Why does Droplet report frequent small volume changes to Home Assistant, even when no water is being used?
Droplet, the smart water monitor from Hydrific, integrates with Home Assistant through its local API to provide accurate water usage data. However, users may occasionally notice small, seemingly unexplained fluctuations (positive or negative) in the reported water volume, even when no fixtures are actively in use. Below is an explanation of why this occurs and what it means for your system.
How Droplet’s Local API Reports Volume
Droplet’s local API uses a point-to-point (or delta) reporting mechanism for water volume. This means every new data value represents the change in water volume since the last time data was transmitted—not a running or cumulative total. This approach is designed to provide fine-grained and precise tracking, ensuring cumulative usage statistics remain accurate over time.
Why You May See Small Volume Changes
Small fluctuations in reported values are entirely normal and expected, even when water is not actively being used. These fluctuations can occur for the following reasons:
Plumbing Pressure Changes: In typical home plumbing systems, small pressure variations can happen naturally, especially when no fixtures are open.
Residual Movement in Pipes: Water remaining in pipes can move slightly due to sloshing or settling, which is picked up by the Droplet system and reported as a slight volume change.
These minor deltas, whether positive or negative, are just the result of the sensitivity and accuracy of the Droplet system. They do not indicate any issue with the plumbing or the monitoring device itself.
The Purpose of Delta Reporting
By design, Droplet's use of delta reporting ensures that API consumers such as Home Assistant can compute cumulative water usage statistics accurately across time. This is particularly useful for maintaining detailed insights into water consumption, enabling you to monitor trends and detect abnormalities in your water usage. While the small changes may appear insignificant individually, they contribute to a highly accurate and comprehensive view of your water monitoring data.
What Should You Do?
There is no action required on your part. These minor fluctuations are a normal part of Droplet's advanced monitoring system and do not signal any malfunctions. If you notice unusual activity beyond these small changes, such as consistently large deltas when water is not being used, it might be worth investigating further for potential leaks or system issues. If you have additional questions or concerns, consider consulting the Droplet user manual or reaching out to Hydrific support.