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[starterbulb]

Hi folks! I'm starting out with X10 to try to automate the simple task of turning on my porch lite in the evening and then turning it off in the morning.  I've done this task manually for years and hopefully now X10 will do it for me.

Here is the set-up.

My front porch has 2 lights (one on each side of the front door) and about 10 feet down the walkway there is another lite on a pole.  All 3 lights have 40w incandescent bulbs.  One light switch in the entry way turns on/off all 3 light fixtures outside at the same time. (I assume that this a 3 pole configuration.)

At first I bought another brand of programmable switch/timer at the local big box retailer. The instructions said this particular switch/timer is only good for a single pole application. I assume this to be one switch with one light fixture. I returned this item to the store.

I then discovered X10 and purchased a ws467 wall switch and a mt13a mini timer.  The ws467 instructions are for one switch connected to one light fixture. I am wondering if this x10 wall switch will work with the 3 light fixtures.

Hopefully someone will know if this set-up will work or not. Thanks in advance for any info or advice.

[dave w]

One light switch in the entry way turns on/off all 3 light fixtures outside at the same time. (I assume that this a 3 pole configuration.)

I then discovered X10 and purchased a ws467 wall switch and a mt13a mini timer.  The ws467 instructions are for one switch connected to one light fixture. I am wondering if this x10 wall switch will work with the 3 light fixtures.

Nope it is single pole.

One switch simply supplies power to three fixtures so this will be a single pole switch.

As long as you can only control the lights from one location and as long as the total load is less than 500 watts, the WS467 will work fine. The WS467 does not like CFL or LED lights.

[Noam]

I have never seen a 2-pole (or 3-pole, for that matter) wall switch in a residential application for lights.
A 2-pole switch connects or disconnects two separate circuits at once (think of a double-pole breaker), and a 3-pole would do three circuits at once.

Most residential wall switches are either single pole (on/off), or they might be part of a 3-WAY configuration, in which there are TWO switches that can each turn the light on or off (flipping either switch toggles the state of the light between on and off).

Those can usually be identified by having two screw terminals on one side of the switch, and one on the other. (not counting the ground screw).

It sounds like in your case, you have a single pole switch, so you should be able to replace it with an X10 WS467 switch.

[everydayflyer]

starterbulb   You could have just purchased a Dusk to Dawn sensor (switch) insalled it in the power lead which goes to the first light in the series of three and left the wall switch turned on all of the time.  Sometimes simplie is best.

[Dan Lawrence]

Or, replace the current switch with a X10 PRS511 Spotlight and use a X10PRO Wall Switch Appliance Module to control the PRS511.   I use it and it's great!!

[everydayflyer]

I use the PR511 s   as flood lights,(motion and remote controled)   and as motion sensors for indoor alarms also but IMO they are not the simpliest splution in this case.

[starterbulb]

Hi folks, Thanks for all the great advice! We went ahead and replaced the regular wall switch with the ws467 wall switch and plugged in the mt13a mini timer. 

Everything works fine, however we noticed that the ws467 wall switch emits a barely audible "buzzing" sound when the light is "on". You have to put your ear right next to the ws467 wall switch to hear the "buzzing" sound.  When the switch is off, there is no "buzzing" sound.

This this normal? or do I have a defective ws467?

[JeffVolp]

Everything works fine, however we noticed that the ws467 wall switch emits a barely audible "buzzing" sound when the light is "on". You have to put your ear right next to the ws467 wall switch to hear the "buzzing" sound.  When the switch is off, there is no "buzzing" sound.

This this normal? or do I have a defective ws467?

Normal.  The switch has an inductor in series with the load to reduce the di/dt when the triac turns on.  The magnetic field produced in that inductor can cause the windings to vibrate slightly, resulting in the buzzing you hear.

Jeff

[Noam]

Everything works fine, however we noticed that the ws467 wall switch emits a barely audible "buzzing" sound when the light is "on". You have to put your ear right next to the ws467 wall switch to hear the "buzzing" sound.  When the switch is off, there is no "buzzing" sound.

This this normal? or do I have a defective ws467?

Normal.  The switch has an inductor in series with the load to reduce the di/dt when the triac turns on.  The magnetic field produced in that inductor can cause the windings to vibrate slightly, resulting in the buzzing you hear.

Jeff

From what I recall, the buzzing might be louder at different dim levels, depending on the frequency of the vibration.
Since the WS467 has the "resume dim" feature, you might want to check to make sure it is at the brightest dim level.

[Dan Lawrence]

Which is why I recommended using the X10 PRS511 Spotlight and use a X10PRO Wall Switch Appliance Module to control the PRS511. No noise, no fuss.  AHP turns the PRS511 on and off with a timer.

[Noam]

Which is why I recommended using the X10 PRS511 Spotlight and use a X10PRO Wall Switch Appliance Module to control the PRS511. No noise, no fuss.  AHP turns the PRS511 on and off with a timer.

The PR511 is a spotlight fixture, and probably wouldn't be the best device to use on a front porch, or on a walkway light pole (as "starterbulb" indicated already exist in their setup).
The suggestion of using the Pro switch (which is only on/off, without dimming), should get rid of the noise, if that really bothers them.

[Dan Lawrence]

You don't mind if I disagree with you on using a PRS11 on a front porch, I've had my PRS11 for almost 10 years and it works perfectly.

[Noam]

You don't mind if I disagree with you on using a PRS11 on a front porch, I've had my PRS11 for almost 10 years and it works perfectly.

You're welcome to use whatever modules you want, wherever you want. However, the OP indicated they already had the three fixtures, so I didn't see any reason to replace those with X10 controlled spotlights, AND put them on an X10 switched circuit.

[starterbulb]

Hi folks, thanks again for all the great ideas and knowledge!  We have a detached garage that is about 30 feet from the house. We will get another mt13a mini timer and a ws467 wall switch to control the two lights on each side of the garage door.  We'll also look into the prs511 for the side of the garage where it is a little dark by the walk-in door.

Also, I think we'll get another mt13a mini timer and several am466 modules to turn a radio and light in the upstairs portion the house to make it look lived-in when we are away for the evening.

I'm surprised that x10 is not more popular. It does the basics well at a low price point.

[Dan Lawrence]

The reason X10 is not that popular is that X10 has NEVER mass marketed.   When X10 began to be sold in several stores in the late 1980's, in addition to X10USA, Radio Shack, Motorola, Sear and others sold X10 modules, I have virtually every label on Lamp and Appliance Modules that I use and are in my X10 storage box.  Today only X10USA and several other sellers like Automatic Electric and others still sell X10.