X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: butchrobi on April 05, 2006, 08:03:40 AM
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Hello Gang, I'm a newbie! I don't know much about nothing. I did manage to wow my wife Christmas by automating the tree and outside lights. She loved it! That's a big accomplishment b/c she is the Anti-Tech. Well anyway, I got some lights up and working in the house using a Smarthome PowerLinc 1132B and a V572 All Housecode Transceiver with the antenna. Everything worked well but then I noticed I couldn't control anything on the far side of the house so I plugged in a TM751. That seemed to cure the problems. Then all of a sudden, all hell has broken out and I can't control but a few lights and sockets. My main lights which the old lady loved are no longer controllable. I'm sure I left out important information b/c I don't know much at all. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.
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Could be several things. You may have some noise\signal sucking going on. TV's, stereo,computer etc. Search the boards for this. From personal experience, when I had a small area of modules working, I didn't have much problem. I have been adding on and spreading out more in the house and have been having more problems. Part of my problem is the different phases circuits are working on, which I am hoping a phase coupler will solve and also I am putting some noise filters on some commonly known problems to see it that will clear them up.
Tuiceman and some others have posted stickys that cover most of these types of problems. If you search the boards, you will find a lot of posts concerning this problem.
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...I am hoping a phase coupler will solve and also I am putting some noise filters on some commonly known problems to see it that will clear them up....
Good suggestion.
Most homes have 2 phases. All these homes will benefit from a phase coupler. For X10 to access something on an alternate phase it has a problem. The signal sometimes has to go all the way to the transformer at the pole and back if it can make it that far. The easiest way to test if a phase coupler will help you is to turn on the drier or other 220 appliance and test. The drier will act as a phase coupler. If things start working with the drier on, you need a phase coupler. I suggest a combo of a phase coupler and a signal amplifier. Things like surge protectors suck up the X10 signal and a signal booster can help.
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Yes a phase coupler is the first thing I would look at as that will fix 90% of all X10 problems. I took my tutorial on phase coupling (http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Phase_Coupling) and ported it to X10's Wiki.
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Thanks Guys. I love this stuff! I'm planning on investing more time and money. I started buying Smarthome stuff but I noticed it's considerably higher than X-10. They've got two couplers that I want to buy. What do you think of the BoosterLinc™ Plug-In X10 Signal and the SIGNALINC PLUG-IN PHASE COUPLER that pluss into the dryer? Are they worth the investment? Thanks in advance... I love this stuff!
Butchrobi
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...They've [SmartHome] got two couplers that I want to buy. What do you think of the BoosterLinc™ Plug-In X10 Signal and the SIGNALINC PLUG-IN PHASE COUPLER that pluss into the dryer?...
The coupler I have is one that plugs in at the drier. I believe I got it from SmartHome on an auction. If you get a coupler that plugs in at the drier, make sure it's has the right number of pins for your outlet.
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What do you think of the BoosterLinc™ Plug-In X10 Signal and the SIGNALINC PLUG-IN PHASE COUPLER that plugs into the dryer? Are they worth the investment?
I would definitely invest in a phase coupler. The plug-in type have some disadvantages (see my tutorial on phase coupling (http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Phase_Coupling) for more details), but people have had success using them.
However, I would only use a BoosterLinc as a last resort since if they are installed too close to a transmitter, they can actually make that transmiter less reliable. I would first try to find the source of your problems.
I would buy some X10 noise filters though. AutomatedOutlet (http://www.automatedoutlet.com) sells the X10 Pro XPPF (http://www.automatedoutlet.com/product.php?productid=155&cat=43&page=1) 5A filter for $14.99 and the ACT AF-120 (http://www.automatedoutlet.com/product.php?productid=158&cat=43&page=1) 15A filter for $25.99 (the SmartHome FilterLincs are overpriced). They also sell various phase couplers, including the SignalLinc plug-in passive coupler (http://www.automatedoutlet.com/product.php?productid=181&cat=42&page=1).
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Thanks to all! I'll let you all know how it works.
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I'm a happy camper! The phase coupler really did the job. Thanks Gang!!!!!