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[Brandt]

I bought the 3-pin AM466 modules for use in the garage with my two 40w T12 bulb fixture.

However when using it, the light stays on. When i use an x-10 controller to click it to off, the light goes off for a split second and then turns right back on.

This fixture does not have any local control. Previously, I was controlling it locally by plugging it into a power strip and using the power strips on/off.

[Brian H]

Is the AM466 a new one, that X10 says is more CFL friendly?

Sounds like the lights are generating a noise pulse when turned off.
Maybe a filter on the light may help.

[Brandt]

The date code on it is "09I37" not sure how to interpret that yet.
What do you mean by a filter?

[Brian H]

09 2009. Is a new soft start.

Since you are using a plug to connect the lights to the appliance module. You maybe able to get a plug in X10 filter and add it between the appliance module and the lights plug.
I would say maybe a Smarthome 1626 {5 Amp} or 1626-10 {10 Amp} filter would work. If you don't know how much current the lights use. I would go for the 10 amp. ACT makes a AF120 that is 15 amps.
X10Pro makes a 5 amp XPPF but if you load it anywhere near its 5 amps it tends to overheat and smell. I melted one in a test with slightly less than 5 amps resistive from some light bulbs.

Leviton 6287 filters are also 5 amps and are hard wired. Maybe inside the fixture itself.

[mike]

I have also solved this no turn off problem by putting a filter between each module powering florecent lites in my home - it works.  If you use one of the noise measurement units avail for X10, you will likely see 30-50mv of noise at x10 freq when the lite is on, 5mv with it off.  With the filter I typically see 7-8mv and the lite again works.  You need to use a filter really on every flor. lite in your house to cut this noise or a lot of your x10 stuff won't be dependable.

FYI, 2 40watt bulb flor lite is 80 watts;  add a tad for inefficiency and you are still well under 1 amp (85w/120v=0.7amps) so the little 5 amp module is fine for your use.  Even for upto 5 of these lites.  Good news is the components inside the smart home unit can handle 10-15amp easy unlike the x10 model and it also is well fused (replacement fuses are cheap at digikey.com).

Also, I concur on XPPF x10 little 5amp filtes - DON'T USE THEM.  I do not believe they really are UL listed as printed on them - I think the UL listing must be fake on these China made units as not only do they smell if run with 3+ amp load, I almost burned my house down with one at 4.8amp load on florescent lites - the 12" flames luckily blew out of it when I was in the room and could grab the fire extinguisher.  It did burn the 2x4 wall stud before I could put it out.  I have removed all these cheap units and replaced them all with smarthome units as mentioned above.

[Brandt]

Darn, the only filters I have are two XPPF modules 

How about the hacks i see on AM486's by cutting diodes or soldering resistors somewhere? I am a beginner/amateur electronics enthusiast and I have a ton of resistors/caps laying around...


I'm not going to drop over $10 dollars for more filters, that is ridiculous in order to control a flour. light.

[Brian H]

By chance did the plug strip you where using have a surge suppressor in it?
You could try it in the appliance modules output and then the light in it. Maybe just as a test.
Another test could be add a standard incandescent lamp to the output along with the T12 lights. See if that changes anything.

The cutting diode thing was for the older version appliance modules that turned back on from the Local Control Sensing Circuit.
The new models are different and I don't believe anyone knows what to cut. As I believe Local Control is not in the new models.
Some one; in a thread; mentioned a resistor capacitor network across the relay contacts. I have never seen a snubber network in an X10 module. I have seen it in other brands like the Smarthome Insteon and Icon ApplianceLincs. Though the older model had a capacitor and resistor in parallel. From one relay contact through a diode to the other side of the relay. It was for the Local Control Sensing and most just cut the diode. I verified the new appliance modules do not use local control.

You may find some of this data interesting as you are now starting into electronics and X10 Automation.
http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm
http://www.act-solutions.com/PCC/uncle.htm

[Brandt]

Thanks,

I just find it ridiculous to spend more on an appliance module and a filter than the actual fixture and bulbs!!   

[dave w]

Thanks,

I just find it ridiculous to spend more on an appliance module and a filter than the actual fixture and bulbs!!   

Then you definately don't want to look in to Z-Wave, UPB, Lutron, Lightolier, or even Insteon. They will all put you in sticker shock coma, although they all are probably a lot more robust than X10.

[Brian H]

Well I have what I refere to as my "Module Killer Light".
It is a cheap under counter light and it is my test light for how well a module acts with a harsh environment.
I was one of the first early Insteon ApplianceLinc owners; that the light found a design problem with.
Turn it on and off a few times and it spiked the unit hard enough to let it start smoking and a fried electronics smell.
Yes a recall was done.

[Brandt]

Well from reading around it sounds like if i do something like this it might work:



[t12 fixture & incandescent fixture]->[cube tap]->[AM466]->[receptacle]


or does the cube tap and incandescent fixture go between the AM466 and receptacle?

[dave w]

Well from reading around it sounds like if i do something like this it might work:



[t12 fixture & incandescent fixture]->[cube tap]->[AM466]->[receptacle]


or does the cube tap and incandescent fixture go between the AM466 and receptacle?

No it goes: t12 fixture & incandescent fixture]->[cube tap]->[AM466]->[receptacle]

The incandescent bulb acts as a "quench" so the Appliance Module does not see the ballast pulse/starter switch in the fixture which is making the Appliance Module turn the load back ON.

[Brian H]

Dave W got it. T12 and incandescent fixture in tap that is plugged into the AM466 controlled outlet.

[Dan Lawrence]

I use a 4 watt night light and a cube tap to kill CFL "flicker" when off.