X10 Community Forum

🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: BLAINE on February 27, 2006, 05:34:51 PM

Title: wall outlet not responding.
Post by: BLAINE on February 27, 2006, 05:34:51 PM

I have a x10 pro wall outlet running a electronic valve for a pool. When the pool pump is off everything runs great. When pump is on this wall outlet will not switch on or off. I have herd about putting a capacitor on the motor to help filter noise. not sure if noise problem or what. have already installed a phase coupler on lines. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Title: Re: wall outlet not responding.
Post by: Dan Lawrence on February 27, 2006, 05:43:17 PM

Suunds like a noise problem. (I presume the pool pump is not plugged into the controlled outlet). If the pump's load is below 5 amps a XPFF plug-in noise filter will solve the noise problem. If the load is over 5 amps you will have to look for 10 amp and above X10 hard-wired filters.

Title: Re: wall outlet not responding.
Post by: Brian H on March 04, 2006, 07:00:28 PM

I second adding an X10 type filter. Since some filters actually absorb X10 signals as noise. Get one made for an X10 signal.

Title: Re: wall outlet not responding.
Post by: gil shultz on September 19, 2007, 12:36:09 AM

Good Evening,

Noise could be the culprit and using the filters will quickly let you know.  It is also possible the motor is actually attenuating your signal.  If the filters do not work then is most likely the problem.  This would require a different type of filter. You may try putting a light bulb across the motor, this sometimes kills the noise. 

If the motor is driven by SCRs or Triacs (variable speed) it probably is using a zero cross technique which could put noise right where the x10 signal rides on the power.  This would make this a high probability of you problem.

Good Luck
Gil Shultz