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[darryl1959]

Hi all –

I searched for this issue but it seems strange enough that I am unable to find a likely comparison.

I’m not new to X10 but am fairly new to using the CM15A, etc.

Here is my configuration:

Running XP Pro 64 with whatever the latest version of AHP (not at home right now – not sure)

(7) LM 465A Lamp Modules all set to various unit codes on House Code L
(1) LM 15A Socket Rocket set to L6
(1) SR227 Super Socket set to L2
(1) WS467A Wall Switch set to L13
(1) AM486 Appliance Module set to L7
(1) KR19A Keychain Remote set to L1 / L2
(1) HR12A Set to house code L

New construction 3 level townhome built in August 2008 (yes, there are AFCI units in the house).  Note that some of the lamp modules are inside of AFCI circuits and the normal location for the CM15A is also inside an AFCI circuit (upstairs bedroom that I turned into a sitting room).  The AFCI’s don’t seem to be causing any issues.

No phase coupler yet.  That is in transit.

Here is the situation.  Macros and timers work flawlessly.  I have four programmed events keying off of dusk / dawn and also a hard coded “all units off” at 11:00PM daily. 

KR19A Key Chain Remote – used in my upstairs sitting room to dim the lighting in that room.  Works great – no issues.

HR12A – STRANGE PUPPY THAT IT IS! When it works – it works flawlessly.  Being an empiricist by nature I have been monitoring this for about two weeks and this is what I have come up with. 

When the lights / units are not on the HR12A works most of the time.  One thing that I thought was fixing “no response” issues was unplugging the USB and then reconnecting – this seemed to fix the remote not responding.  However, because I have a phase coupling issue that prevented the dining room chandelier (L13) from working I moved the CM15A to a different circuit and this allows all units to work until the phase coupler is installed. 

However, this morning I found that even with the CM15A not connected to the computer (and indeed on another floor) the HR12A remote refused to respond.  I went upstairs and picked up the KR19A and it worked as advertised.  So, the CM15A is receiving RF and retransmitting X10.  Back downstairs (morning coffee getting cold) and HR12A would not work. 

Here is the fun part.  As soon as the programmed event to turn all lights off at dawn plus 30 minutes kicked over then the HR12A decided it wanted to work again.

This same situation came up yesterday too. I wasn’t there but it was reported to me by my other half and he just gave up and let the lights go off automatically.  When I came home for lunch he told me and I picked up the remote and it worked (at which point he wanted to throw me and the remote out of a second story window)

BTW I was not aware that there was a monitor in AHP that would tell me if RF is being received and retransmitted as X10.  I found that out this morning when I was searching the forums for an answer to this issue.  Since I am going to the shore this weekend I won’t have time to play with that until Monday. I’m hoping someone here will have some insight to assist in my troubleshooting. 

Any help you can give would be most appreciated!

[Brian H]

Good job on the data you have provided.

Are you using the CM15A Interface to also process the RF remote commands from the HR12A and KR19A remotes?

When you get the AHP version let us know what it is.

[darryl1959]

Hi Brian -

Yes, the CM15A is handling RF in the house.  I didn't think it was a good idea to use a second transceiver since I assumed this would cause collisions.  Will get the software version posted on sunday. 

Question - is software version pertinent to this particular issue considering the unit is running standalone at the moment?  Not questioning your request - this is for my own edification.

Thanks

Darryl

[Brian H]

I would not think the software could have a bearing on this; but we do know a few versions with quirks.

[dave w]

If I am reading this correctly, the KR19 works upstairs just fine. The HR12 does not work downstairs...does it work upstairs?

This sounds like the typical poor RF reception from the CM15A.  The easiest way to test is to wrap a few turns of a one to two foot length of wire around the CM15A antenna to see if the range improves. If it does, there are at least three antenna mods you can use to modify the CM15 to improve range. Just search "Antenna" and "CM15A".

[darryl1959]

Hi Dave -

Yes, you read it correctly.  I'm with you on poor RF reception but why would the KR19 work when it is one floor above where the 15A is yet the KR 12 is right on top of the 15A and it won't hear commands? 

That was rhetorical - I wasn't necessarily expecting an immediate response.  Thanks for the heads up on the antenna posts - I'll check them out.

BTW - I know that I promised to post the version of AHP I am using but I got back late from my weekend and didn't bother. 

Darryl

[Brian H]

You may want to try it with the antenna horizontal as a test.
Some have found the antenna position horizontal changed reception patterns.

[dave w]

Hi Dave -

Yes, you read it correctly.  I'm with you on poor RF reception but why would the KR19 work when it is one floor above where the 15A is yet the KR 12 is right on top of the 15A and it won't hear commands? 

If I am still getting this, (old geezer with a 900 millisecond attention span) it seems the issue is with the Palm Pad (HR12). Does the Palm Pad work if it is tried in the second floor postion where the KR19 works?

It could be weak transmit power, which is usually a battery problem. If the batteries are new and a good brand, then it could be a problem with the transmitter in the HR12.

If you have some rigid scrap wire (ground wire from a piece of Romex, or a coat hanger, etc) cut an 18 inch length and hold it against the left side of the Palm Pad. Hold it so the mid point of the wire (9 inch) is against the upper 1/4 of the Palm Pad (the Palm Pads antenna is a small loop in the upper left corner of the Palm Pads PC board - Palm Pad buttons facing up). Does the range improve with the make shift "passive repeater" antenna? If so I think I would ask X10 for a replacement.

[darryl1959]

Dave -

Sorry I didn't explicitly answer your question.

Palm Pad (when it decides it doesn't want to work) will not work from anywhere in the house.  Brand New duracells in it so that's not the issue. 

I will try the wire trick and see what I can find but I think I may have isoloated it...

My garage has CFL's (the only room in the house because I cannot stand them) and sometimes in the AM the garage light get turned on but not back off.  It may be that we are not realizing that the issue coincides with the CFL's being on.  Since I've been really studying this problem I've been assuring those lights stay off and so far the problem has not recurred.  I'm going to change out the CFLs in the garage back to incandescent and put an electronic timer switch on those lights.  The only reason they were installed there was they kept getting left on and burning out and they are a bit of a PITA to change.


I will keep everyone posted - I hope this is the cause. 

When it works - it is so great.  And the automated functions never miss a beat! John, my other half, gave me no end of jokes about being the geek setting up the lighting.  You should see him now - he loves it and he'll just sit in the livingroom and randomly turn lights on and off with a big smile on his face.  He says it feels like Disney World in our house.

Thanks again.

Darryl

[Brian H]

I don't think we tried this yet.
Try turning the House Code dial around a few times. We seem to be seeing intermittent dials on some X10 units lately.

It could also be a bad HR12A.
Does the Red LED flash when the buttons don't seem to access anything?

[darryl1959]

Hi Brian -

Yes, the red LED always flashes and I did also try alternate house codes by changing a few modules to "A" for example and then changing the palm pad to "A"...all to no avail. 

However, as I stated in my last post the problem has not recurred since I begain monitoring the status of the CFL's and the CFL's in the garage have now been changed out.  Interestingly though, even when I did turn the CFL's on purposely to check the issue the problem would not recur.  I recall reading somehwere that the AGC in the 15A can keep trying to adjust to a point where it just won't receive anything.  That could have been what was happening with the CFL's on. 

Also, FYI for future if needed: my version of AHP is 3.271 - Last updated 5/26/10.

I will monitor this and if it does not recur I'll do a final post to let everyone know.

Thanks again for all of the help and advice!

Darryl

[Brian H]

Thanks for the update.
3.271 is the latest version of AHP.