole]

All I can find is ball valve closing motors to shut off the water supply in case of a leak, some of which sometimes have a hard time with these valves due to them sticking from non-use.
What I am looking for is a system to shut off the power to my submersible pump in the event of a leak. An electrical cut-off is less failure prone than a mechanical device but I cannot find such a system. Does anyone know of one?

 

[LLigetfa]

Before going down that rabbit hole, how would it tell the difference between a leak and normal water use? Do you plan to put moisture sensors in every possible location that a leak might flood?

As much as I hate them, a low pressure cutoff pressure switch is rudimentary protection for a very big leak that the pump cannot keep up with.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Valveman]

I have several of those. I use an Aeotec heavy duty smart switch, with a Samsung smarthub, and as many leak detectors as needed. There maybe a better way of doing it these days as mine are probable 10 years old now, but they still work well. When my granddaughter picks up one of the leak detectors it shuts off my water.

 

[Reach4]

Leak detected how? Floor floods, or what?

 

[John Gayewski]

Not sure of a product but you could make one pretty easily.

 

[RSole]

Before going down that rabbit hole, how would it tell the difference between a leak and normal water use? Do you plan to put moisture sensors in every possible location that a leak might flood?

As much as I hate them, a low pressure cutoff pressure switch is rudimentary protection for a very big leak that the pump cannot keep up with.

I should explain further what I mean. There are electrically, motor powered main water shutoff systems that rotate the lever on a ball valve after detecting a leak. For now, ignore how the leak is detected or how big it is. Because I have a well pump I want something that cuts the power to the pump instead of rotating a ball valve which may get stuck. Just like a GFCI that cuts power if a dangerous electrical leak is detected, surely there must be a system that instantly cuts power to the pump. This would be less failure prone in my opinion. As for the location of the leak detector, I would want it only under the pressure tank, filters and softener.

If my wished-for system is possible, cutting the power to the pump would still have water on the floor from the pressure tank, etc, but my basement would not have two feet of water in it.

 

[Valveman]

Like I said, been doing that for years. But don't know why I am bothering to help you?

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Samsung SmartThings Hub SmartThings - F-HUB-US-2 | Samsung US

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[RSole]

I have several of those. I use an Aeotec heavy duty smart switch, with a Samsung smarthub, and as many leak detectors as needed. There maybe a better way of doing it these days as mine are probable 10 years old now, but they still work well. When my granddaughter picks up one of the leak detectors it shuts off my water.

That's a really good suggestion, except I hate any device that needs an app that also relies on a server outside of my LAN.
My daughter had Hive smart light bulbs, thermostats, motion detectors that will be "Dumb" or completely non-functional as Hive is discontinuing support for their devices. Possibly the smart switch you suggested will still operate if the app ever shuts down or if there is no internet access, though with limited remote functionality.

 

[RSole]

Like I said, been doing that for years. But don't know why I am bothering to help you?

Because you are a helpful, forgiving person, along with other reasons. I appreciate your suggestions.

 

[Valveman]

I think the Hub still works when the Internet is down, it just won't alert you on your phone. But I will have to check on that.

 

[RSole]

Having mentioned a ground fault circuit interrupter earlier gives me an idea. 240V GFCIs are available, I think, so I might wire the pump though a GFCI and have the leak detector floor probes wired thusly: One probe to ground and the other probe to the 240V hot side of the GFCI powering the pump. There should be no electrocution risk since touching the hot probe would/should instantly cut the power, just as a leak would do. And to be doubly safe, I would put a resistor in series with the hot probe to limit the milliamps to a safe level yet still trigger the GFCI. I'll try this and if I no longer submit posts, you'll know it didn't work.

 

[RSole]

If anyone wants DIY leak detectors, get cheap smoke alarms, open them up and run wires from both sides of the "test" switch to probes on the floor. This works really well and they still serve as smoke detectors also.