X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Topic started by: Appliance Module on August 15, 2006, 09:46:36 PM
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Just purchased above appliance module. Works with my mini-timer just fine.
It seems to have local control.
However, the instructions say it is ok for "flourescent or energy saving lamps".
Is this true? Any comments?
What about turning on and off a wireless router with it?
The instructions would seem to indicate this is ok.
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In my opinion this should work fine turning your wireless router on and off. My caveat is that I assume the wireless router has a switching power supply in a wall wart. Some of these have been known to have major signal sucking/noise generating problems. If yours does you may find that the appliance module no longer works because of this and you'll need an X-10 filter between the power supply and the module. Try it and see what happens. You shouldn't harm anything. Good luck.
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Ok on router and noise.
If it has local control, why can the CFLs be used with it? Won't they flicker?
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Appliance modules (and most others) allow a leakage current through when they are "off". This is blocked when the device they are connected to is off. Local control happens when the current is allowed back through by turning the connected device back on which in turn turns the module back on. If the connected device is on, but turned off by the module, you turn the connected device off then back on to turn the module back on (sometimes you have to repeate this off/on cycle). CFLs may flicker at a rate the eye can't see but electrically they look like a continuous load to the module. This is a little over simplified but is a good working model of what's going on.
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Some CFL lamps flicker when the module is off. Some even turn back on as the module thinks the local switch was toggled.
There are hacks to fix this but as we say warranty is gone. :P
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...the instructions say it is ok for "flourescent or energy saving lamps".
Exactly WHERE are you reading this?
I purchased several RS 61-3003 2-Pin Appliance Modules [$2.97 each during the recent "We're Dumping X-10 *SALE*" - a SHOCK :o to me, considering their long (~20-25 years?) relationship], and I can't find it.
I would imagine that ANY module that supports Local Control would need a Sensing Current, which, in turn, could / would / might cause certain CFLs to flicker and/or turn right back ON after being turned OFF (something to do with "collapsing EMF field" maybe, but, that theory was read a LONG TIME AGO, in a galaxy far, far away... :-[ ).
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There are hacks to fix this but as we say warranty is gone. :P
There's always the "7 Watt Nightlight in Parallel" trick. ;)
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...There's always the "7 Watt Nightlight in Parallel" trick. ;)
I was wondering it one of those plug in air fresheners would work, also. The one with the built in fan might be best.
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Exactly WHERE are you reading this?
I purchased several RS 61-3003 2-Pin Appliance Modules [$2.97 each during the recent "We're Dumping X-10 *SALE*" - a SHOCK :o to me, considering their long (~20-25 years?) relationship], and I can't find it.
61-3004 three zero zero four
http://rsk.imageg.net/graphics/uc/rsk/Support/ProductManuals/6103004_PM_EN.pdf
I would imagine that ANY module that supports Local Control would need a Sensing Current, which, in turn, could / would / might cause certain CFLs to flicker and/or turn right back ON after being turned OFF (something to do with "collapsing EMF field" maybe, but, that theory was read a LONG TIME AGO, in a galaxy far, far away... :-[ ).
I agree. That is why I asked. Was wondering if anybody had experience with these modules. Will be getting some new CFL later today and try it. All my other ones are up about 14 feet in my garage.
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Appliance modules (and most others) allow a leakage current through when they are "off". This is blocked when the device they are connected to is off. Local control happens when the current is allowed back through by turning the connected device back on which in turn turns the module back on. If the connected device is on, but turned off by the module, you turn the connected device off then back on to turn the module back on (sometimes you have to repeate this off/on cycle). CFLs may flicker at a rate the eye can't see but electrically they look like a continuous load to the module. This is a little over simplified but is a good working model of what's going on.
I think the "leakage" current is on when the module is off. I suspect that it is the interuption of this circuit by switching the light off then back on that triggers the module.
Anybody else agree?
Also anyother comments about using it to switch a wireless router from anyone?
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Yes some flicker with the local control sensing circuit. Some CFLs will turn back ON just like you toggled the lamps on/off switch.
I have had a few do that myself. Ended up doing one of the hacks to disable the sensing circuit. The CFL still flickered. I have seen hacks that removes the sensing current also.
One site is:
http://www.idobartana.com/hakb/index.htm
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Yes they flicker in both the new RS appliance module and an old RS appliance module.
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I would imagine that ANY module that supports Local Control would need a Sensing Current, which, in turn, could / would / might cause certain CFLs to flicker and/or turn right back ON after being turned OFF (something to do with "collapsing EMF field" maybe, but, that theory was read a LONG TIME AGO, in a galaxy far, far away... :-[ ).
I put a CFL bulb (Commercial Electric EDSO-14 (14watt)) into a lamp plugged into an appliance module (AM486). When turned off it would flicker.
I did the mod expecting the flicker to stop but lose local control.
To my surprise the flicker stopped and I still have local control. ;D
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Otis69; Did you cut the jumper or the top of the diode [D10 if fuzzy memory is correct]?
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I put a CFL bulb (Commercial Electric EDSO-14 (14watt)) into a lamp plugged into an appliance module (AM486). When turned off it would flicker.
I did the mod expecting the flicker to stop but lose local control.
To my surprise the flicker stopped and I still have local control. ;D
Ok, just what is "local control"?
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Just to be clear. The schematic posted of the Appliance Module is not correct for the ones I have. The local sensing circuit is different in mine. It was probably correct for the version module used for the drawing.
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The jumper stops the module from sensing the local control, but does not stop the sensing current to the load when off. You can still get flickers on some devices.