X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: SteveChristian on December 14, 2013, 08:58:44 PM
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I have a home that has 2 power panels, each having 2 phases, and I am trying to couple all 4 phase for x10 signalling but can't seem to find the right combination to solve my problem. When I put a meter on one panel, I see the signalling fine but when I test the other, I do not see the signal. I have a XPCR on the panel that is connected to my controller. Any help?
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I have a home that has 2 power panels, each having 2 phases, and I am trying to couple all 4 phase for x10 signalling but can't seem to find the right combination to solve my problem.
Unless you have your own transformer (uncommon in the city... not so uncommon in more rural areas) you should get sufficient signal on both panels. But apparently (transformer or not) you aren't. If I assume that each panel has its own electrical meter (installed for separate billing). Then you might have to setup two separate (although maybe not so equal) systems... one for each panel.
But I would have guessed... that if both panels actually share phases from the utility line... one XPCR at one panel and BOTH phases bridged on BOTH panels would/should work. But if that isn't the case... you might have to treat the setup as two separate setups.
But do a little searching here at the forum 1st. You certainly aren't the first two panel user.
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Several of my customers have had a similar configuration. Since there is no measurable signal at the second panel, that could be due to either two separate long runs from a common point or a serious "signal sucker" at the second panel.
The first thing to do is to check whether you have some devices powered by the second panel that are severely loading down the signal. If so, you should isolate them with appropriate X10 filters.
If that doesn't solve the problem, you could add two X10 signal couplers between the panels. This can be done with a 3-conductor Romex feed from one panel to the other, routed as direct as possible. Then add a pair of XPCP's at the second panel, one on each phase, to couple the X10 signal into a new 240V breaker at that panel.
Another solution is to boost your signal level with the XTB-IIR at the first panel so there is adequate signal left after making the round trip through the utility feeds. One of my customers is controlling X10 devices in a second home sharing the same utility transformer.
Jeff