X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: Red Ryder on September 17, 2009, 11:46:08 AM
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I have a UM506 in my bedroom plugged into a regular outlet and set to alarm when any of several MS14A sensors downstairs go off during the night.
To eliminate false alarms during the day, I unplug it in the morning. Then at night I plug it in when we go to bed.
Pretty awkward I know!
I have a spare lamp module and thought I could just turn it on at night with my remote control and power the UM506 through it.
It's not working. Maybe the codes don't go through lamp module??
The module and alarm work fine separately, but not together.
Is there a way to use X10 technology to turn the UM506 on & off remotely?
Thanks.
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Use an Appliance Module, not a Lamp Module.
The Lamp Module should only be used on incandescent lamps. The Lamp Module by nature has a very distorted output which does not bother incandescent bulbs, but can harm electronics. Does your Universal Module still work?
No the X10 Lamp Module will not effectivly pass the powerline commands, the Appliance Module will.
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Thanks very much for your quick and helpful response.
I had the idea that the appliance module was just a beefed up version of the lamp module.
Fortunately, I didn't damage my UM506, and having temporarily borrowed an appliance module from another location I'm in business with my alarm sounder.
I added a night light to the appliance module outlet so I can tell when the UM is powered on. It is a shame X-10 doesn't spring for a power-on indicator of some kind.
Thanks again for your help.
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The Appliance Module uses a mechanical on and off switch the Lamp Modules does not.