X10 Community Forum

🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: JimC on June 05, 2011, 06:25:00 AM

Title: DRYER NOISE
Post by: JimC on June 05, 2011, 06:25:00 AM

We just purchased a new cloth dryer that is interfering with my X10 signals coupling from one phase to another. I currently use a capacitor in the breaker box for coupling and this has worked fine for many years. The dryer plugged in and turned off stops all coupling between the phases.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Thanks,

Jim

Title: Re: DRYER NOISE
Post by: Brian H on June 05, 2011, 07:04:35 AM

New dryer maybe has electronic controls?

I am thinking the manufacturer added a capacitor from the Line powering the electronics to Neutral. Maybe from both Lines to Neutral.
To prevent electronic noise from being radiated on the power lines. The capacitor would act like a signal sucker.
Normally we would reccommend a filter on the power cord but would be hard to find a filter for the dryers total power rating.

Possible fixes.
Add a wired in filter inside the dryer for the electronics. Not best choice as warranty maybe violated.

Change the phase coupling cap to a full blown repeater.
The XTB-IIR blasts signals on the lines and may have enough output to overcome the large noise or signal sucking from the dryers electronics.
Though a lower cost XPCR from many of the EBay daelars is in the low $20 range.

Hopefully others that have overcome this issue may have added data for you.

Title: Re: DRYER NOISE
Post by: JimC on June 10, 2011, 06:06:19 PM

Thanks Brian,  #:)

I ordered a XPCR from eBay for $14. Installed it today and it seems to have taken care of my problem.

Jim