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Author Topic: 60Hz signal for CM15A using in 220V/50Hz area  (Read 10323 times)

kft

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60Hz signal for CM15A using in 220V/50Hz area
« on: February 26, 2007, 11:50:42 AM »

I used the CM15A in Hong Kong which is 220V/50Hz by using a step-down transformer and a capacitor to pass through the X10 signals.

It works fine for the macros and RF commands (except for the short distance), but the clock runs slower due to the 50Hz signal from the power line.

I build a 60Hz clock generator by using the ELM440 from www.elmelectronics.com, and input the 60Hz signal to pin 2 of U1, but the CM15A does not respond to or send any X10 powerline signal, it only responds to RF command (I open the activity monitor window to check the X10 activities).

Do any of you can help?

Thanks.
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Brian H

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Re: 60Hz signal for CM15A using in 220V/50Hz area
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2007, 12:21:16 PM »

All of the X10 Powerline signals are timed by the Zero Crossing Detector. It is the small circuit on the transformers primary tap. Since it is still running on 50 Hz all the timing is messed up.
When I get home I will look at the CM15A Schematic and see exact;y where you are injecting the 60 Hz.
« Last Edit: February 26, 2007, 12:25:33 PM by Brian H »
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Brian H

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Re: 60Hz signal for CM15A using in 220V/50Hz area
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2007, 04:15:53 PM »

Pin 2 is the Zero Crossing Input. It has to be synchronised to the powerline. All the modules being controlled use the zero crossing to look for the X10 powerline signals.
When you connected pin 2 to the 60 Hz chip you lost all your timing and that is most likely why the modules no longer work.
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kft

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Re: 60Hz signal for CM15A using in 220V/50Hz area
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2007, 08:17:20 AM »

Thanks for your information.

Is there any other method to make the clock accurate?
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Brian H

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Re: 60Hz signal for CM15A using in 220V/50Hz area
« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2007, 04:12:56 PM »

Not that i know of. If anyone has done it; I am sure they will give the information.
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kft

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Re: 60Hz signal for CM15A using in 220V/50Hz area
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2007, 08:54:33 AM »

Thanks.
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clafer

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Re: 60Hz signal for CM15A using in 220V/50Hz area
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2008, 07:33:33 PM »

Hello, I have the same problem running a CM15A in Italy after I modified it to work with 220VAC 50Hz, the clock is loosing 10mins/hour if left alone, but if it is connected to PC running AHP sw it seems that the interface clock is adjusted by the PC from time to time, making it possible to schedule events time based, also if they are stored on the CM15A.
I did some tests, I compared the interface clock with the PC ones using "Report -> Status", where both clocks, PC (the time when the report was created) and interface clock, are displayed, and the maximum difference I was able to see is not more than 10 mins.
To give a better explanation: at the first check the difference is 1 min, then it increase to 3-5-8-9 mins, and then it goes back to 1 min and so on, it seems that PC will update the interface clock every 10 mins more or less, but I did not enough checks to be sure that there is a fixed elapsed time between synchronizations.
As it seems it is not possible to modify the way how CM15A works to adapt it to 50Hz, does anybody know how the interface is clocked by PC?

Thanks!
Claudio.
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