Aquastorozh leakage protection system

Damage to the plumbing while the owners are away is everyone’s worst dream. To avoid a flood in your apartment or house, you can install leak protection equipment. Earlier we compared the three most popular leak protection systems: “Akvastorozh”, “Neptune” and “Gidrolok”. In this article we will analyze in detail “Akvastorozh”. The equipment can be installed at the stage of creation/repair, can be installed in an already operating system.

Composition of the “Akvastorozh” system and its purpose

Akvastorozh – a system for controlling water leaks and localizing water supply failures in apartments and private homes. It is produced in Russia by the Moscow company “Supersystem”. At the moment there are two versions: updated “Classic” – with basic functions and “Expert” – with additional features. They consist of a standard set of components:

• Electrically operated faucets.
• Sensors of water availability (wired and wireless).
• Controllers that process data from the sensors and transmit commands to the valves.

The new generation of equipment – “Akvastorozh Expert” – is characterized by the presence of metal gears in the drives of electric cranes (previously there were plastic). The gearbox housing remains plastic, but the plastic is of high quality.

Another difference is the constant monitoring of the sensors and cranes. The current situation in the system is displayed on the scoreboard of the controller. Both versions (“Classic” and “Expert”) can be in the modification “PRO”. In this case, the controller has an additional power relay, through which you can turn on the load powered by 220 V. Most often it is a water pump.

The key difference from similar competitors’ equipment is that the Aquastorozh leakage protection system closes the faucet in 2.5 seconds – faster than all similar systems on our market.

Features and differences

The Aquastorozh leakage protection system has some features in the algorithm of operation, there are also special design solutions. To what extent they are necessary, good or not – decide for yourself. Everyone has their own evaluation criteria and vision of the situation.

Algorithm of work

Actually, the principle of operation itself remains the same. When there is a signal from the sensor about the presence of water, the controller sends a signal to close the taps. In parallel, a sound and light signal is formed. In short, this is the whole algorithm of work. But there are peculiarities inherent in the Aquastorozh:

The system of protection against leaks Akvastorozh closes the taps faster than others. But this speed negatively affects the force of turning the valves – the torque is the lowest. In order that the low torque allows you to move the flap, developed a system of additional gaskets (two Teflon and one spring silicone), which minimize friction – the ball turns easier than in conventional valves. This contributes to the fact that they open/close with little effort.

Safety and reliability

Another area in which manufacturers are competing is to ensure the safety and reliability of the system. Safety is self-explanatory. Where water and electricity meet we need to be especially careful. To ensure safety, the Aquastorozh leakage protection system is powered only by 5V. This power is supplied to the taps and the control unit. The wired sensors are supplied with an even lower voltage of 2.5V. This makes the system safe. There are other features:

• Three power sources: power supply unit with 220/5 V converter; battery pack, three batteries in the controller. It is possible to install two additional battery packs. All batteries in the three blocks can keep the system operational for 9 years (according to manufacturers’ claims).
• As an option, a remote tap control button (wired and wireless) can be installed. It is placed near the front door. Leaving the apartment or house, you can shut off the water. There are two versions – wired and wireless.
• Units with installed batteries check the level of charge. If it is low, a light alarm turns on. It happens very well in advance – 2-4 months before full discharge, so there is time for replacement.
• If the batteries have not been replaced, before the final discharge a command is given to close the taps and the system goes to sleep.

In terms of autonomy, the Aquastorozh leakage protection system is considered to be the best. Three times redundant power supply will help to survive a very long period of no voltage. Even with completely discharged batteries (all of them), the taps will close due to the discharge of powerful capacitors.

Sensors

The Aquastorozh leakage protection system can be equipped with wired and wireless sensors. They can be used both together and separately. Any of the sensors is periodically checked by the system for its “presence”. If a wire break is detected in the wired models or wireless models, the controller closes the taps.

The sensor of any type has two contacts when water hits them, an alarm signal is formed. Moreover, in the variant Aquastorozh Expert and when installing the Star extension on the Classic, the flooded sensor is displayed on the display panel. That is, you know where there was a water leak.

In the lower part of the sensor is fixed metal plate. To prevent it from oxidizing, the surface of the plate is covered with gold plating. From the ingress of water droplets, the sensors are protected from above by decorative covers. The plastic bottom in the form of a cross fixes the metal plate of the sensor. In the center of it there is a hole through which you can fix the sensor with a self-tapping screw in a certain position.

Wired

Wired sensors are considered more reliable, since they are connected to the controller with a physical circuit. To break it, it is necessary to apply certain efforts. The inconvenience is in their installation and the need to hide the wires. If the repair is over, it is not so easy to do this. As an option – you can use baseboards with a cable channel, replacing them with ordinary baseboards.

On the basis of wired water leakage sensors Aquastorozh Classic you can build a branched monitoring system. To each of them can be connected to the next sensor or several, creating a kind of “tree”. On the one hand, this makes installation easier, requiring fewer wires than if you pull a line from each. But on the other hand, a break at the beginning of the chain will turn off the whole “branch” at once. And it will not be possible to find exactly where the break occurred.

The power supply of wired sensors is 2.5 V. This voltage can not be dangerous to humans. They are made in the form of a “tablet” with a diameter of 53 mm and a height of 12 mm.

There are wired sensors Aquastorozh in the following variants:

• Classic. Passive sensor to control water leakage. In standby mode, electricity consumption is zero. Its state is checked by the controller at certain intervals. Wire length is 2 m and 4 m, maximum distance – 500 meters. Temperature mode – from 0°C to +60°C.
• Expert. With the same appearance and size, additionally built-in board that tests the state of contacts and the integrity of the line to the controller. Based on the test results, a signal of normal operating condition or breakage is sent to the controller. Cable length is 2 m, 4 m, 6 m, 10 m, maximum distance – 500 m. They can be operated at temperatures from -40°C to +60°C.

For wired sensors Aquastorozha company gives a lifetime warranty. In case of its failure (physical destruction is not considered) it will be repaired or replaced with a new one.

Wireless

Akvastorozh wireless water leakage sensors are hidden in a white square plastic case. The side of the square is 59 mm and the height of the sensor is 18 mm. In addition to the contact plates in the case are three AAA batteries and a transceiver for communication with the controller, operating at a frequency of 2.4 GHz. In addition to the main task – controlling the absence of water, the sensor performs the following functions:

• Exchanges signals with the controller.
• Controls the battery charge level. When it drops below a critical value, it generates an alarm signal and transmits it to the control unit.
• It has a built-in alarm, which is activated when water appears on the contacts. So it is not difficult to determine the place of leakage.

The maximum distance of the sensor from the controller with a radiobase – 1000 m, but this is subject to open space. In the presence of obstacles (including walls), the range of confident reception is much less. To determine whether the controller “sees” the wireless sensor in the selected location or not, you can conduct tests (fill the contacts of the button with water and track the switching off and on of water), or you can use the radio button.

Remote system on/off buttons

The ability to turn on and off not only from the controller, but also from other points, is realized with the help of special buttons. They are of two types – wired and wireless. They are usually located near the front door. This is especially convenient for owners of private homes, which have a system of protection against flood Aquastorozh installed in the basement.

The wired button is very similar to a conventional two-key switch. Each key is signed – “close” or “open”. When pressed, the corresponding action is performed. If you hold down any of the buttons for a long time, the system will go into a “sleep” state, no longer tracking signals. The Aquastoroz wired remote shutdown button is supplied with a 10 meter long cable.

The wireless button has one key. When pressed at the top of the button, the system opens and closes at the bottom. When pressed, an audible signal is heard. A similar signal confirms that the command has been executed. This button can be used as a test button. You put it on the place where you plan to install the wireless sensor, check how well the commands are executed. If there are no misfires, you can put the sensor in this place.

Valves

Aquastorozh ball valves are made of brass and coated with a layer of nickel. They are closed and opened by electric motors. They are fitted with plastic reducers. In the “Expert” version metal gears are used, in the “Classic” – plastic. In addition, the valves differ in that in the “Expert” version they monitor the position of the shut-off element and transmit a signal to the controller. In order to be able to distinguish them, the wire “Expert” has a bright red stripe, the valves of the version “Classic” – black. They can only work with controllers of their type.

Power to the electric motors is supplied by 5 V, which is amplified when the capacitors discharge to 40 V. And this voltage is issued regardless of the state of the power supply. As a result, the valves close in 2.5 seconds.

To ensure that the small force generated by the actuators is enough to turn the flap, the valve design is added additional gaskets that reduce friction. This allows the flaps to be turned quickly with low force. The gearboxes are covered with plastic covers that protect against splashing.

Produced valves with an electric motor for shutting off water Aquastop in three sizes – diameter 15, 20 and 25 mm. They can be installed in both cold and hot water risers.

Controllers

The control units of the Aquastorozh leakage protection system have a modular structure. To extend the functionality or increase the number of serviced devices, optional control units are added to the main control unit. Depending on the version of release to one unit can be connected to 5 (Expert) or 6 faucets (Classic) and an unlimited number of wired sensors. To connect wireless sensors, you need to purchase an additional unit “Radiobase” and connect it to the main module.

On the front panel there are LED indicators that show the status of connected wireless sensors. Also on the control unit there is a possibility to connect external devices such as “Smart House”. The housing has a built-in UPS, which ensures long-term operation from three different power sources. In addition, the UPS itself, without external power sources, ensures system operability for an hour. If during this time there are no new sources, a signal is formed to shut off the taps and the system goes into “sleep” mode.

In addition to the differences described above, the Expert version controller provides the following information:

• Monitoring the open circuit of the wired sensors and closing the taps in case of “loss”. This will light up the LED on the panel, which is “tied” to a specific sensor.
• Control of wire breakage of ball valves and indication of damage.

As mentioned above, both Classic and Expert have a PRO variation. In this case, there is also a bistable power relay (220 V, 16 A), which, in case of an accident, will cut off the power supply to a third-party device. This variant is good for a private house. Through the contacts of this relay, the power is usually supplied to the pump. So the system not only shuts off the water, but also stops the pump.

The function of monitoring the position of the valve flap is available in any version. The state of the shut-off ball is checked after each cycle of operation (including after self-cleaning). If the position differs from the standard position, an audible alarm is activated and all LEDs on the panel blink.

Radio base

This is a small unit that connects to the main controller or any other peripheral device. It is designed to service wireless water leak sensors. Up to 8 sensors can be connected to one radio base. They are scanned continuously at short intervals. If the sensor does not communicate within 10 minutes, the command to close the taps is given.

When installing wireless sensors, they must first be registered in the base. To do this, bring the sensor to the base, press the +1 button on the body. The device records information about the sensor in a free cell of non-volatile memory. In this way we write all sensors into the memory one by one. To avoid problems with identification when triggering, it is better to put numbers on the body, and opposite the corresponding LED to write the place of installation of the sensor.

In normal mode, when powered through an adapter (there is a network 220 V) scanning of wireless sensors is almost continuously. When powered by batteries or rechargeable battery, there are two versions of operation: active and energy-saving. The choice of mode is up to the user. To switch to the power saving mode it is necessary to remove the corresponding jumper on the radio base. In this case, testing will take place approximately once a minute, so in case of failure there will be some delay. But the charge of three batteries will be enough for about 3 years. In active mode of operation and continuous testing of sensors, the batteries will drain much faster.

Peripherals

One of the main advantages of the Aquastorozh leak protection system is its modular structure. You can expand the functionality and number of sensors at any time. It is enough to purchase the appropriate equipment and connect it to the existing one.

About the radio base and remote open/close buttons, we have already told you about it, there are three more blocks left:

Additional blocks allow you to expand the capabilities of the system and increase its reliability.

Disadvantages of the Aquastorozh leakage protection system

Unfortunately, there are no perfect systems. All have disadvantages, and the Akvastorozh flood protection is no exception. Almost all of the disadvantages have already been voiced, but we will repeat them again. This will give the opportunity to evaluate them more clearly.

Closing the faucets at the loss of the sensor does not seem reasonable to everyone. But here you can argue and everyone determines for himself, whether it is good or bad.

Installation

The principle of installation of the system “Aquastorozh” is demonstrated in the official video.

Despite the simplicity of installation, owners have two main questions:

• Does Aquastorozh install before or after the meter?
• Is a coarse filter needed before the electric faucet?

To provide reliable and up-to-date information, we consulted with representatives from Supersystem LLC toll-free at 8 800 555-35-71.

According to the recommendations of the support service, coarse filters and meters should be installed after the electric valves of the Aquastorozh system. This is due to the fact that both filters and meters can cause leaks.

Since the management company (MC) may refuse to seal the meter if an electric valve is installed before it, this issue should be clarified before installing the system.

Below is an example of how not to mount elements of the plumbing system.

Often plumbers go by how it is most convenient for them to do things rather than what is right/best.

In a particular case, the possibility of installing electric taps up to the meters and re-soldering the wiring was agreed with the MC.

Before installation, the quality of water should be taken into account. If it contains a large number of mechanical particles, a coarse filter should be installed before the faucet, otherwise in the process of operation the faucet can quickly fail.

The video below demonstrates the installation of the Aquastorozh system by an experienced plumber.

Tip: Use “Americanka” before the meter only if necessary. “Americanka” is a quick disconnect connection, which can be the reason for refusal to seal the meter.

Failure of the old-style faucet

In the process of operation, like any other faucet, electric faucets “Akvastorozh” fail. As a rule, problems arise with the tap installed for hot water – it jams due to lime scale.

Repair

In some cases, flushing the faucets with rust and lime scale removers can help, but the effect may be short-lived.

An additional nuisance can be a leak on the stem – in this case, the faucet must be replaced.

Upgrade

The manufacturer has updated the product line and the old style valves are no longer available. According to the information received from the technical support service (tel. 8-800-222-93-34), when installing a modern valve “Aquastorozh” in the old system, it will close only a quarter.

Tech Support offers two options to solve the problem:

1. Searching for and purchasing old-style faucets on third-party websites;
2. Switching to a new version of the system with a 25% discount.

Upgrading the system “Akvastorozh classic” with two taps 1/2 and two sensors, as of February 2024 will cost about 20.5 rubles.

Installing an electric faucet from Aliexpress

Judging by the information from Russian publicks, instead of the original faucet “Akvastorozh” can be installed a Chinese analog, which costs several times cheaper.

The faucet works with a constant voltage in the range from 3.6 to 6 volts, i.e. correspond to the voltage of the “Akvastorozh” faucets with a working voltage of 4.5V.

Installing a protection system on a simple crane

Since no one can guarantee that the Aquastorozh system will not be modernized again soon and users will not have problems finding spare parts again, it makes sense to consider alternatives.

In the event of an emergency need to replace the valve, a conventional ball valve can be installed instead. When replacing, take into account that the valve “Aquastorozh” is longer than the usual one, so an extension cord will be required. For example, the length of the “Akvastorozh-15” tap (1/2 inch) is 82 mm. A ball valve with a 25 mm extension will work.

We recommend looking at the Russian-made LD PRIDE valves, which have high quality, but at the same time much cheaper than the Italian Bugatti and Giacomini.

After replacing the valves, you can use the system “Leakage NO start. Ipro” – electric actuators are installed on a regular ball valve with a handle.