CM15A Clock issue when not connected to a PC

[dspringsteen]

Hello,
I have been using X10 stuff for years and my first CM15A worked fine for a few years.
I started having trouble with my cm15a turning on my porch light with dusk to dawn programmed too early. T
it would be OK for the first day  then get earlier and earlier each day. I thought the hardware was bad SO I bought a new one and it does the exact same thing!
I thought it was a software issue so I tried programing it without the dusk to dawn just a fixed time and the same behavior.
It seemed to keep time while hooked up to my PC but I am not going to dedicate a PC to it.
What is speeding up the clock?
What can I do to stop it?
I read that some people have this problem with the clock.
I think something changed in the power to my house or we have something plugged that is doing this.

Thanks
David

[Dan Lawrence]

It may be the fact that a CM15A that is not connected to a PC will not do correct DST dates, since the firmware in it predates the DST date changes.  Since you do have to connect the CM15A to the PC to update macros and timers and add or delete modules.

Is there any real reason you don't connect it?

[murphy]

The CM15A keeps time by syncing to the 60 hertz AC line.  Do you have it plugged into an outlet that is controlled by a switch?  The clock is very inaccurate when running on the batteries.  It also wouldn't control the lights in that mode.  The fact that the clock speeds up suggests that you have some sort of noise on your AC line that the CM15A is interpreting as additional 60 hertz signals which will make the clock speed up.  Do you have any other appliances that operate over the power line like a baby monitor or home power networking?
Do you have an X10 meter (ELK) that might show noise on the AC line.

My CM15A gets connected to the computer a couple of times a year and has been running fine on it's own for several years.

[dspringsteen]

It may be the fact that a CM15A that is not connected to a PC will not do correct DST dates, since the firmware in it predates the DST date changes.  Since you do have to connect the CM15A to the PC to update macros and timers and add or delete modules.

Is there any real reason you don't connect it?

I program it then move it to a centralized spot where it will receive remote signals and turn on all 16 modules.
I use a laptop and the other PC on my Network is used by 5 people so I only hook it up to program it.
The time seems to run too fast not just jump 1 hour.

[dspringsteen]

The CM15A keeps time by syncing to the 60 hertz AC line.  Do you have it plugged into an outlet that is controlled by a switch?  The clock is very inaccurate when running on the batteries.  It also wouldn't control the lights in that mode.  The fact that the clock speeds up suggests that you have some sort of noise on your AC line that the CM15A is interpreting as additional 60 hertz signals which will make the clock speed up.  Do you have any other appliances that operate over the power line like a baby monitor or home power networking?
Do you have an X10 meter (ELK) that might show noise on the AC line.

My CM15A gets connected to the computer a couple of times a year and has been running fine on it's own for several years.

I ran trouble free for years too. No baby Monitor  and I have a real network with 2 WIfi access points.  I don't have a X 10 meter.  what else can screw up the 60 hertz ?  2 CM15A unit have the same problem so I'm pretty sure it's something in the power line.

[Dan Lawrence]

TV's, Cell phone chargers, PC power supplies are all notorious noise producers.    You mentioned  "I program it then move it to a centralized spot where it will receive remote signals and turn on all 16 modules. I use a laptop and the other PC on my Network is used by 5 people so I only hook it up to program it."

I presume this is a house, not a business.  If it's a house, select one PC to have AHP on it and the CM15A plugged into it.

[Jsnlong]

I guess you could try to plug it in to a computer to see if the clock keeps time that way.. but I would think that the clock would only update itself by the computer if your download something to the cm15.  but I really don't know how or when the clock would sync its self to the computer clock..

Good luck

[murphy]

I program it then move it to a centralized spot where it will receive remote signals and turn on all 16 modules.
I use a laptop and the other PC on my Network is used by 5 people so I only hook it up to program it.
The time seems to run too fast not just jump 1 hour.

This is not a good idea.  Because it has been disconnected from the AC power, it will continually be asking to have it's clock reset.  Since it's not connected to a PC it won't happen.  Try putting the CM15A where you want it to reside and then connect it to a PC/laptop that has the software installed so the clock set request will be satisfied.  Then you can disconnect the PC.  The clock in the CM15A is not a clock chip.  It is done by the cpu.  If this was the problem though I would expect the clock to slow down, not speed up.

[dspringsteen]

I program it then move it to a centralized spot where it will receive remote signals and turn on all 16 modules.
I use a laptop and the other PC on my Network is used by 5 people so I only hook it up to program it.
The time seems to run too fast not just jump 1 hour.

This is not a good idea.  Because it has been disconnected from the AC power, it will continually be asking to have it's clock reset.  Since it's not connected to a PC it won't happen.  Try putting the CM15A where you want it to reside and then connect it to a PC/laptop that has the software installed so the clock set request will be satisfied.  Then you can disconnect the PC.  The clock in the CM15A is not a clock chip.  It is done by the cpu.  If this was the problem though I would expect the clock to slow down, not speed up.

I hooked up the Laptop and reprogrammed it without unplugging it from AC power last night.
I set lights to come on at 6PM and they came on before 4PM.   This thing is driving me crazy.  more than 2 hour fast in less than 24 hours.

[Knightrider]

We might be looking at this from the wrong angle.
What version of AHP are you using?  I'm betting it's ver 2.236.

[dspringsteen]

We might be looking at this from the wrong angle.
What version of AHP are you using?  I'm betting it's ver 2.236.

I have programmed it with 3.326 on my laptop  and 3.168 from my desktop.
Is one version better than the other?   It worked so well for so long I just don't get what happened. now I want to smash it with my Jeep 

[Dan Lawrence]

Get rid of 3.326 on the laptop, it's a corrupt release of AHP.  Go to http://software.x10.com/pub/applications/activehome/ and get 3.204 and install that over 3.236.  When you have 3.204 installed. make sure all modules/timers/macros work properly.  Then, through the upgrade link in AHP, upgrade to 3.228.

As to the desktop, get rid of AHP, you don't need 2 different copies of AHP.

[dspringsteen]

Get rid of 3.326 on the laptop, it's a corrupt release of AHP.  Go to http://software.x10.com/pub/applications/activehome/ and get 3.204 and install that over 3.236.  When you have 3.204 installed. make sure all modules/timers/macros work properly.  Then, through the upgrade link in AHP, upgrade to 3.228.

As to the desktop, get rid of AHP, you don't need 2 different copies of AHP.

I changed to the older version.  I also Moved the unit to another room.  I'm thinking that the problem might have started when my kids got guitar hero with a wireless controller. is it possible that RF from the GH controller could have changed the clock on the CM15A?

[Dan Lawrence]

My guess, that is a major noise producer. Get a filter for it.  As to the versions of AHP, the 3.168 is a very old version, 3.204 and 3.228 are stable versions.