Amanzi awumthombo oyigugu futhi obizayo, kodwa angaba usongo oluyingozi uma ebonakala ezindaweni ezingafanele ekhaya lakho, ikakhulukazi ngendlela engalawuleki. Bengilokhu ngihlola ivalvu yamanzi ehlakaniphile i-Flo by Moen ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ezedlule futhi ngingasho ukuthi ibiyongisindisa isikhathi esiningi nemali ukube ngayifaka eminyakeni embalwa edlule. Kodwa akuphelele. Futhi ngokuqinisekile akushibhile.
Ngokuyisisekelo, u-Flo uzobona futhi akuxwayise mayelana nokuvuza kwamanzi. Izophinde ivale ukuphakelwa kwakho kwamanzi okuyinhloko uma kwenzeka kuba nenhlekelele, njengepayipi eliqhumile. Leso yisimo engike ngabhekana naso mina mathupha. Ipayipi elalisophahleni lwegalaji lami labanda futhi laqhuma ngobunye ubusika ngesikhathi mina nomkami sihamba. Sabuya ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa sathola ingaphakathi lalo lonke igaraji lethu licekeleke phansi, namanje amanzi esaphuma embotsheni wepayipi lethusi ophahleni olungaphansi kwesentimitha ubude.
Kubuyekezwe ngoFebruwari 8, 2019 ukuze kubikwe ukuthi i-Flo Technologies isungule ubambiswano lwesu no-Moen futhi yaqamba kabusha lo mkhiqizo ngokuthi i-Flo by Moen.
I-intshi ngayinye yesikwele ye-drywall yayimanziswe, inamanzi amaningi ophahleni kangangokuthi kwakubukeka sengathi kunetha ngaphakathi (bheka isithombe, ngezansi). Iningi lazo zonke izinto esasizigcine egalaji, kuhlanganise nefenisha yakudala, amathuluzi okwenza ukhuni asebenza ngogesi, nezinto zokusebenza zasengadini, zonakele. Izivula-zicabha zegalaji nazo zonke izinto zokukhanyisa bekufanele zishintshwe, nazo. Isicelo sethu sokugcina somshwalense sidlule u-$28,000, futhi kwathatha izinyanga ukuthi yonke into yome futhi ishintshwe. Ukube besine-valve ehlakaniphile efakwe ngaleso sikhathi, bekuzoba nomonakalo omncane kakhulu.
Ipayipi lamanzi eliqandisiwe labe seliqhuma ngenkathi umbhali engekho ekhaya izinsuku ezimbalwa liholele emonakalweni ongaphezu kuka-$28,000 esakhiweni nasekukuqukethe.
I-Flo iqukethe ivalvu enenjini oyifake entanjeni enkulu yokuphakela amanzi (amayintshi angu-1.25 noma ngaphansi) engena endlini yakho. Ungakwenza lokhu ngokwakho, uma unethezekile ukusika ipayipi elinikeza ikhaya lakho ngamanzi, kodwa u-Flo uncoma ukufakwa kochwepheshe. Angizange ngifune ukuthatha noma yimaphi amathuba, ngakho u-Flo wathumela uchwepheshe osebenza ngamapayipi ukufaka umsebenzi (ukufakwa akufakiwe ku-$499 yenani lomkhiqizo).
I-Flo ine-adaptha ye-Wi-Fi engu-2.4GHz, ngakho-ke kubalulekile ukuthi ube nerutha eqinile engenantambo enganweba inethiwekhi yakho ngaphandle. Endabeni yami, nginesistimu ye-Wi-Fi enezikhala ezintathu ze-Linksys Velop, enendawo yokufinyelela ekamelweni elikhulu. Ulayini oyinhloko wokuphakelwa kwamanzi ungakolunye uhlangothi lwezindonga zegumbi lokulala, ngakho-ke isignali yami ye-Wi-Fi yayinamandla amaningi okusevisa ivalvu (ayikho inketho ye-ethernet enezintambo eziqinile).
Uzodinga futhi i-AC outlet eduze kolayini wakho wokunikezela ukuze unike amandla ivalve enenjini ye-Flo kanye ne-adaptha yayo ye-Wi-Fi. Ivalvu ehlakaniphile ye-Flo ihambisana ngokuphelele nesimo sezulu, futhi inesitina samandla asemgqeni, ngakho ipulaki likagesi ekugcineni lizongena kalula ngaphakathi kwekhava yento engaphandle yohlobo lwebhamuza. Ngikhethe ukuyixhuma endaweni yokukhipha ngaphakathi kwekhabethe langaphandle lapho kufakwe khona iheater yami yamanzi angenathangi.
Uma ikhaya lakho lingenayo indawo yokuphumela ngaphandle eduze, uzodinga ukuthola ukuthi uzoyivula kanjani i-valve amandla. Uma unquma ukufaka i-outlet, qiniseka ukuthi usebenzisa imodeli ye-GFCI (isiphazamisi sesekethe esiphansi) ukuze uzivikele. Kungenjalo, u-Flo uhlinzeka ngentambo yokwengezwa engamamitha angama-25 eqinisekisiwe ngo-$12 (ungasebenzisa kufikela kokune kwalokhu ndawonye uma uyidinga ngempela).
Uma ulayini wakho wamanzi ukude nendawo kagesi, ungakwazi ukuxhuma kufika kwezintathu zalezi zintambo zokunweba ezingamamitha angu-25 ukuze ufinyelele endaweni yokuphuma.
Izinzwa ezingaphakathi kwe-valve ye-Flo zikala umfutho wamanzi, izinga lokushisa lamanzi, futhi—ngenkathi amanzi egeleza kuvalvu—izinga amanzi ageleza ngalo (elilinganiswa ngamalitha ngomzuzu). Ivalvu izophinde yenze “ukuhlolwa kwezempilo” kwansuku zonke, lapho ivala amanzi asendlini yakho bese iqapha noma yikuphi ukwehla komfutho wamanzi okungabonisa ukuthi amanzi ashiya amapayipi akho ndawana thize ngale kwevalvu. Ukuhlola ngokuvamile kwenziwa phakathi nobusuku noma esinye isikhathi lapho ama-algorithms ka-Flo efunde ukuthi awuwasebenzisi amanzi ngokuvamile. Uma uvula umpompi, ushayela indlu yangasese, noma unani ngenkathi ukuhlolwa, ukuhlolwa kuzoma bese ivalvu iphinde ivuleke, ukuze ungaphazamiseki.
Iphaneli yokulawula ye-Flo ibika ngomfutho wamanzi wekhaya lakho, izinga lokushisa lamanzi, nezinga lokugeleza lamanje. Uma usola inkinga, ungavala i-valve lapha.
Lonke lolu lwazi luthunyelwa phezulu efwini futhi luhlehliselwe phansi kuhlelo lokusebenza lwe-Flo kudivayisi yakho ye-Android noma ye-iOS. Izimo eziningana zingabangela ukuthi lezo zilinganiso ziphume endleleni: Isho ukuthi umfutho wamanzi wehla kakhulu, okubonisa ukuthi kungase kube nenkinga ngomthombo wamanzi, noma phezulu kakhulu, okubeka ingcindezi emapayipini akho amanzi; amanzi abanda kakhulu, okubeka amapayipi akho engozini yokubanda (ipayipi eliqandisiwe lizophinde libangele umfutho wamanzi ukwakha); noma amanzi ageleza ngezinga elivame ukuba phezulu, okubonisa ukuthi kungenzeka kube khona ipayipi eliphukile. Imicimbi enjalo ingabangela amaseva ka-Flo ukuthi athumele isaziso sohlelo lokusebenza kuhlelo lokusebenza.
Uma amanzi egeleza ngokushesha kakhulu noma isikhathi eside kakhulu, uzothola ucingo lwe-robo oluvela ekomkhulu le-Flo likuxwayisa ngokuthi kungase kube khona inkinga nokuthi idivayisi ye-Flo izovala ngokuzenzakalelayo umshini wakho ohambisa amanzi uma ungaphenduli. Uma usekhaya ngaleso sikhathi futhi wazi ukuthi akukho okungalungile—mhlawumbe ubunisela ingadi yakho noma ugeza imoto yakho, isibonelo—ungamane ucindezele u-2 ekhiphedi yefoni yakho ukuze ubambezele ukuvala amahora amabili. Uma ungekho ekhaya futhi ucabanga ukuthi kungase kube nenkinga enkulu, ungavala ivalvu ohlelweni lokusebenza noma ulinde imizuzu embalwa bese uvumela u-Flo akwenzele kona.
Ukube bengine-valve ehlakaniphile efana ne-Flo efakiwe lapho ipayipi lami liqhuma, kuyiqiniso eliseduze ukuthi bengingakwazi ukukhawulela inani lomonakalo owenziwe egalaji lami nokuqukethwe kwalo. Kunzima ukusho ngokuqondile ukuthi ungakanani umonakalo obangelwe ukuvuza, ngoba u-Flo akaphenduli ngokushesha. Futhi ubungeke ufune, ngoba uma kungenjalo bekuzokuhlanyisa ngama-alamu angamanga. Njengoba kunje, ngihlangabezane nenani lalezo phakathi novivinyo lwami lwezinyanga ezimbalwa lwe-Flo, ikakhulukazi ngenxa yokuthi ngangingenaso isilawuli sokunisela esihlelekayo sokulungisa indawo yami ngesikhathi esiningi.
I-algorithm ka-Flo incike emaphethini angabikezelwa, futhi ngivame ukungahleleki uma kuziwa ekuniseleni ukwakheka kwami kwezwe. Indlu yami iphakathi nendawo engamahektare amahlanu (ihlukaniswe nendawo engamahektha ayi-10 eyake yaba ipulazi lobisi). Anginawo utshani bendabuko, kodwa nginezihlahla eziningi, ama-rose bush, nezihlahlana. Ngangivame ukunisela nge-drip irrigation system, kodwa izingwejeje zasemhlabathini zazihlafuna izimbobo kumapayipi epulasitiki. Manje ngichela ngesifafazi esixhunywe kwipayipi kuze kube yilapho ngikwazi ukuthola isisombululo esihlala njalo, esivikela izingwejeje. Ngizama ukukhumbula ukufaka i-Flo kumodi yayo “yokulala” ngaphambi kokuthi ngenze lokhu, ukuze ngivimbele ivalvu ukuthi icuphe ikholi yerobo, kodwa angihlali ngiphumelela.
Ulayini wami omkhulu wamanzi umile, okuholele ekutheni i-Flo ifakwe ibheke phansi ukuze amanzi agelezele ngendlela efanele. Ngenhlanhla, uxhumano lwamandla luvala amanzi.
Uma wazi ukuthi uzobe ungekho ekhaya isikhathi eside—ngokwesibonelo, eholidini—futhi ngeke usebenzise amanzi amaningi, ungafaka u-Flo kumodi “yokungabi khona”. Kulesi simo, i-valve izosabela ngokushesha kakhulu ezenzakalweni ezingavamile.
Ivalvu ehlakaniphile iyingxenye kuphela yendaba ka-Flo. Ungasebenzisa uhlelo lokusebenza lwe-Flo ukuze usethe imigomo yokusebenzisa amanzi futhi ulandelele ukusebenzisa kwakho amanzi ngokumelene naleyo migomo nsuku zonke, iviki ngalinye, kanye nenyanga. Uhlelo lokusebenza luzokhipha izexwayiso noma nini lapho kunokusetshenziswa kwamanzi okuphakeme noma okunwetshiwe, lapho kutholwa ukuvuza, lapho ivelufa ingaxhumekile ku-inthanethi (okufana nokungenzeka phakathi nokucima kukagesi, izibonelo), kanye neminye imicimbi ebalulekile. Lezi zexwayiso zifakwe embikweni womsebenzi kanye nemiphumela yokuhlolwa kwezempilo kwansuku zonke.
Kubalulekile ukuqaphela lapha, nokho, ukuthi u-Flo akakwazi ukukutshela kahle ukuthi amanzi avuza asukaphi. Phakathi nokuhlola kwami, u-Flo wabika ngokunembile ukuvuza okuncane ohlelweni lwami lwamapayipi amanzi, kodwa kwaba kimina ukukulandelela. Umlandu kwakuyi-flapper egugile ethoyilethi endlini yami yokugezela yesivakashi, kodwa njengoba indlu yokugezela iseduze nehhovisi lami lasekhaya, ngangiyizwile indlu yangasese isebenza nangaphambi kokuba u-Flo abike inkinga. Ukuthola umpompi ovuzayo wasendlini cishe ngeke kube nzima kakhulu ukuwuthola, noma, kodwa ipayipi lepayipi elivuzayo ngaphandle kwendlu kungaba nzima kakhulu ukulikhomba.
Uma ufaka i-valve ye-Flo, uhlelo lokusebenza luzokucela ukuthi wakhe iphrofayela yekhaya lakho ngokuphendula imibuzo mayelana nosayizi wendlu yakho, ukuthi inamakamelo amangaki, yiziphi izinsiza enazo (njengenombolo yobhavu namashawa, futhi uma une-pool noma ubhavu oshisayo), uma unomshini wokugeza izitsha, uma isiqandisi sakho sifakwe i-icemaker, ngisho noma une-heater yamanzi engenathangi. Izobe isiphakamisa inhloso yokusetshenziswa kwamanzi. Njengoba nginabantu ababili abahlala ekhaya, uhlelo lokusebenza lwe-Flo luphakamise umgomo wamalitha angu-240 ngosuku. Lokho kuhambisana nesilinganiso se-US Geological Survey samalitha angama-80 kuya kwayi-100 okusetshenziswa kwamanzi ngomuntu ngamunye ngosuku, kodwa ngithole ukuthi ikhaya lami lisebenzisa okungaphezu kwalokho ngezinsuku engichelela ngazo indawo yami. Ungasetha umgomo wakho kunoma yini ocabanga ukuthi ifanelekile futhi uyilandelele ngokufanele.
I-Flo inikeza isevisi yokuzithandela yokuzithandela, i-FloProtect ($5 ngenyanga), ehlinzeka ngemininingwane ejulile mayelana nokusetshenziswa kwakho kwamanzi. Iphinde inikeze ezinye izinzuzo ezine. Isici esiyinhloko, esibizwa ngokuthi Ukulungiswa (okuseku-beta), sithembisa ukuhlaziya ukusetshenziswa kwakho kwamanzi ngokulungiswa, okufanele kwenze kube lula kakhulu ukufeza imigomo yakho yokusebenzisa amanzi. Izinto ezilungiswayo zihlaziya amaphethini okugeleza kwamanzi ukuze kubonakale ukuthi amanzi akho asetshenziswa kanjani: Mangaki amagalani asetshenziselwa ukugeza izindlu zangasese; yimalini ethela kompompi bakho, izihlambi, nobhavu wokugeza; angakanani amanzi asetshenziswa izinto zakho zikagesi (iwasha, umshini wokuwasha izitsha); nokuthi mangaki amagalani asetshenziselwa ukuchelela.
Ukulungiswa kufakwe kusevisi yokuzithandela yokubhalisa ye-FloProtect. Ilwela ukubona ukuthi uwasebenzisa kanjani amanzi.
I-algorithm ibingelona usizo ekuqaleni futhi ibivele ihlanganise amanzi amaningi engiwasebenzisayo esigabeni “sokunye.” Kodwa ngemva kokusiza uhlelo lokusebenza ukuhlonza amaphethini ami okusebenzisa—uhlelo lokusebenza lubuyekeza ukusebenzisa kwakho amanzi njalo ngehora, futhi ungakwazi ukuhlela kabusha umcimbi ngamunye—kusheshe kube neqiniso. Ayikaphelele, kodwa iseduze kakhulu, futhi ingisizile ngabona ukuthi mhlawumbe bengimosha amanzi amaningi ngokunisela.
Okubhaliselwe kuka-$60 ngonyaka nakho kukunika ilungelo lokuthola imbuyiselo yomshwalense wabanikazi bomuzi wakho odonswayo uma ulahlekelwa ukonakala kwamanzi (okufakwe ku-$2,500 kanye nephasela leminye imikhawulo ongafunda ngayo lapha). Ezinye izinzuzo ziyi-squishier kancane: Uthola iminyaka emibili eyengeziwe yewaranti yomkhiqizo (iwaranti yonyaka owodwa ijwayelekile), ungacela incwadi eyenziwe ngendlela oyifisayo ukuze uyethule enkampanini yakho yomshwalense engase ikufanelekele ukuthola isaphulelo iprimiyamu (uma umhlinzeki wakho womshwalense ekunikeza isaphulelo esinjalo), futhi uyafaneleka ukugadwa ngokushesha “i-water concierge” engaphakamisa izixazululo ezinkingeni zakho zamanzi.
I-Flo akuyona ivalvu yokuvala amanzi ebiza kakhulu emakethe. I-Phyn Plus ibiza u-$850, futhi i-Buoy ibiza u-$515, kanye nokubhaliselwe okuyisibopho okungu-$18-ngenyanga ngemva konyaka wokuqala (asazobuyekeza noma yimuphi waleyo mikhiqizo). Kodwa u-$499 uwutshalomali olubalulekile. Kuhle futhi ukubalula ukuthi u-Flo akabophele izinzwa ezingathola ngokuqondile ubukhona bamanzi lapho kungafanele abe khona, njengaphansi ukusuka kusinki ochichimayo, kubhavu, noma indlu yangasese; noma kusuka kumshini wokuwasha izitsha ovuzayo noma ohlulekayo, umshini wokuwasha, noma isifudumezili samanzi ashisayo. Futhi amanzi amaningi angaphuma epayipini eliqhumile ngaphambi kokuthi u-Flo akhalise i-alamu noma enze ngokwawo uma ungakwenzi lokho.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi, amakhaya amaningi asengozini enkulu kakhulu yokonakala kwamanzi kunomlilo, isimo sezulu, noma ukuzamazama komhlaba. Ukubona nokumisa ukuvuza kwamanzi okuyinhlekelele kungakongela imali eningi kuye ngokuthi umshwalense wakho udonswa imali engakanani; mhlawumbe okubaluleke nakakhulu, kungavimbela ukulahlekelwa kwempahla yomuntu siqu kanye nokuphazamiseka okukhulu empilweni yakho okungabangelwa ipayipi lamanzi eliqhumayo. Ukuthola ukuvuza okuncane kungakongela imali yakho yesikweletu samanzi sanyanga zonke, futhi; ingasaphathwa eyehlisa umthelela wakho emvelweni.
I-Flo ivikela ikhaya lakho emonakalweni wamanzi obangelwa kokubili ukuvuza okuhamba kancane kanye nokwehluleka okuyinhlekelele, futhi izokwazisa ngokumosha kwamanzi. Kodwa kuyabiza futhi ngeke kukuxwayise ngokuqoqwa kwamanzi ezindaweni okungafanele abe khona.
UMichael uhlanganisa amabhithi e-smart-home, ezokuzijabulisa kwasekhaya, kanye ne-home-networking, esebenza endlini ehlakaniphile ayakha ngo-2007.
I-TechHive ikusiza ukuthi uthole indawo yakho emnandi yobuchwepheshe. Sikuyisa emikhiqizweni ozoyithanda futhi sikubonise ukuthi ungathola kanjani okuningi kuyo.
Isikhathi sokuthumela: Jul-03-2019
