Operation and alarm
The system is solar powered and maintenance-free. Readings and alarms appear in the monitoring portal and go out by email or SMS, or into a building management system where that has been set up. Thresholds are set remotely and alarms can go to multiple recipients.
Readings are taken typically once an hour. The gateway charges from daylight and holds 40 to 50 readings in reserve without sun.
When an alarm comes in
An alarm means water has exceeded a set level, or is standing in the gutter while no rain is falling.
- Inspect the gutter and downpipe on site.
- Clear the blockage.
- Watch the trend of the readings in the portal return to normal.
Visual check
- During regular gutter cleaning, check the clamp bracket, cable, probe and solar panel.
- Carefully clean the solar panel if it is dirty.
- After storms or a hard frost, check the seating and the cable routing.
The cable and probe must not obstruct the water flow and must not protrude into the downpipe. The solar panel and the black rainfall reference on the bracket need to stay free, clean and uncovered.
Removal
- Take the probe and cable out of the gutter.
- Loosen the thumbscrews of the clamp bracket and lift the bracket with the gateway upwards.
- Clean the device and store it dry.
Warranty and support
The hardware carries a 12 months warranty. The sensor is supplied, supported and serviced in the UK and Ireland by Allbase, and a unit that stops reporting can be diagnosed remotely: see Gutter sensor not sending readings.