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[snave1]

This is driving me nuts, I can't figure out why my spotlights keep going on/off while the furnace is running AT NIGHT and they don't go on right away when the furnace starts up, they usually go on about 30 second into it and it seems to be worse when it's very cold out... yes the furnace goes on more when below 30 outside but I don't seem to notice the problem when furnace is on and the temp outside is only 45 or 50.

My east spotlight is on the garage circuit and the west is on a circuit that runs thru my son's bedroom.  East is A3 and West is A6.

I have also noticed that both units go on right around dusk and many times do NOT turn off automatically so each night I have to turn them off - BUT - using a control module to turn off A3 or A6 doesn't work, I have to use one of my universal TV remotes and press the button that turns off all units.  This sucks because it turns off everything including the mood light on my plant shelf which lights up the foyer and stairs to the second level. Plus when we go on vacation my spotlights are now running allllllllll night long $$$$  DAMN X10.  I couldn't be more disappointed. And the X10 folks could seem to give a crap at improving their x10 light/unit control products & software as their main focus is selling spycams to bunch of perverts looking to sneaks video of big busted women changing out of their bikini's. Keep dreaming pervs.

I have even tried going into ActiveHome to setup switch control modules so each night around dusk the ActiveHome module will send out a signal to turn off A3 and A6 but this doesn't work.  Uninstalled ActiveHome, re-installed, created switch controls again but no luck.  Even tried moving the communications interface unit to different outlets in the house, still nothing.

At this point I don't recommend X10 to anyone, it was a very good idea but even after owning this since 2008 I can never get things work smoothly.

[Brian H]

Do you have any phase coupling between the incoming lines from the street?
If you are sending commands on one phase of the homes wiring and the module you want to control is on the other one. The signals may not be getting there.

You may also have electronic devices making power line noise or absorbing {Signal Sucker} the X10 power line signals.
http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm

Can you fill us in on what X10 devices you have.
You mentioned AHP. Do you have the CM15A, CM15K {CM19A with TM751} or CM11A?

Are the motion sensors where the warm air from the heat being On is passing in front of the motion sensors? They are trigged by temperate changes it senses.

[HA Dave]

Could your furnaces exhaust be in view of the motion sensor?

Many modern furnaces exhaust the spent gases outside via a PVC pipe. Although much cooler than the old fashion chimney gasses... they can still be warm enough to "trick" a motion sensor. AC coils can also be sensed as movement on warm weather.

[JeffVolp]

My guess would be the furnace exhaust too.  The fact that it is worse in cold weather and it takes a little while after the furnace starts for the lights to come on are the clues.  Since most motion sensors work off differences in temperature, both of those factors would increase the temperature difference as the exhaust plume passed near the motion sensor.

Jeff

[Noam]

I'll second (third) the vote for the furnace exhaust being part of the problem (although it might not explain why spotlights on opposite sides of the house come on at the same time).
However, I'll also add that a time-sensitive issue (problem is at night, not during the day) is likely another clue. Some here may remember I had a similar issue a few years ago, in which some of my switches would not respond at all at night. In that case, it was a noisy CFL bulb on my neighbor's front porch (only on at night) that was interfering with my system.
There are a few things you can try to narrow it down:
1. change the housecode/unit codes of the two affected units - see if the problem happens on other codes as well.
2. if the "universal remote" can send a code that turns off the lights (even if it is an "all units off" code), then at least *some* commands are getting through to those lights. Putting them on a different housecode would allow you to still turn them off that way without turning everything else off at the same time (the "All units off" command is housecode-specific).
3. Look around your house for anything else that would only be on at night (outdoor lights - certain indoor lights, cell phone chargers, computers, TV, etc). Are any of those things on more when it is colder outside (an electric space heater, perhaps)? Do you have any CFL light bulbs? Might any of them be starting to go bad (put your ear up close - a few inches away - do you hear a buzzing noise)?
4. You said that the units turn on about 30 seconds after the furnace turns on. You didn't mention the type of furnace you have, but I know that my gas furnace has several stages to the cycle - first the induction blower comes on for about 30 seconds, while the ignitor heats up. Next, the gas valves open, and the flames come on to warm up the heat exchanger. That's another 30 seconds or so. Finally, the main blower comes on to move air through the furnace. Depending on the cycle of your furnace, it may be the blower motor (motors create noise) that is triggering the lights. However, since you said it only happens when it is real cold outside - that might not be it at all.
5. You might try re-adjusting the motion sensors so they can't see the exhaust from the furnace (going back to the theory that Brian and Dave started). Do you have any indoor motion sensors that might be triggering the outdoor motion lights?