help with previous homeowner's IR543?

[quinn]

The lights have never gone off by themselves -- god, that would be even worse, wouldn't it?!

I still think replacing everything X10 with standard switches would be the way to go.

I think you're right. I see a trip to Home Depot in our very near future. It's funny -- when it first started happening, it was kind of fun (in a slightly scary way) to think of past residents of the house messing with us, but as soon as it became clear that it was an automation issue, I just wanted it done with. So, friendly ghosts = OK, but lighting/wiring mysteries I can't solve = not OK. If nothing else, I've learned something about myself. 

I'd love to put one of those X10 switches on my test bench and test it in on an isolated circuit but I imagine at this point you're more inclined to want to have a hammer smashing party.

Ha! Nah, no hard feelings toward the switches. You've been so helpful with all this -- if you're serious about wanting the switches, just say the word and I'll send them to you! I don't need to smash them, but I certainly don't want to keep them around either. 

[steven r]

...no hard feelings toward the switches. You've been so helpful with all this -- if you're serious about wanting the switches, just say the word and I'll send them to you! I don't need to smash them, but I certainly don't want to keep them around either. 

Yes. Check your personal mail here for the address.

If they fail here then the mystery will be solved and I'll be happy. If they work on my test bench, then I'll mark them "S?"* and toss them in my box of spares and still be happy. Either way I'll post my results.


*Supernatural suspected 

[quinn]

Yes. Check your personal mail here for the address.

Got it -- consider them yours! It may take us a little while to replace the switches (though the sooner the better, in my opinion), but I'll definitely send them your way. May you have more success than I did. 

[steven r]

Did replacing the switches solve your problem?

[quinn]

Did replacing the switches solve your problem?

Sorry to take so long to reply -- haven't checked in for a while! When we began to replace the switches, we found that the wiring was more complicated than we anticipated, so we asked our neighbor (an electrician) to come by when he got a chance so he could help us out. The bad news is that we asked him two weeks ago, and he still hasn't come by. The good (and weird) news is that, during those two weeks, the lights have stopped coming on by themselves. There's no reasonable explanation for it, of course, but if and when they start up again, we'll replace them then.

steven r., I'm still planning to send them your way if we do end up having to replace them. Sorry for the back and forth on this! 

[steven r]

...The good (and weird) news is that, during those two weeks, the lights have stopped coming on by themselves. There's no reasonable explanation for it, of course, but if and when they start up again, we'll replace them then.
steven r., I'm still planning to send them your way if we do end up having to replace them...

If they've stopped coming on, then that's great. While I'd love to see them, don't rush to take them out if they aren't bothering you.