X10 Community Forum

🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Topic started by: debbie on December 17, 2005, 02:51:21 AM

Title: X10 Mini Controller and Christmas lights
Post by: debbie on December 17, 2005, 02:51:21 AM
I installed my Christmas lights using three
3-pin applicance modules and an X10
controller. All worked beautifully for two
weeks and then all of the sudden I lost
control of two of the three modules. I
plugged in the mini-controller to the same
outlet that I have the 3-pin and it worked.
Now, when I moved back to where the
controller belongs and plug it in, nothing
is working. Although somehow my pool light
cam on which is in an entirely different
zone. Now 4 hours later everything is
working all right including one of the
original modules that was not previously
working. Can someone explain to me in
laymens terms what might have happened?
And, how to troubleshoot if it happens
again. Thanks!
Title: Re: X10 Mini Controller and Christmas lights
Post by: Brian H on December 17, 2005, 06:46:39 AM
May have been some powerline noise masking
the signal. Since moving the controller; as
a test; to the modules outlet made it work.
If it happens again you may want to try
unpluging electronic stuff like TVs
Computers etc. and see if that helps.
Do you have a phase coupler? Most homes are
wired on a split phase. About half the home
is on each phase. If the appliance modules
are on one and the controller on the other.
The signals maybe weak and extra noise may
have been enough to temporarily stop the
operation.
Title: Re: X10 Mini Controller and Christmas lights
Post by: dave w on December 20, 2005, 12:12:28 PM
Debbie,
What did you turn OFF or unplug in those
four hours, or what turned OFF automatically
in those four hours?