X-10 Suite of products...

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billygoat58

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Medina Ohio USA
Has anyone on the board ever run across this company and their product suite:

www.x10.com

Have a new res client with (partial) switching controlled by these devices (they resemble Lutron Decora devices). That said, I'm trying to understand the benefit of these products and (the possibility) of converting to regular switching devices. From what I can gather these are an early 'smart home' product and the X10 protocol is a standard with Scottish origins. Customer's home is a 13 year old, A+ build. One device (3-way switch) is currently non-functional -- I can find replacement(s), but am racking my brain as to the benefits of these devices (cost of replacement(s) is ridiculous). Can find no outboard controls (central units similar to Lutron HomeWorks) and it appears these devices could have additional functionality and control...this home just doesn't seem to have any...anyone? Appreciate all replies and thank you!
 
I have used x10 in the past...

they could be be controlled by a handheld remote control
they could be controlled by a computer interface
they could be controlled by a security system

easiest thing to do is ask the client. Maybe they were put in by a previous owner and didn't leave the controls

also, check smarthome.com for replacements if you didn't already. Only thing is, it will most likely have to be programmed to match the old one.
 
IMO this technology is obsolete given all of the choices today with the Internet of Things and smart devices. Before I repaired one of these systems at a high cost I would consider replacing the components with something more modern.
 
infinity said:
IMO this technology is obsolete given all of the choices today with the Internet of Things and smart devices. Before I repaired one of these systems at a high cost I would consider replacing the components with something more modern.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

Sales opportunity!
 
billygoat58 said:
Has anyone on the board ever run across this company and their product suite:

www.x10.com
Click to expand...
As I recall, the communications protocol is public domain, and, as a result, there were several suppliers of product lines. When first introduced, the devices solved all sorts of designs for control of electrical loads in ways that did not require additional wiring. This was an impressive accomplishment in a time still a couple years before the first commercial personal computers. The digital instructions were sent along the branch circuit wiring. The failure of the signal to make it to the intended control, which happened occasionally, gave the X10 system a some what tarnished reputation.

But, as a first generation home automation system that could be extremely simple to something that was sophisticated, the price could not be beat. One simply starts with a transmitting switch and a receiving load control and you have a system. The hobbyist do-it-yourself market took to the ideas easily and a huge amount of hardware got installed.

billygoat58 said:
am racking my brain as to the benefits of these devices
Click to expand...

I suspect that the answer to your question lays in the types of hardware that are in your customer's home, and what they control. If the X10 hardware was installed for a different owner, then there may be history that doesn't apply anymore. The history, of course, is the desire of the owner to control electrical loads in certain ways.

As a side note, I want to say, it's been a few years since I last looked at X10 products. I am surprised to see that there are a bunch of things available again. For awhile, there was a strong push to establish some competitive proprietary standards, and a limited backwards compatibility was all that seemed to be available. . . but it looks like the X10 offering of products has re-emerged again. I suspect that speaks to the size of the installed base of hardware that creates a market for product.

Thanks for asking the question.
 
Thank you to all who replied, but especially to Al who responded with this:

I suspect that the answer to your question lays in the types of hardware that are in your customer's home, and what they control. If the X10 hardware was installed for a different owner, then there may be history that doesn't apply anymore. The history, of course, is the desire of the owner to control electrical loads in certain ways.

This home was a tear-down/rebuild and is inhabited by the original owners who built home on tear-down site. My suspicion is the builder used these (X-10) products in specific areas, but they were never fully utilized or expanded upon with a controller. From my very limited inspection, it appears switching is the only task (in single, three and four-way capacities), being accomplished. And echoing others comments, it is probably in the best interests of the HO to change these out to either standard Decora units, or to a current 'smart home' compatible system. My guess is that once I further inspect devices within rooms, I'll continue to find additional wiring at both switching and devices...my initial tour involved a brief look at S1's and S3's only; and these were the X-10 devices which had one additional wire stabbed into the device (at an S3 labeled as 'control', 'load', 'neutral' and 'live'). Having never seen these and without finding a controller or other outboard unit, I wnated to gain some knowledge before going any further. I'll be back into the home within a couple of weeks and will report back -- thank you again to all!
 
Just a heads up - you have to pay for your education with this stuff. I have a box of X-10 stuff in my shed probably worth over $500.00 that I've had sitting there unused for several years now. I've used X-10 products many times in the past with some good results and some bad. If you decide to do some investigation before you decide to replace everything I would get one of these plug-in controllers and find out what is working and what is not. http://www.smarthome.com/x10-hr12a-or-phr03-wireless-x10-remote-control.html

Once you have it determine what the house code is (A thru P) then go down the bank of buttons 1 thru 16 for and see what turns on or off (unless the X-10 system is real complex there is usually only one house code). From my experience I have set up houses with several switching points and left with everything working. A week later the daughter comes home from college, plugs in her lap-top computer charger and everything stops working. The amount of electrical noise generated from the lap-top charger induces so much noise on the electrical system that it blocks any X-10 signals.

Let us know how you make out.
 
Goldstar -- thank you for the reply and heads-up! Was reading some of the reviews and noticed people talking about the 'touchiness' of the device and the wearing out of the controller. Funny in that the HO could make the switches work, whereas I couldn't; at least not with regularity...!...she clearly knew the devices 'touch points' and idiosyncracies of same. Also clarifies (for me) how these devices, coupled with that RF controller, provde the increased functionality...was missing that crucial point. These things would drive me batty...guess I'm just old-school! :slaphead:
 
You're not old school. . . The X10 protocol is. Just saying.
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