X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: fefrie on November 25, 2008, 01:25:50 PM
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That's the best way I can describe it. I have modules that are 3-4 years old. Not old I think, but not 'new'.
I have a lamp module, and I have a wall switch module. Both are controlled witha ur73 remote control.
Sometimes it's very difficult to adjust those two units to the dimmess that I want. When using the dimming buttons, it will transition from full bright to off, and if I want a certain dimmness, I have to try and 'catch' it as it's dimming or brightening using the on or off button. There's no real rhyme or reason. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. There's no real science to it.
When using the remote, I notice that sometimes the light on the remote doesn't light up as it should according to the button pressed. Hard to describe. You'll know what Im talking about if you use this remote. On or off buttons have the light on the remote light up in short duration, for dimming they're longer. I do reset the remote by pressing the x10 button and the appliance code, and even if the light on the remote runs right in conjunction with the button i'm pressing, the lights still don't work properly.
The lights do work well with the simple on or off or all lights on or all lights off function. I'd just like to get the dimming to work consistently.
I'd rather not have to go into the fuse box in the house to wire something into the panel. I'm hoping that there is some sort of filter that I can plug into an empty socket in my room to gobble up or condition any interference in the curcit in my room, but as a last hope I would rather not get line filters for specific appliances or plugs. I hate trouble shooting and would prefer something that conditions the whole circuit and not just one appliance. Everything else all the apliance plugs on the same circiut work perfectly
Any suggestions?
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...I would rather not get line filters for specific appliances or plugs. I hate trouble shooting and would prefer something that conditions the whole circuit and not just one appliance....
...Any suggestions?
Well I believe some have had success with just a good boaster such as Jeff's XTB. However, most long term die hard X10 users will find themselves benefiting from at least a couple individual filters as well as a phase coupler. Also, stay away from repeaters. It's far better to use a true booster.
JeffVolp, one of our Expert Advisors here, has done extensive X10 signal research. His web page is full of helpful X10 information. Check out the link below.
http://jeffvolp.home.att.net/xtb_files.htm* The bottom of his page has a trouble shooting link.
(I believe this is the correct link but correct me if I'm wrong, Jeff.)
I personally have Jeff's basic XTB and a phase coupler as well as 8+ filters. Every computer and entertainment area has a UPS that is plugged into a filter. The UPS for the fish tank is also plugged into a filter. I have a filter for the cordless phone. In addition I've set up a dedicated charging station for cell phone and other batteries that is plugged into a filter. I believe in eliminating interference at it's source. It's really not possible to have "magic interference sink box" that you can stick at the end of the house and have it draw all the interference away.
*See Jeff's links in his following message.
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Thanks for the recommendation. I have been porting the files over to a new website: http://jvde.us
The X10 troubleshooting tutorials are at: http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm
Info on the XTB devices is available at: http://jvde.us/xtb_index.htm
Jeff
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Do you have any phase couplers or coupler repeaters in the mix?
What module are you using to receive the remote?
As you said the modules are a few years old. Did they ever work correctly?