X10 Community Forum
🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Troubleshooting Automation Problems => Topic started by: JeffVolp on March 01, 2018, 06:41:13 AM
-
I had been doing some noise testing, and out of curiosity I decided to compare the various X10 filters I have. The testing was done on an isolated lab circuit with about a 50 foot electrical run to the panel. Testing was done using a X10 Maxi Controller as the signal source, and the infamous Lumoform LED light as the noise source. Readings were made with the XTBM-Pro, which measures noise just before, during, and just after the X10 transmission window.
There were two surprises. One was how poorly the 20A XPF filter performs. It is essentially a severe signal sucker itself, and does not do well blocking noise from the LED light. And I was surprised that the 15 amp XTB-F15 performed significantly better than the 15 amp ACT F120, both from a signal loading and a noise rejection standpoint.
I knew the X10 XPPF was a good filter from prior testing. This test confirms the XTB-F10 performed as well for noise rejection, and the XPPF actually loaded down the Maxi Controller more than the XTB-F10. The XTB-F15 doesn't do quite as well because it uses lower value inductors to handle the higher current.
Rating X10 Level Pre X10 Window Post X10
No Filter ----- 8.12V .03V .99V .98V
XPPF 5A 7.32V .01V .01V .01V
XPF 20A 3.32V .01V .15V .14V
AF120 15A 6.20V .01V .04V .04V
XTB-F10 10A 7.88V .01V .01V .01V
XTB-F15 15A 6.88V .01V .02V .02V
Jeff
-
Interesting post Jeff. Except for the XPF, I have all of the above plus some Smarthome 1626-10 10 amp filters which claim 49.2db attenuation. This will help in selecting the right one when needed - hopefully not soon. I have some installed on a couple of laser printers and UPS units. Thankfully, the LEDs in the overheads that came with the house have not been troublesome. I used to have them on TVs but the ones we have now, 2013-14 Samsung/LG/Sharp models, cause no problems (knock on woodgrain!).
The Smarthome one is the only one that's ever blown a fuse, which is a soldered in slo-blo easily replaced. I now use an XTB-F15 on that printer.
-
I use primarily SmartHome plus a couple XPF filters. If you get a SmartHome filter at some point, it would be interesting to see how it compares. I know the 5A and 10A versions are identical outside of the fuse that's soldered in place, so either one would be useful and should provide identical results.
-
If you get a SmartHome filter at some point, it would be interesting to see how it compares.
Sorry, I don't have any SmartHome filters, and see no reason to purchase one just for comparison.
Jeff
-
I understand. I was just suggesting that since you sometimes have second hand equipment on your site that I assumed was from other users. I figured if that were the case, you might run across one of these versions. No problem either way. Having a side-by-side comparison of the typically used filters is a really nice resource!