X10 Community Forum

🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: riverrat on October 19, 2007, 04:47:38 PM

Title: flourescent lights cause interference with x 10
Post by: riverrat on October 19, 2007, 04:47:38 PM
I installed some x 10 components for a customer.  3 way x-10 for steps to downstairs. 4 button slimline wireless (adhesive switch).  Transceiver.  Another x -10 switch for light in kit.  None of the lights controlled by x 10 components are flourescent.

Works great, except when they switch on the flourescent lights in the downstairs garage. This causes the 3 way x-10 switches to not function via x 10 commands. It also causes the  x10 controlled lights in the kit (floor directly above) to come on.

The 3 way (x-10pro PLW02)  is located in the same switch box as the switch for the flourescents  down stairs. (switches and lights downstairs in garage with lights)

I tried using an inline noise filter (x10 pro noise reducer XPNR) at the switch location to no avail.  Load side - black lead to florescents and pg tailed neutral. 

Home owner told me that when they cut the florescent on they actually have some minor interence, noise on their radio directl above.  There are a total of 6  four foot 2 bulb flourescent fixtures mounted on the ceiling of 2 car garage. Great room directly above where kit and living room are located.  Home owners would be unwilling to filter each light because of cost.

Any ideas or suggestions??
Title: Re: flourescent lights cause interference with x 10
Post by: steven r on October 19, 2007, 06:06:00 PM
...Home owners would be unwilling to filter each light because of cost....
It sounds like the bulbs are producing some RF interference as well as line noise. You could try some different bulbs but there's no guaranty that will help. Unfortunately for them they may have to live with it if cost is a problem as filtering is the only reliable solution at this point. If you selectively disconnected one light at a time you might get lucky and find one that is worse than the others. You could filter that one while they saved their money for more filters.

Bottom line the problem is unlikely to go away without filtering.
Title: Re: flourescent lights cause interference with x 10
Post by: HA Dave on October 19, 2007, 06:28:08 PM
......................There are a total of 6  four foot 2 bulb flourescent fixtures mounted on the ceiling of 2 car garage. ....................  Home owners would be unwilling to filter each light because of cost.

Any ideas or suggestions??

I have three 2 bulb fluorescent fixtures in my garage. Of course mine doesn't cause a problem (yet). Could it be that all six are on the same line (like mine) and you could just filter the line?
Title: Re: flourescent lights cause interference with x 10
Post by: steven r on October 19, 2007, 06:47:22 PM
...Could it be that all six are on the same line (like mine) and you could just filter the line?
Unfortunately I think that is what he tried with the "x10 pro noise reducer XPNR at the switch location". I would of thought that would of worked myself. I'd really like to see what a signal meter showed with and without the lights on.
Title: Re: flourescent lights cause interference with x 10
Post by: HA Dave on October 19, 2007, 07:05:54 PM
Oops..... must be drinking too much coffee.