An industrial leak detection system has three parts: a sensor or sensing cable that notices liquid where it should not be, a controller that decides it is a leak, and an alarm or output that tells someone. Match the sensor to the liquid first (conductive or non-conductive), then the sensing layout (a point under a sump or a cable along a dike), then the controller and alarm. ERE carries the Icon Process Controls LeakPro, LeakDtec, LeakPoint, LD, LDS and PES leak-detection line for tanks, sumps, containment and double-wall piping, so you can match part numbers to your site before you ask for a quote.
In this guide
- What is a leak detection system and how does it work?
- Which leak sensor fits which liquid?
- When should you use leak detection cable instead of a point sensor?
- Can a system tell you where the leak is?
- Which controller or module do you need?
- How do you alarm and signal a leak?
- Is this the same as a home water leak detector?
- What do Canadian storage-tank rules say about leak detection?
- How do you specify a leak detection system, step by step?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is a Leak Detection System and How Does It Work?
A leak detection system watches the spots where a leak would collect and raises an alarm before the liquid reaches the floor drain, the soil or the next room. A sensor or cable detects liquid, a controller conditions that signal and switches a relay, and the relay drives a light, a horn, a PLC input or a shutoff.
The sensors in the Leak Detection & Alarms collection are listed with capacitive, electrostatic or photoelectric sensing, and the LDC-G cable and its controllers are listed with capacitive fail-safe operation. That matters in practice: a fail-safe design is meant to report a fault in the sensing circuit as well as a wet condition, so a damaged cable does not read as a dry dike.
Which Leak Sensor Fits Which Liquid?
Pick by whether the liquid conducts electricity, then by where the sensor sits. The table sorts the point sensors in the collection. Figures come from the product records; part numbers, output and cable length are confirmed on a quote.
| Model | Sensing method | Suits | Body and output | Typical placement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD | Capacitive, fail-safe | Aggressive, electrically conductive chemicals | Low-profile polypropylene body, PVC cable; NPN or PNP output | Tank floors, sumps, double-walled containment |
| LDS | Electrostatic, non-contact | Conductive liquids and solids | PP or 316 stainless steel; NPN or PNP output | Space between double-wall tanks, retention dikes, containment sumps |
| PES | Diffuse reflective photoelectric | Non-conductive liquids | Plated steel or PBT M18 housing; NPN or PNP; IP66 / IP67 | Pans and sumps where oil or solvent collects |
| NC31 | Capacitive, no moving parts | Level and leak switching | All-plastic body; NPN output; adjustable immersion depth | Sumps where one sensor does level and leak duty |
Two cautions. First, "conductive" is a property of your liquid, not of the sensor: a hydrocarbon leak will not trip a sensor listed for conductive liquids, so name the liquid when you ask for a quote. Second, the records for these sensors do not list a temperature limit or a response time, so ask us for the datasheet figures before you specify one for a hot or fast-moving service.
When Should You Use Leak Detection Cable Instead of a Point Sensor?
Use cable when the leak could appear anywhere along a run, and use a point sensor when you know the low spot. A point sensor guards one sump or one interstitial space. A cable follows a containment dike, a double-wall pipe or a tank perimeter, so a leak anywhere along it is seen.
The LDC-G 2-wire general-purpose cable is sold by the foot in custom lengths. The record lists capacitive fail-safe operation, polyethylene construction, a self-wicking helical design with no exposed metal, and high tensile pull strength, and it suits containment dikes and double-wall tanks. It works with the controllers below, which list a cable range of up to 2,600 ft.
Can a Leak Detection System Tell You Where the Leak Is?
Only if you choose a controller built to locate it. The Icon LeakPoint locates the position of a leak along an LDC-PC sensing cable, over a range of up to 150 m (492 ft), and adds sensitivity adjustment, a 3A relay output and RS-485 Modbus communication in a NEMA 4X enclosure. The record lists variants numbered 1 to 4, each in a visual, audible or visual-plus-audible version; confirm the channel details on a quote.
The LDC-G controllers below report that a cable zone is wet, not where along it. For a short dike that is often enough; for a long pipe run or a large raised floor, the distance to the wet spot is the difference between a five-minute check and an hour of searching, and that is the case for the LeakPoint.
Which Controller or Module Do You Need?
Choose by channel count and by whether you want the alarm built in. All four options below work with LDC-G cable.
| Model | Channels | Output | Mounting and alarm |
|---|---|---|---|
| LeakDtec LD1C | 1 | Alarm with silence button (visual keeps flashing) | NEMA 4X enclosure; audible and visual alarm; cable range to 2,600 ft |
| LeakDtec 4 LD4C | 4 | Four 3A relays | NEMA 4X enclosure; audible and visual alarm; cable range to 2,600 ft |
| LeakPro LDC-M | 1 | 2A relay, NO or NC contacts | DIN-rail; sensitivity set by dip switch; LED leakage indicator |
| LeakPro LDC-4M | 4 | Four 3A relays | DIN-rail, alone or with a NEMA 4X enclosure; LED leakage indicator |
As a rule of thumb, the LeakDtec boxes suit a stand-alone location where the controller itself has to sound and flash. The LeakPro DIN-rail modules suit a panel, where the relay talks to a PLC or an existing alarm and you want several zones on one rail.
How Do You Alarm and Signal a Leak?
Wire the controller's relay to a local alarm for the people on site and to a PLC or remote link for the people who are not. The ProAlert line is built for the first job:
- ProAlert 2: a high-intensity red light and a 108 dB horn with a silence function (the light stays on), a 10A relay output to a remote alarm or PLC, and a NEMA 4X polycarbonate enclosure.
- ProAlert LTE: a corrosion-resistant red visual alarm, fully pre-wired, with an optional 80 dB audible alarm; the record lists connection to LevelPro float sensors and LeakPro leak sensors.
- ProAlert XPA: a 120 dB explosion-proof audible alarm in an aluminum alloy body, on 24 VDC or 115 VAC, for classified areas.
For a remote tank farm or a sump with no wired link back to the control room, the LRT-4000 LoRa transmitter pair carries 4-20 mA, RS-485 or digital I/O signals. The record lists 13 to 14 km line of sight, or about 3 km in an industrial environment, with AES 128/256 encryption. Confirm the signal type your controller outputs before pairing it.
Is This the Same as a Home Water Leak Detector?
No. A home water leak detector is a battery sensor with a phone app that sits under a sink or water heater. ERE supplies process instruments for industrial, commercial and environmental sites: chemical tanks, fuel and solvent storage, containment dikes, sumps, double-wall pipe and mechanical rooms. If you came looking for a smart plug-in sensor for a house, this is not that product, and the sizing, enclosures and relays here would be overkill.
What Do Canadian Storage-Tank Rules Say About Leak Detection?
Leak detection is a named element of Canada's storage-tank rules, and the specific duties depend on your tank, product and province. The federal code of practice for storage tank systems containing petroleum and allied petroleum products includes sections on leak detection of storage tank systems and on leak detection and monitoring methods. Provincial regulators set their own requirements, so confirm which apply to your site with the authority that regulates it.
For chemical storage, read the Safety Data Sheet your supplier must provide under WHMIS, so the sensor's wetted material suits the liquid. For enclosure ratings, the LD, the LeakDtec and LeakPoint controllers, the ProAlert 2 and the PES are listed as NEMA 4X or IP66 / IP67; you can check what those mean at NEMA and the IEC 60529 ingress-protection (IP) code. A sensor does not make a site compliant on its own; it is one part of a leak-detection method that your regulator has to accept.
How Do You Specify a Leak Detection System, Step by Step?
- Name the liquid. Chemical, concentration and whether it conducts electricity (water-based and acids do; oils and many solvents do not).
- Mark where it would collect. Sump floor, dike, interstitial space, pipe run or raised floor.
- Choose point or cable. A known low spot takes a point sensor; a run or perimeter takes cable.
- Decide if you need the location. If yes, the LeakPoint on LDC-PC cable; if "wet or dry" is enough, a LeakDtec or LeakPro controller.
- Count the zones. One channel or four, and whether each zone needs its own relay.
- Choose the alarm and the link. Local light and horn, a PLC input, a classified-area alarm, or a wireless link.
- Check the environment. Enclosure rating, hazardous-area needs, power supply and temperature; ask us for datasheet limits.
- Send the details. Quote by model, cable length and quantity and we confirm availability and terms.
Need leak detection for a tank, sump or containment area?
Send us the liquid, where it would collect, the run length, the number of zones and the alarm you want and we will confirm the models, part numbers and availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a leak detection system work?
A sensor or sensing cable detects liquid where it should not be, a controller turns that signal into a relay output, and the relay drives a light, a horn, a PLC input or a shutoff.
What is the difference between a leak detection sensor and leak detection cable?
A point sensor guards one low spot such as a sump or interstitial space. A cable follows a dike, double-wall pipe or perimeter, so a leak anywhere along its length is detected.
Can leak detection find where the leak is?
Only with a locating controller. The Icon LeakPoint locates the leak position along an LDC-PC sensing cable up to 150 m (492 ft); the LeakDtec and LeakPro controllers report that a zone is wet.
Will a leak sensor work on oil and solvents?
Not every one does. The LD and LDS sensors are listed for conductive liquids; the PES photoelectric sensor is listed for non-conductive liquids. Tell us the liquid so we can match the sensor.
Do you supply leak detection systems across Canada?
Yes. Send the models, cable length and quantity through the quote form and we confirm availability and terms for delivery across Canada.
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Lire en français : Système de détection de fuites : guide des capteurs, du câble et des contrôleurs pour réservoirs et puisards au Canada