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[phatfield]

Happy New Year all,

I am new to X10 and have learned so much from reading posts in this forum.    I have a couple of  WS467s that I haven't been able to control via my CM15a and Active Home Pro (BTW thanks to all who suggested installing 3.228).  While waiting for my phase coupler/repeater to arrive, I decided to play around a little with a TM571 module and RF macros.  Success!  Using a macro, I can I can control lights to the "problem" room in my house without the need for the phase coupler by using an RF macro to send an ON or OFF command to my WS467s.

I have one final issue to resolve.  If a light in my "problem" room has been dimmed at the switch, my macro turns on the light - but only at it's dimmed level.  Boiler posted an excellent tutorial on newer WS467s (which I have set as LM14a's) but I still cannot seem to get these to full 100% (or 99%) bright.   I have enabled "On in place of Bright 100%" and tried setting the RF macro to absolute but it still doesn't help.  Sending repeated relative bright commands does increase the brightness.  I have read that extended codes might do the trick but is it possible to send extended codes over RF commands?  I am guessing not - but I have seen some pretty creative workarounds on these boards for solving problems.

Any suggestions you folks might have on being able to get these lights back to full would be appreciated.  I've got to say, the setup might get a little frustrating at times, but this X10 stuff is a blast! 

Thanks in advance!

Patrick

[Mellowmark]

The resume dim command is most likely your culprit.  Are you using a remote to dim or the wall switch itself. If you set the resume dim to full on and use a remote to dim the light when needed, they will most likely come on at full bright when a simple on command is used. 

 I have the same issues with the resume dim command, and wish I could find some other alternatives because getting the wife to use the remotes is a big problem around here.

[phatfield]

Hi Mellowmark,

The light is being dimmed at the switch.  I had read just enough about resume dim to figure it might be the culprit.  It's weird - the next room over uses the same switch (only NOT using a TM571 and RF macros to activate) and timers are working fine.  I think a coupler/repeater will allow me to take the TM571 out of the equation and solve my problems, just hate dropping the $100 (I'm opting for the plug-in coupler/repeater).

On the other hand, if this is as bad as it gets, I'll be more than happy.   I am actually scoring WAF points every time I unveil a new feature in Active Home Pro!!

Thanks so much for your reply.

Patrick

[Mellowmark]

Yeah that's my problem too. Dimming the light at the switch is setting the resume dim. Maybe you could use a remote in the room instead, a stick on or some other unit, that will leave the preset alone.

There is another option maybe this will help.
replace the switch with an xpt controller use the switch somewhere else and install an in line device on the light.  sounds like the switch location is convenient. An xpt will give you some added benefit like four address controll. 

I had a three way that I replaced one switch in the leg with an xpt, now I can control the light and two lamp modules in the same room from one location.

[aberson]

Hi folks, been using X10 for years but new to the forum. 

Don't want to hijack the thread, but I'm having a similar problem, so I thought I'd post here.  It might not be the same.  I'm using some "new" LM465's from ebay.  I'm controlling them from a TM517 and an old palm pad.

When I turn these "on" they softstart ramp up to 50% (measured 66 Volts).  They also do this if I turn the lamp on from its switch ("local control").  Even if I use the "dim up" command from the palm pad, they never go above 66V (this seems different than the original post).  To me it seems that from the factory the dim-preset is set at 50% (silly but understandable) and the "dim up" command on the palm-pad won't get it above 50% for some reason (makes no sense).

Thoughts?

I have an olllld CM11a that I might break out and see if I can pretend they are LM14a and set them to 99%...  but haven't gotten that far yet.

Adam

[Mellowmark]

Aberson

I am not sure about the tm751 how it sends commands but i have to think that it will not get  past the preset dim of the switch.  If you press and hold the button on the switch it will dim down even lower, so do it until it stops then do it again and it will brigthen.  Then hold until it gets to full brightness, this should reset the preset. Or better yet read this http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Newer_WS467s_and_Preset_Dim

The directions here explain how to deal with the wall switches directly.  It helped me understand a little better. Just remember that every time you press and hold the switch you are presetting the dim. It may or may not be a good thing.

[phatfield]

Hi Adam,

I'm kind of new to this so I certainly don't have the answers but I did break out my PalmPad and tried to recreate your situation but couldn't.  Using the PalmPad and the TM571, a newer LM465 went to full on - even if previously turned off at a very dim level.   I also tried this in my basement office with a different LM465 with the same results.  The WS467 went to resume dim, but I was able to over-ride it using the PalmPad.   I'm not sure why you can't get pass the 50% mark.  Maybe Mellowmark has some ideas?

For my original issue, I noticed that when using the PalmPad to dim or brighten a WS467,  the light level stepped in noticeable increments.  I think for now I will just send 9 or 10 RF "brighten by 99%" macro commands to get my lights to bright - regardless of where they were turned off at.

I'll be anxious to hear the results of your CM11a test.

Good luck, Adam.

Patrick

[phatfield]

Sorry...Mellowmark must type faster than me.....

Patrick

[Knightrider]

Speaking of LM's......

I just purchased an 8 pack of the newer style and have some of them dispersed around here.  To me, they all work just as good as the old RS units I purchased in '88.  In fact, I'm not seeing any effects of the resume dim command when running on timers with AHP v.2.236, but that's another story.

For Christmas,  I bought my mother a SS13A kit which included a TM751 and two LM465's.  I put this in here bedroom with the LM's on a lamp on either side of the bed.

Here's the catch......

She called me yesterday saying that her lamps were now too dim to read by.  I tried all the usual stuff by telling her to dim them all the way down from the SS13 and back up to no avail.   She says the bulbs are both 60watt incandescent.  The best I ca do is swap out the LM's for AM's which will make her happy.   

Anyone have a clue on this?

I'm guessing that the 66v measured was a resultant of the cycles being cut and the resolution on the meter being used. 

I don't notice my lamps being any dimmer, but every light in this house has been on x10 for many years.

[Brian H]

The new LM465s as you may have noticed don't dim to 0%. Looks to me maybe 25% to 30%.
If you try an On command it stays at the level it is at.
Now if you turn it Off then send a dim command. It goes to full on rapidly not soft start and then starts dimming down.
I tried mine with both a 60 watt and a 200 watt bulb. Both acted the same.
They should have brightened up if it was at a dim level with a brighten command or turn it off then send an on. Strange.

[Knightrider]

Well now, that's totally weird....

I got my 8 pack on Dec 23 and the SS13A kit with two LM's on the following Monday.  These units will dim all the way down and do not the last dim level after turning them off and then on.

Date code from one I just pulled from the box: 09K47

Could this be a new headache in the making?

At home it's AHP 2.236 with the occasional Icon RF xmission.  Not using the new units with any of my other controllers.

At mom's it's strictly the SS13 with a Tm751

[Brian H]

Part of the problem could be my On statement. It should have said an On to a dimmed module didn't turn it full on, until an off was sent first.

My Date Code: 08A01 Soft Start LM465s do not dim to 0%; maybe 30%. Sounds like another undocumented change; with no new part number or Date Code of the change data disclosed. 

I wounder how they handle an All Lights On that the security Consoles send out? Maybe a fix for the lights not flashing correctly on an alarm.