X10 Community Forum

🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: sharrisct25 on October 08, 2007, 11:13:45 PM

Title: Need help diagnosing unresponsive switches
Post by: sharrisct25 on October 08, 2007, 11:13:45 PM

I have had a number of XPS3-IW switches installed in my home for months now and desipte some timing & RF issues with the ActiveHome controller they work excellent.  I recently purchased and installed a V572AB to fix my RF issues disabiling the transiiver in the activehome controller. 

First let me say the range of the V572AB is awsome no problem using the keychain remotes from the back of my yard about 100' from the house so that is great.

Anyway the problem is that a set of 3 switches that I have not had issues with before are now not responding to RF or commands sent directly from ActiveHome.  I have checked the AH log and the RF signals are being sent by V572AB because AH sees them on the powerline.  The light on the V572AB also blinks correctly. 

I have tried unplugging the AH controller to see if there was some conflict between that and he V572AB
I have unplugged the V572AB controller to see if that was the source of the problem
I have taken and plugged an appliance module into another outlet set it to one of the same codes to see if that works and it does.
I have tried changing the codes on the switches to see if they start responding then and they do not
I have run though my home looking for any new peice of electronics that is now on but was not before and there is nothing

Can these switches get stuck some how all three are in the same circuit and that circuit happenes to have alot of AV stuff on it also but that has always been the case.  Any suggestions on how to proceed would be appreciated.

Title: Re: Need help diagnosing unresponsive switches
Post by: JeffVolp on October 09, 2007, 10:32:26 AM

I recently tested a cellphone charger that can totally kill X10 communication on its circuit.  Have you added anything like that recently?  If so, you might need to install a filter.  Much more troubleshooting info is available here:

http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm

Jeff

Title: Re: Need help diagnosing unresponsive switches
Post by: sharrisct25 on October 09, 2007, 09:35:16 PM

Wow that was right off the top of your head.  My sister in law left her cell phone charger plugged in it was so small I did not even notice it.

Thanks

Title: Re: Need help diagnosing unresponsive switches
Post by: steven r on October 09, 2007, 11:40:10 PM

Laptop chargers are another common signal sucker that are overlooked.