Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length

Author Topic: When my outdoor sconces are on, my back yard light won't work  (Read 2789 times)

MaxxSpazz

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Helpful Post Rating: 0
  • Posts: 13

Configuration is like this:

  • G1 = Security console and Security Light
  • G2 = Overhead light in office
  • G3 = Back yard light on socket rocket
  • G4 = Garage sconces
  • G5-G9 are empty
  • G10 = Motion detector on West side of garage; triggers macro to turn on G4
  • G11 = Empty; motion detector on G10 is set for dusk-to-dawn operation only and no devices are set to G11
  • G12 = Motion detector on East side of garage; triggers macro to turn on G4

I am having two problems:
1.  When G4 is on, G3 does not work.
2.  The motion detector on G10 seems to get triggered a LOT; I have physically walked in front of both G10 and G12 and they both appear to be working correctly; but when I'm inside the house I hear the switch (WS13A) getting triggered every few minutes.  When I look outside, nothing seems to have been responsible for triggering it.  Not sure why this would be happening only on G10 when G12 seems to be working without apparently false motion detections.  I can verify in ActiveHome Pro's log that G10 is the motion detector that is constantly getting triggered.  When I review the log it appears to happen most frequently between the hours of 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. then it stops for most of the night and starts again around 5 a.m.  At this point, I'm just guessing that it's being caused by tree movement from the wind since there is a tree near G10 and there isn't one near G12...but that's just a guess.

Any ideas or suggestions for handling these problems?

Thanks,
Mike


Logged

dave w

  • Community Organizer
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Helpful Post Rating: 139
  • Posts: 6116
Re: When my outdoor sconces are on, my back yard light won't work
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2010, 02:48:47 PM »

What kind of device is G4, a Wall Switch or Lamp Module? What kind of bulbs are in G4? incandescent? CFL? LED?
Could be a noise problem from the sconces. If you have incandescent bulbs in the sconces,  brighten the sconces until full brightness. Does G3 work now?

Wind usually does not trigger motion sensors at night since usually the wind trigger is interuptions to sunlight from wind, although if the sensors can see a light source through the leaves at night it might cause falsing. What have you done to trouble shoot?

Try covering, masking, etc the motion sensor for a day or two and see if you still get G10 triggers.
Logged
"This aftershave makes me look fat"

MaxxSpazz

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Helpful Post Rating: 0
  • Posts: 13
Re: When my outdoor sconces are on, my back yard light won't work
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2010, 02:58:12 PM »

G4 is a WS13A wall switch; the bulbs in the sconces are LED and the WS13A is rated for LED, halogen, etc.

I have not done any trouble-shooting on G10; but I will try masking the sensor tonight and see what happens.  The only other light sources near my house are a street light that is behind the tree and across the street about one house down the block and some solar-powered LED landscape lights below the motion detector.  I do not believe that these lights put out enough light to confuse the motion detectors...but I could be wrong.
Logged

Brian H

  • Community Organizer
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Helpful Post Rating: 305
  • Posts: 13295
Re: When my outdoor sconces are on, my back yard light won't work
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2010, 07:33:40 PM »

Some LED bulbs are notorious power line noise makers. They could be effecting the X10 signals when On.
I have a pair of EarthLed EVOLUX S bulbs that drive my XTBM testers noise reading to 9.99 volts and that is the top of the scale. So they most likely are even higher then that.
Logged

dave w

  • Community Organizer
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Helpful Post Rating: 139
  • Posts: 6116
Re: When my outdoor sconces are on, my back yard light won't work
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2010, 08:38:38 PM »

G4 is a WS13A wall switch; the bulbs in the sconces are LED and the WS13A is rated for LED, halogen, etc.

I have not done any trouble-shooting on G10; but I will try masking the sensor tonight and see what happens.  The only other light sources near my house are a street light that is behind the tree and across the street about one house down the block and some solar-powered LED landscape lights below the motion detector.  I do not believe that these lights put out enough light to confuse the motion detectors...but I could be wrong.
Like Brian said LEDs can be noise makers. Replace the LEDs with incandesents and see if the G3 works. If it does, you can get inline filters (Smarthome.com) to filter the LED noise.

The xxxxEye motion sensors are sensitive to infrared...doesn't seem like a street light down the block would trigger, unless the motion sensor is seeing the light through the leaves and the wind is blowing the leaves. Are there nights everthing is quiet?
Logged
"This aftershave makes me look fat"
 

X10.com | About X10 | X10 Security Systems | Cameras| Package Deals
© Copyright 2014-2016 X10.com All rights reserved.