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[William3]

Hi to All,
I have been installing x10 over the last few months in our Southeastern North Carolia Home. Learning and doing a little bit at a time and making progress OK with research and trail & error, but now I have hit a road block. I am hoping you more experience people can help me.

I have installed a 55 gal Aquarium and the high output 21" 65 watt Fluorescent  10,000 K; times 2, for a total of 130 watts light is interfering with my x10 system and cannot itself be controlled by a module.

When the light is on the x10 does not operate, what is on, stays on and off stays off. When I cut off the aquarium fixture everything works normally.

I have a main power panel and a sub panel. On the main power panel I have installed an XPCR repeater. (This has been working fine and still does when the aquarium light is off)

I first installed a XPPF in the light fixture power line [at the fixture] and that did not correct the problem.
Now I have installed a XPNR in the Fixture power line [at the fixture] and still the same problem.

Do I have to "chunck" (that is a southern term) the new light fixture and go "fetch" (another southern term) a new one or is there hope out there?

After I get this noise situation solved will a 3 pin Appliance AM466 module operate the aquarium fixture or should I use something else?

Ya'll have a Great Day...
William3

[Bill H]

I have learned, through other helpful members on this site, that filters can be different. I used the XPPF filer on my florescent lights with success, but another filter, ACT AF120, did nothing to help my interference problem. Perhaps, however, it will work for you since the lights and the AF120 filter's notch frequency is different.

[JeffVolp]

The XPNR is a 120KH bandpass filter.  It is really only effective against broadband noise sources, such as the arcing brushes in the universal motors of small appliances.  It will do nothing to block noise produced by an electronic ballast running near 120KHz.

The XPPF is a low-pass filter.  It will also attenuate broadband noise sources.  However, a low-pass filter will not totally block a powerful noise source running at 120KHz.  A notch filter like the Leviton 6287 may be more effective in that application.

My guess is that your fluorescent light is running very near the 120KHz X10 carrier frequency.  You might try a second XPPF in the line for more attenuation.  Or, try a Leviton 6287 in-line filter right at the fixture.

Jeff

[William3]

Thanks,
I'll get these suggestions in the mail amd will get back as to their sucess.
After I get this noise deal fixed will the 3 pin Appliance AM466 module operate the aquarium fixture or should I use something else?

Thanks to All,
William3

[Dan Lawrence]

An AM466 is fine, but if the load is not too big, a 2-pin Appliance Module (AM14A) is fine.

[Bill H]

I'd stick with the 3-pin to maintain the ground in an aquarium environment.

[William3]

***NOTE***
Smarthome.com & SmarthomeUSA.com IS NOT the same company.
I got help from Smarthome.com, they are good.

Hi There! It's me again. Been so long I bet you thought I had fixed the problem and had forgot about you all. Nope, I'm back.

After the initial round of posts, I started by ordering the ACT AF120 Noise Filter to try it first and if it failed to move on to the other suggestions from there.  That same day 5/29/09 I ordered the ACT AF 120 from SmarthomeUSA.com.  Well as of this date 6/28/09 I have still not received the item.  I emailed many times trying to get info and status of the order. I then went to calling only to get get recordings that no one was available to take my call. I got a voice mail at tech support and left a message which was returned a few days later telling me that the items were in the mail and I should have them no later than the following week and that he would email me the tracking info.  Well, no email, no tracking info and no arrival of the two ACT's the following week.  This past Friday I notified my Credit  Card of the failure to get the items and to cancel payment. So that is where I've got with SMARTHOMEUSA.COM (Beware).

Back to the Aquarium Light Fixture / x10 problem:
While waiting for the arrival of the "never-to-show-up" ACT AF 120's from SMARTHOMEUSA.COM a good thing happened. One of the two ballast that controlls the 4 21 inch 65 watt compact bulbs went out. The ballast are KARO Electronic Ballast that operates two bulbs.  Tech support has sent me two single ballast to replace the one.  I wired them in last night AND GUESS WHAT... No x10 interference with those ballast.  I still have to get the other Electronic ballast exchanged but this is the solution to the problem.

Thanks for the help. Thanks for the advice. Thanks for the input.
I'm a newbie to this x10 stuff and am sure I have many more questions as I go along as soon as I find out what the questions are.

Have a Blessed Day.
William
Southeastern North Carolina, USA, Earth

[Brian H]

Thanks for the update.

[Knightrider]

It should be noted that www.smarthome.com and www.smarthomeusa.com are not the same company.