Frequently asked questions

• Does it need a Zigbee hub?

  Yes. The ZWS16 is a Zigbee device, so for phone notifications it needs a Tuya Zigbee gateway — Avatto recommends its own Smart Gateway. Without a gateway the local audible alarm still sounds when it detects water, but the message into the Tuya / Smart Life app will not go out.
• Does it sound on its own or only push a phone alert?

  It does both. The case carries an audible alarm that fires right where it sits, loud enough to hear from the next room, and in parallel a notification goes out to the app through the gateway. It is this pairing — a siren in the home plus a message on the phone — that lets you stop the leak before it becomes a flood.
• Where do I place it to catch water in time?

  Lay it flat on the floor, electrodes down, at the lowest point where water pools first: under the sink, by the boiler, behind the washing machine. Mounted on a wall or raised it will miss a thin puddle, because it only triggers when water touches the two electrodes underneath.
• What battery does it use and how long does it last?

  It uses a single CR2032 cell, supplied in the box. In normal use — a few detections a day — it lasts about 2 years, because at rest the Zigbee module draws only 26 µA and climbs to 120 mA just for the brief moment of an alarm. Check the cell once a year.
• Will it survive a bathroom or sitting by a boiler in damp?

  Yes. The ABS body is rated IP66, works at 0–70 °C and 20–85% humidity, so it copes with splashes and steam in bathrooms, garages and laundry rooms. It is not made for permanent immersion, though — its job is to lie on the floor and detect water that appears, not to be submerged.
• Which app and ecosystem does it run on?

  It runs through the Tuya / Smart Life app on Android and iOS, since Avatto is a Tuya-ecosystem brand. Tuya Zigbee devices can also be onboarded into a SmartThings hub. The official page lists only the Tuya / Smart Life app, so we will not promise Alexa or Google without confirming it on your setup.
• Can it automatically shut off the water on a leak?

  On its own, no — the ZWS16 only detects and warns. But in a Tuya scene it can be the trigger: on water detection the app can close a motorised valve on the same Tuya bus, switch on a light or start an extra siren. The valve is bought separately.