YoLink Water Leak Detector, 1/4 Mile World's Longest Range, Wireless Smart Water Leak Sensor, Alexa, IFTTT, Hub Required

Humphrey Bogart quote notwithstanding, this is the most impressive home automation startup I've ever dealt with. I decided to add water leak detection to my home automation setup and originally chose a DLink option, based on some positive previous experiences. But DLink's device is not ready for prime time- I never could get it to communicate properly and gave up. I then saw YoLink's leak detectors on Amazon with some very strong reviews, so I figured I'd give them a try. The system, which does require a hub, was simple to set up and worked perfectly. The LoRA technology they use has many benefits over WiFi or Bluetooth, allowing widely spaced sensors that last 2 years on 2 AA batteries, providing incredibly flexible placement options. The only thing I didn't realize is that it utilizes notifications to your cell phone or PC to alert you to a problem. I didn't want to miss a problem that happened at night when our phones are downstairs on chargers, so I looked for a siren option to add to the hub.That's when I found this product, the YoLink Speaker Hub, which apparently had just been introduced- there were only 12 reviews. But they were solid reviews and I was already impressed by the ease and performance of my YoLink detectors, so I ordered this to replace the silent hub I started with.Well, from the amazing capabilities and expansion options of the Speaker Hub, it is obvious that YoLink has big plans for a comprehensive home automation suite. This is both a good and a possibly less good thing. The flexibility to customize alarms, alerts, notifications, spoken alerts, etc is great. But the learning curve is much steeper. So to get the Speaker Hub to do what I wanted required 2 calls to customer service. And this is where YoLink blew my socks off. Both calls were answered by the second ring by a YoLink engineer! And these guys know their system software inside and out. The first call got me 90% of the way there, but one issue stumped me. The second call resolved that issue in a couple of minutes.The system now provides an audible alert that announces which detector sensed a leak, as well as sending text notifications and emails in case we weren't home. All of this happens within seconds of the sensor touching water- they even placed contacts on top of the sensor so it can detect a leak that is dripping from above before a pool of water forms.In the process of speaking to the engineers, it is clear that they are rightly proud of their product, and intend to continue improving and expanding its capabilities. The leak detectors using the Speaker Hub are a great solution on their own, but it is obvious that they've built in a ton of capabilities so that as they expand their offerings, they won't have to modify the software every time they add another device.I can't wait to see what they come up with next. Your move, YoLink!

PROFeaturesDiversity of product lineIntegration capabilities as a smart home deviceLow costBattery LifeCON1/4 Mile range advertised likely clear line of siteIn wooded area reliable range was more like 300 feetAntennas, range extenders not availableUnsupported range extender works but limits featuresSome limitationsFor house monitoring of crawl space temp/humidity, water leak detection, motion in attic etc., the product line works extremely well and has excellent smart home integration.The goal was to simplify install, minimize/eliminate wiring for sensors, and to gain smart device capabilities. When working for external device monitoring such as driveway gates, package delivery box notification at a range of 450 feet through wooded areas challenges were uncovered. For the package delivery box, the original concept was to mount a garage door sensor flush (horizontal) on the bottom of the lid that would toggle when the lid was opened. From what I could glean the device is designed to be installed on the inside of a garage door (vertical) with door closed. There was not a software option on this sensor to alert on normally open vs normally closed. Therefore a bracket needed to be assembled to mount the sensor in a vertical position for the device to operate. Would be nice if the device offered this option. During the process the range was learned to be a challenge. Moved hub outside, tried different orientations to try to optimize internal antenna (vertical / horizontal) different sides facing device and was not able to mitigate signal limitation. Yo-link does not offer an antenna, and/or range extender. Found a helpful "non-supported" solution to create a signal relay solution. This uses a yo-link Security Siren & Alarm controller and yo-link Outdoor contact sensor. Between these two devices a relay is required. I found and electronic relay with NO normally open and NC normally closed output contacts; "OONO DPST 1NO 1NC 8Amp Power Relay Module, AC/DC 12V Control Voltage" which worked perfectly. Configure the remote device to trigger the Alarm controller. Replace with siren with the input to the relay module. Attach the contact sensor to either the NO/NC contacts as appropriate for your project. This solved the range issue in this case. However, the ability to monitor if the device remains open and is not closed is lost. A goal was to add this solution to the driveway gate and obtain a notification if the gate was not closed. At this time I do not know a solution to the range challenge combined with some of the additional features yo-link offers.I am using these devices outside of their intended design, so I will still rate them highly. However, it would be nice for yo-link to have an extended range solution that supports all of the device capability as well as a tilt sensor (garage door sensor), that allowed the NO/NC configuration to be modified.Overall I have been impressed.

I recently installed the YoLink Water Leak Detection Starter Kit, and it has been a fantastic addition to my home. The system is incredibly reliable, with the LoRa technology providing an impressive range of up to 1/4 mile in open air. This ensures that even the most remote areas of my home are covered.The SpeakerHub Audio/Talking Hub is a great feature, providing clear audio alerts when a leak is detected. The integration with SMS/Text, email, and push notifications means I am always informed, no matter where I am. The compatibility with Alexa, IFTTT, and Home Assistant adds a lot of convenience, allowing me to integrate the system seamlessly with my smart home setup.The installation was straightforward, and the water leak sensor is very sensitive, providing peace of mind that any leaks will be detected quickly. Overall, this starter kit offers excellent value and comprehensive protection against water damage. Highly recommended!