multiple electric wiring circuits

[jbarajas]

Friends:

In my house I have 3 circuits in the electric wiring, one is for the lights, the second for appliances like TV, Radio, lamps, etc. and the third for the kitchen appliances, does this means I need 3 computer interfaces, one for each circuit?

thanks for your help

[Charles Sullivan]

Friends:

In my house I have 3 circuits in the electric wiring, one is for the lights, the second for appliances like TV, Radio, lamps, etc. and the third for the kitchen appliances, does this means I need 3 computer interfaces, one for each circuit?

thanks for your help

Usually not, but you may need other hardware.  Where are you located?   Your wiring description sounds like what I've heard described for houses in the UK.

[jbarajas]

Charles
I live in Mexico City, and this is an usual thing for most houses. what is the hardware you mention?

[Charles Sullivan]

Charles
I live in Mexico City, and this is an usual thing for most houses. what is the hardware you mention?

Depending on how many phases you have, you may need phase couplers.

How many wires come into your breaker box from the electric utility company?

[jbarajas]

there are tree wires, one neuter and two live, as far as I understand it is two 120V array

[Brian H]

I checked a worldwide electrical standards web site.
It said 127 Volts 60 cycles and showed the outlets are either two pin or three pin like here in the USA.
Sounds like you have spilt phase. So you may need a phase coupler or repeater to get the X10 signal to some of the devices. Maybe some X10 filters on things like computers.

No one controller would be all you had to have. More in different parts of the home maybe convenient, but not absolutely needed.

Do you have any 240 volt outlets like we have here?

You may want to look at a few tutorials on X10 and what problems you can have.
http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm
http://www.act-solutions.com/PCC/uncle.htm

[jbarajas]

no 240 all are 120 all have 1 green(live) one white(neuter) and grownd, I thin the phase coupler will work

[Charles Sullivan]

there are tree wires, one neuter and two live, as far as I understand it is two 120V array

From your observation and Brian's message is sounds like you have the same power arrangement used in the USA, namely two live wires which are each (approximately) 120 Volts to Neutral but are 180 degrees out of phase, so that the voltage between the two live wires is 240 Volts.  The 120V to Neutral are used for lights and ordinary outlets while the 240V is used for high power appliances like hot water heater, electric range, and electric clothes dryer.

But if you really have only a single live wire 120V to Neutral, then you won't need a phase coupler and you can ignore the rest of this message.

If your house has a 240V outlet for a range or clothes dryer, the simplest phase coupler to install is one of the Smarthome plug-in units, assuming your dryer plug matches one of those in the USA:
  http://www.thehomeautomationstore.com/4816b2.html  for a 3 pin plug
  http://www.thehomeautomationstore.com/4816a2.html  for a 4 pin plug

It appears that Smarthome may have discontinued the 4816A2 4 pin version (and possibly the 4816A2 3 pin version also but still has some in stock.)   Automated Outlet (http://www.automatedoutlet.com) indicates both are in stock but doesn't show photos of the socket.

[jbarajas]

thanks friends, I Will read and check your recommendations, I know now what I should do. I will post results.