Installation Guide

Unboxing

Unbox the WaterMeterKit package and identify all the components. You should have the following items:

• WaterMeterKit
• USB-A to USB-C cable (3 meters) and power adapter, only if you ordered the USB-C adapter set
• Screws (2x small for Elster/Honeywell, 2x bigger for Sensus, 1x bigger for Itron/Actaris/Schlumberger)
• WaterMeterSensor with 3-meter cable (detachable on V3) and universal holder

Step 1: Install the Sensor Holder

How the Sensor Works

Our sensor detects the rotating metal plate inside analog water meters. This small metal disc (usually silver-colored) rotates when water flows through. The sensor registers each rotation via magnetic detection = 1 liter of water.

⚠️ No rotating metal part? Unfortunately, our sensor will not work with your water meter.

Compatible Water Meters

Our universal holder fits most European analog water meters. Here are the most common types:

Unsure if your water meter is compatible? Send us a photo via Contact or chat live on Discord.

Installation Videos

Watch these installation videos for popular water meter types:

Type 1: Itron / Actaris / Schlumberger

Aquadis+ tip: On some Itron / Actaris / Schlumberger water meters, the screw thread for the holder can be hidden under a small dust cap. Carefully pry this cap loose with a small flat screwdriver before mounting the holder.

Type 2: Sensus

Type 3: Elster / Honeywell

Standard Holder (most common)

Works with these water meters:

• Sensus
• Elster / Honeywell
• Itron / Actaris / Schlumberger

Installation:

1. Attach the holder adapter plate to your water meter with the provided screws
2. Do not over-tighten the screws
3. Press the sensor firmly into the holder

Diehl Water Meters

If you have a Diehl water meter, you receive a special clip-on holder:

1. Simply click the holder onto your Diehl water meter
2. Press the sensor firmly into the holder
3. No screws required

Other Water Meters (Universal Holder)

If your water meter is not listed above, you receive a universal holder with double-sided tape:

1. Clean the surface of your water meter
2. Apply the double-sided tape to the holder
3. Position the holder correctly:
   • The sensor (LED side) has a crosshair marking
   • The center point of the crosshair is aligned with the path of the rotating metal plate. The metal plate passes through the center point exactly once per full rotation. This typically means the sensor covers approximately half of the metal indicator's visible rotation area
4. Press the sensor firmly into the holder

Sensor Positioning

For all holder types, the sensor must be positioned correctly:

1. Location: Position over the rotating metal 1-liter indicator
2. Alignment: The center point of the crosshair is aligned with the path of the rotating metal plate. The metal plate passes through the center point exactly once per full rotation. This typically means the sensor covers approximately half of the metal indicator's visible rotation area
3. Orientation:
   • The side with the red LED must face DOWN (toward the water meter glass)
   • The black side must be visible (facing up toward you)

Tip: Sometimes the lid (the outer plastic part) of your water meter can get in the way. You can often turn this lid by hand to make room for the holder.

Step 2: Power by Cable

On V3, first plug the sensor cable into the kit. Then connect the WaterMeterKit to a power source with a USB-C cable and power adapter (5V, at least 1A). When first powered up, the kit will flash a red status light to indicate it is not yet connected to your WiFi network or Home Assistant. This issue will be resolved in the following steps when you connect it to your network.

Step 3: Test Sensor Position

After mounting the holder, turn on a tap. The WaterMeterKit should flash a green light for 1 second after each liter of water used to confirm measurement. If this does not happen, you may need to adjust the sensor's position slightly, sometimes by as little as 1mm.

Let at least 2 liters run: the first pulse after a pause only starts the measurement, so the green light starts at the second liter. One extra flash about 2 minutes after the water stops is normal.

Note: Ignore the red flashing status LED for now. This will be resolved in the following steps when you connect the WaterMeterKit to your WiFi network and Home Assistant server.

Step 4: Connect to WiFi

Upon starting up the kit, the WaterMeterKit emits a WiFi hotspot named 'watermeterkit' with the password 'watermeterkit'. Once you are connected to this hotspot, a pop-up window will appear where you can select your own WiFi network.

Note: When you connect to the fallback network, the web interface should open automatically. If that does not work, you can also navigate to http://192.168.4.1/ manually in your browser.

On V3 you can also set up WiFi over Bluetooth or USB, or use Thread instead of WiFi. See Network Configuration.

Step 5: Connect to Home Assistant

Once connected to your home WiFi network, Home Assistant will automatically detect the WaterMeterKit under the 'Devices & Services' section.

To use the WaterMeterKit for water data on the HA Energy Dashboard, please continue to the next step in the manual Usage Guide.

Sensor Cable Information

Cable Length

The water sensor cable is 3 meters long. This is the maximum recommended length.

⚠️ Do not extend the sensor cable beyond 3 meters. Longer cables cause voltage drop, resulting in unreliable readings or data loss.

Disconnecting the Sensor

On V3 the sensor cable has a connector: simply unplug it from the kit.

On V1 and V2 the sensor is connected via a screw terminal inside the enclosure:

1. Carefully unclip the enclosure housing
2. Locate the screw terminal with 3 wires
3. Loosen the screws and remove the wires
4. Take a photo first to remember the wire color order!
5. When reconnecting, match the colors exactly

Need More Distance?

If the 3-meter sensor cable isn't long enough:

💡 Recommended: Consider upgrading to the WaterP1MeterKit instead. Install it close to the water meter and use an Ethernet cable (up to 100m) for the network connection. This is much more reliable than extending the sensor cable!