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🛡Home Security => Problems and Troubleshooting => Topic started by: x10a on May 29, 2016, 04:24:49 PM

Title: ms14a product life?
Post by: x10a on May 29, 2016, 04:24:49 PM
I tried setting the house/unit codes on some old ms14a sensors but they are not responding as expected. Maybe they are just too old or maybe the instructions are not accurate enough. When I try to set the house code on some of these units they return a longer set of blinks than I put in as the code. I am trying to put in "H" as eight depressions of button (3 seconds on eighth press) but I get back like 9 or 14 blinks. Is there a best time interval between presses? Are these units dead? Thanks.
Title: Re: ms14a product life?
Post by: toasterking on May 29, 2016, 10:01:15 PM
It sounds like the contacts on the pushbutton switches may be making an intermittent connection and registering more keypresses than you made.  I recommend disassembling the module and cleaning the switch contacts as there may be some oxidation on them.
Title: Re: ms14a product life?
Post by: x10a on May 29, 2016, 10:34:53 PM
I removed the circuit board but the switch contacts do not appear to be accessible. They are inside a switch box that has a metal top held on by melted plastic tabs. I'm not sure how I would reassemble it if I mangled the plastic tabs. Superglue? Blow torch?
Title: Re: ms14a product life?
Post by: toasterking on May 29, 2016, 11:38:53 PM
If you find out, please let us know!
Title: Re: ms14a product life?
Post by: x10a on May 30, 2016, 07:12:39 AM
What's it worth?
Title: Re: ms14a product life?
Post by: Brian H on May 30, 2016, 07:26:41 AM
From the photos in this web link.
http://www.edcheung.com/automa/ms14a.htm
It does not look like the switches would be easily disassembled and cleaned.
Title: Re: ms14a product life?
Post by: x10a on May 30, 2016, 08:44:20 AM
any thoughts on deoxit vs. crc qd contact cleaners?
Title: Re: ms14a product life?
Post by: toasterking on May 30, 2016, 12:33:15 PM
From the photos in this web link.
http://www.edcheung.com/automa/ms14a.htm
It does not look like the switches would be easily disassembled and cleaned.
Wow, I agree.  I was thinking that the motion detectors used the metal snap dome contacts present in most X10 modules.  With these, I would either try contact cleaner spray or just remove them and solder new ones in.

I still think that dirty contacts is the most likely problem here.
Title: Re: ms14a product life?
Post by: Brian H on May 30, 2016, 01:19:42 PM
Dirty contacts does sound like a good culprit.
Title: Re: ms14a product life?
Post by: dave w on June 02, 2016, 06:33:00 PM
I have multiple X10 motion sensors with switch problems. As everyone has speculated the push button contacts oxidize with age and you start getting switch bounce or noisy switch. I have just sprayed contact cleaner on the switch and between the switch and the PC board which has helped, at least temporarily. I just use a cheap contact cleaner from Home Depot, Menards, Lowes, etc.

About the only place I was willing to shell out bigger bucks for a contact cleaner,  is many moons ago I got some stuff from Craig (I think) that claimed to become more conductive under mechanical pressure. It was a brush-on liquid. I removed every breaker in the breaker box and "painted" this on the breaker busses. To my surprise X10 communications/signal reliability did improve. Unfortunately that was back in '93 and I don't remember the name of the magic elixir.
Title: Re: ms14a product life?
Post by: Brian H on June 02, 2016, 07:21:38 PM
Probably Cramolin Red or Cramolin Blue.
Both where discontinued as they had some carcinogenic chemicals in them. If my aged memory is working.  ;D
Reformulated and now have the Deoxit brand name.
Title: Re: ms14a product life?
Post by: dave w on June 02, 2016, 08:08:07 PM
Probably Cramolin Red or Cramolin Blue.
Right again, my friend. It was Cramolin, although I don't remember a color. The liquid itself was clear.