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Author Topic: ms14a product life?  (Read 4709 times)

x10a

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ms14a product life?
« on: May 29, 2016, 04:24:49 PM »

I tried setting the house/unit codes on some old ms14a sensors but they are not responding as expected. Maybe they are just too old or maybe the instructions are not accurate enough. When I try to set the house code on some of these units they return a longer set of blinks than I put in as the code. I am trying to put in "H" as eight depressions of button (3 seconds on eighth press) but I get back like 9 or 14 blinks. Is there a best time interval between presses? Are these units dead? Thanks.
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toasterking

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Re: ms14a product life?
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2016, 10:01:15 PM »

It sounds like the contacts on the pushbutton switches may be making an intermittent connection and registering more keypresses than you made.  I recommend disassembling the module and cleaning the switch contacts as there may be some oxidation on them.
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x10a

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Re: ms14a product life?
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2016, 10:34:53 PM »

I removed the circuit board but the switch contacts do not appear to be accessible. They are inside a switch box that has a metal top held on by melted plastic tabs. I'm not sure how I would reassemble it if I mangled the plastic tabs. Superglue? Blow torch?
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toasterking

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Re: ms14a product life?
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2016, 11:38:53 PM »

If you find out, please let us know!
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x10a

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Re: ms14a product life?
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2016, 07:12:39 AM »

What's it worth?
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Brian H

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Re: ms14a product life?
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2016, 07:26:41 AM »

From the photos in this web link.
http://www.edcheung.com/automa/ms14a.htm
It does not look like the switches would be easily disassembled and cleaned.
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x10a

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Re: ms14a product life?
« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2016, 08:44:20 AM »

any thoughts on deoxit vs. crc qd contact cleaners?
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toasterking

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Re: ms14a product life?
« Reply #7 on: May 30, 2016, 12:33:15 PM »

From the photos in this web link.
http://www.edcheung.com/automa/ms14a.htm
It does not look like the switches would be easily disassembled and cleaned.
Wow, I agree.  I was thinking that the motion detectors used the metal snap dome contacts present in most X10 modules.  With these, I would either try contact cleaner spray or just remove them and solder new ones in.

I still think that dirty contacts is the most likely problem here.
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Brian H

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Re: ms14a product life?
« Reply #8 on: May 30, 2016, 01:19:42 PM »

Dirty contacts does sound like a good culprit.
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dave w

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Re: ms14a product life?
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2016, 06:33:00 PM »

I have multiple X10 motion sensors with switch problems. As everyone has speculated the push button contacts oxidize with age and you start getting switch bounce or noisy switch. I have just sprayed contact cleaner on the switch and between the switch and the PC board which has helped, at least temporarily. I just use a cheap contact cleaner from Home Depot, Menards, Lowes, etc.

About the only place I was willing to shell out bigger bucks for a contact cleaner,  is many moons ago I got some stuff from Craig (I think) that claimed to become more conductive under mechanical pressure. It was a brush-on liquid. I removed every breaker in the breaker box and "painted" this on the breaker busses. To my surprise X10 communications/signal reliability did improve. Unfortunately that was back in '93 and I don't remember the name of the magic elixir.
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Brian H

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Re: ms14a product life?
« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2016, 07:21:38 PM »

Probably Cramolin Red or Cramolin Blue.
Both where discontinued as they had some carcinogenic chemicals in them. If my aged memory is working.  ;D
Reformulated and now have the Deoxit brand name.
« Last Edit: June 02, 2016, 07:25:13 PM by Brian H »
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dave w

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Re: ms14a product life?
« Reply #11 on: June 02, 2016, 08:08:07 PM »

Probably Cramolin Red or Cramolin Blue.
Right again, my friend. It was Cramolin, although I don't remember a color. The liquid itself was clear.
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