X10 Community Forum
📱X10 WIFI => 🐞X10 WIFI App problems or bugs => 🏥Help & Trouble shooting => Topic started by: gkamieneski on May 01, 2018, 12:54:29 AM
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I wonder if there are any opinions as to the ideal place in a home to place the WM100? Seems it has to have a good WiFi connection and also be plugged into the house wiring in a place where all of its signals will be received by your X10 devices.
I have a GFI outlet directly below my service panel and I wonder if this would be the absolute best place to be sending X10 commands across the line? Perhaps it would get the signals across to both phases?
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I wonder if there are any opinions as to the ideal place in a home to place the WM100? Seems it has to have a good WiFi connection and also be plugged into the house wiring in a place where all of its signals will be received by your X10 devices.
I've heard... some people have difficulty getting WiFi through out their home. But for most people... you can detect the name of their home WiFi... just by driving past their home. For me.... my garage would be a weak choice for WiFi. Anywhere else... I am good.
I have a GFI outlet directly below my service panel and I wonder if this would be the absolute best place to be sending X10 commands across the line? Perhaps it would get the signals across to both phases?
I wouldn't naturally select the fuse/service box. Most homes will have both short and long wire runs.... meaning lengths of wire from the fuse/service box to the end of where the particular circuit stops. Lets just say (to make a point) the fuse box is located in the basement.... but your longest run goes to the attic game room/home theater... which just happens to be where much of your X10 is located. Putting the WM100 at the fuse/service box... would mean locating it at the furthest point from most of your X10.
But locating the WM-100 in the attic where much of your X10 is located.... would create a HUGE length/run from the Attic (your longest run) back to the fuse/service box.... and then you will still need to run to other areas in the home.
Fortunately the WM100 puts out a great (powerful) signal... so unless you have a huge home you likely won't need a signal repeater. And speaking of a repeater...
Perhaps it would get the signals across to both phases?
The only way to get the PLC's across the phases (IMHO) is with a phase coupler. In my setup a passive phase coupler (a dryer plug phase coupler) works fine. Some others need more power (like a powered repeater).
So..... where (you might ask) did I place my WM-100? And why did I choose that location? I plugged my WM-100 in the outlet behind my recliner. And what process did I use to select that particular spot from all the other locations in my home..........
Well when I received the WM-100 I set it aside to warm-up (acclimate to the much warmer inside temperature) and I then sat down with my laptop in my recliner and read on-line about the setup. Then I merely plugged the WM-100 in the nearest outlet.... which was the outlet directly behind where I was sitting (in the recliner).
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You may want to look at Jeff's set of X10 troubleshooting tutorials.
They are a great help in understanding X10 power line signals on modern setups with all kinds of noise makers and signal suckers.
http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm
Even at the distribution box location. You may still have phase coupling, noise maker and signal sucker issues.
The power line signal. May still have to go all the way to the power companies transformer on the phase it is powered by and back to the distribution panel where you have the WM100.
I understand the WM100 has a greater power line signal. So it maybe less prone to signal problems.
Though I would still think about some filters and a phase coupler or repeater coupler.
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You may want to look at Jeff's set of X10 troubleshooting tutorials.
They are a great help in understanding X10 power line signals..... http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm
......I would still think about some filters and a phase coupler or repeater coupler.
+1 More useful (helpful) info than I got in my long rambling post!
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I have had great luck with the WM100 in an outlet on the first floor almost directly above the panel in the basement, very close to where I have had success with my CM15a. For the record mI also have a phase coupler (dryer outlet) that solves many many problems in my 1907 house that's been added on at least 4 times....
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I have one of Jeff Volp's XTB-IIR units, connected to a dedicated circuit and mounted right next to my breaker box. Because that wasn't a convenient location for the computer, I have an extension cord running from there over to the computer in the other room (about 75 feet of cord), where I've had my CM15A plugged into the end of the cord. That's been fine for years, and Jeff said it is a perfectly okay solution.
When I got the WM100, I simply put a splitter into the end of the extension cord, and plugged that in there, too. It gets a nice strong WiFi signal (being 5 feet from the router), and all of the commands still run through the XTB-IIR.
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So..... where (you might ask) did I place my WM-100? And why did I choose that location? I plugged my WM-100 in the outlet behind my recliner. And what process did I use to select that particular spot from all the other locations in my home..........
If your house is anything like ours, it was the only outlet without a bunch of X10 modules hanging off it. rofl
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If your house is anything like ours, it was the only outlet without a bunch of X10 modules hanging off it. rofl
It has those too! But on a nice 10 outlet powerbar. Which left me 1 outlet for the WM-100.