X10 Community Forum

💬General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: dahur on November 28, 2007, 07:29:24 PM

Title: X10 and inverters
Post by: dahur on November 28, 2007, 07:29:24 PM
Our plan is to move to New Mexico next year or '09 to pursue our goal of energy independence.  I was wondering if anyone has any experience with X10 and the inverters used with solar and wind power applications.


Title: Re: X10 and inverters
Post by: Dan Lawrence on November 28, 2007, 07:46:20 PM
Quote from: dahur on November 28, 2007, 07:29:24 PM
Our plan is to move to New Mexico next year or '09 to pursue our goal of energy independence.  I was wondering if anyone has any experience with X10 and the inverters used with solar and wind power applications.

Not sure what you mean by inverters.  X10 works with 120 volts AC. AC power is AC power.
Title: Re: X10 and inverters
Post by: JeffVolp on November 28, 2007, 08:01:04 PM
Quote from: Dan Lawrence on November 28, 2007, 07:46:20 PM
Not sure what you mean by inverters.  X10 works with 120 volts AC. AC power is AC power.

That is not necessarily true.  Most X10 modules with transformerless power supplies need a sinusoidal input waveform to prevent damage.  Some inverters produce a 3-state waveform pseudo sinewave.  Excessive current spikes caused by the fast rise and fall times can burn out the current limiting resistor in transformerless supplies.

A true sinewave inverter includes circuity to produce a smooth waveform, and X10 devices should work fine with those inverters.

Jeff
Title: Re: X10 and inverters
Post by: dahur on November 28, 2007, 08:11:39 PM
A true sinewave inverter includes circuity to produce a smooth waveform, and X10 devices should work fine with those inverters.

Jeff
Quote

That's what I was hoping to hear. I knew we weren't going with a modified, or squarewave  inverter, heard about too many problems with appliances not running right. And if we decide to be grid-tied, I'm  sure the utilities wouldn't allow anything but a pure sinewave inverter anyways.
But I will have my AF 120 filters and the XTB with me, just in case they're needed!
Thanks.
Title: Re: X10 and inverters
Post by: Tuicemen on November 28, 2007, 11:12:42 PM
I can confirm that the modified sinewave inverters will cause problems!
I plan to upgrade the log home/cottage to a pure sine wave inverter this year, modified inverters put too much noise on the lines :(
Title: Re: X10 and inverters
Post by: Russie on December 12, 2007, 07:18:11 AM
Russie Here,
  Yes X-10 works very well with Pure sine wave Inverter. I have a Prosine 2.5 KW pure sine wave running a sub-panel which has lots of modules running with AHP and works well both when it's inverting or on the Grid !
Russie