X10 Community Forum

🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: neo11 on July 01, 2010, 03:37:12 PM

Title: X10 signal meter (e.g. ELK ESM1).
Post by: neo11 on July 01, 2010, 03:37:12 PM
Anyone know of a replacement for the ELK ESM1 signal monitoring device ?
Trying to troubleshoot some maddening inermittent X10 signal problems.
 This thing appears to be discontinued ( As is everything I really want lately). :'(
 Trying to avoid monkeying around with a Scope and the 120vac power line .
Title: Re: X10 signal meter (e.g. ELK ESM1).
Post by: HA Dave on July 01, 2010, 03:46:28 PM
Anyone know of a replacement for the ELK ESM1 signal monitoring device ?
Trying to troubleshoot some maddening inermittent X10 signal problems.

Jeff Volp (from here at the forum) makes one! Knightrider (also from here at the forum) purchased [and assemabled] one. He asked me to review it for thisautomatedhouse.com (http://www.thisautomatedhouse.com/XTBMReview.html) which I was happy to do. I was impressed with the unit.
Title: Re: X10 signal meter (e.g. ELK ESM1).
Post by: systemdm on July 01, 2010, 04:06:44 PM
Check this thread for links.  They still sell it or rent it......


http://forums.x10.com/index.php?topic=18494.0
Title: Re: X10 signal meter (e.g. ELK ESM1).
Post by: neo11 on July 01, 2010, 04:18:29 PM
Anyone know of a replacement for the ELK ESM1 signal monitoring device ?
Trying to troubleshoot some maddening inermittent X10 signal problems.

Jeff Volp (from here at the forum) makes one! Knightrider (also from here at the forum) purchased [and assemabled] one. He asked me to review it for thisautomatedhouse.com (http://www.thisautomatedhouse.com/XTBMReview.html) which I was happy to to. I was impressed with the unit.

Great. going to the site to check it out  :)% Looks like this is the only affordable option. Thanks!  >!
Title: Re: X10 signal meter (e.g. ELK ESM1).
Post by: Brian H on July 01, 2010, 06:29:46 PM
I also have an XTBM and I am very happy with it.
The only other X10 meter that maybe in production is much more costly. Monterrey was the name.

I also have an ELM ESM1 and though OK. The XTBM is much more versatile.

I believe Automated Outlet may still have the ESM1.
Title: Re: X10 signal meter (e.g. ELK ESM1).
Post by: neo11 on July 01, 2010, 06:42:06 PM
I also have an XTBM and I am very happy with it.
The only other X10 meter that maybe in production is much more costly. Monterrey was the name.

I also have an ELM ESM1 and though OK. The XTBM is much more versatile.

I believe Automated Outlet may still have the ESM1.


Thanks you are right the automated outlet still lists a ESM1 but if I go for a sig
meter , I think it'd be better to go with the XTBM kit. I aint afraid of a solder
pencil. Been fixing laptops for a long while. Can't be harder then that  ;D. Plus
the ESM1 price is in the same range as the XTBM. Hope XTB  has the kit parts still.
Title: Re: X10 signal meter (e.g. ELK ESM1).
Post by: Brian H on July 01, 2010, 06:59:38 PM
The XTBM s much easier to work on than a Laptop or Two Way Radio Portable.
I use to fix Two Way Radios of the mobile style. The portables where too small for me.  ;D
I went the XTBM Kit route and it was not difficult at all to assemble.
I did an XTB-IIR Kit also.

I do like all the XTBM features and the ability to send a signal at power up to trigger a repeater really helps. You can plug it in and read a signal back all at the sametime. I have also found a EarthLed EvoLux S LED bulb so noisy it reads the full scale of .99 volts noise. I am sure it is even higher than that, as it causes a .3 volt noise reading in just about the whole house. The .99 volt noise being in the same outlet as the bulb is connected to.
Title: Re: X10 signal meter (e.g. ELK ESM1).
Post by: Charles Sullivan on July 01, 2010, 09:08:33 PM

I have an Elk ESM1 and I'm not very impressed by it.  I'd definitely go with the XTBM if I needed to buy another X10 signal meter.
Title: Re: X10 signal meter (e.g. ELK ESM1).
Post by: dbemowsk on July 02, 2010, 10:20:29 AM
I too went the route of purchasing and assembling the XTBM.  I agree that it is very easy to assemble.  The information that it presents is extremely helpful and has helped me trace down several issues. 

I do not have any of the other X10 metering equipment to make comparisons, but I can say that the XTBM was well worth the $$$.
Title: Re: X10 signal meter (e.g. ELK ESM1).
Post by: neo11 on July 02, 2010, 04:07:16 PM
As always in my experience, people on these forums have a wealth of information and
experience that they freely share with newbies. I find that this makes working with
X10 technology and equipment most enjoyable and gives great answers to questions.
:)% You guys are the best  #:) . Had to give thanks and acknowledge all who have
commented about your experiences. Bottom line . I would be an idiot not to go with
the XTBM device judging from the responses I have read so far.  I don't think I am
an idiot so.. I am going with what the group says is the best device XTBM.
Thanks U all  8)
Title: Re: X10 signal meter (e.g. ELK ESM1).
Post by: dave w on July 05, 2010, 09:28:30 PM
I am going with what the group says is the best device XTBM.
Thanks U all  8)

Add my vote for the XTBM. It is a great unit.

I know it is disrespectful to bad mouth the dead, but compared to the XTBM, the old Elk meter is poo-poo. However when they first came out, back in the 90's, they were the greatest invention since the Dust Buster and the Coors "Cold Activated Can".  rofl
Title: Re: X10 signal meter (e.g. ELK ESM1).
Post by: JeffVolp on July 05, 2010, 10:48:46 PM
I bought an ESM1 back before it became an Elk product.  It was indeed a handy tool for those of us who were fighting X10 problems.  I just wish I had it when I started to expand my X10 system 20 years ago.

When the ESM1 and TesterLinc were discontinued, I originally set out to pretty much duplicate the ESM1 functionality.  However, like the way the XTB gradually evolved into the XTB-IIR, the simple LED bargraph tester evolved into the XTBM.  Since noise is such a serious problem today, much of the XTBM development went into identifying potential noise problems.

Jeff