TP-206W-3 Water Alarm

For the second time in 10 years, our dishwasher had a slow leak that eventually led to noticeably cupped hardwood flooring. Ughh. After replacing the hose fitting, I decided to install some sort of early warning leak detection system to prevent these slow, floor-soaking events from happening again. I started out thinking "high end, WIFI, Apple compatible etc. and even ordered one. After receipt, I found out I needed a special app that I didn't have and didn't want, so I returned it unopened. I then decided to take the dirt-cheap approach and purchased 3 of these for $15. After receipt, I remember installing a battery to test one and began wondering if I could do so without breaking it. They are not tough, solid, bullet-proof, and robust. They have a "low cost" character to them (no surprise). But they are good enough for normal handling and care. However, much to my delight, I found out that simply touching their sensor with a damp q-tip swab was enough to set them off. Yeah! I have seen too many videos of people pouring a cup of water on a sensor to show that they work. These low cost devices are VERY SENSITIVE! Plus, they are old school (reliable) hard wired so no need for wifi headaches. Plenty Loud too. I needed to extend the wires, which was easily done with solder and heat shrink tubing. So now I have two redundant systems. One goes to a small plastic cup under the problematic hose fitting to the dish washer, and the other is attached to the flooring just behind the dishwasher. The two alarm units are mounted under the kitchen sink. My plan is to replace batteries on a rotating 3 month schedule and to load test the removed batteries to build confidence in what their life actually is, then lengthen replacement life as I safely can. Not fancy. Not expensive. No more damaged hardwood floors. Met my needs!

This is just a simple leak monitor, no apps, no remote detection, just a simple put it where you need it. Its just what I was looking for as I didn't want to be bothered with installing another app on my phone. I got this to put in a ac drip pan to monitor for any leaks or blockages in the condensate drain. It seems to be working well. I tested it and it quickly reacted to water with a loud an piercing tone. Its super loud and you can hear it even if it is hidden up in the attic. Not sure how long the batteries will last so I'll just replace it annually (if I can remember). This is really a good bargain, its so cheap and is working as advertised.

The mounting system leaves a bit to be desired. The double stick adhesive tape puts the detector PCB off of the attachment point - if placed on the floor under a possible leak location, the water would have to drip right on the board or get deep enough (0.050 apprx) before the warning horn would go off. Easy to work around but that deserves a 4 instead of a 5 star rating. Will have to evaluate battery life - that's an unknown.

The Topvico Water Leak Sensor Detector Flood Alarm works exactly as described. What I received was fully functional, and the cost was excellent for what you get. The build quality is on par with the price, and the size is perfect for placing in tight spaces. Most importantly, it functions as advertised and gives peace of mind for leak detection. Pros: Affordable price Works reliably as advertised Compact size for easy placement Build quality matches expectations for the price Cons: None so far If you need a simple and effective water leak detector without breaking the bank, this is a solid choice!

We have a sump pump in our basement. We also have a brand new sump pump standing by, ready to install in case it stops working. I am always concerned that this will happen in the middle of the night and I will not know it. This little gizmo was the easiest fix. I zip-tied the unit to the horizontal PVC pipe that sits just above the pit, and allowed the little sensor to dangle down into the pit. If the water rises even a few inches above the level it normally gets to when the pump should be activated, I will hear the alert in plenty of time to change out the new one. (My brilliant husband drilled holes in the plastic liner of the pit, so even with heavy rain, it will take some time for the level in the foundation to rise to the level of the floor.) The alarm is quite loud. We can hear it throughout the house. My strategy is to check the unit every time we get heavy rain to ensure that the battery is good and the unit is still working. I like that there are 3 of these included in the pack. NOTES: --This unit does best with a fresh battery. --The sensor is so sensitive that it detects even a drop of water that is splashed onto it. The first time I heard the alarm, I bolted downstairs thinking that the pump had failed, and that I had indeed averted a disaster! Nope. Just a little splash caused by the suction of the water, and the "shudder" of the pump. I fixed that by taping the wire to the vertical PVC pipe, which allows the sensor to remain in the middle of the pit. It seems to be out of the way of splashes there.

I have these all over my home. It picks up a droplet of water several feet away. It has detected several leaks for me over the years saving me a lot of money in water damage. Battery life is very long. Over two years and still very loud and effective.

Works great. Use it to monitor the level in my sump pump pit. I want to know when the backup kicks in. It is very sensitive to water and super loud. We can hear it anywhere in the house.

Edited to add: After the original review was posted, the vendor reached out and offered an apology and a full refund. I appreciated that, and added back some stars. I still don't recommend this product for carpeting, but they clearly stand by their product and could be worth a try for a flat flooring like concrete, linoleum, etc. Original review: In Oct. 2022, we had a downspout get clogged, and for the first time in 15+ years, we got water in a carpeted area of our basement. We dried it out, and got these alarms to place along the floor near the baseboards of the wall. The sensors are lightweight, thin metal boards. They don't like to lay down/lay still on their own... if the cord gets nudged at all, they like to turn up on an edge or move around. We wedged them down between the baseboard and the carpeting in the hope that they'd sense the water coming under the baseboard and soaking into the carpeting. We figured sensors near the base of the carpet would be better than one sitting on top of the carpet. We taped the cords along the wall so they wouldn't move and displace the flimsy/lightweight sensors. Today we discovered they did not work for this purpose. The carpet was soaking wet and the alarm never went off. I even pushing the sensor by hand in to the sopping wet carpet - it still didn't go off. Apparently it won't go off until it is literally submersed in a puddle -- laying on top of a soaking wet surface doesn't work. But the whole point of getting the sensors was to discover the water was coming in BEFORE it got too high!!! So... don't buy this for carpet. If you are doing an area that concrete or linoleum or something, it might work. [Edited to add: I will say that we tested the sensors before using them, and they *did* work if set into a puddle on a flat surface.] But if you're buying it for a surface like that, there are lots of heavier/sturdier sensors with no cords that might be better. TLDR - Don't buy for carpet. Flimsy, inconsistent, alarm.