X-10 device problems

[little sparkie]

I am having varying success with installing X-10 switching equipment. Sometimes they work great. In other installations you would think you would have no problems but the switch won't turn the lights off, won't turn them on, etc., and it's intermittent. And of course the trouble never shows up when I come out to look at it. This one house, about 5 years old, I have asked all the questions about electronic equipment that might interfere with the X-10 signal but no one could tell me anything conclusive. I tried a phase coupler/repeater in the panel but it didn't help. I tried to switch a pair of outside lights on a dedicated circuit with the X-10 but the switch never worked right. The panel-to-switch distance is maybe 25 feet, and from the panel to the lights maybe 45 feet to the furthermost fixture. Then I have this commercial garage with a lot of phone and signal wiring in the electrical room and a considerable distance of wire for the X-10 signal to have to travel, and again I can't get the switch to turn the outside GFCI on and off. I have put together a proposed arrangement of X-10 devices that I think may work but haven't got out there to try it yet. HOWEVER: if someone could help me maybe ask a question I haven't come upon yet, get me pointed in the right direction to help me cut to the chase when I have these kinds of issues, I'd be grateful. Thanks guys!!!: -?

 

[Buck Parrish]

Hmmm, I'm perplexed, too
What about the poco transformer. Could that be an issue? Particularly with the commercial garage.

 

[TwinCitySparky]

I'd suggest using this brand. http://http://www.webmtn.com/products/products.php?cat=UPB

I fought X-10 products and the associated ghost problems for a couple years before I found these guys. I discovered the high-end home irrigation people in my area with control issues - (no control wires between points A and B other then line voltage) use this company. Expensive for sure as compared to X-10 but worth every cent because it works everytime. They use the same idea of line carrier technology but they use a much more rubust design. The signal will span any monster size residencial or medium commercial sized applications with ease.

 

[Buck Parrish]

The link didn't work. But, it looks like a good site.
Try this www.webmtn.com
Then click on products

 

[dbuckley]

Many problems with X10 equipment are caused by interference supression devices, which shunt the powerline control signal. Such devices often lurk in things with switched mode power supplies, like computers and AV equipment.

Of course, you do have the right test equipment? I have one of these and it (or something similar) is required to troubleshoot X10 efficiently.

Edited to note - there are many less comprehensive X10 testers out there, and you can probably do what you need to do with just a signal strength meter. The more comprehensive testers do analysis to the protocol level, and I guess most folks dont need to troubleshoot that deep. But if you're writing software to work with a TW523, as I was when I purchased this beast, then protocol level decode is required.

 

[ghostbuster]

New electronic high efficiency furnaces are also a prime culprit for sucking up the x-10 signal

 

[zbang]

I'm betting on line filters. IIRC, X-10 uses 120KHz pulses just after the zero crossing. A Suffeciently agressive line filter, maybe one of the audiophile uints, could very well eat the entire signal.

 

[TOOL_5150]

Just about any switching power supply - computer, hi-fi electronics kill X10 signals. There are filters that you plug the computers in that keeps the signal from being killed, but you are better off going with the smarthome brand x10 type stuff. Smarthome.com.
I used to be a listed x10 installer, but its just an average product - something I always had a hard time putting my name on the install.

~Matt

 

[LarryFine]

HOWEVER: if someone could help me maybe ask a question I haven't come upon yet, get me pointed in the right direction to help me cut to the chase when I have these kinds of issues, I'd be grateful. Thanks guys!!!: -?

Welcome to the zoo! :smile: Ideas, in no particular order:

1. Make sure there are no surge/filter devices between the transmitter and receiver, electrically speaking.

2. Try the exact same pieces on another circuit, or in your home, to eliminate them as the problem.

3. Try other brands of the same type of equipment. Look for home-automation dealers on the WWW.


Troubleshooting is all about the process of elimination.

 

[hurk27]

As it was said above the most common thing I find is simple plug strip surge devices on the same circuit/phase as the X-10. Second is when there is a longer distance between the transmitter and receiver the the two need to be on the same phase or a phase link will need to be installed. but its much cheaper to just move breakers around in the panel to achieve the same thing unless you have many units. check out www.smarthomes.com they offer a large amount of equipment for x-10 work, and the price is not to bad.

 

[little sparkie]

X-10 device problems

Thanks to all who replied! It is a confidence builder to read my own suspicions expressed by others in the trade and more information besides. I ended up installing a straight SP switch in the residential application (would not be cost-effective to troubleshoot further) but the commercial situation is another story. I'll print the whole shebang out and use for future reference as well. This forum is great.