X10 Community Forum

🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Topic started by: beelocks on March 24, 2019, 08:36:39 PM

Title: B&D Freewire
Post by: beelocks on March 24, 2019, 08:36:39 PM
I was browsing through one of my local Ocean State Job Lot stores today and stumbled across their "not sure what this is so we'll sell it cheap" shelf.

Is anyone in the market for a B&D Freewire Messenger Hub FWMH with about 15 years of protective dust on the original packaging for the bargain price of $5?
Title: Re: B&D Freewire
Post by: Brian H on March 25, 2019, 06:36:09 AM
I had a few of the complete Freewire FW2000 kits. When B&D dropped the line.
They where an OEM from X10WTI. The modules where completely compatible with the X10 controllers and remotes. Nicer cases with House Code and Unit Code knobs for easy setting.

The FWMH and its line of remotes where not interchangeable with X10 remotes and transceivers. Different RF frequency and the HUB could be programmed to control more than one device. Remote had to be learned before it could go through the HUB.

I still have the Freewire manuals in archive if anyone is looking for them.

The FWLROD was a nice outdoor X10 receiver module. Short AC cord with a module in the middle. Programmed like a Socket Rocket. No dials you just sent the address wanted three time when it was first turned On and was in learning mode. I got a few at Ocean State.
Title: Re: B&D Freewire
Post by: Noam on March 25, 2019, 09:29:20 AM
The FWLROD was a nice outdoor X10 receiver module. Short AC cord with a module in the middle. Programmed like a Socket Rocket. No dials you just sent the address wanted three time when it was first turned On and was in learning mode. I got a few at Ocean State.

I bought two of those over a decade ago. I use one for my bug zapper, and the other for some outdoor holiday lights. I should have gotten a few more at the time (if I remember correctly, they were very cheap on closeout). The only thing I would have liked would have been for the module to have had an in-line filter. I wasn't able to use it with some noisy LEDs I had. Once they came on, they drowned out the signal (testing with a FilterLinc solved the issue, but the FilterLinc isn't good for outdoor use without adding a waterproof box).