Flume 2 Smart Home Water Monitor & Leak Detector – WiFi Connected, Real-Time Usage Tracking & Alerts – Works with Compatible Residential Water Meters

I have installed the Flume water meter in my home, and I am thrilled with its performance. The installation process was impressively easy and non-invasive, requiring minimal effort on my part. The Flume app has proven to be a game-changer for monitoring water flow in my household. Its user-friendly interface provides real-time insights into water usage, empowering me to make informed decisions about my consumption habits. The app's functionality goes beyond mere tracking – it actually helped me identify leaks in both my toilets and irrigation system. The timely alerts allowed me to address these issues promptly, preventing water wastage and potential damage. Flume has become an invaluable tool for water conservation in my home. By keeping a close eye on usage patterns and swiftly detecting leaks, I feel more in control of my water consumption. The device not only promotes eco-friendly practices but also contributes to cost savings on water bills. The Flume water meter is an exceptional device for those looking to monitor and conserve water in their homes. Its easy installation, intuitive app, and ability to pinpoint leaks make it an essential tool for both environmental responsibility and home safety. I highly recommend the Flume water meter to anyone seeking a smart and effective solution for water management. Also, check your local water authority because they may have additional rebates available!

We actually received our Flume free from our insurance company. After 3 weeks I'd already given one to our son for Christmas. Was as fast and easy to install and connect as advertised. Immediately learned we had a slow leak in our sprinkler system. We have an upstairs bathroom we rarely use. When my wife flushed it to avoid iron rings it didn't seal properly and kept running. With door closed couldn't hear it running. Might have run for days but again received an alert and quickly figured out the problem. Third time was when trying to repair outdoor faucet and had shut off water main. When I turned main back on I'd forgotten to shut off the faucet. Was in car when received the 2 hour alert and immediately knew what I'd done and texted wife to go out and shut the faucet off. I like that it doesn't shut off water, and go through a learning phase, but simply tells me there's a problem. Have told 2 other people with older houses about it.

Update 6/19/23: I have had my flume 2 for two years now. Works great- but lowering stars due to flume’s changing the replacement battery to “proprietary”. My original pack that came with the unit lasted two years. The original pack is simply a holder for 4 AA lithium cells you can get anywhere. But Flume now wants you to buy a replacement pack for $14. It uses four AA cheap no-name Chinese cells spot welded in a plastic housing. Field reports indicate these cells last far less than the factory Everready cells that came in my original Flume2. So they sell you cheap, no name cells that last far less. Very disappointed Flume tried to change the battery type to proprietary, when we all know it is 4 AA lithium in the package. The approach is greedy and NOT environmentally friendly. The four “blue” spot welded AA are cheap, and don’t last as long. So, Flume added cost and materials (spot welding, molded case), all adds energy, not readily recyclable, and takes far more energy to manufacture and ship than the user replaceable original. Fortunately, I have the original reusable cage and will forevermore replace my own. Shame, Flume. Shame. Pros: Easy install, very good and responsive customer support. Cons: battery- see above. Missing a signal strength indicator on the app; I had a unit that could not connect reliably at 60 feet line of site- Customer support can see the signal strength, I could not- so no ability to self-diagnose. First, I LOVE the FLUME 2, when it worked. The first unit I received worked for 12 hrs- I enjoyed seeing the water usage patterns- but then it just stopped working- it lost connection between the Bridge and the sensor at my meter. The only way to regain connection was to remove the sensor from my meter and bring it close to the bridge. I spent days on the app chatting with Customer support, trying different things. In the end, they said: Just return it, it won't work in your application. I said "but wait, surely it should have more than 60 feet range?, maybe mine is defective". Eventually I had to "escalate" (to a manager), who authorized a no question asked shipment of a new unit. I installed it, verified it worked great- my meter is in a "vault" with a cement cover. I ended up being able to put the bridge about 100ft away, near a window but not facing the window. So the first unit WAS defective (low range). With the 2nd unit, I have now had great water monitoring experience. And, the customer support (via app chat) WAS very responsive. I dock one star for: a) no signal strength meter on the app? That was the problem- a simple set of bars would tell you if your bridge and sensor have enough strength. b) I had to convince them something must be wrong with the first unit, and ask for a supervisor/manager to intercede. c) there should be more troubleshooting/diagnostic tests and tools for self-diagnosis, without having long chat sessions with Support. FLUME customer support did the right thing, we figured out together that Flume 2 could work in my setup. High marks for the overall experience- they brought a 1 star (when they said "just send it back") to 4 star because of Customer support- they were always patient and polite...

1.5 yr review. Flume has provided accurate feedback on potential leaks. Really good at helping you pinpoint maintenance issues in your house like running toilets. A lot easier to implement than the inline monitors and less of a chance at creating future issues by cutting into lines. Happy customer.

I purchased the Flume 2 a few months after buying my first home. I researched various leak detection options like Moen Flo and Phyn Plus but ultimately decided on Flume because it monitors water usage directly from the water meter. This means I can monitor leaks not only inside my home but also on the water line servicing my home and my sprinkler system, providing a more comprehensive view of my water usage and potential issues. **Installation & Setup:** No plumbing or wiring required—just strap the sensor onto your water meter, plug in the Wi-Fi bridge inside your home, and follow the app’s step-by-step instructions. The app even prompted me to take a photo of my meter for calibration, and Flume’s support team confirmed compatibility before I bought it. The installation took about 15 minutes. **Performance & Accuracy:** While I didn’t test it for 0.01 gallon per minute accuracy, I did test the Flume 2 by filling a bucket and comparing the readings, and they matched exactly. The app dashboard is intuitive, showing real-time and historical usage, and you can set up custom alerts and water budgets to help manage your consumption. **Leak Detection:** Last year, Flume alerted me to a leak. After checking inside my home and ruling out any internal leaks, I discovered that the issue was actually a small leak right at the water meter. I contacted the utility company, and they promptly fixed the leak. This year, Flume alerted me again to a leak. After ruling out leaks inside the house and at the meter, I hired a leak detection company who found the leak on a coupling on the main water line. These two leaks just show how correct in my decision on flume versus the other water leak detection systems. **Smart Home Integration:** I was able to integrate Flume 2 with both Hubitat and Home Assistant, which made it easy to incorporate water usage data and leak alerts into my broader smart home automations. This flexibility was a huge plus, allowing me to set up custom rules and notifications that fit my household’s needs. **Battery Life & Maintenance:** The battery lasted a little over a year for me, even with the sensor about 30 feet away from the home base, which I have set up on the second floor. While replacing the flume 2 battery was straightforward and only took a few minutes, it is a propriety battery pack though compared to flume 1. Flume also sells a replacement battery kit for around $20, which includes not only the batteries but also desiccant packs to help keep the sensor dry. The black battery pack does allow you to diy a battery pack if you like with regular lithium AA batteries. **Limitations:** Flume 2 won’t automatically shut off your water if a leak is detected, however, I addressed the shutoff limitation by adding a Bulldog valve robot, which does integrate with Flume and allows for automated water shutoff. While Flume does attempt to break down water usage by fixture type using machine learning—and you can help the algorithm by tagging usage events—I’ve found that this feature isn’t very accurate. One significant limitation I’ve noticed is that, while Flume will alert you if the Wi-Fi bridge goes offline, it does not notify you if the sensor itself stops reporting to the bridge. This happened to me twice: once due to a range issue and another time when the battery died. Although there is supposed to be a low battery alert, I did not receive one when the battery actually died. While flume saved me twice from leaks, I could have easily missed those leaks because the sensor went offline without being alerted. It is important to be aware of this gap and why I rated it as 4 instead of 5. **Awareness & Savings:** I haven’t noticed much in terms of day-to-day water savings, but I am definitely much more aware of my daily and weekly water habits. The detailed usage breakdowns and alerts have helped me understand exactly when and how water is being used in my home, which is valuable for long-term conservation and catching potential issues early. **Final Thoughts:** Flume 2 is a must-have for any homeowner who wants to avoid water damage, stay informed, and monitor water usage with minimal hassle. Highly recommended for its accuracy, reliability, and user-friendly design.

The most difficult part of installing this device was the digging by hand around the water meter in order to strap the Flume device onto the meter in the correct position. On my first attempt, I did not dig deep enough and the device wasn't detecting water flow because it was collared too high on the meter. After I kept digging and placed the device correctly, it started detecting the water flow just fine. So far I've been super impressed by the accuracy and reliability of this device. In each instance where it has gone "offline", it has been due to either a power outage or a internet connection outage (lost wifi connection). If the device loses wifi connectivity, it notifies you. It again notifies you when the wifi connectivity is restored. The device sent me a leak alert when a tenant left a water spigot slightly open and the hose was leaking slightly. The device is capable of detecting very small leaks and is more sensitive than I thought it would be. The Flume app is pretty awesome. It has worked flawlessly and is not lacking in any features I can think of. You can purchase the Flume Insights option in the app, which allows you to see real-time water flow and has some other handy features. I was concerned that I'd need a wifi extender with this product, as I was expecting the device you attach to the water meter would need to communicate with my wifi router. However, that was not the case. The device you attach to the water meter communicates with another device that you leave inside your home. The range between these devices is much longer than a typical wifi range. The Flume leak detector gives me peace of mind and the confidence that it will detect a water leak in time to prevent unnecessary damage. Before I installed the Flume water meter, I had several leaks that went undetected for weeks, causing my crawl space to flood. With the Flume water meter, I don't need to be paranoid about future leaks and I have peace of mind that I'll catch the next leak in time.

Update: This device has saved me from a large water bill twice. One time, I didn't turn the spigot tight enough, and I was informed via the app that 0.7 gallons of water has been running every minute for the last two hours. Last month, I was 2000 miles away from home, and I was notified that "water has been running for 2 hours averaging 2.04 gallons every minute." Turned out, my drip irrigation system was low on battery and couldn't shut off the water. ***** There's a peace is mind from installing this device. I no longer have to worry about water leaks, especially hidden slow drip water leaks that will go on for months. The monitor is surprisingly accurate and will reveal some interesting data like who hasn't showered in days and that my household uses the most water by flushing the toilet. I guess we'll need to work on that somehow. This one doesn't shut off water but that means it's much easier to install. And really an alert on your phone is good enough. Then you can shut off your water at the main or have your neighbor shut it for you. This device has a long range. My house is 300 feet from my water meter, and haven't had any connection issue.

This is a first pass at reviewing this device. I will add to it when I learn more. It was recommended (but not sold) by an irrigation professional contact . Amazon got it to me in 3 hours and I installed it 5 hours ago. Reason for buying was having an alarm to notify me of a leak in irrigation system (common and cost/waste of water is the big motivator) or an alarm in terms of leak inside of house when I am away from home (cost of water damage issue) . Secondarily to look at useage in various branches of the irrigation system as well as pool evaporation. My meter is in a well in the front yard like many properties in the greater Phoenix area. The well is ~ 50 feet from the house. FLUME gives you a handy tool to open the lid on your well. The sensor simply straps to the meter and this takes 2 minutes. "Sensor" is a bit of a misnomer because it does not really sense flow direcly. It senses the rotating magenetic field of an impeller in the water meter. In effect eh FLUME sensor is eaves dropping on the flow meter in the water meter. Looking at Patent 10750253 confirms this. Clever! So you would think that clever scheme would then report 1:1 exactly the same flow rate as the water meter. FLUME tech support remotely ran a calibration (as a favor) while I asked them for support in getting the radio link working better. You would think that it would have been really accurate after a calibration by FLUME tech. FLUME now measures 100.8 Gal while my water meter reports 103.4 Gal. a -2. 6% error. I could live with that error in the auto calibration if they woudl give you some place in the UI to manually enter the 1.02579 calibration factor so that the meter an FLUME would read 1:1. But there is no way to enter a calibratin factor manually. The sensor is batery powered and has a low power 900 MHz radio transciever to communicate witeh the WiFi bridge. Thsi is challenging becsue the sensor is in a small well and has no direct line of sight. WAHt is really frustating is that they is no singal level indicator to aid yo in moving the WiFi Bridge around to get the best signal. You can't call FLUME. The only tech support is chat which is anoying becuse it seems tht the support person is trying to deal witeh 4 other people at the same time as you. So I tried the chat and could not convince the tech to give me some numerical readings. It turned into game of warmer - colder. Tech informs me that FLUME purposely left the signal strength indicator out of the UI because it was too confusing. Not sure whey they can't give us the 5 bars we have had on cell phones for 25 years. The warmer - colder over a chat was pretty frustrating. Eventually he shared the actual reading number with me and I got a better sense of what was making a bigger difference in increasing signal. And the sensor connected well enough to let FLUME tech do a calibration. I had really hoped to optimize the location of the Bridge because I did not want a marginal RF link situation with the radio doing a lot of retries and consuming the proprietary battery more quickly as well as possibly missing data. Eventaullay a tech lead got on the chat and things went a bit better. I ended up putting the Wifi Bridge in a second floor window witeh a better view into the well. But I had not yet put the concrete lid back on the well when the 7 pm cutoff for tech support happened. Is seems to be conneced now but not sure how robust it is without a signal level indicator. Will "chat" again tomorrow with support. Also , FLUME is limited to classifying water usage by various devices in the household. I had hoped to be able to have the 9 different sprinkler zones as separate elements of my irrigatin system to dermine say if if say one zone is leaking . It will not do that. You have to sort it out from the 1 minute resolutin bar graph on your phone (that can't be exported as CSV for analysis in Excel). I will add to this review as I live with it a bit longer.