[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":359},["ShallowReactive",2],{"post-\u002Fblog\u002F2025\u002Fthe-great-flood-how-i-turned-my-living-room-into-a-high-tech-sump-pit":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"categories":340,"date":343,"description":61,"extension":344,"image":345,"meta":346,"navigation":354,"path":355,"seo":356,"stem":357,"__hash__":358},"blog\u002Fblog\u002F2025\u002Fthe-great-flood-how-i-turned-my-living-room-into-a-high-tech-sump-pit.md","The Great Flood - How I Turned My Living Room into a High-Tech Sump Pit",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":331},"minimark",[9,13,33,40,45,56,63,67,70,164,169,186,191,196,201,206,211,219,223,226,237,241,244,248,255,258,263,270,275,278,282,295,298,306,309,313,327],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Or: Why Flower Power and Clay Soil Don't Mix – A Mole's Tale of Moisture, Microcontrollers, and Minor Excavations",[10,14,15,16,20,21,24,25,29,30,32],{},"They say moles love the damp. That may be true out in the field, but when your ",[17,18,19],"em",{},"living room"," starts feeling like a boggy marsh, it’s time to bring in the tech (and a shovel).",[22,23],"br",{},"\nNow, I know rewetting peatlands is all the rage these days for climate protection – and rightly so! – but I don’t think my neighbor had that in mind when she started watering her flowerbeds. For four to five hours. Every day. For ",[26,27,28],"strong",{},"three weeks",". On clay soil.",[22,31],{},"\nThe result? A surprise indoor wetland, right beneath my feet.",[10,34,35,36,39],{},"Now, here in Claylandia (™), water doesn't politely drain away. It ",[17,37,38],{},"lurks",", seeps, and eventually invades. My cozy underworld was slowly turning into a bathtub. So what’s a Mole to do?",[41,42,44],"h2",{"id":43},"step-1-dig-mole-dig","Step 1: Dig, Mole, Dig!",[10,46,47,48,51,52,55],{},"I excavated a modest pit: 50 cm deep, 30 cm wide, and 40 cm long. Right in the ",[26,49,50],{},"boiler room"," – or as I now call it, ",[17,53,54],{},"the technical spa",". In went a sturdy basket, a submersible pump, and a sense of growing control.",[10,57,58],{},[59,60],"img",{"alt":61,"src":62},"","\u002Fimages\u002Fblog\u002F2025\u002F07\u002Fimage-1024x576.png",[41,64,66],{"id":65},"step-2-enter-the-esp32-s3","Step 2: Enter the ESP32-S3",[10,68,69],{},"Because this is not just any molehill. I installed an ultrasonic sensor pointing down into the pit, connected to an ESP32-S3, prototyped it with ESPhome. This was crazy fast, just using seven lines of yaml code in ESPhome (not counting the boilerplate to connect the device)",[71,72,76],"pre",{"className":73,"code":74,"language":75,"meta":61,"style":61},"language-yaml shiki shiki-themes github-light github-dark","sensor:\n  - platform: ultrasonic\n    id: drain_distance\n    trigger_pin: 9\n    echo_pin: 8\n    name: \"Drain Water Distance\"\n    update_interval: 10s\n","yaml",[77,78,79,92,108,119,131,142,153],"code",{"__ignoreMap":61},[80,81,84,88],"span",{"class":82,"line":83},"line",1,[80,85,87],{"class":86},"s9eBZ","sensor",[80,89,91],{"class":90},"sVt8B",":\n",[80,93,95,98,101,104],{"class":82,"line":94},2,[80,96,97],{"class":90},"  - ",[80,99,100],{"class":86},"platform",[80,102,103],{"class":90},": ",[80,105,107],{"class":106},"sZZnC","ultrasonic\n",[80,109,111,114,116],{"class":82,"line":110},3,[80,112,113],{"class":86},"    id",[80,115,103],{"class":90},[80,117,118],{"class":106},"drain_distance\n",[80,120,122,125,127],{"class":82,"line":121},4,[80,123,124],{"class":86},"    trigger_pin",[80,126,103],{"class":90},[80,128,130],{"class":129},"sj4cs","9\n",[80,132,134,137,139],{"class":82,"line":133},5,[80,135,136],{"class":86},"    echo_pin",[80,138,103],{"class":90},[80,140,141],{"class":129},"8\n",[80,143,145,148,150],{"class":82,"line":144},6,[80,146,147],{"class":86},"    name",[80,149,103],{"class":90},[80,151,152],{"class":106},"\"Drain Water Distance\"\n",[80,154,156,159,161],{"class":82,"line":155},7,[80,157,158],{"class":86},"    update_interval",[80,160,103],{"class":90},[80,162,163],{"class":106},"10s\n",[10,165,166],{},[59,167],{"alt":61,"src":168},"\u002Fimages\u002Fblog\u002F2025\u002F07\u002Fimage-1-1024x576.png",[10,170,171,172,179,180,185],{},"With a powerbank lifetime of just 2-3 days, just after one week this drove me nervous. So I started over running PlatformIO, speaking fluent ",[173,174,178],"a",{"href":175,"rel":176},"https:\u002F\u002Fbthome.io\u002F",[177],"nofollow","BTHome"," (on ",[173,181,184],{"href":182,"rel":183},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.home-assistant.io\u002Fintegrations\u002Fbthome\u002F",[177],"Home Assistant Integration","). The sensor continuously monitors the distance to the water surface – precision mole tech!",[10,187,188],{},[59,189],{"alt":61,"src":190},"\u002Fimages\u002Fblog\u002F2025\u002F07\u002Fimage-2-1024x576.png",[10,192,193],{},[59,194],{"alt":61,"src":195},"\u002Fimages\u002Fblog\u002F2025\u002F07\u002Fimage-3-1024x576.png",[10,197,198],{},[59,199],{"alt":61,"src":200},"\u002Fimages\u002Fblog\u002F2025\u002F07\u002Fimage-4-1024x576.png",[10,202,203],{},[59,204],{"alt":61,"src":205},"\u002Fimages\u002Fblog\u002F2025\u002F07\u002Fimage-5-1024x576.png",[10,207,208],{},[59,209],{"alt":61,"src":210},"\u002Fimages\u002Fblog\u002F2025\u002F07\u002Fimage-7-1024x743.png",[10,212,213,214],{},"All code and 3D-Model files can be found on Github: ",[173,215,218],{"href":216,"rel":217},"https:\u002F\u002Fgithub.com\u002Fthe78mole\u002FBThome-US-Ranging",[177],"the78mole\u002FBThome-US-Ranging",[41,220,222],{"id":221},"step-3-integration-is-everything","Step 3: Integration is Everything",[10,224,225],{},"The ESP32 reports directly to my Home Assistant setup. The only thing neeed is a bluetooth proxy device somewhere around in your house, that can fetch the messages out of thin air. You can use a ESPhome device for that purpose or one of the supported Shellys (many Pro and Plus devices support this).",[10,227,228,229,232,233,236],{},"The data shows up alongside the usual suspects: temperature, humidity, battery level... and now ",[26,230,231],{},"aquatic threat level",". I've even added an automation to send a Pushover alert if the water rises above a critical value (25 cm blow floor level). That means I can take action ",[17,234,235],{},"before"," my sofa learns to swim.",[41,238,240],{"id":239},"step-4-make-it-pretty","Step 4: Make it Pretty",[10,242,243],{},"To keep things neat and paw-safe, as you can see in the above pictures, I designed and 3D-printed custom enclosure, flush-mounted into a cover plate. It hides the pit, protects the electronics, and keeps the place from looking like a science experiment gone wrong.",[41,245,247],{"id":246},"step-5-protection-for-the-blind-underground-folk","Step 5: Protection for the Blind Underground Folk",[10,249,250,251,254],{},"Now, we all know that the subterranean world is full of hazards — unexpected floods, loose cables, and curious creatures with paws. But it’s not just about electronics and moisture: sometimes, it’s about ",[17,252,253],{},"safety and aesthetics",".",[10,256,257],{},"To ensure that no mice, hedgehogs (or worse: moles) stumble into my sensor-pit of doom, I welded a sturdy steel frame from plain black steel. This angular monument to overengineering got lovingly embedded into the screed with mortar, just like grandma used to do.",[10,259,260],{},[59,261],{"alt":61,"src":262},"\u002Fimages\u002Fblog\u002F2025\u002F07\u002Fimage-8-1024x576.png",[10,264,265,266,269],{},"Inside the frame sits a robust two-layered phenolic resin board (some call it “Siebdruckplatte”, I call it ",[17,267,268],{},"waterproof magic","), precisely cut to host the ultrasonic sensor housing. The whole thing is flush with the floor (not now, but when I added plates to the floor after kicking out the fossil burning stove), strong enough to survive stampedes, and still allows perfect measurements.",[10,271,272],{},[59,273],{"alt":61,"src":274},"\u002Fimages\u002Fblog\u002F2025\u002F07\u002Fimage-9-1024x576.png",[10,276,277],{},"Functionally invisible. Structurally paranoid. Just how we like it in the underworld.",[41,279,281],{"id":280},"conclusion","Conclusion",[10,283,284,285,288,289,294],{},"What started as an accidental water feature is now a smart, almost invisible early-warning system. And all thanks to a bit of digging, some ESP-wrangling, and the desire ",[17,286,287],{},"not"," to grow mold in my moldings. Additionly, I had a lot of fun welding the frame myself at ",[173,290,293],{"href":291,"rel":292},"https:\u002F\u002Fzam.haus",[177],"ZAM"," :-)",[10,296,297],{},"Moral of the story? Always check what your neighbors are watering – and never underestimate clay soil.",[10,299,300,301,303],{},"Stay dry,",[22,302],{},[26,304,305],{},"The Mole",[307,308],"hr",{},[41,310,312],{"id":311},"kommentare-comments","Kommentare \u002F Comments",[10,314,315,316,321,322,254],{},"Hast du Fragen oder Anmerkungen zu diesem Artikel? ",[173,317,320],{"href":318,"rel":319},"https:\u002F\u002Fgithub.com\u002Fthe78mole-blog\u002Fthe78mole-blog.github.io\u002Fissues\u002Fnew?title=Kommentar+zu%3A+the-great-flood-how-i-turned-my-living-room-into-a-high-tech-sump-pit&labels=comment",[177],"Erstelle ein GitHub Issue"," oder starte eine ",[173,323,326],{"href":324,"rel":325},"https:\u002F\u002Fgithub.com\u002Fthe78mole-blog\u002Fthe78mole-blog.github.io\u002Fdiscussions",[177],"Diskussion",[328,329,330],"style",{},"html pre.shiki code .s9eBZ, html code.shiki .s9eBZ{--shiki-default:#22863A;--shiki-dark:#85E89D}html pre.shiki code .sVt8B, html code.shiki .sVt8B{--shiki-default:#24292E;--shiki-dark:#E1E4E8}html pre.shiki code .sZZnC, html code.shiki .sZZnC{--shiki-default:#032F62;--shiki-dark:#9ECBFF}html pre.shiki code .sj4cs, html code.shiki .sj4cs{--shiki-default:#005CC5;--shiki-dark:#79B8FF}html .default .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-default);background: var(--shiki-default-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-default-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-default-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-default-text-decoration);}html .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-default);background: var(--shiki-default-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-default-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-default-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-default-text-decoration);}html .dark .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-dark);background: var(--shiki-dark-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-dark-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-dark-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-dark-text-decoration);}html.dark .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-dark);background: var(--shiki-dark-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-dark-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-dark-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-dark-text-decoration);}",{"title":61,"searchDepth":94,"depth":94,"links":332},[333,334,335,336,337,338,339],{"id":43,"depth":94,"text":44},{"id":65,"depth":94,"text":66},{"id":221,"depth":94,"text":222},{"id":239,"depth":94,"text":240},{"id":246,"depth":94,"text":247},{"id":280,"depth":94,"text":281},{"id":311,"depth":94,"text":312},[341,342],"BThome","ESPhome","2025-07-13","md","\u002Fimages\u002Fblog\u002F2025\u002F07\u002Fimage-2-scaled.png",{"tags":347},[348,341,349,350,351,352,353],"arduino","BThomeV2","clay","ESP32","platform.io","soil",true,"\u002Fblog\u002F2025\u002Fthe-great-flood-how-i-turned-my-living-room-into-a-high-tech-sump-pit",{"title":5,"description":61},"blog\u002F2025\u002Fthe-great-flood-how-i-turned-my-living-room-into-a-high-tech-sump-pit","uKNQTq6WHppxzAwMkhNKyTfUksZ14uiwaOHbMt38J5g",1777286693558]