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Leviton or X10 switched outlet problem

I wonder if anyone else has seen the following problem with the Leviton/X10 switched outlet:

I installed one of these switched outlets a couple of months ago to turn on a garage exhaust fan when it cools down at night, and turn it off again as it warms up in the morning. It had been working fine for weeks, but twice in the last several days it did not respond to the OFF signal in the morning.

Now, here is the interesting problem: It would not even respond to multiple OFFs sent from a maxi controller plugged directly into the switched outlet. However, after sending a single ON, followed by an OFF, the outlet did switch off. It is not the typical broken plastic piece problem because after it finally turned off, it properly responds to additional ON and OFF signals.

The ESM signal strength meter shows a fairly strong 1V signal from my automation controller at the switched outlet. There are no signal suckers, and no noise source. All other X10 switches are virtually 100% reliable. I don't think there was a power glitch because dimmed X10 modules are still dimmed off, and our most glitch sensitive digital clock still has the correct time.

Does anyone know if these switched outlets become confused as to what state they are in? If so, a simple fix may be to preface every OFF command with an ON. Otherwise, I guess the answer is to install one of the Leviton 16293 relay switches I use elsewhere for compact fluorescents.

Reply to
Jeff Volp
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Does it make a chattering sound ?

I have had both newer X-10 brand SR227 and Leviton 6227W "split wall receptacles" outlets fail. The symptom is that although they respond to the powerline signal, they make a mechanical chattering sound and sometimes do not actually switch. The problem will come and go on a particular device. It has happened on two different current-mode Leviton devices. An autopsy shows no obviously broken part inside.

Smarthome as assured me that the X-10 brand SR227 and Leviton 6227W are the same but that somehow it is worth my money to pay more for the Leviton device.

Buying a new Leviton will solve the problem for a while. But the costs of X10 become high when you add up the cost of researching, futzing, time in replacing, new parts and so on. An open-close relay in the garage is a task that a HA controller and hardwired relay is well suited for. (I use an Elk MM443 to do something similar with my attic fan based on inside and outside temperature and so is based on the actual physics of the situation.)

In short, the 227-type devices are unreliable in my experience. Choose something else, preferably not X10.

.... Marc Marc_F_Hult

Reply to
Marc F Hult

Thanks for the quick response.

No, it didn't exhibit the chattering sound in response to any of the multiple OFF commands. It ignored the OFF commands as though it had already switched off. I did have the chattering on another switched outlet in the past, and it had that broken plastic piece underneith the solenoid coil. But it worked 100% until that piece broke. This one is strange, and I wondered if anyone else had run across it before.

I've been using X10 for about 30 years - since the brown BSR module days. Except for this quirky one and the other broken switched outlet, the only real failures have been some blown triacs over the years. Oh, and I had to repair the codewheel switches on the old brown BSR modules. We upgraded to the Leviton "Red Line" when we built this house, and there have be absolutely no problems with them so far. We also use X10 for irrigation through Rain8, and that works perfectly too. But, I do agree that it does take some effort to keep the house "X10" friendly.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Volp

| Does anyone know if these switched outlets become confused as to what state | they are in? If so, a simple fix may be to preface every OFF command with | an ON. Otherwise, I guess the answer is to install one of the Leviton 16293 | relay switches I use elsewhere for compact fluorescents.

I can't answer your question, but I have observed an almost-similar effect with the ACT/Leviton relay wall switches (of rather old vintage). If the power is interrupted while the switch is on the switch will remain on when the power is restored (as it should) but it will ignore the first push of the toggle button. If the switch is off when power is interrupted then it behaves correctly when power is restored. It's almost as if the switch has two different ideas of its state--one at a high level that it uses to decide the new state after a toggle and another based on the actual state of the relay.

Dan Lanciani ddl@danlan.*com

Reply to
Dan Lanciani

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