Print

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

[essp2003]

Jeff,

How does running X10 on UPS's work or does it?
UPS is clean energy for PC's, but telephone lines for dsl DO NOT work well at all.

Interesting work you have done.

Sorry if this is a bone head question. I'm good at those 


Thanks!!

[JeffVolp]

How does running X10 on UPS's work or does it?

The simple answer is no, but it can be made to work in special situations.

There are several issues regarding running X10 devices on a UPS.  Unless the UPS produces a clean sine wave (not a 3-step approximation) the sharp edges will damage the transformerless power supplies in most X10 modules.  Some UPS do produce a clean sine wave output (check with a scope while on internal battery to be sure).  Units like that can power X10 modules.  However, the UPS may have bypass capacitors directly across its AC input and output to prevent radiated noise.  That will attenuate the X10 signal unless a filter is placed in series.  Obviously, the filter must be rated for the full UPS current.  Finally, there may be no high-frequency coupling through the UPS.  So a transmitter powered by a UPS may not be able to control any devices on the powerline (when the AC power is on) unless some sort of signal coupler is used to bypass the UPS.

Jeff

[essp2003]

Thanks Jeff,

That makes things complicated for system reliability without batteries, and that's another can of worms I'd imagine.


I appreciate your expertise!!

[Dan Lawrence]

Several models of UPS's have both straight through (not on the battery backup) plugs and protected (on the battery backup) plugs. APC makes one (my wife's school uses them.) like that  For example, the PC in her classroom at here desk is plugged into a protected socket, but the monitor and printer are on straight through sockets.

If you want to run the CM15A on a UPS, it should be on a straight through socket, not a protected (battery) one.

[JeffVolp]

That makes things complicated for system reliability without batteries, and that's another can of worms I'd imagine.

Obviously, nothing running off the powerline will work when power is out.  So, unless you have a huge UPS that powers loads normally controlled by X10, the question of reliability is what will the controller do when power is restored.

Controllers such as the CM11A, CM15A, and Ocelot have battery backup that should keep their clocks running while power is off.  The program determines whether they will "catch up" or just continue with the schedule from that point on.

Jeff

[Brian H]

I have run into the same thing Jeff has mentioned. The noise reduction filters in my APC BX1000 UPS; absorbed so much of the X10 signals. I had to add an X10 Type filter to its AC input cord. I also fried a TM751 on the backup AC outlets while on battery. Stepped sine waves and powerline derived power supplies don't mix well; as Jeff mentioned.