X10 Community Forum
🛡Home Security => Home Security General => Topic started by: bonesigh on December 02, 2004, 11:11:53 AM
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I have a Protector Plus system which I will
be installing in my new apartment. I've
tested it out in my current apartment, and I
do like it.
In the event of an AC power failure, it is my
understanding that the console siren will
continue to operate (assuming I have a
battery installed in the alarm console),
while my Powerhorn sirens will not, since
there will not be any AC for the control
signals to piggyback on. My question is: if I
get a standby UPS, and plug the alarm console
and a Powerhorn siren into the UPS, will the
Powerhorn siren sound if there is an AC
failure (i.e. a burgular has cut off my
power)? I know that when the UPS takes over,
the DC voltage from the UPS battery is fed
into an inverter, which in turn outputs "AC."
But I do not know how clean of a sign wave
this AC would have, and if the control
signals would still work between the alarm
console and the Powerhorn siren plugged into
the UPS AC outlets. Has anyone tried this?
Any ideas?
Thanks!
Mike
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If you have an UPS (or can get one cheap and
you want it for another purpose also,) you
have nothing to loose by trying, but my
guess is you will most likely not be
successful. Circuitry within the UPS
usually dampens the X10 signal on the
powerline to the point that X10 devices even
in other locations cannot get a signal
strong enough.
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Many UPS units will suck up all the X10
signals. The input filter whan on AC may
make the powerhorn not see any signals. Same
for any lamps you may have set to also flash
with modules around the place. Yes the
signals are not a sine wave. So the waveform
may also distort the time line for
transmissions.