X10 Community Forum
🛡Home Security => Problems and Troubleshooting => Topic started by: Dr.Fiero on August 01, 2010, 08:24:02 PM
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I couldn't find another thread on this, so.... here is one!
Before we begin, the usual disclaimers apply:
Do not do this if your unit is under warranty.
Do not do this if you're not sure what you're doing.
YMMV.
No bus load of nuns, nor baskets of kittens were harmed in the making of this (it's a car guy thing - gotta say it).
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Start of by ignoring the sticker that says "no user servicable parts inside".
Then, remove the 4 indicated screws, after prying off only 3 of the rubber feet:
(the 4th is under the battery door)
(http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq346/dr_fiero/PS561/IMG_0783Medium.jpg)
Note that 3 of the screws are different than the 4th (the oddball is under the battery door):
(http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq346/dr_fiero/PS561/IMG_0784Medium.jpg)
The case simply slides apart at this point.
Note the antenna! There is no direct electrical connection to it. It's obviously attached electro-magically. :'
(http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq346/dr_fiero/PS561/IMG_0785Medium.jpg)
(http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq346/dr_fiero/PS561/IMG_0786Medium.jpg)
(yes - I know it's not)
Here's 3 views of the interior:
(http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq346/dr_fiero/PS561/IMG_0787Medium.jpg)
(http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq346/dr_fiero/PS561/IMG_0788Medium.jpg)
(http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq346/dr_fiero/PS561/IMG_0789Medium.jpg)
The front panel board is held down by 4 ubber-short screws.
(http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq346/dr_fiero/PS561/IMG_0790Medium.jpg)
I found it interesting that X10 actually put dabs of glue over these. You gotta know if they
could save the $0.05 it cost to do that, they would. Might be prudent to re-do it if you remove them.
Before you take the screws out, I'd advise pulling the mike jack off the side (like I didn't at first!)
since it partially covers the board:
(http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq346/dr_fiero/PS561/IMG_0794Medium.jpg)
Here's the front panel board as removed as I was willing to go:
(http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq346/dr_fiero/PS561/IMG_0791Medium.jpg)
Note the circular contacts area on the left, just above the piezos in the picture.
That turned out to be the villain in all this.
My original problem was that no matter what I did, the unit was stuck as being house code "A".
I spun the dial around numerous times, but it wouldn't change. So, after getting this far and finding that the
contact plate hadn't come off as I thought it might - I took a pencil eraser, and rubbed all the contacts (old PC trick for cards that are bitchy).
You can see the contacts a bit better here:
(http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq346/dr_fiero/PS561/IMG_0793Medium.jpg)
(excuse the out of focus)
You can also see the 3 foils for the front panel buttons. They're held down with tape.
On one of my motion sensors, those buttons all fell off (!) when the tape let go.
If you have a problem with your buttons feeling like there's nothing under them - that's probably your problem.
Reassembly was straight forward. Place the front case pointing down - get all the guts into the panel - don't snag the siren wires under the board (like I did!).
Screw it back down GENTLY. You only have like 2 threads to work with. Probably why the glue as mentioned above.
Reinstall the mike jack. Place the case halves together after carefully aligning everything, and stick the oddball screw in 1st (you KNOW you'll forget!).
Powered it up - no magic smoke came out - AHP's activity monitor reported..... drum roll please.... activity on "K"!! Yay! Success. :)%
(http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq346/dr_fiero/PS561/IMG_0795Medium.jpg)
So, there you go. If you ever just wanted to see what they look like inside... I did it for you, now you don't have to.
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Doc,
I love a post with pics and a happy ending! Have a +1 on me.
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Nice work >!
+1 from me also.
So it was dirty contacts on the code wheels. So dirty the simple rotating them a few times did not work.
Yes the capacitive coupled antenna is found in a few of the X10 devices. Most are power line derived power supply where the common DC is the AC Line connection. Your photos show a power transformer so I am not sure why the capacitive coupled antenna. Also looks like the RF receiver board has the newer surface munted IC.
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Thanks - I added a helpful. Now I can prevent damaging the console (if I have to operate). Thanks for your efforts.