X10 Community Forum

💬General Category => General Discussion => X10 Product Wish List => Topic started by: babybearjs on April 05, 2013, 01:35:32 AM

Title: modern X10 Modules that REALLY support LED and CFL lighting.
Post by: babybearjs on April 05, 2013, 01:35:32 AM
with the advent of LED its time for X10 to rethink there whole product line. I use CFL's in my house and one day ALL Incandecant bulbs will be gone. LED it too expensive right now and CFL's are working fine for me. X10's product line is too outdated, is pretty much just for old incandecant bulbs and has issues with flickering when A CFL is used while the unit is in the OFF mode. I have a CFL in my range hood and a X10 wire-in module to turn the light on and off remotely. the unit works fine, but when the light is turned OFF, the CFL flickers/Flasshes until the capacitors drain... I have the same problem with ALL the plug-in appliance modules and the "supersocket" wire-in outlets. the products are too outdated for the new technology. CFL and LED bulbs have electronic parts and I don't understand why this is happening when there is a RELAY controlling the circuit.... if the unit is OFF then there should be NO voltage through the unit.... but this is not the case, any idea why??   John
Title: Re: modern X10 Modules that REALLY support LED and CFL lighting.
Post by: dave w on April 05, 2013, 09:08:51 AM
The voltage comes from a leakage current the module applies to the load for "Local Control" feature. X10 modified the Appliance Modules several years ago to reduce the local control sense current to the point CFLs should not flicker. There is also a small sensing current through the relay so the controller chip can verify relay state (open or closed).

One Rube Goldberg fix is to parallel a 4W incandescent nightlight with the load. The nightlight acts a a bypass for the sensing current(s) and CFL and LED bulb glimmer should stop (along with the "Local Control" feature).

Also if you search "33K" on the forum you will find information on resistor hacks which function the same as the nightlight, but are not "code".
Title: Re: modern X10 Modules that REALLY support LED and CFL lighting.
Post by: dhouston on April 05, 2013, 10:11:35 AM
Quote from: babybearjs on April 05, 2013, 01:35:32 AM
I have a CFL in my range hood and a X10 wire-in module to turn the light on and off remotely.

Given all the reports of fires started by CFLs, putting one in a range hood with all the accumulated grease is extremely dangerous.
Title: Re: modern X10 Modules that REALLY support LED and CFL lighting.
Post by: Brian H on April 05, 2013, 11:05:39 AM
As long as X10 uses the alternate action ratchet switch. In the relay models. There is some sensing current as dave w mentioned.
Not that X10 is alone. The Insteon modules also have a Local Control Sensor and can cause some CFL or LED bulbs to also pulse or flicker.
Title: Re: modern X10 Modules that REALLY support LED and CFL lighting.
Post by: babybearjs on April 10, 2013, 01:52:49 AM
Interesting.... I posted another thread about X10 and having them partner with leviton and cooper industries (cooper Wiring Devices) to promote the product line... read it and tell me what you think... as far as the range hood arrangement goes, I used a hardwire relay module for that installation, it works just fine... one the capacitors in the CFL drain, the light stops flickering... but thats the only instance for that problem so far... once the cfl burns out, I'll probibly replace it a regular 60 watt bulb.