trying to set up some old x10 units -- having some problems
Bookmark this page:
 Yahoo!
 Google
 Windows Live
 del.icio.us
 digg
 Netscape
|
|
|||||||||||||
|
Posted by jaggedpeak on August 12, 2007, 3:06 am
Please log in for more thread options wall modules several years ago and promptly didn't use the system :-). Anyway, we want to get them working now so that we can have them timed on/off. Here's what I did -- ("*****" denotes errors/weird things happening :-) - 3 wall modules (I2, I3, I4) - 1 lamp module (I5) - attached computer interface CM-11A to computer, plugged into socket - ActiveHome software installed, added each of those modules. - tested lamp module. Worked ok. - tested wall module I2 - ok - tested wall module I3 - ok - tested wall module I4 - nothing happened ***** - switched wall module I4 to A1 - tested again, nothing happened - plugged in RR501 Transceiver, set to housecode A - tested again, nothing happened except the transceiver turned off/on (could hear the "CLICK!") ***** - put A1 back to I4 - put transceiver to housecode I - tested again, nothing happened and the transceiver *didn't* turn off/ on ***** - checked electrical panel: I4 is on a different circuit than I2 and I3, but on the same phase I believe (24 breakers, 1-12 on top, 13-24 on bottom, I2/I3 on 14, I4 on 24. - plugged I5 into a plug on same circuit as I4. - tested I5 -- NOTHING HAPPENED. ***** My son says we had a small device that used to plug into the serial port (I can't find that). Am I missing something that needs to be added to the system, or is there something else I should be checking/doing to make this thing work? Any help would be greatly appreciated. | |||||||||||||
|
Posted by Dave Houston on August 12, 2007, 6:21 am
Please log in for more thread options remote. The relay (i.e. the "click") can be operated by RF directly so you need to be clear about the type of signal. If I4 is on a different phase you will likely need a phase coupler. If it is on the same phase, it's likely you have a signal sink on that circuit. Unplug everything on that circuit and test again. If it works, plug things in one at a time, testing after each to identify the culprit(s). | |||||||||||||
|
Posted by BruceR on August 12, 2007, 6:44 am
Please log in for more thread options Your breakers are split every other one from top to bottom. That way two
breakers can be placed one above the other to make a 220 volt circuit. You don't need any other parts from X10. The small piece that plugs into a serial port is the Firecracker which you don't need. What you DO need is to couple the two legs of the AC so that the signal will travel throughout the house. There are several products available but one outshines them all - Jeff Volp's XTB II http://jeffvolp.home.att.net/x10xmtbuf/XTB-II_description.htm. There are cheaper solutions - as low as buck for a .01 mfd 600wvdc capacitor installed between two breakers - but they don't fully resolve the problem and even if it does you then have to look for noise and filter that. Read http://www.hometoys.com/htinews/feb03/articles/chadwick/debug.htm for more info. The XTB II delivers signal to both legs and does it with so much strength that it overcomes most noise problems. Although it may appear pricey, trust me, it will be the best and most usefull X10 item you will ever purchase and will save you days of frustration. By the time you buy a coupler and some filters you'll have spent enough to wish you had just bought the XTB II. BTW, I get nothing for pushing his product. I use it and I'm wildly enthusiastic about it's performance - I just wish it had come along in 1984 when I first started use X10 (I've graduated to 95% Insteon now). jaggedpeak wrote: > Sorry for being vague, I'll try to be brief. We installed some X10
> wall modules several years ago and promptly didn't use the system :-). > Anyway, we want to get them working now so that we can have them timed > on/off. > > Here's what I did -- ("*****" denotes errors/weird things > happening :-) > - 3 wall modules (I2, I3, I4) > - 1 lamp module (I5) > - attached computer interface CM-11A to computer, plugged into socket > - ActiveHome software installed, added each of those modules. > - tested lamp module. Worked ok. > - tested wall module I2 - ok > - tested wall module I3 - ok > - tested wall module I4 - nothing happened ***** > - switched wall module I4 to A1 > - tested again, nothing happened > - plugged in RR501 Transceiver, set to housecode A > - tested again, nothing happened except the transceiver turned off/on > (could hear the "CLICK!") ***** > - put A1 back to I4 > - put transceiver to housecode I > - tested again, nothing happened and the transceiver *didn't* turn > off/ on ***** > - checked electrical panel: I4 is on a different circuit than I2 and > I3, but on the same phase I believe (24 breakers, 1-12 on top, 13-24 > on bottom, I2/I3 on 14, I4 on 24. > - plugged I5 into a plug on same circuit as I4. > - tested I5 -- NOTHING HAPPENED. ***** > > My son says we had a small device that used to plug into the serial > port (I can't find that). > > Am I missing something that needs to be added to the system, or is > there something else I should be checking/doing to make this thing > work? > > Any help would be greatly appreciated. | |||||||||||||
| Similar Threads | Posted |
| trying to set up some old x10 units -- having some problems | August 12, 2007, 3:06 am |
| Random X10 all lights on/all units off over and over | December 9, 2006, 12:05 am |
| Something to Monitor Status of ALL UNITS | December 13, 2006, 1:53 pm |
| X10 units kill compact fluorescents | November 10, 2006, 4:18 pm |
| RR501 receives the rf signal, but won't send to other units | June 17, 2005, 1:10 am |
| MS XP Media Center Edition (MSE) reaches 14 million units shipped | July 31, 2006, 9:47 am |
| The problems with X10 ... | November 2, 2006, 8:17 pm |
| Sun Problems with IR Sensors | June 14, 2005, 2:28 pm |
| X10 signal problems... | October 18, 2005, 10:48 am |
| OnQ Color Problems | November 16, 2005, 4:59 pm |
| Problems with Togglelinc | September 11, 2006, 7:26 pm |
| Roomba 570 problems | April 23, 2008, 2:20 am |
| Command Line problems | November 12, 2005, 2:16 am |
| CM11A with SERIAL to USB problems | October 30, 2006, 10:03 am |
| Cause of some major X10 problems found | September 10, 2007, 11:01 pm |
>wall modules several years ago and promptly didn't use the system :-).
>Anyway, we want to get them working now so that we can have them timed
>on/off.
>
>Here's what I did -- ("*****" denotes errors/weird things
>happening :-)
>- 3 wall modules (I2, I3, I4)
>- 1 lamp module (I5)
>- attached computer interface CM-11A to computer, plugged into socket
>- ActiveHome software installed, added each of those modules.
>- tested lamp module. Worked ok.
>- tested wall module I2 - ok
>- tested wall module I3 - ok
>- tested wall module I4 - nothing happened *****
>- switched wall module I4 to A1
>- tested again, nothing happened
>- plugged in RR501 Transceiver, set to housecode A
>- tested again, nothing happened except the transceiver turned off/on
>(could hear the "CLICK!") *****
>- put A1 back to I4
>- put transceiver to housecode I
>- tested again, nothing happened and the transceiver *didn't* turn off/
>on *****
>- checked electrical panel: I4 is on a different circuit than I2 and
>I3, but on the same phase I believe (24 breakers, 1-12 on top, 13-24
>on bottom, I2/I3 on 14, I4 on 24.
>- plugged I5 into a plug on same circuit as I4.
>- tested I5 -- NOTHING HAPPENED. *****
>
>My son says we had a small device that used to plug into the serial
>port (I can't find that).
>
>Am I missing something that needs to be added to the system, or is
>there something else I should be checking/doing to make this thing
>work?
>
>Any help would be greatly appreciated.