Can I test my SimpleSENCE® sensor to see if it’s working?

Yes, testing a new or old sensor is a quick and easy process, and doing so does not require anything other than your sensor, your smartphone or tablet, and about 30 seconds. Testing your sensor is not only the best way to ensure that everything is set up correctly, but it will also give you a good sense for how the SMS and email notifications work.

There are a few situations in which you may want to test your SimpleSENCE to verify that everything is working properly. Here are some examples of those situations:

• When you first receive your SimpleSENCE® sensor to test the batteries
• Testing Wi-Fi and notifications after completing installation 

When you first receive your SimpleSENCE®:

To verify that your new sensor is ready to be set up, place your finger across the metal contacts and you should hear the sensor release one or more short audible beeps after a few seconds. If it does not beep after trying this a few times, it is most likely because the batteries need replacement. Replace the batteries (two AAAs) then test again. If it works with new batteries, then you are ready to start installation!

After completing installation or changing WIFI/notification settings:

After you have completed the installation process (configuring Wi-Fi, customizing the location/description, setting up contacts, etc.) you will want to make sure that the alarm and notifications are working properly. You can do this by simulating a leak and verifying that the alarm occurs and you receive text or email notifications as expected. 

IMPORTANT: the 80db audible alarm will not sound unless WIFI is configured and installation is finished. If you have tried holding the conductors for over 20-25 seconds and no alarm occurred, this usually means that the sensor is either not fully installed yet or something went wrong during its installation.

Follow these steps to simulate a leak:

1.  Place your finger over the metal contacts and hold it there until the alarm sounds after 10-15 seconds. You may hear one or more short audible beeps after a few seconds of doing this, but this is not the alarm. The alarm will sound more like a siren than a short beep, so keep your finger held on the metal contacts until you hear this.
2. When you hear the 80db audible alarm (siren), verify that email/text notifications were sent to the appropriate phone numbers and/or emails.
3. If you received the text/email notifications, then the test is complete and you can be sure that your sensor will successfully notify you when a leak is detected.

If you did not receive the SMS/email notifications, you may want to check the following:

1. Check the contact information in your notifications list (i.e. phone numbers and email addresses) to make sure that this information was entered correctly. Luckily, if you notice an error in your contact information, this can be fixed easily by simply navigating to that sensor's settings and editing its notification list.
2. Check the strength of your sensor's connection to your WIFI network. The sensor's ability to send a notification to your phone relies on its connection to WIFI, so notifications may slow down or even fail if your sensor is having difficulty establishing a reliable connection to your home network. In the app, on the screen that displays all of your active sensors, there will be a WIFI symbol next to each of your active sensors. The amount of rings filled in on this symbol will tell you the strength of WIFI connection. Your sensor shouldn't have any issues communicating as long as 2-3 of these "rings" are filled. If only one ring is shown, this indicates that your connection is weak which may interfere with notifications (keep in mind that certain types of objects or materials, like large sheets of metal, can block your WIFI signal). If possible, without completely removing it from the leak-prone area, try moving your sensor into a position with a clearer path to your the location of your WIFI base station.

As always, if you want to contact us directly for questions or walkthroughs, you can do so by clicking here.