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[pes]

I have a minitimer3. I programmed to control a socket rocket and  a ws467 switch connected to fan lights only. I setup the socket rocket in an upstairs lamp. Successfully programmed the socket rocket and could turn on and off the lamp when plugged into the same socket as the timer. Went to another room  upstairs and could still control the lamp with the timer. I took the timer downstairs and can no longer control the upstairs lamp. Coincidentally, I cannot control the ws467. The ws467 does turn the fan lights on and off. No on/off control from the timer. When I say no timer control, I am using the on/off buttons on the timer for manual control.

Any ideas on why I lost control of the lamp and cannot control the fan lights.

Thanks

[dave w]

Any ideas on why I lost control of the lamp and cannot control the fan lights.

Thanks

Yes. It is likely either electrical "noise" blocking the X10 signal or a "phase coupling" problem. Search the forum for these terms. Also here is more information:
http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm

[pes]

Thanks for the information. Using it I think I identified a couple of problems but there is still a mystery, at least to me, that I need help on.

First to summarize what I found. I tried turning on the range and proceeded to move the minitimer from room to room confirming if I had control using the various receptacles. With the range on I can control the lamp from every room but one.

I checked around the room for "signal suckers", and did find one in my laptop. I unplugged it and all other electronic gear in the room/circuit. Still no control of the lamp.

From this information, I believe I need a coupler, perhaps X10 XPCP?, and a filter for the laptop, XPPF?. Does that sound reasonable.

Now for the problem circuit. That just happens to be the circuit I am trying to control the X10 switch from. If I put a lamp in the same room/circuit with a socket rocket, I can control the lamp. No control from any other room. I cannot control the ceiling fan light. The switch will turn on the fan light. Pushing the button will go from off through a range of brightness until full lit and the same for turning off from the switch. The documentation with the switch was a little sketchy on which rotary switch was house code, so I tried all combinations with no success.


Does anyone have a idea on why I cannot control the lampfrom other rooms and/or why I cannot control the ceiling fan light from the timer.

Thanks

[dave w]

The oven test isn't conclusive but if there is ANY improvement in X10 module response when the oven is on, it confirms that phase coupling is at least part of the problem.

Don't narrow your noise search to just one room/circuit. Are you certain that circuit ONLY feeds that room? In another home I had a "Lennox Pulse" furnace that wiped out 1/3 of the house...multiple rooms/circuits/breakers.

Rather than spending money on a passive coupler (XPCP) I would recomend a "repeater" which amplifies the X10 signal along with and coupling it to the other phase. The amplified signal *may* overcome a noise problem in addition to taking care of the phase coupling problem.

The Mercedes and Cadillac of repeaters are the XTBIIR and the ACT CR234. The X10 made XPCR is sort of a Ford Focus. A reasonable low cost, no frills option, that gets you there and back. Around 20 bucks on Ebay. There is repeater that does not have to be wired in your electrical panel, instead is made to plug in your dryer outlet and is from Smarthome.com.

[TwinCreeks]

I found that a hard wired 5-position fan speed control switch (not the pull chain type on the fan itself) was the culprit in my house. At full speed, there was no problem.  But  at lower fan speed settings it was causing interference with the X10 signal on the same circuit.

I have installed a wired-in whole-house phase coupler at the breaker box  as well as three XPPFs to isolate TV and computers.  Nevertheless, I still have one outlet in the bedroom that defies X10 codes, both transmitted and received. Other outlets on the same circuit work fine. 

I have been told that doorbell transformers, newer refrigerator electronic controllers, and the like are enough to suck the life out of a already-weakened X10 signal.