X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: deadcat5 on July 21, 2006, 12:14:53 AM
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Hello All!
This is my first post on the board, but I've been reading alot of the posts here and haven't seen anyone else with my rather bizarre set of difficulties.
For several years now I have used PR511 units at the front and back of my house with a great deal of success. In the past few months, things have gotten very flukey. The front unit wouldn't go on at all until I switched it off and let it "reset" itself for about five to ten minutes before switching it back on again. I would have to repeat this reset process as often as every few days. When I would come home from work in the afternoon (when it was light outside), all of the inside lights that I had on my X 10 system would be on, and they would go on (by themselves) quite frequently, even if I turned them off manually with the control unit. Even weirder, as of late when the front spotlight IS set off, the indicator lights and chime unit that are supposed to go off with it do not. At other times the indicator lights for both the front AND back and the chime will go on when the outside lights themselves have not gone on.
What makes this so baffling is that I have tried to solve this in all the logical ways I can think of to no avail. I have a phase coupler and amplifier already. Everything is filtered that needs to be. Since it is the front unit that is acting up the most, I switched it with the back unit, and the front unit still caused the most problems!
Could I be getting massive interference from somthing one of my neighbors has? Any suggestions? Thanks.
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...For several years now I have used PR511 units at the front and back of my house with a great deal of success. In the past few months, things have gotten very flukey...
...What makes this so baffling is that I have tried to solve this in all the logical ways I can think of to no avail...
Could I be getting massive interference from somthing one of my neighbors has? Any suggestions?
From what you've posted thus far, it sounds like you're "Flying Blind", and, IMO, you cannot successfully maintain an X10 system if you're "In The Dark"! :o :-[ ;D
If you're serious about X10, then you need some "Tools"...
...When I would come home from work in the afternoon (when it was light outside), all of the inside lights that I had on my X 10 system would be on, and they would go on (by themselves) quite frequently, even if I turned them off manually with the control unit.
Are these lights associated with the 8 addresses (4 Dusk, 4 Motion) that the PR511 can control?
...Even weirder, as of late when the front spotlight IS set off, the indicator lights and chime unit that are supposed to go off with it do not. At other times the indicator lights for both the front AND back and the chime will go on when the outside lights themselves have not gone on.
It sounds to me like you either have a neighbor who just learned about X10 *OR* you have a "Runaway Transmitter". So, back to the "Tools"...
- First, you need a "Monitor Log". A CM11A, a CM15A (if you're up to it ;) ) or even a TW523 connected to a PC. You need to "SEE" what kinds of signals are being received by your modules (so you can then determine WHAT is sending them)
. - Next, you need a "Signal Strength Meter". The ELK is my choice as the best "Bang-For-The-Buck". With this, you can see if the PR511 signal is actually reaching the chime and the indicator lights
. - Third, if you haven't done so already, you need a "Circuit Diagram" of your home's electrical wiring per Circuit Breaker (and therefore, phase) so that you can determine if you have a phase problem (even with your coupler and amplifier) or a major SIGNAL SUCKER or NOISE GENERATOR that you've missed
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Read my X10 FAQ (click on my Sig LINK) and read my "X10 Checklist" post.
Then, post again with more details. :)
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...If you're serious about X10, then you need some "Tools"...
...you need a "Signal Strength Meter". The ELK is my choice as the best "Bang-For-The-Buck"....
Is ESM1 (http://www.smarthomeusa.com/Shop/X10-Test-Equipment/Item/ESM1/) the meter you're talking about?
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I think we are missing something here. What changed? Did you add a battery powered motion sensor? The day/night funtion could be causing problems. Do you also use a mini timer? could it's settings have been "played with"? Are you using active home? Has there been a lighting storm? Too many questions.
Before I spent too much time or money,,,if it was my system... I would take it apart change the house code... and set it back up. Sounds like a fun Saturday morning.
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Dave_x10_L is right. Things have been going good then pow... problems. You may want to take things out of the system. For example pull the chime and check the system. Maybe disconnect everything but one PR511 and see if it works OK. If it doesn't then turn to the house and look at what might have been added to cause the problem. It almost sounds like something in your system might be starting to fail since its been in use for several years.
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Up to an hour ago, I was in the same boat. For one reason or another, my Pr511 went on and I was unable to shut it off. Additionally. I was unable to control ANY of my lights and appliance module, even by plugging a controller into an outlet right next to where one of the modules was plugged in! Then, I had the sense to check the communications log and discovered that something or someone was transmitting a steady stream of 'ALL LIGHTS ON' signals down the powerline. After much consternation, fooling about and by process of elimination, I narrowed it down to my 'ONE FOR ALL Command Center (URC-3000)'. Not sure why after all this time, (4 years) the silly thing decided to become a nuisance.
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...Then, I had the sense to check the communications log and discovered that something or someone was transmitting a steady stream of 'ALL LIGHTS ON' signals down the powerline...
Having an ELK ESM1 X-10® Signal Meter (http://www.elkproducts.com/products/esm1.htm) always plugged in would be a TREMENDOUS aid in situations such as yours. ;)