PZZ01 Isn't Blocking Neighbor

[Brian H]

Well if my math is correct. 125 volts line to neutral and 215 volts line to line is three phase.
Using two of the three lines and neutral for your home.
Probably others in the same area may use different combinations of Lines to balance the load to the whole area.

I don't have too much data on how phase coupling with three phase is different than split single phase.
I know the X10 standard has commands sent three times a cycle to match the zero crossing for the other two phases in a three phase system.

[dave w]

Bottom line, and why I write this in the first place. Without any way to test when/where/what is sending the x-10 codes, you simply can't know it's someone else or not.

Georgie
Michael makes a profound point.

From a frustration, and "time is money" standpoint, investing in a X10 signal level meter is very worthwhile. One of the best and most reasonably priced meters is the XTBM from JV Digital Engineering. It out-performs units costing three times as much. It will tell you the House Code/Unit Code of the X10 signal being sent, the signal strength, and the level of noise which may be present. The XTBM provides other information, but for system troubleshooting these parameters are probably the most important.

http://jvde.us/

[Brandt]

Bottom line, and why I write this in the first place. Without any way to test when/where/what is sending the x-10 codes, you simply can't know it's someone else or not.

Georgie
Michael makes a profound point.

From a frustration, and "time is money" standpoint, investing in a X10 signal level meter is very worthwhile. One of the best and most reasonably priced meters is the XTBM from JV Digital Engineering. It out-performs units costing three times as much. It will tell you the House Code/Unit Code of the X10 signal being sent, the signal strength, and the level of noise which may be present. The XTBM provides other information, but for system troubleshooting these parameters are probably the most important.

http://jvde.us/

I agree...going back to my first response on Sept 7th    You only live once, get an XTBM and move onward and forward

[Georgie]

Michael:

I'm about 98% certain a neighbor is causing this problem since he/she and I could turn a light off and on repeatedly for 5 or 10  minutes at a time, until one of us gave up.  That hasn't happened since I put in the PZZ10, so it may be blocking our transmissions or he's tired of the game. He continues to turn on some of our lights, even at 4 AM.

You and Dave are understandably in favor of an X10 meter such as the XTBM.  At $129 I'm not quite ready to jump to that step, although I suppose that after 30+ years of X-10 use you'd think I would have bought one ages ago!

Dave and Brian:

I'd like to resolve what I know now:  As you suggested, I tested our system with the PZZ01 circuit breaker off and on and found no difference, including consistent poor performance with transmitters on one phase and receivers on the other.  Apparently the coupling function is not working very well.

Doesn't that suggest a faulty PZZ01 (actually a Leviton 6284)?

If so, is there anything I could do (short of the XTBM) to confirm that, e.g., connecting a transmitter to the Meter side of our panel and checking several receivers in the condo with and without the PZZ01?   (I'm retired, so I have more time than money.)

Thanks again for your posts!

Georgie

[JeffVolp]

At $129 I'm not quite ready to jump to that step...

If you are good with a soldering iron, you can build it yourself for $89, plus $6 for Priority Mail.

That said, I'm having trouble locating the LCD's.  Mouser is out of stock until December.  I thought I found some in Canada, but they were "assigned" to someone else.  Other major suppliers don't have an equivalent in stock.  If I can't find a suitable alternate, the XTBM will become unavailable as soon as my current stock of LCDs is gone.

Jeff

[MichaelHlubb]

At $129 I'm not quite ready to jump to that step...

If you are good with a soldering iron, you can build it yourself for $89, plus $6 for Priority Mail.

That said, I'm having trouble locating the LCD's.  Mouser is out of stock until December.  I thought I found some in Canada, but they were "assigned" to someone else.  Other major suppliers don't have an equivalent in stock.  If I can't find a suitable alternate, the XTBM will become unavailable as soon as my current stock of LCDs is gone.

Jeff

I do need to put my money where my mouth is, as I don't have a XTBM myself, I'll be placing that order in a few minutes.

Again, just seeing the X-10 command history in AHP, received via the CM-15A was at least something more than guess work. at this point I am 100% sure that no one else at my location is using any X-10 products, or at least sure that if they are the X-10 commands are not leaking out to my house.