I thought I’d share a little DIY project I built using an Aqara Leak Sensor — but instead of using it to detect leaks, I turned it into an automatic pool water level monitor and filler.
The idea:
I wanted my pool to top itself up automatically without me having to guess when to add water. Since the Leak Sensor triggers when water touches its contacts, I mounted it right at the exact level I want to maintain in the pool.
How I set it up:
The filler hardware: My Aqara Smart Water Valve Controller T1 is connected to a regular garden hose. That hose runs to a PVC contraption I built that sits at the edge of the pool. I call it the H2O Valet. 0.pdf (3.1 MB)
Sensor placement: The Leak Sensor is also mounted to that same PVC setup, positioned so it detects when the water reaches my desired height.
Automations in the Aqara Home app:
When Leak Sensor = “Dry” → T1 opens the valve, water flows through the hose/PVC into the pool.
When Leak Sensor = “Wet” → T1 closes the valve, stopping the fill.
Scheduling: In the Aqara app, I can have the sensor check the water level on any schedule I want — for example, only in the morning and evening, or just once a day — so it’s not constantly triggering checks.
Why it works so well:
The Leak Sensor is battery-powered and wireless, so I can position it exactly where I want without running wires.
The Aqara T1 opens/closes instantly, so the water level stays right on target.
The whole setup is easy to disconnect when not in use — I just detach the hose from the PVC frame.
Bonus tip:
I set up push notifications so I know whenever the filler turns on or off. It’s a good way to keep track of water usage and spot any unusual fill patterns.
This has been running for months without a hiccup. It’s simple, effective, and a great example of repurposing Aqara gear for something it wasn’t originally designed for.
Hello, you described and did this coolly!
On water leak sensors, the contacts are untwisted. To save the sensor (not to fill it with water), I screwed ordinary wires to it. This gives me the opportunity to place the sensor where it is most convenient, and for control (water level), just bring the wires to the place where I need them. This way I control the level of drinking water in the tank…
You can also read here how I alternatively use a leak sensor, maybe someone is interested.
I have the leak sensor added in Apple Home and it triggers critical notifications when it gets wet. Is there a way to disable this? It is perfect when you want protect your household from leaks, but not so great for automations such as pool water level monitoring.
I have the sensor check for the absence of water on Sunday (for example) at 9:05 PM. Since my pool pump turns off at 9:00PM, this gives the water time to calm and stop splashing. Based on my experience, the pool will normally fill for at least two hours before reaching the desired level. I make sure the sensor doesn’t check for the presence of water until at least 11:05PM. I’m sure you can get even more granular if you use an app like Controller for HomeKit.
If you click on the leak sensor and go into the accessory settings, scroll down to Status and Notifications and click. Here you can turn off Activity Notifications. In this case, I prefer to get a specific notification from the Aqara App that the pool needs filling or is full versus HomeKit’s generic message. But, you can choose to turn off HomeKit activity notifications for the sensor and Aqara notifications as well.
