Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[racerfern]

Although I've used X10 for longer than I care to remember, the various modules for "extending", "converting" signals is very confusing to me. I sure hope I'm not the only one that has trouble with this.

Here's a list of modules that perform various functions that when I read either the descriptions or the "manual" leave me confused. I now have modules that don't do what I need or want them to do.

PAT03
RR501
TM751
SR751

Is there a "table" of what each one really does? It's real purpose in a system, for example.

For example, I didn't have a regular lamp module available so I plugged in the RR501 and couldn't control it either via a Palmpad or AHP. I then plugged in a TM751 and had the same situation. The outlet was a fair distance away. However, when they're both plugged in then they both work. Arrgh!

I really only own the RR501 and the TM751 but in another post I was told the SR751 was the answer to my communication issues with the SC1200. Unfortunately, that's why I bought the RR501 because the description gave the impression it would extend the RF communication. So now I'm going to order another module. Obviously I should have asked earlier on, but then again I didn't realize I didn't know what I was doing. If I don't think I'm crazy... ??

[Brian H]

X10 and X10 pro Models.
TM751 and X10Pro PAT02
RR501 and X10Pro PAT01 now updated to a PAT03.
Here is a wiki link to the differences between the TM751 and RR501.
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Differences_Between_the_TM751_and_RR501

The TM751 has no power line receiver in it. So it can only be controlled by an X10 RF command.
One extra fly in the ointment. For awhile. X10WTI [old owners] made TM751s with no internal relay at all. Just a hard wired always on outlet on the bottom.

The RR501 can be controlled by an X10 RF or X10 power line command.

In your findings with the far away RR501. It sounds like the RF and power line commands didn't get received by the RR501 but the RF was received by the TM751
So the TM751 send the on or off on the power line that did control the RR501 next to it.

The SC1200 has no power line receiver in it and has to be controlled by a X10 Security encoded RF command.
The TM751 and RR501 can't process X10 Security RF messages. Even if they did. The SC1200 can't receive any power line commands. They would put on the power lines.

The SR751 repeats the X10 RF commands so out of distance receivers from transmitters. May receive the repeated signal and then respond.
It is a fairly new module. I did find some wiki information.
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/SR751
 
Troubleshooting tips.
http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm

[Tuicemen]

racerfern
the modules you have  are the cheaper x10 modules and don't handle X10 Security codes.
the X10 pro modules like those mentioned by Brian also don't they just have better internals and built to a higher quality standard.

The SR751 is a RF repeater and only repeats X10 RF signals However it will repeat the X10 security signals as well.
I did extensive tests using it and security modules to test the actual range of them.

We really need to know what you wish to do.
Is it is just to control a light with a palm pad (remote)?
Is it to control lights set to the same address as the SC1200?

You state you have AHP so I assume you also have a PC interface (cm19,cm15 or cm11) AHP won't work with out one.

It is possible you have a phase issue as well.
Reading the trouble shooting tips from the link Brian supplied should help.

[Brian H]

I forgot to mention. Your SC1200 will also act as s transceiver for standard X10 RF commands. For the House Code setting in the setup menu.

[Tuicemen]

Not owning one I didn't comment on that. It appears what is needed in this situation is a phase coupler .
Though without knowing exactly what is expected a RF extender (SR751) or PLC repeater(PLC01) may be needed as well.

[racerfern]

racerfen...

We really need to know what you wish to do.
Is it is just to control a light with a palm pad (remote)?

You state you have AHP so I assume you also have a PC interface (cm19,cm15 or cm11) AHP won't work with out one.

It is possible you have a phase issue as well.

What do I wish to do? I wish to control any module from one of my palm pads, or from AHP with a timer and/or macro depending on my needs. I do have a CM15A and sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't run a long USB to put it closer to the middle of the house. However, I shouldn't HAVE to do any of this. I don't want to have to be technical. I expect any module to work no matter what I do. It flusters me that I have modules with antennas all over the place and still can't get a lousy DS12 to be seen by AHP unless I'm holding it in my hand at the PC.

Yes, it probably is an issue that the PC is at one end of the house and the front door is three walls away. But it's not THAT big a house, a little over 2100 sqft and luckily for me most of the outlets are on the same breaker. It shouldn't be that way, but for now it is what it is. The back sliders with DS12A are 25'-30' in a straight line with typical house walls in between. That's why I set up some of these other modules. There may be a phasing issue, I agree. I haven't lived here that long so I'm still figuring out which breaker is on which side.

Not owning one I didn't comment on that. It appears what is needed in this situation is a phase coupler .
Though without knowing exactly what is expected a RF extender (SR751) or PLC repeater(PLC01) may be needed as well.

My point exactly... for someone like me, reading the descriptions leads one to believe, this must be the one because the last one didn't do the trick. It's just frustrating but thanks to this forum I'm slowly catching on.

My final concern is that I may have a CM15A that is dying a slow death (it is pretty old (05D18?)). However without any way to read its status I really don't know.

[Tuicemen]

The DS12s only send security signals so only a SR751 will extend their range.
 You shouldn't require a TM751 or RR501 though one could be used to bridge the phases for one House code.

The Cm15 should be located as high as possible and as central as possible in you house for best results.
There are lots of things which will affect both PLC and RF and it will take some trouble shooting on your part to weed them out.

Remember X10 was designed to work well before all these modern electrical devices started to appear causing issues.
X10 is no longer plug and play.