Geist Water Sensor Kit - Manual (Page 2)

2 Water Sensor Kit quick-start guide (rev.140729A-IT) Geist, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA — geistglobal.com
MOUNTING THE WATER SENSOR:
The sensor must be placed with the metal contact points facing downwards, in contact
with the floor, as shown here. It is via these contact points that the sensor detects dampness
underneath it; if it is placed with the contacts facing upwards, it won’t detect water until
the water rises high enough to cover the entire sensor.
If necessary, a small weight may be placed on top of the sensor to keep it from moving
if the cable is disturbed. The weight should not be greater than approx. 1lb (450g), as
heavier weights may damage the sensor; if that isn’t sufficient to keep the sensor in place,
securing the cable with clips or mounting brackets is recommended.
air conditioner
drip pan (metal)
insulator
(plastic, paper, etc.)
weight
water sensor
The sensor can also be installed inside places where water is likely to collect, such the
overflow drip pan of an air-conditioning system. If the sensor is to be used for such
applications, though, it must not be placed in direct contact with a metal surface! Doing
so will short the contact points together through the metal, causing the device to
continuously read full conductivity (“wet”). To prevent this from occurring, place a thin
sheet of insulating material – such as a piece of plastic cut from a sheet protector, a piece
of posterboard or other thick paper, or a thin (approx. 0.5mm or 1/32”) sheet of balsa wood
– in between the sensor and the surface, as shown below, to keep the contact points on the
sensor from touching the metal surface underneath.
Note that the sensor depends on electrical conductivity to determine the presence of
water underneath it. Therefore, distilled or deionized water may provoke little, if any
response from the sensor, since such highly purified water is often only weakly conductive.
Similarly, the sensor may not be suitable for detecting leaks of liquids other than water, if
such liquids are not electrically conductive.
The sensor should not be left immersed in water for extended periods. Under no
circumstances should the sensor be exposed to or immersed in any corrosive acid or
alkaline substances; it is not designed for such applications.
If the sensor gets wet, then continues to show a “wet” (high conductivity) condition
even after it’s dry again, impurities in the water may have deposited themselves on the
sensor. Try cleaning the sensor with rubbing alcohol, then let it dry completely before
reinstalling it.