Low-Cost Z-Wave Whole-House Water Shutoff Using Alarm.com
I am considering building a lower-cost Z-Wave water shutoff rather than buying one of the more expensive dedicated Alarm.com-compatible valves.
The proposed setup uses:
- U.S. Solid 1-inch stainless-steel motorized ball valve
- 85–265V AC
- Two-wire auto-return design
- Power applied: valve opens
- Power removed: valve closes
- Automatically closes during a power outage
- Approximate cost: $65–$80
- Zooz ZEN05 outdoor Z-Wave smart plug
- Weather-resistant for use near plumbing
- Controlled through a Qolsys IQ4 panel
- Approximate cost: $29
- Polarized replacement power cord
- Male plug on one end and bare conductors on the other
- Approximate cost: $8–$12
- Weather-resistant junction box, strain reliefs and connectors
- Used to enclose the splice between the valve wires and power cord
- Approximate cost: $15–$25
- Plumbing fittings
- Depends on the existing pipe material and installation
- Approximate cost: $20–$40
Estimated total cost
Approximately $140–$185, not including professional plumbing or electrical labor.
How it would operate
The valve plugs into the Zooz ZEN05.
- Zooz ON: power is supplied and the valve opens
- Zooz OFF: power is removed and the valve closes
- Utility power failure: the valve automatically closes
- Power restored: the Zooz should restore its previous relay state, allowing the valve to reopen if it was previously ON
The ZEN05 would be enrolled into the IQ4 as a Z-Wave switch or appliance module. The valve itself would not communicate with Alarm.com. Alarm.com would control the Zooz plug, which controls power to the valve.
My two concerns are:
- Is there any way to make Alarm.com recognize or display the Zooz device as a water valve rather than a light or appliance switch?
- Does anyone see a reliability, safety or automation problem with this setup compared with a purpose-built Z-Wave water valve?
The concept appears to provide remote shutoff and fail-closed operation during a power outage for considerably less than many dedicated smart-water-valve systems.
Is there any way to make Alarm.com recognize or display the Zooz device as a water valve rather than a light or appliance switch?
This is a limitation. It’s not currently possible to manually assign a device type for a Z-wave device connected to the panel. In ADC it will show up as a switch and be non-modifiable. You could automate it and control it as a switch in Alarm.com, but it would not play nicely with Alarm.com water management features.
Does anyone see a reliability, safety or automation problem with this setup compared with a purpose-built Z-Wave water valve?
One thing to consider, is whole home water valve closure during any power outage desired behavior?
This behavior fits vacant properties or vacation homes, and it is helpful to close the water valve during an extended winter power outage where frozen pipes are a concern, but if this is for someone’s primary residence, automatic closure may introduce some inconveniences, or potentially even safety and health concerns depending on the context of where it is installed and whether the people in the home at the time know how to manually operate the valve’s override.
Cutting water access in an emergency or heatwave can be potentially dangerous.
If you look at their website they have a normally open and a normally closed. The one I posted in normally closed so during an outage it would go to closed. If you get the open one it would leave the water open and the risk is if the power goes out and then there is a Burst pipe and you can not control.
But this would be an issue with ANY auto valve device?
Interesting. I love the creativity!
That is much lower cost than other inline valves like Moen Flo or PhynPlus. But those devices also monitor for leaks and are more advanced.
If you only need an an actuator (something that turns off the water but doesn’t monitor for leaks) why not use a Zooz Titan? It shows up in Alarm.com as a water valve.
It’s on sale for well under $200.
Looks good. I just think the one I posted seems more robust and it’s not turning a handle. It’s an actual ball valve that’s staineless and it’s less money.
I think people,are trying to do too much with one thing. Not sure about auto leak shut off. I have 14 places water could leak in my house. I can cover that with the Govee leak sensors thst send texts, emails, and then manually shut off. When I go on vacation, we always shut the water off anyway. 14 auto leak detectors would be really expensive. But who knows, I may end up going that way.
No, to my knowledge most valves do not fail closed. The common commercial options compatible with Alarm.com like Phyn Plus, Moen Flo, and the SWM150 remain in their prior position during a power outage.
Hi @DiamondDog
I like the idea! I have a very similar plan (which I’ll share to see if it sparks any other ideas) but in my case for my lawn irrigation system. Using the same brand valve, actually, but with the 12vDC version as opposed to 120v AC. My thought was to use a 12v battery backed power source with a Zooz ZEN58 controlling it (which also runs on the 12v).
Since it takes only 417 mA of power, my initial plan was to run it off the AUX output of my IQ Hardwire 16-F (which is limited to 500mA of power). However I was thinking I’d deploy another 12v battery backed source that was independent, since I have other 12v goodies in my can with the 16-F. (Altronix SMP3 is my likely candidate with a 7.5aH battery and a 24vac transformer.). This is made extra easy because my alarm can is literally 8 feet above where this valve will be installed.
The one I was looking at was the USS-MSV00015 which is a normally closed. It also has sensor lines to show the current status of the valve (open or closed) which I will attempt to route to a zone on the 16-f in group 25 to get alerts when the valve is opened vs closed and show valve status on the IQ panel.
Also, since this (for my use case) is for lawn irrigation, I need that valve to stay closed in the winter. My plan was to install a key-based switch so it can be “locked out” in the winter and not accidentally be opened, since the system will be winterized. This would break the connection after the ZEN58 for safety’s sake.
fyi The Zooz valve actuator ($49) has a battery backup option, and the titan water valve itself has a wired water sensor directly connected to work without the hub if necessary.
For my use case, though, it is the wrong product, since the titan by default will cycle itself off/on periodically to exercise the valve. Nothing I want to risk in a winterizing situation. And I agree that if your existing ball valve is not cooperative this actuator may have difficulty. I have that same issue as my existing irrigation valve is a mess and very very hard to open/close.
They make a Normally open version that opens the valve during a power failure. They have a reverse polarity version too that keeps it in the last position when you reverse polarity but this would require not a zwave plug but a zooz zwave relay and a transformer power supply.
The reason I don’t like the ZooZ Titan is because the shell is plastic which will degrade over time, especially in sunlight. And I think an internal ball valve is more reliable than something that turns levers.
I’ll post pictures of the install. They make a version with a 3 prong plug making this really easy.
They have a wifi version. Who would they speak to at ADC to get it to work with ADC?
Also, who makes inexpensive z wave water sesors as I should be able to automate this. How many z wave devices can the IQ4 handle?
