Safeguards server rooms and basements from floods

Deeter Electronics have a new Leak Detector intended for raising the alarm in the event of a water leak in data-centres, server rooms and building basements.

This Leak Detector system comprises a Leak Detector Controller, mounted in a UL94-V0 flame retardant 35mm DIN-Rail housing, and IP65 Sensor Heads which can be connected in a daisy chain. The Leak Detector Controller is available with a 230VAC mains input or a 24V (AC or DC) power input.

The Leak Detector Controller is equipped with a bank of six DIP switches which are used to configure the Leak Detector outputs. Two output types are available; alarm on when a leak is detected with automatic reset when water is no longer present and alarm on when a leak is discovered, latching on until the Leak Detector Controller is reset by an operator. Connections to the Leak Detector Controller are made via two sets of 6 screw terminals.

The Leak Detector can detect and warn of system faults such as a break in any of the three Leak Sensor wires, no termination of the Leak Sensor wires and a blown output fuse. Status of the system is indicated by three LEDs, green indicates all clear, yellow indicates a fault has been detected and red that a leak has been detected.

The leak detector features an open collector transistor output, open during normal operation and current-limited to sink up to 50mA which can be pulled up to 40V. The Leak Detector Controller also includes two output relays. Relay 1 is always assigned to leak detection and can be programmed to follow or latch in response to a leak. If there is a system fault relay 2 and / or the transistor output can be used to indicate the fault. The relays have a current rating of 6A at 240VAC. In addition to indicating a leak the relays may also be configured to raise an alarm or shut down critical equipment in the event of a system failure.

The Leak Sensors supplied with the system are housed in IP65 ABS boxes with a pair of sensing probes protruding through the underside to detect water. The probes are stainless steel and M3 threaded, and may be extended using an M3 spacer. The Sensors can be bolted to the floor if required. Up to ten or more Leak Sensors can be linked using a 3-wire cable in a daisy-chain configuration.

Peter Whiteaker, Managing Director of Deeter Electronics, comments; "Deeter Electronics has a long history of designing and manufacturing sensors of all kinds and our new Leak Detector Sensor system has been developed in response to customer requests. It is estimated that there are more than 20,000 computer rooms in the UK alone. Flooding or any influx of water can cause serious damage to computer systems, industrial plant equipment and even paper archives etc. which are frequently stored in basements. Our new Leak Detector system provides a cost effective and simple to install way to protect valuable infrastructure from water damage.”