X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: tom j on February 02, 2008, 10:14:33 PM
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Hi guys seems like I isolated a powerline noise source in my home automation system. Well it appears to be the refrigerator and possibly the furnace. Found a couple of sources on eBay with so really good prices but they come in two favors 5 and 10A so which one would be best suited for the frig, the 10A is 20 bucks opposed to 5 dollars for the 5A no need to spend more then whats necessary so I thought I would check here to find out which one would be best suited for this particular kind of appliance. Thanks for the help!
Tom j
http://search.stores.ebay.com/The-Home-Automation-Store_filter_W0QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ3QQfsnZTheQ20HomeQ20AutomationQ20StoreQQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsaselZ25902027QQsofpZ0
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I would go a minimum of 10 Amps but both have motors in them that can cause start up surges and an even heavier one maybe needed.
The Smarthome filters you are looking at both have a slow blow fuse in them. I would use the 10 amp if you are going with those choices.
ACT make a 15 Amp Plug in Filter. AF120 and I believe someone here has given us a wire in type part number also; that could be easier for the furnace.
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the 10A is 20 bucks opposed to 5 dollars for the 5A no need to spend more then whats necessary
This is certainly a case of you get what you pay for. The 5A XPPF is fine for CFLs, computers, and most other electronic devices. However, when pushed to their 5A rating they can get pretty warm and begin to smell like hot plastic. The 15A AF120 is also a good choice for high-current devices.
Jeff
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...The 5A XPPF is fine for CFLs, computers, and most other electronic devices. However, when pushed to their 5A rating they can get pretty warm and begin to smell like hot plastic. The 15A AF120 is also a good choice for high-current devices....
The master speaks... ;) [Newbies: Jeff is one of our experts here at the forum for making things work.]
I've never measured the power requirements of my refrigerator but imagine there is a label somewhere with the specs. As Brian said you need to allow for a surge so check your refrigerator. (Most likely on a label behind it.)
I had an application where a 5 amp Smarthome filter failed and it failed to an OFF state. (Anyone ever repaired one?) You do not want to have an underrated filter failing and leaving your refrigerator off.
I pretty much have switched to 10 amp Smarthome filters for just about everything in my house. I do have a power strip plugged into a 5 amp filter that I use for all my battery chargers as well as a floating 5 amp filter for my daughter's laptop when she brings it over her.
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steven r;
Most likely the 5 Amp time delay; soldered in fuse; blew on the PC Board. When the fuse goes it breaks the Line Input to the filter PC Board and the output is dead.
Anyone handy with a soldering iron and having a electronic parts source maybe able to fix it.
Added information: After looking at the PCB of the filters. The fuse maybe a Fast type. 5x20mm; Ceramic body with wire leads. Marked F5 250V or F10 250V depending on the model I was looking at. The fuse is directly on the boards Line input pad before any filtering components at all.
X10Pro makes a wire in 20 Amp that maybe easier for a furnace. http://www.x10pro.com/pro/pdf/xpf.pdf
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Thanks guys!! sorry it took me a while to get back, Well looks like 10A is the way to go so I will order one of those didn't realize they were Smarthome, guess now that you mention it they do look like that brand say do these things work pretty well??
Tom j
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The link shows a few filters. If you are looking at the FilterLinc 1626-10. Yes they are Smarthome's and I have a few myself. One is on my APC BX1000 UPS AC Input as the UPS has a noise filter in it that absorbs X10 and Insteon signals. For me; work very well and the coils [yes I take things apart] look nice and heavy and I doubt they would overheat. They do have a fuse in them for a severe overload.
Pass through outlet is also used by me for the computers automation interface.