New Stop Tap - Smart Options ?

[Spinny]

Having my mains supply switched from an old lead pipe to a new 32mm MDPE barrier pipe. This will mean fitting a new stop tap and would welcome suggestions on stop tap options these days. The stop tap will need to go in the u/stairs cupboard and am thinking it would be nice to have a 'smart' stop cock which could be operated using a remote switch or smart home control, (and also perhaps one capable of detecting water leaks such as residual water flow when all outlets are off). I am also trying to maximise water flow to an unvented pressurised cylinder.

 

I have seen the SureStop stop tap, but there isn't one with a 25mm bore connection and as it is not electronic it could only be linked to a smart home using a switchbot which doesn't seem ideal.

 

I also wonder whether the stop tap should be capable of 'variable' control such as half open - perhaps just fully open/fully closed is enough ?

 

Any suggestions or advice on this ?

 

(PS just seen this one ?   https://www.bes.co.uk/watersafe-remote-water-mains-switch-leak-detector-20604/ )

(or this very smart one, but very expensive and no reviews... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Consumption-Monitoring-Temperature-Replacement-Assistance/dp/B0DTYSPYYY/ref=sr_1_4_sspa?crid=20S8XVD56RZUD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._ncRpJEcrbUZjsiRLjzJnQ.EHcJUrckhyOKnuyn4mWgZj2S3DY_mFzCMgb_KJf5afQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=watersafe+remote&qid=1741938442&sprefix=watersafe+remote%2Caps%2C102&sr=8-4-spons&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.d7e5a2de-8759-4da3-993c-d11b6e3d217f&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&psc=1)

Edited March 14 by Spinny

[JohnMo]

1 hour ago, Spinny said:

Any suggestions or advice on this

If you are thinking a smart, have that in addition to the normal stop cock.  Dark, power cut, no internet and burst pipe come mind. Or it decides to switch main off because it thinks there's a leak, leaving you with no water.

 

I have just removed all 'smart' from the running of the heating system, because I couldn't rely on it (class heating as an essential system). Only use 'smart' for PV excess power dumping, which at the end of the day isn't essential. Still have plenty of smart stuff attached to heating system but just for monitoring, so could be switched or on and not change the functions of the heating system.

 

Control of your water main, I would class as essential. So I would only have smart isolator in a particular area, say near a washing machine and only isolate that pipe, not the whole house.

[Spinny]

Thanks, I guess it depends what we mean by 'smart'. The flip side to simultaneous power cut & burst pipe, is being away from the house with no way to turn the water off in the event of a leak. I once came back from a 3 week holiday to find the living room ceiling collapsed due to a water leak. Yes you can turn the water off when going away, but how many times are you going to remember that you left it on whilst on the way to the airport.

 

(I think same with fire alarms - a fire alarm that doesn't alert you when away from the home doesn't seem like a fire alarm in this day and age.)

 

Do you class the Heatmiser hub as smart ? 

 

I agree on a manual backup, or battery backup, although there is always the stop tap in the road. Internet can be backed up with mobile or satellite.

 

Definitely a consideration though, and I don't fancy relying on smart door locks.

 

This one maybe...(although there is no integrated leak detection)

 

 

[JohnMo]

28 minutes ago, Spinny said:

Do you class the Heatmiser hub as smart ?

If you can switch it off or disconnect internet and all the heating still functions - no not really. It then just a means of external monitoring or control override.

[Nickfromwales]

If you just want to be able to turn the cold mains off, in the event you left home and remembered it when arriving at the boarding lounge, then a WiFi fused spur connected to a normally open 2-port motorised valve will tick that box ✅.

[joth]

28 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

If you just want to be able to turn the cold mains off, in the event you left home and remembered it when arriving at the boarding lounge, then a WiFi fused spur connected to a normally open 2-port motorised valve will tick that box ✅.

 

2 port valves generally aren't wras approved are they?

 

I went for one of these, 

ABVM08S/9AR

https://www.solenoid-valve.world/c/1589

 

They do normally open or normally closed versions. I went NC as I'm confident my control system won't cut power to it accidentally. Being 24V makes battery backup for it simple.

 

 

 

[joth]

I forgot to add*, if you don't worry about WRAS then AliExpress have much cheaper versions of exactly the same thing . The benefit of servo driven rather than conventional valve is they use no power when at rest, and much quicker response times. 

 

* - in my defence I was at 3000m elevation in a ski hut restaurant when I wrote previous post 😅

[Spinny]

6 hours ago, joth said:

Being 24V makes battery backup for it simple.

Are you using a 24V UPS then ?

[Nickfromwales]

8 hours ago, joth said:

 

2 port valves generally aren't wras approved are they?

 

I went for one of these, 

ABVM08S/9AR

https://www.solenoid-valve.world/c/1589

 

They do normally open or normally closed versions. I went NC as I'm confident my control system won't cut power to it accidentally. Being 24V makes battery backup for it simple.

 

 

 

Yes, a WRAS approved motorised "ball valve" will suffice. I said motorised zone valve as I was up to me eyeballs again! I have seen them on the Telford thermal store (Tristor?) for cold mains top up of the F&E cistern, so assumed therefore that they must be ok? Just more of the principal of KISS etc  

[joth]

On 14/03/2025 at 20:40, Spinny said:

Are you using a 24V UPS then ?

Yeah, it's controlled by a Loxone server relay output; the whole lot is 24V 

[sharpener]

On 14/03/2025 at 10:41, Spinny said:

Yes you can turn the water off when going away, but how many times are you going to remember that you left it on whilst on the way to the airport.

 

We have a written checklist for going away but it becomes second nature. This stemmed from owning a quarter share in a boat, we got fed up with the other partners leaving things on/not replenishing stores/not reporting defects etc etc, drove us mad!

 

Twice we have had leaks through the ceiling, on one occasion had gone next door to the pub and a new fitting sprang off. Other time son left a basin tap on with the plug in and forgot about it. Neither covered by checklist but not much damage either.

Edited March 18 by sharpener