EcoNet ControlsEVC200-HCSML The Bulldog Valve Robot, Z-Wave Water Valve, Smart Home Controller Required, Easy to Install and No Plumbing Required, Valves up to 1.5"

After a flood that cost my homeowner’s insurance $30k a few years ago - a shut off system is not new to me. My previous one cost $$$ & worked great - except the manufacturer closed up shop & stopped supporting the proprietary app - making it useless.So, I did my research & to replace it I choose EcoNet. My previous system cost more & and used a proprietary app and hub. So, I’m stuck with a lot of functional expensive hardware now that is useless. Never again. EcoNet works with SmartThings and other non proprietary hubs. You can use any zwave/zigbee leak sensor as well that works with whatever hub you choose. I choose SmartThings - and bought a SmartThings hub just for this. SmartThings may or may not be being sold by Samsung, but it doesn’t really matter because almost any smart hub will work and there is enough hardware out there that some hub will exist for quite a while.Anyway, I did a lot of research and feel like I could be considered an armchair expert on these water auto shutoff type systems. Pros & cons of various manufacturers. Reviews. Costs. There are a 2 main types IMO: proprietary (all sensors/software/hardware same company and stuck using them for everything *** or, they do not make it clear if it will work with other equipment) and “build your own” based on IFTT type tech and some smart hub. I’m not including anything that doesn’t utilize smart phone control. That is just outdated.While proprietary is “easy” plug and play, there is no customization and no support if whoever makes it decides to stop supporting it or making parts available. Build your own means you can pick and choose components and has the potential for incremental upgrades if something breaks or technology improves.Anyway, after doing the research - the EcoNet valve seemed like the best. First, whoever EcoNet is - they are right on it with answering questions, help, and information. Many people have said if you contact them with questions or concerns a response is very fast. I found this to be the case. The guy was quick and knew his product.I use this valve as an auto leak shut off, but also to just turn the water off with my phone when I will be gone for a long time. I need something that is not flimsy & can cycle many times without issue or stressing the pipes. The last thing you want is some piece of junk that actually causes plumbing damage and a leak.Also, I chose this valve because you don’t have to mess with the plumbing. I’m a person who can fix anything - but if for some reason the valve is defective or needs to be replaced - it’s just easier to not have to take pipes apart. EcoNet also has a bunch of videos on YouTube demoing their valve. People not confident in their product don’t do this. They also give you the option of an EcoNet plug and play system if you want that using a 3rd party app or no internet at all. A lot of options.Anyway, the valve comes in like 2 days. Everything was there that was supposed to be there & it was well packed. Connection to SmartThings took 2 minutes. I’m starting this system with water sensors from various manufacturers that work with SmartThings based on price, availability, and what I want for different locations. If it’s natively supported by SmartThings - it’s easy to set up.Installation of the valve was fairly easy. The thing is, if you have no mechanical aptitude & aren’t comfortable DIY’ing stuff - you could screw something up possibly. But, I’m just saying that because it does take some brains to look at your current valve and make sure you can install this with no interference & turning the correct way. I’m sure there are a myriad of shut off valves out there & there has to be at least one that this may not work with intuitively and theoretically could bend or damage something if you force it on and run it. But, that’s pretty much with anything you’re doing to your home - take your time, do your research, have the correct tools, & don’t break anything.However, if you have some brains and don’t rush you’ll be fine. In my case, the “pins” on the valve interfered with a steel brace for the water pipe coming out of my concrete basement wall. So, if I just shut the valve before looking it would have hit the mount for the brace and likely bent something or damaged the valve. The solution was simple - just shorten the pin’s hollow steel supports a bit & mount them with the nuts on top (opposite) for clearance. I’m guessing this is a unique case - but if they included some shorter pins it wouldn’t be a bad idea, as I’m guessing not everyone would be willing to do this.It took like 10 mins to do this. The clamp is a very strong type plastic - no flex. My only critique is you want the clamp & “valve on clamp” connections to be tight & they are Phillips head screws. I have Phillips bits and a ratchet, which worked very well. But, I think it would be easier with nuts and bolts, considering the average person will likely use a cheap screwdriver. Just how I would have done it, not an issue.The point is, once you get this thing installed correctly it’s rock solid. There is no flexing or movement of the pipe whatsoever - another reason I avoided valves that use the pipe & not the valve for a brace. Another good thing is the pins on the valve are adjustable, allowing you to fine tune it from 100% open to 100% closed. Again, not plug and play - but end result is better.EcoNet recommends changing this valve in SmartThings IDE from a valve to a switch; as they say switch will work locally if the internet is down - because “valve” setting works on the cloud. I choose not to do this because, IDE is saying the “valve” IS in local mode. However, my EcoLINK water/freeze sensor is “cloud”. Not sure if changing the valve to a switch would put the sensor on local mode - somehow I doubt it. I’m guessing it’s more of a function of the sensor. Maybe there was an update? Don’t know.But I doubt the power would be out (internet down) & a pipe would burst at them same time; at least power outages are very uncommon for me. Also, if the power was out - the valve wouldn’t close anyway, because it’s not battery back up. I believe you could do a battery back up, but for me it doesn’t seem necessary. So far the day to day connection seems solid to the cloud. If it becomes an issue I’d explore this further.As a valve - works flawlessly with SmartThings app. Basically you can open or close it with SmartThings app. Set up app notifications & text notifications if there is a leak & it will auto shut the valve off.So, yes I’m going to give this valve 5 stars. I’m going to say so far it’s the best of its kind out there. There are cheaper valves out there, but if you do the research you will see most have some flaw or shortcoming. There are also more expensive ones - none with any clear benefit over the EcoNet valve that I can see & I doubt any have the manufacturer support this one does.If I had any other critique- it would be that the power cord could be longer. I had to use an extension cord for now. I don’t know how long it is, but it seemed a little short as my valve and outlet are pretty close. Only other thing I can add is I’m wishing EcoNet sold sensors for SmartThings - it’s seems they sold the Samsung ones - but they may be off the market. They do sell sensors that work with a hub they come with; but it wasn’t clear to me if they will work with SmartThings. Also, they list a wired sensor as part of a kit - but does not seem to be available separately on their website.Hopefully this review will help someone make a decision who is in the market for a water shutoff off valve. I think this is a great valve and the price is more than fair. Seems strong and robust & there is a lot of information out there on it if you seek it out.

I have long contemplated buying an automatic water shut off valve to add to my Hubitat/Homekit automated home. I tend to be frugal and I recently was motivated by the release of the Aqara valve controller. I thought I would be able to add it to my Hubitat using zigbee but it wasn’t supported and required an Aqara hub. But that was fine in my mind. What wasn’t fine was the quality and lack of sturdiness of the hardware to attach the controller. I ended up having to give up on trying to make it work for me and returned it.Well, I should have just bought this EcoNet Bulldog from the beginning. Not only was it very easily added to Hubitat, the hardware to attach it to the valve is much better designed. It is sturdier and rigid so that the valve is easily and completely opened and closed. I spent maybe 20 minutes total setting this up compared to the hours I wasted trying to make the other valve work for me.Save yourself the headache and just get this valve on your system. It ended up costing me the same anyway since I didn’t need a new hub.It is very reliable. Also the company support is amazing. They reached out to me before they shipped the controller just to help ensure I had the right version (wifi Vs Zwave) and the right hardware for my plumbing. The other company took several days to respond to my inquiry I sent them.So pleased with this product and the company. Would easily advise anyone looking for a water shut-off controller to buy this product.

This smart valve controller has exceeded my expectations in both functionality and customer service, making it a valuable addition to my home automation setup.Ease of Installation and Performance:The installation process was a breeze, especially considering the compatibility with my 1-1/4 inch shut-off valve. The device integrated seamlessly into my existing setup, and I was particularly impressed by its performance. Unlike some other products I've tried, the Bulldog Valve Robot allows for fine-tuning when attaching the actuator to the valve handle. This feature ensured a reliable and complete shut-off in the critical last few degrees of travel - a small but significant detail that marks a superior product design.Exceptional Customer Service:What truly sets EcoNet Controls apart, however, is their proactive and customer-centric approach. Shortly after my order, they reached out via email to confirm compatibility with my home automation system. This check was to ensure I had the necessary Z-Wave controller/hub for the Bulldog Z-Wave or to offer a switch to a Wi-Fi compatible version. Unfortunately, I initially missed this email but, upon contacting their support team, was met with immediate and efficient service. They promptly shipped the necessary part and provided a pre-paid return label for the original item, making the whole process hassle-free. This level of customer care is rare and deserves high praise.Final Thoughts:In conclusion, the EcoNet Controls EVC200-HCSML Bulldog Valve Robot is an outstanding product, both in terms of its smart functionality and the company's commitment to customer satisfaction. It's a worthwhile investment for anyone looking to enhance their smart home capabilities, especially in terms of water control and management. I wholeheartedly recommend this product to others – it's a perfect blend of innovation, ease of use, and exceptional service.