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[soundview]

I am putting together an X10 solution to provide my elderly mother with medical alert assistance. She has a live in caregiver but my mother has recently been prone to falling and the live in caregiver isn't always in the immediate area when it happens. I wanted a solution to give my mother a way to signal the caregiver immediately and also to call me. Since I've used X10 for years, going the X10 route is a no brainer.

There doesn't seem to be much information about the Personal Assistance Voice Dialer (PA5800) and the Monitored Personal Assistance System (PA9200) and compatibility with the Big Red Button (KR15A) on the forums so I'll share my observations here. Hopefully someone will find this helpful or can share some additional insight.

Both the PA5800 and the PA9200 are designed to work out of the box with the wireless heart pendant remote (HP564A). Pressing the call button causes a shrill alarm to be emitted from the console. Any mini powerhorns (SH10A) and lamp modules (LM465) are in turn activated by the console via PLC. The SH10A emits a continuous piercing shriek.  Lights plugged into the LM465 will flash on and off. Pressing the stop button on the HP564A stops all these triggered events.  However, the LM465 is left in the on state after pressing stop. Since there is no way to send a lights off PLC from either console, you will need an additional device to turn the lamp module off. If you don't want to deal with this, I found the socket rocket (LM15A) a better alternative since it can be reset to the "off" state simply by manually turning a lamp off and back on.

Despite what some advertising and literature says, the Big Red Button (KR15A) does not work with either console as I was led to believe. The KR15A does not send the security code required to trigger an alarm state. My first clue came when neither console would respond with a recognition chime in install mode. The KR15A only transmits an "on" RF signal which the console passes on as a PLC. Holding down the KR15A for a few seconds will cause a SH10A on the same code to emit an alarm shriek. Pressing the red button again shuts off the SH10A. Lamp modules on the same code will turn on and remain on. The KR15A does not send an "off" RF signal. Basically, the Personal Assistance consoles act like a wireless transceiver (TM751) when using a KR15A. Unfortunately, the X10 webpage for the KR15A and the PA9200 imply otherwise.

The bottom line is to design a setup as simple and foolproof as possible. Given the limitations of the KR15A and the problems using a LM465, I am opting for a PA5800, two HP564A pendants, a SH10A mini powerhorn, and a LM15A socket rocket. My mother initiates an alarm with a HP564A. The SH10A sounds an alarm on another floor. The LM15A flashes a well placed light on and off. My phone is called to notify me of an emergency. The audio alarms are turned off and reset with a HP564A. The LM15A is reset by manually turning the lamp off and back on. I would add additional SH10A and LM15A devices to expand the system.

Feel free to comment or add suggestions. 

NOTE: On December 20, 2010, I was sent a PPC02 as a substitute for the PA9200. I did all my testing on a PPC02. Assuming they are identical in function, all my comments above should still apply.

[MitchellShnier]

I found that the big red button will work with the PA5800 (actually, with the PA581 which is the auto-dialler part of the PA5800, which includes the heart-shaped HP564A pendant).

I left the PA581 and the big red button at the default house/unit code of A1.

It is necessary to register it first (as is also required for the HP564A heart-shaped pendant):
- Move the PA581 slide switch to INSTALL.
- Hold down the big red button for about 5 seconds, until the PA581 chimes twice.

It is necessary to hold down the big red button for about 5 seconds for the PA581 to sound its tone and start the auto-dialling.

Note that the alarm can only be cancelled with the STOP button on the pendant (or by the the dialled person pressing 0).

Note also that the big red button's LED will stay on so press the big red button a second time to get the LED off (it does not seem to keep transmitting while the LED remains on).

Also, I installed a 47 kohm resistor in series with the two piezo beepers inside, to make the tones quieter.

[soundview]

UPDATE: I received replacements for my Big Red Buttons. The replacements have the same date sticker as the old ones, 09J44 so I was skeptical that these would function any differently.

The new KR15A units work! As I said in the original post, the old KR15As would not respond with a registered chime in install mode. All my new BRBs get a registered chime. Yes I pressed the button for several seconds with both the old KR15As and the new KR15As so the new units have obviously been modified to work with the PPC02. I no longer have the PA5800 but I assume they will work with that unit as well.

Holding down the KR15A button for several seconds causes the LED to flash and then stay on solid. The PPC02 unit responds with a chime and then with a loud alarm. Pressing the KR15A again turns off the LED but the audio alarm will continue. Pressing Stop on the PPC02 silences the audio alarm.

BOTTOM LINE: The Big Red Button may or may not work with your Personal Assistant console (PA5800, PA9200, PPC02). My original incompatible buttons were sent with the PPC02 so they are having quality assurance issues. Contact x10 if you have the wrong units.