Guides
I’ve had my LeakAlertor for a while, but when I checked the Resource page my LeakAlertor looks different, and it doesn’t beep or flash like some of the instructions indicate.
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We recently upgraded the LeakAlertor design with new hardware and software features to a GEN-2 version. Two quick ways to tell which generation unit you have is the location of the Reset Button and the number of sensors. If the Reset button is located at the top of the unit and you can see the red button, you have a GEN-2 unit. The GEN-2 unit also uses just two sensors wires which are straight, not a loop plus one wire. Double check that the instructions you’re using match the correct generation of LeakAlertor.
LeakAlertor 6000
GEN-1
LeakAlertor 6000
GEN-2
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GEN-1 User's Guide
GEN-1 Battery Replacement
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Leave Behind Brochure
7 Reasons & 5 Reasons
Why Dye Tabs are Inneffective
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Water Myths
Videos
LeakAlertor 6000 GEN-2 Basics
Installation
Alerts
Resetting the LeakAlertor
Changing the Battery
Testing & Evaluating
Simulating a Running Toilet
Simulating a Leaking Flapper
Simulating a Faulty Fill Valve
Videos
LeakAlertor 6000 GEN-1 Basics
Alerts
Resetting the LeakAlertor
Testing & Evaluating
Simulating a Running Toilet
Simulating a Leaking Flapper
Simulating a Faulty Fill Valve
Installation
Changing the Battery
Frequently Asked Questions
Installation
Where is the unit placed for the best performance?
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The LeakAlertor can be placed anywhere along the rim of the toilet tank. More important than the location, is to make sure that the sensors do not touch each other or the side of the tank. Be sure the sensors are clear of any parts inside the tank such as the flapper, fill valve, etc. If the sensors are touching each other, the sides of the tank, or parts inside the toilet, gently bend the sensors away from the obstruction. The sensors do not take a lot of effort to bend. While making adjustments, support the sensors by holding the protective plastic tubing between your thumb and forefinger, and make adjustments with your other hand.
Can the LeakAlertor be put inside of the tank?
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No. The LeakAlertor 6000 is designed so that the enclosure hangs outside the tank, with the sensors inside the tank (as shown in the installation video). Only the LeakAlertor Wireless PRO is designed to be installed inside the toilet tank.
How loud is the LeakAlertor?
We describe the audible alert as being louder than the “chirp” you hear when your home’s smoke alarm battery is going bad, but quieter than when the smoke alarm is actually going off. You should be able to clearly hear the LeakAlertor from at least 30 feet away, even if the bathroom door is closed.
Can the unit get wet? What happens if I accidently drop it in the toilet or in the tank?
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The LeakAlertor has been designed so that it can be cleaned or even sprayed with water without affecting its operation. If the unit is accidentally dropped in the water, remove the top cover and remove the battery. Leave the unit and battery somewhere safe for 48 hours to allow time for the moisture to evaporate. After 48 hours, install the battery and put the top cover back on. The unit should power up normally and can now be placed back on the toilet. Do not attempt to dry the unit off with a towel, paper towel, hair dryer, etc. Doing so may damage the product and void the warranty.
What are the wires sticking out of the LeakAlertor?
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The wires are actually “sensors” that connect to the circuit board inside the LeakAlertor. As the water rises and falls along the length of the sensors, the LeakAlertor is able to calculate the rate of change of the water height. The proprietary software developed by our engineering team analyzes this information in order to determine if your toilet is leaking, constantly running, or is about to overflow.
Can I bend the sensors?
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Yes, but do so gently. The sensors do not take a lot of effort to bend. When you are adjusting the sensors, hold them between your fingers where they enter the plastic tubing for support with one hand, while you adjust the sensors with your other hand. You may need to adjust/bend the sensors during your initial installation if they are touching each other, the tank sides, or parts inside the toilet. Once the unit is installed, you should not need to make any further adjustments.
The sensors go into the water...can I receive a shock?
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No. The LeakAlertor is completely safe to use and harmless.
Can I move the LeakAlertor to a different toilet?
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Yes. Unlike previous versions of the LeakAlertor, the LeakAlertor 6000 can be easily moved from one toilet to another. Press the reset button on the LeakAlertor, remove the unit from the current toilet, and place it on the rim of the new toilet. Press the reset button again, it’s that simple.
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Although you can transfer the LeakAlertor to different toilets, we recommend placing a LeakAlertor on each toilet in order to maximize the opportunity to detect leaks when they actually occur, as well as identifying wide-open flappers and imminent overflows.
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Operation
I have a GEN 1 LeakAlertor. It won’t flash any LEDs when I flush. I’ve even tried resetting it and changing the battery, but still no beeps or flashes when I put it in the tank. What do I do?
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If the unit’s sensors failed or got damaged (the red coating was nicked or scratched off) the LeakAlertor will no longer function. It will not respond to flushes, resets, or battery changes. The unit will beep when you put a new battery in and will even start flashing the GREEN LED, but the start-up process will not finish. The same will occur if you try to reset the unit. If this happens, or the unit acts in a way you aren’t expecting it to, please contact us through the website or our toll-free number.
My LeakAlertor isn't flashing any lights when I flush the toilet...is this right?
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No. The LeakAlertor provides an indication during every flush, even if your toilet is functioning properly. (See the Alerts Chart). If no lights flash at any time during a flush, you can test the LeakAlertor by pressing the reset button. Hold the RESET button until the RED lamp flashes. The unit will then flash all three lamps at once and beep. The unit then flashes just the GREEN lamp one to two times per second for approximately one minute. When the RESET is completed and all three LEDs flash, flush the toilet. If the unit does not flash at all, the battery probably needs to be replaced. (See Battery Replacement Instructions)
My LeakAlertor was working fine but now it beeps and flashes RED every time I flush. The toilet’s not running and I checked for leaks, is it broken?
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The LeakAlertor is not broken, however, it has discovered a new problem with your toilet. The LeakAlertor is designed to detect and alert for common toilet water-wasting problems when they first start. This means the amount of wasted water may actually be too small to see, hear, or detect with dye tablets. But, nevertheless, the toilet has developed a problem. Most often it’s a flapper which has started to leak, but check the Alerts chart to determine what type of problem the toilet has developed. Also, we’ve had customers purchase the LeakAlertor to alert for running toilets, only to discover it also detects leaking flappers and faulty fill valves, so they are pleasantly surprised to find out it detects more than just a single problem.
I changed my battery and now my LeakAlertor doesn’t work, what happened?
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When we get calls from our customers with this question usually the LeakAlertor is working, but not in the way the customer is expecting.
When the battery is inserted the unit will beep and flash, but it will not do anything else UNTIL it’s placed on the toilet. Once the unit is placed on the tank it will then complete the start-up function. If you have a GEN-1 unit, this process takes up to an hour to complete. The LeakAlertor will not respond to any commands, alerts, or indicate a flush during this hour. If you are trying to get the unit to respond during this start-up time it may appear it’s “not working”. The same is true for GEN-2 units, but the start-up time has been reduced to just a few minutes.
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If during the battery change the sensor wire was damaged, the unit will no longer function. The GEN-2 LeakAlertor has a built in Damaged Sensor Alert which will start once the unit is placed in water. (The unit will flash both the RED and YELLOW LED, but not the GREEN LED, with no beeps). For GEN-1 units, please be sure to follow the battery change instruction, ensure the battery is installed correctly (+ side up), and that the unit is installed in the toilet. If you still are not seeing any flashes, beeps, or your GEN-1 unit does not appear to be working, please contact us for help.
Resetting the LeakAlertor
How long should a reset take?
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Once you press the reset button and the RED LED comes on it should take less than 30 seconds for the reset to complete and all three LEDs to begin flashing. Refill times vary by toilet but are usually less than 2 minutes.
I pushed the Reset button, all three LEDs flashed, and it beeped, but then nothing else happened. What do I do?
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If you tried to reset the LeakAlertor while it was out of the toilet it will pause mid-process until it is properly installed in the toilet tank. While out of the toilet the unit will not respond by flashing any LEDs or beeping, even if you try to press the reset button. Once you place the unit back in to tank the LeakAlertor will complete the reset automatically. Simply wait for all three LEDs to begin flashing, then flush the toilet as you normally would.
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If this happened when the unit was installed on the toilet try pushing the reset button again. If nothing still happens, try removing and reinstalling the battery. This will take longer for the LeakAlertor to reset itself (about three to four minutes for a GEN-2, about an hour for a GEN-1 unit), but all three LEDs will begin to flash, and you can flush the toilet. If you’re still having problems, contact us, we’ll be glad to help.
When I flushed the toilet for the reset it didn’t flush correctly, now what?
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No worries, sometimes we don’t push the handle down all the way, the flapper gets hung up, the partial flush option gets used for dual flush toilets, or the toilet simply doesn’t flush the way it normally does. Just wait for the flush to complete and the unit to stop flashing. Then, start the reset process again.
I tried to reset my LeakAlertor, but the Red and Yellow LEDs are flashing and pushing the reset button doesn’t seem to work.
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Unfortunately, when the RED and Yellow LEDs are flashing together with no beeps (AND the Green LED is NOT flashing) the unit has determined the sensor has been damaged and the LeakAlertor will no longer operate. Please contact us to arrange a repair for your unit by calling our office or using the Contact Us tool located at the bottom of this page or under the Resources menu bar
I held the reset button too long and the Yellow LED came on, what happens now?
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If you press and hold the reset button too long and the Yellow LED lights, let go of the reset button. You’ve now placed the LeakAlertor into a “Test Mode.” The unit will take about three minutes to complete this Mode then return to normal operation. You can reset the unit once all the LEDs are off.
If you continue to press and hold the reset button past the YELLOW LED being lit, you will not damage the unit. However, the unit will not operate normally or enter the reset mode. You will need to remove then reinstall the battery to clear this issue.
I have a dual flush toilet; do I use the full flush or partial flush option?
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The LeakAlertor works just fine with dual flush toilets. But it’s important to keep in mind the unit models all flushes based on the initial flush when the unit was installed or the first flush after a reset. Please be sure to use the FULL flush setting. If you use the partial flush setting the unit may interpret full flushes incorrectly and provide “false positives.” If you accidentally use the partial flush when resetting, wait until the flush is completed and restart the reset process again, using the full flush option.
Alerts, Leaks, & Running Toilets
My LeakAlertor has alerted for a leaking flapper. I’ve used dye tablets, and there's no dye in the bowl. I can’t see or hear any leaking. What’s wrong with my LeakAlertor?
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Very likely the LeakAlertor has detected the earliest stages of a leaking flapper or faulty fill valve. It may take a long time for the toilet to leak enough water for the fill valve to open and refill the tank (sometimes up to an hour). Even if you mark the water height inside of the toilet, properly use dye tablets (which only detect leaking flappers not faulty fill valves), or try to “see” the water leaking into the bowl you may not be able to detect the leak, but the LeakAlertor 6000 can. It’s why we created it.
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If you’re still not sure, there is a test you can try if you have two toilets in your home and a second LeakAlertor. Take the LeakAlertor which has indicated a leak (we’ll call this one LA 1), pull the unit from the toilet and press the Reset button. Go to a different toilet which has a LeakAlertor installed on it. Pull its LeakAlertor (we’ll call this one LA 2) out and press the Reset button. Now place LA 1 in the second toilet, and LA 2 in the first toilet, switching the location of the units. Once the Reset has completed on both units, all three LEDs were flashing and you flushed the toilets to complete the reset, wait a few days. If LA 1 (this is the one which indicated a problem and is now on a different toilet) is silent, AND LA 2 (which is now on the suspected toilet) begins the same type of alert, you’ve confirmed the problem. Make the suggested repair on the toilet and you’re all set.
There’s no water on the floor, I replaced my flapper, reset the LeakAlertor, and I’m still getting an alert saying there’s a leak, what do I do?
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The primary cause of a leaking toilet is a bad flapper; but it’s not the only cause for a leak. You may have cracks or holes in the overflow tube, or a leak around the flush valve (the plastic part the flapper closes onto). You may need to change the flush valve (which is usually all one piece with the overflow tube) as well. Because you need to remove the tank from the toilet to change the flush valve, this may be a good time to purchase a full toilet repair kit. These kits replace everything, flush handle, chain, fill valve, flapper, flush valve / overflow tube assembly, and the bolts that hold the tank onto the bowl. It’s also a good time to clean the inside of the tank as well, especially scrubbing around the outlets where the fill valve and flush valve go through the bottom of the tank to make sure there’s no build up which could cause a leak.
I just made repairs to my toilet, do I need to reset my LeakAlertor?
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Yes, simply press the reset button. The LeakAlertor learns the patterns and water movement of your toilet based on how the toilet operates during a regular flush. Therefore, anytime you've made a repair like replacing a flapper or fill valve, or installed an entire repair kit you will need to reset the LeakAlertor so that it can learn how these new parts operate. You should also reset your LeakAlertor if you make any adjustments to the float height on your fill valve as this affects the amount of water used and timing of the flush.
What happens if my toilet has a bad flapper or fill valve but then, when I flush the toilet, it starts to run? What alert will happen?
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Once the LeakAlertor has detected a faulty fill valve or leaking toilet it will alert on every flush after that as a reminder to fix the problem. However, if the toilet begins to run continuously when flushed, then the LeakAlertor will first alert to the problem (a few audible beeps with the RED LED flashing). Once the unit detects the running toilet it will automatically switch over to the running toilet alert (constant beeping and RED LED flashing). The way to tell the difference is the running toilet alert will not stop until you correct the problem (close the flapper). Once the running toilet is corrected, the unit will then switch back to the previous alert (just the flashing LED) through the end of the flush. Experience and testing have shown us the unit will beep for the problem first, go silent, then start beeping again until the water refills the tank. At this point, the unit would be silent but flash the RED LED until the flush cycle has completed.
I’m watching as my toilet is phantom flushing, but the LeakAlertor isn’t alerting. What’s wrong with it?
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The LeakAlertor will not begin an alert unless the toilet is flushed. What you’re watching is the result of a leak allowing water to silently drain from the tank to the bowl and the fill valve refilling the tank, not an actual flush. Because the toilet wasn't flushed, no alert will trigger. However, the LeakAlertor did notice this phantom flush and made a note of it in its memory. If it sees this pattern of leak-fill, leak-fill over time, it knows there is a problem and will trigger the alert when you flush.
My LeakAlertor has indicated a problem but I can't make the repairs for a few days. How do I stop it from beeping every time I flush the toilet?
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Most people don’t have a spare fill valve or flapper lying around the house waiting for a toilet to go bad so it may take a few days to get the parts and make the repair. Simply reset the LeakAlertor and this will silence the alerts temporarily. Once the unit has requalified the problem it will start with the alerts again. You can reset the unit, but every time it requalifies the problem the alerts will begin again. It’s just a friendly reminder to make the repair, save water and avoid that next unexpected high water bill.
Ask the Engineers
I flushed my toilet, green flash, no problems. But then a few minutes later the LeakAlertor starts to beep and flash red and won’t stop until I press the reset button.
While we were developing the LeakAlertor Wireless PRO, we discovered yet another way toilets can fail and need repair. Normally when a toilet has completed a flush the water fills the tank to very nearly the same height (within a fraction of an inch) every time. What we discovered is that some fill valves develop a problem where the float cup can periodically get stuck while the water is rising. Though there is enough water in the tank to turn off the fill valve, the water height is lower than normal. The LeakAlertor tracks water height in the tank over time and will detect this issue. It’s interpreted what’s occurred as a potential overflow and begins the alert (RED flashing LED and beeps until the problem is corrected or the unit reset).
When you check the toilet, you see there’s no water flowing, the fill valve is turned off and the unit is alerting. What you may not see is that the float stuck just a little bit lower than normal on this flush. You can give the top of the fill valve a few taps, did the water turn on for just a few seconds? While this isn’t a water wasting problem, it is an indication you have a fill valve which is no longer working properly and may begin to fail in a way which could cause a leak, or worse, a running or overflowing toilet. Though this problem is not common and won’t happen on every flush, in fact it may only happen once, we suggest you keep an eye on the fill valve, and an ear out for alerts.
Is the LeakAlertor 6000 able to collect information?
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No, this is not an option with the LeakAlertor 6000. The software operating the LeakAlertor 6000 is very dynamic. It performs a wide range of operations in order to monitor and analyze your toilet’s operation. The LeakAlertor 6000 is designed for use in homes and small businesses, and although it is able to process a large amount of data, the 6000 does not collect or store this information.
Our LeakAlertor Wireless PRO has the ability to wirelessly transmit data by text and email and create notifications on a cloud-based Dashboard. The Wireless LeakAlertor PRO is designed with property managers in mind.
I pressed the handle a few times to create a leak and the unit didn’t do anything, why not?
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It sounds like you’re trying to simulate a leak to test the LeakAlertor. To prevent false positives from triggering an alert, the LeakAlertor is looking for a leak-fill, leak-fill pattern over time, not intermittent problems. Pressing the handle or lifting the flapper to let out a little bit of water is not a “normal” occurrence, and the unit will ignore these actions. Check out the Simulating a Leaking Flapper video to see how to properly simulate a leak.
What can cause a running toilet?
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Through all our testing and product development we’ve found that there’s quite a few things that can cause a toilet to run. The biggest offender is a stuck open flapper. The 7 & 5 Reasons Guide details just a few of ways a flapper can get hung open and allow water to flow through the flush valve by as much as 5 gallons per minute. That’s could amount to more than 7,000 gallons a day if undetected. We’ve seen the chain length be too short and not allow the flapper to seat properly on the flush valve or be too long and get drawn into the flush valve allowing water to run into the bowl. The flush handle can get stuck to the inside of the tank when flushed and hold the flapper open, or the toilet seat to be left up and hold the handle open as well. Excessive water pressure from the fill valve can push the flapper off the flush valve as well.
What causes my flapper to leak?
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The primary reasons that a flapper might leak:
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The flapper deteriorates over time due to cleaning solvents, repetitive use and/or hard water.
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A small piece of foreign matter may be lodged under the flapper lip.
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The flapper in your toilet may not be the correct make, model, or size.
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The chain could be too short and hold the flapper open slighty.
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The chain could be too long and get caught under the flapper.
What should I do if my toilet is leaking or if the flapper continues to get stuck open repeatedly?
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In most cases, the flapper should be replaced. Flappers are readily available in the plumbing aisle of your local hardware or home improvement store. You can also call your local plumber to replace it for you.