Arduino Nano ESP32 - Water Leak Detector

In this guide, we will learn how to use the Arduino Nano ESP32 and a water leak sensor to detect water leakage.

Hardware Preparation

1	×	Arduino Nano ESP32
1	×	USB Cable Type-C
1	×	Water Leak Detector
1	×	Breadboard
1	×	Jumper Wires
1	×	(Recommended) Screw Terminal Expansion Board for Arduino Nano
1	×	(Recommended) Breakout Expansion Board for Arduino Nano

Or you can buy the following sensor kits:

1	×	DIYables Sensor Kit (30 sensors/displays)
1	×	DIYables Sensor Kit (18 sensors/displays)

Disclosure: Some of the links provided in this section are Amazon affiliate links. We may receive a commission for any purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.
Additionally, some of these links are for products from our own brand, DIYables.

Overview of Water Leak Detector

The water leak detector helps us discover unwanted water early to prevent damage.

Water Leak Detector Pinout

The water leak detector includes two wires:

Just like a switch or button, we don't need to distinguish between the two wires of the water leak detector.

How the Water Leak Detector Works

When water is present, the circuit is closed. When there is no water, the circuit remains open.

To connect the water leak detector to an Arduino Nano ESP32, attach one wire to the GND and the other wire to an input pin on the Arduino Nano ESP32 set as a digital input pull-up. When water is present, the Arduino Nano ESP32 pin will indicate a LOW value. When there is no water, it will indicate a HIGH value.

※ NOTE THAT:

The water leak detector does not work with pure water, which does not conduct electricity. To fix this, sprinkle some salt close to the sensor. The salt will mix with the water and allow the detector to sense the water.

Wiring Diagram between Water Leak Detector and Arduino Nano ESP32

The wiring diagram between Arduino Nano ESP32 and water leak detector

This image is created using Fritzing. Click to enlarge image

How To Program Arduino Nano ESP32 to read value from Water Leak Detector

Configure the Arduino Nano ESP32 pin for digital input by applying the pinMode() function. For example, use this function for D4 pin.

pinMode(D4, INPUT_PULLUP);

Checks the condition of the Arduino Nano ESP32 pin using the digitalRead() function.

int water_state = digitalRead(D4);

Arduino Nano ESP32 Code - Detecting Water Leakage

/* * This Arduino Nano ESP32 code was developed by newbiely.com * * This Arduino Nano ESP32 code is made available for public use without any restriction * * For comprehensive instructions and wiring diagrams, please visit: * https://newbiely.com/tutorials/arduino-nano-esp32/arduino-nano-esp32-water-leak-detector */ #define WATER_SENSOR_PIN D4 // The Arduino Nano ESP32 pin D4 connected to water sensor's pin int water_state; // current state of water sensor int prev_water_state; // previous state of water sensor void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); pinMode(WATER_SENSOR_PIN, INPUT_PULLUP); // set ESP32 pin to input pull-up mode water_state = digitalRead(WATER_SENSOR_PIN); // read state } void loop() { prev_water_state = water_state; // save the last state water_state = digitalRead(WATER_SENSOR_PIN); // read new state if (prev_water_state == HIGH && water_state == LOW) { Serial.println("Water leakage is detected!"); } }

Detailed Instructions

To get started with Arduino Nano ESP32, follow these steps:

If you are new to Arduino Nano ESP32, refer to the tutorial on how to set up the environment for Arduino Nano ESP32 in the Arduino IDE.
Wire the components according to the provided diagram.
Connect the Arduino Nano ESP32 board to your computer using a USB cable.
Launch the Arduino IDE on your computer.
Select the Arduino Nano ESP32 board and its corresponding COM port.
Copy the above code and paste it into the Arduino IDE.
Click the Upload button in the Arduino IDE to upload the code to your Arduino Nano ESP32 board.
Pour water close to the water leak detector.
Look at the results on the Serial Monitor. They will show up like this:

COM6

Send

The water leak is detected The water leak is detected

Autoscroll Show timestamp

Clear output

9600 baud

Newline

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