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Author Topic: Chime not working  (Read 10654 times)

Noam

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Re: Chime not working
« Reply #15 on: June 28, 2011, 07:05:27 AM »

Is the HC50 the "same" as the RR501?
From what I can tell, the HC50RX looks like the RCA version of the RR501, but I can't say for sure.
« Last Edit: June 28, 2011, 07:07:02 AM by Noam »
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Dan Lawrence

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Re: Chime not working
« Reply #16 on: June 28, 2011, 07:15:33 AM »

It appears to be, I looked at Amazon and from the pic it looks exactly like the RR501.
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Noam

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Re: Chime not working
« Reply #17 on: June 28, 2011, 09:21:18 AM »

It appears to be, I looked at Amazon and from the pic it looks exactly like the RR501.

Yes, I saw that after I posted.
It sure looks like an RR501, so I would *guess* it functions exactly the same. I can't be 100% sure, though. There were some modules that were slightly different from one OEM label to the next.
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Brian H

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Re: Chime not working
« Reply #18 on: June 28, 2011, 09:57:01 AM »

I saw a X10 instruction sheet IN38A that indicated one was being substitute for orders with a TM751 in them. At one time.
« Last Edit: June 28, 2011, 09:58:56 AM by Brian H »
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Noam

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Re: Chime not working
« Reply #19 on: June 28, 2011, 11:06:00 AM »

I saw a X10 instruction sheet IN38A that indicated one was being substitute for orders with a TM751 in them. At one time.

I saw that one, too. From that sheet, it looked like the HC50RX was "better" than the TM751, which led me to believe that it is equivalent to the RR501. A bit more research showed me that it appears to be the RCA-branded version of the RR501.
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Mavrik

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Re: Chime not working
« Reply #20 on: June 28, 2011, 11:23:11 AM »

Good to know, I don't have to buy another unit. I put the CH50 on-line as primary and unplugged the TM751, I sometimes need more than 16 units running, but they are mainly temp things. I don't remember what came with the CH50, it's been bouncing around for years.

To tell you the truth, I've been using this same TM751 with AH and the CM11A for about a decade and never had issues. I was forced to upgrade when I got a new computer running windows 7. I have more problems with the new setup, like my 'random turn on' thread.

Years ago I "upgraded" to AHP, but it was so unreliable, I sold it and went back to AH. I would switch back in a heartbeat.
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Noam

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Re: Chime not working
« Reply #21 on: June 28, 2011, 11:41:12 AM »

Good to know, I don't have to buy another unit. I put the CH50 on-line as primary and unplugged the TM751, I sometimes need more than 16 units running, but they are mainly temp things. I don't remember what came with the CH50, it's been bouncing around for years.

To tell you the truth, I've been using this same TM751 with AH and the CM11A for about a decade and never had issues. I was forced to upgrade when I got a new computer running windows 7. I have more problems with the new setup, like my 'random turn on' thread.

Years ago I "upgraded" to AHP, but it was so unreliable, I sold it and went back to AH. I would switch back in a heartbeat.

The RR501/HC50 are limited to one house code only. You need an additional one for each house code you want to use with RF.
The CM15A was designed with an RF transceiver built into it, with the goal of not needing other RF transceivers (like the TM751 and the RR501/HC50). It can handle all 16 house codes (and you can pick which ones it passes along to the powerline - if you want to block RF transmissions from neighbors, etc).
In reality, however, the design was somewhat flawed. Most users don't get very good RF reception with the stock (unmodified) CM15A. There are a number of mods out there for adding external antennas, and most users who have done them have reported really great results, depending on the individual circumstances and the specific mod performed.

In my case, I did the simple "reflector" mod, which doesn't involve opening up the CM15A, or voiding the warranty (which had long expired in my case, anyway). This is the simplest mod I know of, and takes no more than a few minutes to perform.
For this mod, you simply attach an 18.5-inch length of wire alongside the CM15A's existing external antenna. No electrical connection is made between the two. The longer wire simply acts as a "reflector," to redirect the signals to the CM15A's antenna. I've done the mod twice, on two different CM15A's. Originally, I used two small pieces of masking tape to hold the wire on. I later cleaned that up with a spiral wrapping of some electrical tape. On the second unit, I slipped a length of heat-shrink tubing over the CM15A's antenna, and inserted the new wire. It was a tight enough fit that I didn't even need to shrink the tubing down.
I now have really great RF coverage in my entire house, where I barely had a few feet of range before.

You might want to try this as a first step. You might find that you can remove the RR501/HC50 units from your setup, simplifying the whole arrangement. If you feel more adventurous, you can look for the mods that replace the antenna with either a longer telescopic antenna, or a connector for you to connect to a more centrally located external antenna.
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Mavrik

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Re: Chime not working
« Reply #22 on: June 28, 2011, 12:04:02 PM »

Wow, I didn't know that I didn't need a separate RF module (used AH for a decade that needed a RF module). I unplugged the CH50, I'll see how it goes with only the CM15A, should be fine, my remotes is 3 feet away from the CM15A.  How do you block RF to modules?

The wire for the mod is just a piece of coat hanger?
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Noam

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Re: Chime not working
« Reply #23 on: June 28, 2011, 12:10:52 PM »

Wow, I didn't know that I didn't need a separate RF module (used AH for a decade that needed a RF module). I unplugged the CH50, I'll see how it goes with only the CM15A, should be fine, my remotes is 3 feet away from the CM15A.
You can test your RF range, by using the remote to try and trigger the chime. Keep moving farther away from the CM15A. When it stops responding, you've hit your limit. I found this was a handy way to test, as the chime was loud enough to be heard anywhere in my house, so I could walk around with a remote and test the entire house easily.

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How do you block RF to modules?
Open AHP, and go to Tools--> Hardware configuration.
In the "Transcieved Housecodes" section (lower right), set it to "Specific," and then check the housecodes you WANT to transmit. All others will be ignored.

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The wire for the mod is just a piece of coat hanger?
You can use a straightened piece of coat hanger wire (about 18.5 inches long). I chose instead to use 12-gauge electrical wire (I had plenty of it around), with the insulation left on. It worked great for me.
When you attach it, just line the bottom end of the wire up with the "elbow" at the bottom of the CM15A's antenna. Use some tape (or whatever creative method you choose) to attach the wire alongside the CM15A's antenna.
You should see at least some improvement in the RF reception range of your CM15A (you can do the "chime test" both before and after you add the wire).
« Last Edit: June 28, 2011, 12:16:09 PM by Noam »
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