My x-10 system has worked w/o problems for aprox. 5 years. Last week it started turning some lights on at random times. I removed my RF receiver from the outlet with no succes. One of those lights is in my bedroom, so I'm really mad. I have changed the house code of that particular switch as part of the troubleshootingm but the problem continues. Is this a problem with the switches, or it is an external signal that i'm receiving?
Have you added any new equipment or appliances in the house? New electronics , charges especially those with switching power supplies? Have you moved your controller? CM11?
Nothing new is conected...
If you run with the CM11A disconnected from the PC, make sure to disconnect the cable at the CM11A end. A dangling cable can act like an antenna and weird things can happen.
Are you in an apartment? A neighbor could have an X-10 or something else that sends static through the power lines.
Shaun Eli
If you're running ActiveHome, does the "Find Other Computers" show a received X10 signal for the lights that are coming on? If modules are being turned on by random noise, there will usually NOT be a valid X10 signal on the powerline.
Has your furnace blower recently started running as the weather gets cooler? Powerline spikes from motors starting/stopping can directly affect certain X-10 switches and modules.
I think one of your neighbors has discovered X10.
Maybe. But the problem continues on the same switches when I changed the housecode (I have tried several codes). Maybe there is some noise in my lines, but I don't know if it is generated in my apartment, or if they come from the outside. Again, i have two problems. Some switches turn on at random, and other do not respond to x-10 commands. I'm not sure if the cause of both is the same, or if I have two different problems.
Noise might cause both. It sounds like someone in another apartment has some gear that's putting noise on the powerline. This may be very tough to track down and even tougher to fix unless you can find the source and get the owner to plug it into a filter. A filter may not help if its spikey.
I think I would start by buying an ESM1 meter ($50-60) to see if it indicates X10-like noise on the line. Note that it will not show noise spikes but will show continuous noise in the 80-175kHz range.
If it's spikes causing the random turn-ons and you have WS467 (or similar) switches, this may help...
If the cause of the problem is noise coming from the outside, will a coupling blocking filter help? Or do they only block pure x10 signals?
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