X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: tdkehoe on October 08, 2011, 01:12:48 PM
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I searched the forum but could not find this one. My apologies if this has been covered before....
I just installed a xpdi3-iw and I test it with the remote on A-13 and it works fine. When I put it in the switch box, it stops responding to the remote. The switch works if I push it, but the remote doesn't work. So I decided to pull it back out and I still cannot get it to respond to the remote ..... I replaced it and the second one did the same exact thing.... it worked initially until I fully assembled it, then it stopped working. What am I doing to break it? Is there a reset feature?
Further amplification.... It is next to another xpdi3-iw. One is for the light and one is for the fan of a ceiling fan. The fan works perfectly every time, but the light does not. I had it working in the switch box, but as soon as I put the face plate on, it quit responding to the remote....
Thank you!!!
Troy
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You can do a power up reset. If you slide the small Power Cutoff Switch below the paddle off and back on. After waiting a few seconds.
Unique problem. Worked in the present location until the switch cover plate was installed.
This one may take some thought.
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Thank you Brian for looking at the problem.... I was able to reset (thanks to you) and get it working again.... I tried this 4 times and was gentle and made sure I wasn't cramming wires into the switch box but this time it I got it working.... However, I put a 3-way XPS3-IW nearby (kids' closet) controlled with a MS14A motion sensor and now every time the closet turns off, the XPDI3-IW turns on! And it happens in reverse.... if I turn the closet on, the light turns off! Is this what is referred to as signal collision? Would upgrading my TM751 help this?
Many thanks,
Troy
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Thank you Brian for looking at the problem.... I was able to reset (thanks to you) and get it working again.... I tried this 4 times and was gentle and made sure I wasn't cramming wires into the switch box but this time it I got it working.... However, I put a 3-way XPS3-IW nearby (kids' closet) controlled with a MS14A motion sensor and now every time the closet turns off, the XPDI3-IW turns on! And it happens in reverse.... if I turn the closet on, the light turns off! Is this what is referred to as signal collision? Would upgrading my TM751 help this?
Many thanks,
Troy
Remember that the motion sensor sends out a a Dawn/Dusk signal. Which is the motion sensors programmed Unit Code plus one. Dusk = ON. Sorta sounds like what is happening with the switch now in question. If the XPDI is addressed as the next Unit Code above the motion sensor, then the Dusk/Dawn command from the motion sensor is controlling the XPDI wall switch. This is explained in the xxxxEye instructions.
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I agree with dave w.
It does sound like you have the xpdi3 set to the motion sensors dusk dawn address and when you close the closet. It turns On the xpdi3.
Look at the xpdi3s instructions. You may have set the switch to almost 0% brightness and it does have a resume level feature and was actually going On to a very low level.
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Hmmmm.... That makes sense as to why this may be happening because it is the next highest number. However, I have tried both dusk/dawn settings (night only and always) and the same thing happens with both settings. I also have another lamp module that turns on when a non-X-10 (standard) light switch is turned off. Just to clarify, I am using the MS14A in a closet which doesn't care about day or night.... Am I using the wrong MS? Why would the non x-10 light switch send an "on" signal to the lamp module?
Thanks!
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the xpdi switch is full bright.... I guess I should change the address of the light (it scares me to open it because of the issues i had getting it working) and see if that is the culprit and just not put anything on the (+1) address.... Will let you know... still wonder about the standard light switch off sending an "on" signal to an X-10 module....
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In the MS14A Dusk Dawn sensor is always enabled. The always or night only setting is for motion detection only.
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Comparison_of_All_Motion_Sensors
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Light_Turns_On_at_Night
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Standard light switch? Not an X10 one?
Is this a three way setup and you did not use the companion switch?
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That was it... I changed the address, works great!.... Thank you both!
The other standard light switch to off (single pole) turns on one of my lamp modules, though..... I am thoroughly confused on that one! Any ideas?
Also, what if I put the MS to address 16? Does it roll to 1? Or is that a way I can get around burning that one address.... Or is it easier to buy the right MS?
Thank you again! You guys are awesome!
Troy
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Yes if motion is 16 dusk dawn rolls back to 1.
Only motion sensor where you can disable the dusk dawn sensor is the MS16A.
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/MS16A_Active_Eye_Motion_Sensor_Setup
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Also, what if I put the MS to address 16? Does it roll to 1? Or is that a way I can get around burning that one address.... Or is it easier to buy the right MS?
Thank you again! You guys are awesome!
Troy
ftp://ftp.x10.com/pub/manuals/ms13a-ms14a-is.pdf
1. It rolls over.
2. On the MS14 the Dusk/Dawn function can not be programmed OFF. However the simple fix is to open the MS14A and wrap a layer of black electrical tape around the CdS sensor (the gizmo that detects light and dark) so it is blind. The MS14 will then never send a command on the plus one Unit Code number.
With the motion sensor cover off and looking at the component side of the PC board: in the center of the board is the PIR motion sensor IC (small metal can, with a glass window in the top). The CdS sensor sets slightly below and to the right. It looks like a blob of plastic with a squiggly line down the middle, on quarter to half inch leads. Put black tape over the face. A one inch square piece of tape should cover completely. Make sure the edges or corners of the tape do not cover the widow of the motion sensor element.
3. The MS 16A can have the Dusk/Dawn function programmed to off, but I don't know if X10 has any more.
[the nimble fingered Brian, beats the old crippled geezer again, but I am sending anyway because it took me 20 minutes to bang it out] rofl
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Could be worse dave w.
In the UDI forums where they support my ISY99i controller.
If I take too long composing a message. When I try and post it. I get a please log in request again and the whole message I composed so nicely, is GONE. B:(
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:-*
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I am having a similar issue. I put in my XPdI3-IW switch into my pool box. The lights were previously just on the breaker directly. That works, but after setting up my two lights, one works, the other worked for about 5 minutes, when I turned it off and then back on from the remote, it would not come back on. I went to the switch and noticed a strange smell, turn off the power and removed the switch. It was connected correctly, not sure what happened.
Could I have running the switch? I am using the Black/White and Blue wires, the red wire does not have anything on it, I just put a wire nut at the end so it would not touch anything. My other switch is a XPDI3-W, not the -IW. could that be a difference. it only has the three wires?
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I believe the -IW indicated it came with two paddle sets. White and Ivory.
Are the lights incandescent or another type?
If they are not incandescent. Are they rated to be run on a dimmer control?
How many watt of power are the problem lights drawing?
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I am having a similar issue. I put in my XPdI3-IW switch into my pool box. The lights were previously just on the breaker directly. That works, but after setting up my two lights, one works, the other worked for about 5 minutes, when I turned it off and then back on from the remote, it would not come back on. I went to the switch and noticed a strange smell, turn off the power and removed the switch. It was connected correctly, not sure what happened.
Could I have running the switch? I am using the Black/White and Blue wires, the red wire does not have anything on it, I just put a wire nut at the end so it would not touch anything. My other switch is a XPDI3-W, not the -IW. could that be a difference. it only has the three wires?
The "I" means inductive so switch can be used on incandescent AND inductive loads like Malibu lights(transformer) or ceiling fans, although most transformers do not like to be dimmed. If the white switch wire went to the neutral line, it sounds like you have it wired correctly, so is the light an incadescent bulb, not LED or CFL? If incandescent, it is probably just a bad switch.