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🖥️ActiveHome Pro => ActiveHome Pro General => Software Problems & Bugs => Topic started by: bakerbob on November 27, 2004, 06:15:33 PM

Title: wall switch
Post by: bakerbob on November 27, 2004, 06:15:33 PM
I'm still having problems with ahp v.3.169
being able to turn on the wall switch...it
will turn it off, but not on.
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: X10 Pro on December 01, 2004, 07:04:30 PM
So, this light:

WS467 o/s 60 watt light

is the only one that's not working? If you
set another lamp module to the same address
as the outside light, will it turn both on
and off? Is the CM15A the *onl
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: bakerbob on December 01, 2004, 07:06:12 PM
dear x-10:
on another subject....I reset my battery
stats on 11/30 @6:15PM....it was zero at
12/01 5:01 PM...reset again......
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: bakerbob on December 01, 2004, 07:13:01 PM
CM15 is only transceiver used, i plugged a
lamp into a  LM486 set to the same code as
o/s lamp and it turns off/on/dims OK
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: X10 Pro on December 01, 2004, 08:01:47 PM
Have you had this problem with the outside
light since you started using ActiveHome Pro,
or did it only start recently?
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: ron w on December 02, 2004, 12:35:39 PM
For Bob
What I would do next is remove the WS467
and make up a Test pigtail or extension
cord. You would want to be able to plug one
end into a a known good receptable, one you
have checked out with a lamp module, or
appliance module. Put the switch in the
middle of the test pigtail, and plug a lamp
into the other end. Since the  signal
reception is known at this point, the switch
if good should turn the light on and off
through the interface. Hopefully we can
narrow the problem down to the switch or
wrong settings on the computer interface. If
the switch works in this fashion, I would
suspect something on the O/S circuit that is
interfering with the signal getting to the
switch. I do not know how you would check
this without meters or test equipment to see
what the noise level and signal strength is.
Maybe you could take a test cord and hook it
to the live line,and netrual in the box and
plug a appliance module into it. If the
appliance module clicks on and off when the
signal is sent then it would appear that the
line is ok to the switch box and receiveing
the signals.
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: ron w on December 02, 2004, 01:32:28 PM
For Bob
You were asking about XPDI3, or XPS, these
are both sold by X10Pro. You can see these
at www.X10pro.com. The switching of these
switches occurs at the switch itself. The
line "black wire" feeds the switch,the
netrual "white wire" that comes off the
switch completes the circuit. The "blue
wire" goes to the load be it Inductive,
dimmer, resistive, low voltage or up to 4
amp motors. The switch does not really care
what the load is doing "figure of speech".
In a WS467 switch the line comes in & the
load wire goes to a incandescent bulb and
only a INCANDESCENT BULB not power saver
bulbs. If the bulb is bad, bad netruals,
vibrating filments, loose bulb the switch
will not turn on, as it needs a near perfect
netrual through the load to complete the
circuit. The "downfall" cost is double what
a WS467 is, and you need netruals "white
wires" in the box. The "upside" in my
opinion is a far more reliable and versatile
switch
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: bakerbob on December 02, 2004, 07:01:16 PM
Hello again all and thanks for all your replies:

I made a test cord and connected a ws-457 to
a 60 watt bulb...and a lm465 connected to a
60 watt bulb.  I used 2 different codes (m1
and m2) and went around the house
switching/dimming at all my outlets.  When I
reached the dining room/livingroom area
(where the o/s light is) only the lamp
module(lm465) would work 100%..the switch
module (ws467) would not turn on the bulb,
but if turned on would dim it and turn it
off, this must be the same side of my house
service that feeds the o/s light.  I do not
have any 220V appliances connected so there
can not be a crossover thru them.  Do I need
a bridge to complete the transfer of the
signals ?  Hummmmmmm...during the summer the
a/c was running and it's 220v and I didn't
have this problem then..............was it my
crossover ?   Frustrated in PA.....thanks, Bob
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: Noam on December 02, 2004, 07:18:53 PM
Sounds like you need some sort of a signal
bridge. Since you don't have any 220V
appliances, you probably don't have a socket
for a plug-in coupler. You can try
the "capacitor" method, or buy a hard-wired
signal bridge.
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: bakerbob on December 02, 2004, 07:53:31 PM
Hi Norm, Where's my best place to purchase a
"bridge" ?  thanks, Bob
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: ces on December 15, 2004, 02:08:28 PM
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY X10 PRO SYSTEM...I
AM UNABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHY SOME SWITHES AND
MODULES ARE BURNING OUT FOR NO APPARENT
REASON. ALSO LIGHTS ARE TURNING ON AND OFF
WITHOUT BEING TOUCHED. COULD SOMEONE OFFER
SOME HELPFUL HINTS ON TROUBLESHOOTING THIS
PROBLEM?
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: bakerbob on December 15, 2004, 04:53:59 PM
For CES:
I've had the same problem with my wall switch
modules turning on by themselves.  I'm no
expert, but others have told me it's because
of  noise/spikes on my power lines.  I've
tried different house codes, but that doesn't
help.  Are you having trouble with plug in
modules ?  I've never had a problem with X-10
modules "burning" out....in fact, I've had
most of my original purchase for over 5 years
and they still wotk fine.   Maybe X-10 will
jump in here and offer you more technical
help.  There may be "bugs" in AHP but they
are working on them with our help and input.
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: Brian H on December 15, 2004, 06:29:45 PM
Only problams I have had are with the Socket
Rockets. One DOA and a few died with shorted
Triacs from the surge of a burning out lamp.
Lamp type modles can be damaged by inductive
loads like a Flourescent type lamps or low
voltage transformer type lamps. They need a
relay type non dimming type module or switch
to control them.
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: bakerbob on December 24, 2004, 08:24:50 AM
Merry Christmas to all....I purchased a
signal bridge, and with it installed the wall
switch still will not turn on.  It will turn
off (dusk to dawn controlled) by the timer,
is there another wall switch out there
besides x-10's I should try ??????????
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: al on December 24, 2004, 09:18:15 AM
Bakerbob,
go to www.homeautomationnet.com.  Not every
signal bridge works right.  I finally got the
right one which is the ACT repeater.  He also
has better wall switches.  However, this
stuff is not cheap.  But decide if you want
to pull your hair out and do you want this
stuff to work.  
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: donald mcmow on December 24, 2004, 10:06:19 AM
BAKERBOB: The one thing you might want to
look at is how the switch is wired. I don't
know if this will have an impact, I am not
an electrician. The HOT might have been
wired on the neutral leg - and with the
light on the signal would be able to get
through to the circutry. But with the
switch off - there is no connection to the
circutry and the switch can't "hear" the on
signal. Any comments or am I applying DC
ideas to AC components?
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: donald mcmow on December 24, 2004, 10:19:45 AM
An other thing is I know that there are
switches that have a minimum wattage
requirement - If your light is less than 40
watts(example only) it will not operate
properly - above this minimum the switch
operates all the time. Some switches are
rated only with incandescent lights and not
for use with flourescent lights. Is there
anything on that line that could be sucking
up the signal (ie: photocopier,
computer/printer, other lighting, UPS or
other power supply, transformers, powerbar
with surge suppresion, TV) - these can all
modify the quality of the ac power coming
to your switch. They will absorb the X10
PLC signal or introduce a lot of noise on
to the power line that will cause
intermittent operation. Can you check to
see if another switch works OK (maybe
another model of switch). Can you turn the
switch on with another X10 device - just
not able to use AHP/CM15A or does the
switch just not work unless it has been
manually turn on first?
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: bakerbob on December 24, 2004, 10:57:51 AM
Hi Don, The signal bridge I purchased is a
SmartHome SignaLinc plugged into my dryer
220v outlet 2' from the electric panel..I do
not have a dryer hooked to it.  The wall
switch I'm having trouble with is my o/s 60
watt patio light.  It's located just 15' from
the CM15A ...no other nasty power
supplies.sources other than my computer near.
My HR12A and my SC503 will not turn on the
switch either, but will dim the module and
turn it off if it is turned on manually.The
wiring that goes to the wall switch
(blue/black) have been switched back n'
fourth with null results.  The house wiring
that goes to the o/s light will work just
fine with plug in module (such as a lamp or
appliance module)...it's just the darn wall
switch that failes to activate ( I've tried
three others and none of the x-10 work]  I
did have a wall switch connected to the
diningroom light, but removed it as it would
not work either.  Thanks for all your help.
Title: Re: wall switch
Post by: donald mcmow on December 25, 2004, 06:56:05 AM
Check to see if you can activate the switch
using any of the other wall switches (ie:
WS12A, WS14A). Also see if you can turn it
on by using an appliance module instead of
the WS467. Have you moved the switch to
another location to see if you can activate
it from there - I would assume that you
didn't have a hand in the construction of
your house - and as such you don't know how
the electricians wired it. Is the dining
room light on the same breaker as the O/s
light - if so then there may be more
problems with this particular line than you
realize.