X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: Hemingray on June 26, 2008, 12:23:09 PM
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Recently, (just a few of days ago), for some unknown reason, ALL lamp/wall switch modules have been randomly turning on, as if an ALL ON command was issued. This has happened several times both during the day, and in the middle of the night (happened once at 4:30AM). I'm not sure if anything was added in the house that would be causing such a problem. Any ideas? I'm still able to fully control my system and turn the lights back off.
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Any Security System in the home?
Any chance a X10 remote is stuck in a chair or somewhere that a button could be intermittently being pushed? We had someone find an old remote in a drawer that was going bonkers.
If you have any controllers like a Minicontroller you may want to unplug it and then let it reset. Then power it back up and see if it helps.
Neighbor with a NEW X10 Toy?
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No security systems or neighbors with X10 (no neighbors at all in fact, out in the woods)
I have my TM751 unplugged, suspecting it as the culprit, came home from work tonight to every light in the room being turned on. Only other controllers on the line an old BSR command center (similar to the maxi), and a MT10A, but afaik, the MT10A is only set to use unit codes 5-8.
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I have an old Sears controller (early 80's) that has a nasty habit of getting it's buttons stuck. Sometimes this causes me a world of problems. You might want to check out that old BSR for the same thing.
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Whenever unexplained, random stuff starts happening, I dump the CM15a memory, unplug it, take out its batteries, have a beer, then put it back together, and download the macros & timers. Problem(s) solved.
(Or, I've written a bad macro)
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No security systems or neighbors with X10 (no neighbors at all in fact, out in the woods)
I have my TM751 unplugged, suspecting it as the culprit, came home from work tonight to every light in the room being turned on. Only other controllers on the line an old BSR command center (similar to the maxi), and a MT10A, but afaik, the MT10A is only set to use unit codes 5-8.
Start isolating. Try unplugging controllers and see if problem stops. If you have the CM15A and AHP, do as "PJ guy" suggested and clear the memory.
FWIW Are all your modules old? X10 back in the 80s (BSR days) had problems with all modules coming on after a power outage or brown out. They fixed the problem by putting MOVs (surge suppressors) in modules to clamp down the powerline noise. I remember my HVAC would sometimes cause everything to come on. Newer modules are pretty resistant.
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All the modules are newer (my BSR modules have failed on me).
Don't have a CM15a, and my BSR don't seem to have stuck buttons.
However, looked behind my TV stand and found my old, forgotten CM11a still plugged in! Maybe this is the culprit. Just unplugged it, hopefully this fixes it
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The CM11a had to be the culprit, since you said you don't have AHP/CM5A, you must have had Active Home and the CM11a still had the old timers/macros in it. Don't just unplug it, toss it, especially if you no longer have the software.
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Hey all
Found that the CM11a was indeed the culprit! Unplugged that sucker and boom, no more random all ons at 3AM.
I still have the software somewhere around here, but as my 11a's serial link is flaky, I may consider AHP/CM15A.
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If your PC is running WindowsXP or Vista, Active Home/CM11A tends not to work since it's a serial device. If you don't need any of the plug-ins for AHP, get it. It works fine under XP or Vista as long as you don't add any plug-ins. Considering the problems you had, it's best to create all the modules and possible macros in AHP.