X10 Controller Oddness?
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Posted by David White on April 26, 2008, 1:46 pm
Please log in for more thread options I have 2 manual controllers, a CMA11, a number of modules (light and applicance), and a couple switches (XPS3 alone and with XPSS or WS14A) installed in my house. Generally, these work well and as expected. However, I am trying to debug an occasional issue so I am running my ActiveHome (v 1.3) connected to my CMA11 and watching the communications log. In so doing, I am using my manual controllers - an MC460 and a Radio Shack mini controller timer - to turn units on and off. When I do this, I do not see any activity in the communications log for the device which is supposed to be controlled (B 1-4). Instead, I always see an M13 followed by an M All Units Off with each controller action (both off and on actions). This seems odd to me: (a) Why don't I see something in the log for the B1 device I am turning on and off? The unit does indeed go on/off. (b) Why am I seeing any activity on the M house code when all the controllers are set to B? I must be missing something obvious. Thanks, David | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by David White on April 26, 2008, 2:57 pm
Please log in for more thread options has a XPSS (WS14A) companion installed and controls my interior garage lights (both incandescent and fluorescent). The other is stand-alone and controls the lights on the garage's exterior (incandescent only). I also have a mini controller (MC460) plugged into an outlet inside the garage in a location where there are no switches so I can operate both interior and exterior lights. Finally, I have my computer connected to a CM11A running ActiveHome (1.3x). I am using this only for test purposes right now. So here are the issues: (a) It seems that the mini controller can ALWAYS turn the interior lights on (B5) but it has difficulty turning them off sometimes. When this happens, repeated attempts sometimes work - but not always. (b) I find the same as (a) when using ActiveHome and the CM11A to control the interior garage lights (B5). (c) Neither the mini controller or CM11A seem to have any problems with the stand-alone XPS3 for the exterior lights (B6). They appear to go on/off first time, every time. (d) I have also noted that the interior garage lights sometimes (while I was in the garage) turn themselves off. This auto-off thing is rare but it has happened twice that I have noticed (maybe more not noticed). My first thought is that the interior XPS3 is faulty (or maybe the companion) since the controller issue seems limited to that switch AND because that switch does the weird auto-off thing. But the interior lights ALWAYS seem to respond when either the XPS3 or XPSS is pressed directly an the controllers always are able to turn them on. So I am not really sure I can blame them. That would seem to saddle the problem with the controllers. But I'd think it very unlikely that BOTH controllers are somehow bad. And they both work fine on the exterior lights (and other devices). Plus, they do turn the interior lights ON first time, every time. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by BruceR on April 26, 2008, 6:30 pm
Please log in for more thread options Do you have a coupler or repeater installed in the breaker panel or
nearby? Without at least a coupler you cannot expect reliable operation. Best Bet (by far): buy and install an XTB-IIR from Jeff Volp http://jeffvolp.home.att.net/xtb_files.htm. It is by far the best X10 problem solver available. Second Choice and not nearly as good: Get a plug in BoosterLinc from www.smarthome.com that plugs into your 220v dryer outlet. David White wrote: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by David White on April 26, 2008, 7:27 pm
Please log in for more thread options Thanks for the response Bruce. I had not heard of the XTB units. But in
my old house I had a SmartHome SignalLinc (no booster) in my dryer outlet. It will not fit my dryer in the new house though (and there is not enough room behind to fit). If I understand the SignalLinc and BoosterLinc operation, they both are attempting to create a better bridge across the two sides of my electric panel so that signals can pass more easily (the booster adds some form of signal amplification). Is this correct and true also of Jeff's units? I have not checked yet to see if the garage interior light circuit and the circuits having the controllers are on different sides of the panel. If they turn out to be on the SAME side, what sort of improvement might I expect from such a unit as Jeff's? Thanks. BruceR wrote: > Do you have a coupler or repeater installed in the breaker panel or
> nearby? Without at least a coupler you cannot expect reliable > operation. Best Bet (by far): buy and install an XTB-IIR from Jeff Volp > http://jeffvolp.home.att.net/xtb_files.htm. It is by far the best X10 > problem solver available. Second Choice and not nearly as good: Get a > plug in BoosterLinc from www.smarthome.com that plugs into your 220v > dryer outlet. > > David White wrote: >> I have recently installed two XPS3 switches. One - inside my garage -
>> has a XPSS (WS14A) companion installed and controls my interior garage >> lights (both incandescent and fluorescent). The other is stand-alone >> and controls the lights on the garage's exterior (incandescent only). >> >> I also have a mini controller (MC460) plugged into an outlet inside >> the garage in a location where there are no switches so I can operate >> both interior and exterior lights. >> >> Finally, I have my computer connected to a CM11A running ActiveHome >> (1.3x). I am using this only for test purposes right now. >> >> So here are the issues: >> >> (a) It seems that the mini controller can ALWAYS turn the interior >> lights on (B5) but it has difficulty turning them off sometimes. When >> this happens, repeated attempts sometimes work - but not always. >> >> (b) I find the same as (a) when using ActiveHome and the CM11A to >> control the interior garage lights (B5). >> >> (c) Neither the mini controller or CM11A seem to have any problems >> with the stand-alone XPS3 for the exterior lights (B6). They appear >> to go on/off first time, every time. >> >> (d) I have also noted that the interior garage lights sometimes >> (while I was in the garage) turn themselves off. This auto-off thing >> is rare but it has happened twice that I have noticed (maybe more not >> noticed). >> My first thought is that the interior XPS3 is faulty (or maybe the >> companion) since the controller issue seems limited to that switch AND >> because that switch does the weird auto-off thing. But the interior >> lights ALWAYS seem to respond when either the XPS3 or XPSS is pressed >> directly an the controllers always are able to turn them on. So I am >> not really sure I can blame them. >> >> That would seem to saddle the problem with the controllers. But I'd >> think it very unlikely that BOTH controllers are somehow bad. And they >> both work fine on the exterior lights (and other devices). Plus, they >> do turn the interior lights ON first time, every time. >> >> Any ideas or suggestions? >> >> Thanks >
> | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by David White on April 26, 2008, 9:15 pm
Please log in for more thread options I have recently installed an XPSS/XPS3 combination for my interior
garage lights. Among the myriad of questions/issues I have been having, I note the following which is not really that important but still a mystery: When I turn on the lights via either the XPS3 master switch or the XPSS slave switch, I see an LED light up on the XPS3. However, although there seems to be a similar LED in the XPSS, I never see it come on. Other than this (and the occasional automatic lights turning off) the switches seem to be working correctly. Does this indicate that I hosed-up the wiring? Or is that not really an LED in the XPSS (the manual <http://www.smarthome.com/manuals/2208ph.pdf> implies that it is)? Or is
it just that the LED in the XPSS is not working?
Thanks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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> has a XPSS (WS14A) companion installed and controls my interior garage
> lights (both incandescent and fluorescent). The other is stand-alone
> and controls the lights on the garage's exterior (incandescent only).
>
> I also have a mini controller (MC460) plugged into an outlet inside
> the garage in a location where there are no switches so I can operate
> both interior and exterior lights.
>
> Finally, I have my computer connected to a CM11A running ActiveHome
> (1.3x). I am using this only for test purposes right now.
>
> So here are the issues:
>
> (a) It seems that the mini controller can ALWAYS turn the interior
> lights on (B5) but it has difficulty turning them off sometimes. When
> this happens, repeated attempts sometimes work - but not always.
>
> (b) I find the same as (a) when using ActiveHome and the CM11A to
> control the interior garage lights (B5).
>
> (c) Neither the mini controller or CM11A seem to have any problems
> with the stand-alone XPS3 for the exterior lights (B6). They appear
> to go on/off first time, every time.
>
> (d) I have also noted that the interior garage lights sometimes
> (while I was in the garage) turn themselves off. This auto-off thing
> is rare but it has happened twice that I have noticed (maybe more not
> noticed).
> My first thought is that the interior XPS3 is faulty (or maybe the
> companion) since the controller issue seems limited to that switch AND
> because that switch does the weird auto-off thing. But the interior
> lights ALWAYS seem to respond when either the XPS3 or XPSS is pressed
> directly an the controllers always are able to turn them on. So I am
> not really sure I can blame them.
>
> That would seem to saddle the problem with the controllers. But I'd
> think it very unlikely that BOTH controllers are somehow bad. And they
> both work fine on the exterior lights (and other devices). Plus, they
> do turn the interior lights ON first time, every time.
>
> Any ideas or suggestions?
>
> Thanks