Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Pages: 1 [2]

Author Topic: Well now, a failure? But doesn't seem like one.  (Read 9235 times)

bkenobi

  • PI Expert
  • Hero Member
  • ******
  • Helpful Post Rating: 24
  • Posts: 2081
Re: Well now, a failure? But doesn't seem like one.
« Reply #15 on: February 23, 2016, 07:21:47 PM »

Same problem with my attic fan controller power supply (Arduino with 9vdc wall wart).  I moved it to a different location behind a filter and installed a new one in the attic.  Good to go (until the new one fails I supposed).

dhouston

  • Advanced Member
  • Hero Member
  • ******
  • Helpful Post Rating: 37
  • Posts: 2547
    • davehouston.org
Re: Well now, a failure? But doesn't seem like one.
« Reply #16 on: February 23, 2016, 07:31:08 PM »

I replaced it with an identical one and everything is working again.

Not quite identical we hope.
Logged
This message was composed entirely from recycled letters of the alphabet using only renewable, caffeinated energy sources.
No twees, wabbits, chimps or whales died in the process.
https://www.laser.com/dhouston

Brian H

  • Community Organizer
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Helpful Post Rating: 305
  • Posts: 13259
Re: Well now, a failure? But doesn't seem like one.
« Reply #17 on: February 24, 2016, 06:19:56 AM »

Glad to see you found the problem maker.
Switching power supplies are one of the known things to check. When power line communications go bad.
Logged

Noam

  • Community Organizer
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Helpful Post Rating: 51
  • Posts: 2818
Re: Well now, a failure? But doesn't seem like one.
« Reply #18 on: February 25, 2016, 12:15:16 PM »

I found the culprit.
A 12V power supply, a generic one that was running my cable modem.
The power supply was working fine, but it had this one problem. Oh well.

I replaced it with an identical one and everything is working again.
A few years ago I had a similar problem (although only *some* of my units wouldn't work), and I documented my adventure here somewhere. It turned out to be a noisy CFL bulb in a light fixture on the Porch *across the street*. Since it was on the same phase as half my X10 stuff, that stuff had problems when that light was on. I fixed it by buying my neighbor a new pair of CFL bulbs.
Since that incident, I've had two other instances where my X10 system completely stops working. In both cases, it turned out to be more bad CFL bulbs (this time at my house). To help me with troubleshooting, I put together a "test rig" consisting of a surge protector, a TM751 receiver, and an appliance module, a palmpad remote, and a plug-in X10 filter (from SmartHome). I start by plugging the filter into the wall, plug the strip into the filter, and plug the TM751 and module into the strip. If the remote can trigger the module (the audible click makes it easy to tell - without needing anything plugged into it), then I know it is some sort of noise. Next, I remove the filter, and plug the strip into outlets on different circuits, to try and narrow the problem down. If I can narrow it to one phase or one circuit, I test one device at a time. If I can't narrow it down that way, then I plug the strip into one of my "test" outlets (I have  dedicated split-wired duplex outlet on the two circuits that power my XTB-IIR booster. Since there is nothing else on those breakers (other than the booster, which I can unplug), I have a "clean" test point right next to the breaker box.). I then can shut off one breaker at a time, until the problem goes away. Then, I go along that circuit one device at a time until I find the culprit.
Since it has been CFLs every time, I can save a bit of time by turning those lights off first, to see if that's it.
Logged
Pages: 1 [2]
 

X10.com | About X10 | X10 Security Systems | Cameras| Package Deals
© Copyright 2014-2016 X10.com All rights reserved.