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[ctatham]

Has been working great for years. I noticed my outside lights weren't on. Tried to put them on manually with the wall switch and they came on then went right off. Figured the switch was toast. Looked at my bridge (220 unit) and the lights were storming. pulled one leg off the wall switch and the storm continued. Pulled the bridge out of the socket and put it back in and storm continued. Look at the activity monitor on Active Home and its repeating the same off command for p4. Pulled the bridge thinking it was the culprit but the activity monitor continued so its not the bridge...its the CM15. I cleared it and downloaded macros and it continues to storm. Any suggestions?

[Brian H]

P4 is it one of the addresses you are using?

Is the Activity Monitor showing the P4 as a received command or a sent command?
If it is a received command something else is sending the firestorm of signals.
If it is a RF received I would suspect a motion sensor or remote being the issue.

There was a know issue with firestorms and some X10 coupler repeaters but this doesn't sound like what you are experiencing. Since the firestorm continued with the bridge disconnected.
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Known_Issues_with_ActiveHome_Pro

Any other X10 controllers in the home. That could be sending the P4 commands?

Any new electronic devices in the home?

New Smart Meter from the Power Company?

[ctatham]

Thanks for the reply.  You may be onto something but I know of no changes around the house equipment wise that would do this.  I have attached the activity monitor output.  The first command isn't an RF one though.  This was with a clear of history.




Your interpretation would be excellent to have.

[JeffVolp]

That is exactly what happens when a wireless remote is accidentally actuated.  If you have a wireless remote such as a PalmPad, look to see if something is pressing down on the P4 Off button.  One of my customers had one become jammed behind a dresser, and it was sending out a constant stream of RF commands.

Jeff

[ctatham]

I have a couple of remotes around but not in use....went on a hunt for them but have not found them.  Suppose it could be another house nearby.  Is there any way to block it and use another code?

[Brian H]

Any Motion Sensors in your setup?
Any other transceivers? Like a TM751,RR501 or Security Console?
 

[JeffVolp]

I have a couple of remotes around but not in use....went on a hunt for them but have not found them.  Suppose it could be another house nearby.  Is there any way to block it and use another code?

The fact that they are not in use is a good indication that one may be causing trouble.  It is likely buried under something that is resting on the P4_OFF button.

As I recall, ActiveHome has the ability to disable individual house codes from being received by RF.  So if you are not using wireless remotes anymore, you can disable the P housecode.

Jeff

[Brian H]

In the Tools tab
Hardware Configuration.
In the Tranceived House Codes area. You can select Specific and check the House Codes you want to use.
If memory serves me. The House Codes not specified are still received by the CM15A but not sent back on the power lines.
 

[ctatham]

Any Motion Sensors in your setup?
Any other transceivers? Like a TM751,RR501 or Security Console?
 

No, very simple setup....just the CM15, a bridge repeater and x10 wall light switches and appliance modules

[ctatham]

I have a couple of remotes around but not in use....went on a hunt for them but have not found them.  Suppose it could be another house nearby.  Is there any way to block it and use another code?

The fact that they are not in use is a good indication that one may be causing trouble.  It is likely buried under something that is resting on the P4_OFF button.

As I recall, ActiveHome has the ability to disable individual house codes from being received by RF.  So if you are not using wireless remotes anymore, you can disable the P housecode.

Jeff

I would agree but I only ever owned 2 (one of those small key fob style ones and the old school looking white ones with the line of buttons and places to put labels)  i suppose its possible but they are long put away and I can't find them.  This is a recent issue.  I know you are all probably saying.....EXACTLY.  Wouldn't the batteries go dead in a matter of a few days of constant running?

[ctatham]

In the Tools tab
Hardware Configuration.
In the Tranceived House Codes area. You can select Specific and check the House Codes you want to use.
If memory serves me. The House Codes not specified are still received by the CM15A but not sent back on the power lines.
 

So should I just move to a different code and the change the switch codes?

[JeffVolp]

I would agree but I only ever owned 2 (one of those small key fob style ones and the old school looking white ones with the line of buttons and places to put labels)  i suppose its possible but they are long put away and I can't find them.  This is a recent issue.  I know you are all probably saying.....EXACTLY.  Wouldn't the batteries go dead in a matter of a few days of constant running?

I don't know how long the batteries would last, but I'd guess maybe a week or two.

I recall another customer having intermittent RF command storms that went on for several weeks.  Months later the fellow reported they had accidentally packed away a remote (one of the white ones) along with the Christmas ornaments.  He thought that was the cause, and that over time something settled and started pressing on a button.

Jeff

[Brian H]

I am not sure if changing House Codes would help. What ever is sending the RF P4 Off may still be there but disabling it in AHP may stop the firestorm.
If not to difficult. Changing House Codes may shed more light on the situation.

You don't have a Motion Sensor on P3 do you? P4 would be the dusk dawn feature in the motion sensor.
 

[joe s.]

I had a very "original" CM15 lock up and repeat code "D4" two or three times in one week - exactly as your log appears (as if there was an RF source repeating the code).  There was NO RF SIGNAL - the CM15 was reporting RF received that wasn't even there.  Since I have a WGL receiver - all RF receiving was *disabled* on the CM15!  By monitoring my system with an 1132CU instead of CM15 and keeping my WGL receiver in place - I quickly proved there was no incoming RF signal.

In fact, it was my CM15 going flakey and artificially storming itself! I retired it shortly thereafter, but I did abandon "D Codes" in my system, and removed the batteries and let the CM15 sit for 24 hours before putting it back in service .  I think it did work properly for a couple weeks after the cold reboot and change of codes, but I didn't trust it.  I retired it within a couple weeks of the incident.

[Brian H]

Could be the filter capacitors in the unit where getting poor.
The fact that they didn't use decoupling capacitors on the controller and memory ICs. Along with across the filter caps. Didn't help.