X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: dmc on May 08, 2012, 03:40:41 PM
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Can I use a XPD3 or XPD3i to control an outdoor motion light
Doers the dimmer confuse the motion somehow?
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The XPD3 steals power through the load and definitely would mess up the motion sensors electronics.
The XPDI3 Needs a neutral power connection but again the dimmer circuit would mess up the motion sensors electronics.
Use a non dimming XPS3 or X10 WS13A. Both need a neutral power wire in the switch box.
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thanks. Thats what I figured about the dimmer interferce. Can you tell me what the WS12a is vs the WS13 you suggest and will that work?
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WS12A is the X10 model of the X10Pro XPD3. Dimmer type. Decorator style.
WS13A is the X10 model of the X10Pro XPS3. Relay type. Decorator style.
WS14A is the X10 model of the X10pro XPSS. Companion switch. Decorator style.
There is no X10 model for the X10Pro XPDI3.
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Im still having trouble. I want to control a motion on with a manual dacor and a set of non motion with a XPD3 from the same 2 gang switch box
The config:
2 wires, hot and neutral coming into a 2 gang switch box from a breaker.
The neutrals all connected together including the white from the XPD3. Leaving the box to lamps are 3 wires. A neutral, a black thats switched with the hot across the manual switch and a red thats ties to the xpd3 blue.
The xpd3 turns on the non motion lights but the motion wont work and there is no power until the XPD3 is activated
what wrong?
whats wrong
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The xpd3 turns on the non motion lights but the motion wont work and there is no power until the XPD3 is activated
Does the red wire feed the non motion fixture, and the motion light? If you have a multi meter, can you check the wires on the motion light to make sure it is getting power?
As Brian noted, the XPD3 steals power thought the load, so it will not work if feeding only the motion light. It will not get power through the motion light's electronics. It will probably work if the XPD3 controls the non motion fixture WITH INCANDESCENT BULBS and the motion light togeather.
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XPD3 does not have a white neutral wire. Are you maybe using a XPDI3 that does use a white neutral?
Was this circuit originally a three way with another switch also controlling the same lights?
On the lights end of the three wire cable.
Does the white connect to the neutral white wire of both the motion and regular lights?
What do the black and red wires connect to at the lights end?
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Yes you are right there was no white on the XPD3
It is not a 3 way. No other switches control.
Yes the white connect both the motion and the regular lights.
The black wire at the motion light connects to the black wire on the regular decor switch when closed and the red wire connects to the blue wire on the XPD3.
IN the switch box all the blacks are ganged
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The black wire at the motion light connects to the black wire on the regular decor switch when closed and the red wire connects to the blue wire on the XPD3.
IN the switch box all the blacks are ganged
Doesn't sound right. You wanted the XPD3 to control the motion light right?
Regardless; The XPD3 will not reliably control the motion light directly.
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Nope I gave up on controlling motion remotely. I have 2 lights in that box. Motion and regular flood.
Motion is on a black leg
Flood is on a red.
Motion will have manual switch and flood will be remote XPD3
All the whites are tied
thanks
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Flood is on a red.
Motion will have manual switch and flood will be remote XPD3
Thanks!
As long as the flood is incandescent and not CFL or LED, it should work (at least locally at the switch paddle), assuming the red wire, nuetral, and fixture is good. When you had a conventional switch in that position, the flood worked?
Sorry, it sounds like you have everything right...maybe a bad XPD3?
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Thanks a million. I though I had it right.
Im pretty sure I fried the motion but I metered and the numbers were strange even after i removed the motion.
Will check the xpd next
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Im pretty sure I fried the motion but I metered and the numbers were strange even after i removed the motion.
Sounds like you could have an open neutral. At the fixtures, can you check resistance between the white neutral and the copper ground wire? It should be very low, only a couple of ohms.