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🔌General Home Automation => Original ActiveHome => Topic started by: shortcircuit on January 24, 2008, 07:49:10 PM

Title: Unscheduled on/off events
Post by: shortcircuit on January 24, 2008, 07:49:10 PM
I am experiencing unscheduled on/off events. Specifically, lights suddenly flash on-off-on-off, etc. No specific time is connected with this. During this time, wall plugged-in control consoles, such as SC503, etc, sometimes can and some times cannot gain control of the lights or appliance/universal modules. Last time this happened, I managed to unplug the CM11A, but this did not stop the flashing. I also have two Hawkeye II monitors, but these only feed two of the lights, not the ten different light codes that flashed. I use transceiver 751. I have a couple of "switchless" wireless wall switch substitutes. The best I could do to troubleshoot these (flashing had stopped). was to pull all the batteries, reprogram test one by one, and make sure all had new batteries. The last time this happened, I managed to pull out of the wall the transceiver and the CM11A. I /think/ the flashing stopped,, but, for a while, the SC503 could not control any module, light or appliance.

In some of these experiences, it goes on for multiple flashes in multiple sequences/series. In other times, it is a smaller "attack," lasting ten-15 seconds. I live in a free standing house. It has happened in the middle of the night, afternoons, evenings. I cannot say whether my attempts to punch the SC503 control buttons has generated a response from "elswhere," or not: Light goes on. I turn it off from the sc503...light goes on again (slow flashing). I hit all off, lights go on, etc.) My housecode is set to "M" far off the beaten track. I am sure there are more details in the experience/troubleshooting, but this should be enough to start. I have no idea whether my neighbors use house controls, but I doubt it. I am more adamant that haunting is not an answer.
Title: Re: Unscheduled on/off events
Post by: Charles Sullivan on January 24, 2008, 09:42:22 PM
If you run with the CM11A disconnected from the PC, make sure to disconnect the serial cable at the CM11A end - don't leave it dangling.

Title: Re: Unscheduled on/off events
Post by: shortcircuit on January 24, 2008, 11:15:07 PM
Thanks for th response. I do not run with the CM11a attached to the computer and I do not leave the serial cable connected. Can you say why being connected or having a "tail" would contribute to my experience?
Title: Re: Unscheduled on/off events
Post by: Charles Sullivan on January 25, 2008, 12:39:23 AM
Thanks for th response. I do not run with the CM11a attached to the computer and I do not leave the serial cable connected. Can you say why being connected or having a "tail" would contribute to my experience?

The CM11A is very susceptible to stray pickup from a dangling "antenna" which can cause all sorts of perverse behavior.   The CM11A may spew out bursts of garbage X10 signals.   Or it may lock up, or lose its clock setting.

Title: Re: Unscheduled on/off events
Post by: shortcircuit on January 25, 2008, 03:30:03 PM
Are you saying that the CM11 can spontaneously "burp," and that this hick-up could cause the strange behaviors of turning lights off and on, and jamming signals to wall switches and appliance modules?
Title: Re: Unscheduled on/off events
Post by: Charles Sullivan on January 25, 2008, 04:51:20 PM
Are you saying that the CM11 can spontaneously "burp," and that this hick-up could cause the strange behaviors of turning lights off and on, and jamming signals to wall switches and appliance modules?

Yes, if you leave a serial cable dangling from it (with the other end not connected to the PC).

This can also happen due to an error in the schedule of timers and macros downloaded to the CM11A's EEPROM, or if the CM11A has simply gone bad.

But otherwise, a "burp" (as you describe it) should be extremely rare.

How old is your CM11A?  You say you don't run with a dangling cable, and If your problem recently developed with a CM11A you've been using successfully for a number of years, my next thought is that the CM11A is failing.

Title: Re: Unscheduled on/off events
Post by: shortcircuit on January 25, 2008, 07:01:50 PM
Failing it might! I have two CM11a's. If something burps again, I'll swap to the other and wait to see what happens.
Thanks.

By-the-way, do you happen to know what is the CM11a/ac modules powerline carrier frequency?
Do you know what is the wireless transceiver/Hawkeye monitor/etc frequency?
I am wondering if turn-on/turn-off signals for street lights and high day rate/low night rate differentials switching on power company electric meters could generate spurious signals? Do you know if  devices such as car alarm fobs, remote wireless weather thermometers or garage door controllers can send spurious signals to X10?
Thanks
Title: Re: Unscheduled on/off events
Post by: Charles Sullivan on January 25, 2008, 07:38:46 PM
Failing it might! I have two CM11a's. If something burps again, I'll swap to the other and wait to see what happens.
Thanks.

By-the-way, do you happen to know what is the CM11a/ac modules powerline carrier frequency?

120 KHz.

Quote
Do you know what is the wireless transceiver/Hawkeye monitor/etc frequency?

310 MHz

Quote
I am wondering if turn-on/turn-off signals for street lights and high day rate/low night rate differentials switching on power company electric meters could generate spurious signals? Do you know if  devices such as car alarm fobs, remote wireless weather thermometers or garage door controllers can send spurious signals to X10?

It depends on their carrier frequencies and I have no information about that, nor have I seen any reports of X10 problems definitely related to those transmitters.  There are reports of interference between X-10 wireless video/audio components and things like baby monitors, but they operate in the GHz range.