X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: matt832 on November 22, 2010, 06:25:36 PM
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Got a headache! I've been using X10 for over 10 years, just basic Firecracker setup with timer module. Had everything working fairly well. The module on the computer started throwing Runtime C: errors so i decided it was time to upgrade got the Active home system with the CM15A USB module hoping to eliminate all the main modules I had been using for various house codes. It hasn't worked out that way.
I have a number of lamp modules that will not respond to the CM15 no matter what code I use, They will respond to the hand held remote. I added a A 10 CR234 some years ago and I'm not sure it's really working. Ive gone through any number of coupler repeaters over the years, the A10 CR234 is my 4th. I have a hunch my system was working well before due to the fact that the various main units picked up the transmitted over the air signal regardless of which phase they were on. I'm dealing with a large home, 50+ circuits and lots of noise. As I said this hasn't been an issue in the past for the most part.
I guess the first place to start is to see if I have the CR234 set up correctly. I have the J1 jumper in place to repeat SCC signals. DIP switches 2, 3, and 4 are on, all others are off. The CR234 is correctly wired into the panel. Is this the correct setup?
I'll be powering up the holiday lighting soon and hope to get this resolved before since I use a lot of lamp modules scattered all over the house.
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Are you using an SCC signal to couple two CR234s together?
Try turning off switch 2.
With 2 On you are telling it to receive at 30 degrees from zero crossing.
You may have to cycle the power to have the new settings take.
The default is all Off except 4 On. I turned 3 On in mine to disable repeat known repeated signals.
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I'd get rid of the A10 CR234 if I were you. It's NOT an X10 item and is apparently not even made any more, it seems to be from the early days of X10 since the description seems to point that way.
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Dan; The split phase CR234 and the three phase CR134 are still available.
http://www.automatedoutlet.com/Home/Couplers-Repeaters/ACT-CR234
They are also one of the X10 repeater couplers that do not cause signal firestorms with a CM15A. I have also read it handles Extended X10 commands correctly.
I had the CR134 {set to split phase} in use with mine until I updated to the XTB-IIR.
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I'd get rid of the A10 CR234 if I were you. It's NOT an X10 item and is apparently not even made any more,
sigh....
http://www.smarthome.com/4821AC/HomePro-CR234-Amplified-X10-Coupler-Repeater-w-Repeated-Signal-Detection/p.aspx
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I guess the first place to start is to see if I have the CR234 set up correctly. I have the J1 jumper in place to repeat SCC signals. DIP switches 2, 3, and 4 are on, all others are off. Is this the correct setup?
No.
Like Brian said J1 should be in place and only SW4 is ON. All others should be OFF unless you have a second repeater and then SW3 should also be ON.
Here is link to manual if you need.
http://www.smarthome.com/manuals/4821ac_man.pdf
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I'd get rid of the A10 CR234 if I were you. It's NOT an X10 item and is apparently not even made any more,
sigh....
http://www.smarthome.com/4821AC/HomePro-CR234-Amplified-X10-Coupler-Repeater-w-Repeated-Signal-Detection/p.aspx
No, A10 isn't X10. Ford Mustang ain't a horse either.
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Hey! Thanks!
Preliminary results are in and with all switches off EXCEPT #4 the problematic lamp module worked! I did do a rest on the A10 Cr234 too.
As to getting rid of the CR234, if that were to happen I'd dump X10. I've spend $$$ on coupler/repeaters over the years and at this point I'm not about to spend any more. At this point it seems to be working, the true test will come in the next week or two as I add the dozen or so lamp modules that control the holiday lighting, that has been a challenge in the past. I had to resort to moving circuit breakers around so I could get a master house control module on opposite phases so the Firecracker would control both sides of the panel, it worked mostly, but left a lot to be desired.
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Thanks for the update.
Keep us in the loop.
I suspect the biggest problem was switch 2 being ON. It shifted the CR234s receiver to thirty degrees and not zero degrees.
I had used switch 3 on to disable repeating known repeated signals, but I am not sure exactly why I had done that. ???
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Well, it's been a couple of weeks and all most all is well. 98% of the lights are triggering correctly, so I will say it's a success.
I do have an issue, I'll post here first then start a new thread if need be. Several modules that were firing correctly now for some reason have stopped. I have my Active Home Pro set to "repeat' under advanced settings, hoping that would solve the problem but it hasn't. I have to reset my hand held to the offending code and hit "ON" to get it to work, it does every time. Any suggestions?