Print

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

[ice49]

 
I am getting ready for the Christmas light season and remembered that last year when I used new LED light strings for the out door lights I had a problem. Using the  X-10 AM466 ( or equal) 3-Pin Appliance Modules to controll on/off, I would have part of on or two of the seven attached strings remain glowing when switched off, due to a 12volt feedback in the circuit.
I used a couple of different modules and switched the type and brands of LED lights without change. When I switched to conventional incandescents everything was normal.
Can anyone explain or suggest a cure.
Thank you so much.
Ice49

[Brian H]

You can add one 4 watt incandescent night light bulb to the output on the appliance module. Maybe using a power tap on the modules output so both the night light and the LED lights can be connected to the module.

Some have used a 47K {47,000} Ohm 1/2 watt resistor. Maybe mounted in a AC plug and insulated so it does not touch anything.

[dave w]

Brian provided the cure. The explaination is the Appliance Module leaks a small amout of current through the load for:  local control (on older modules), and sensing it's own output state ("am I ON or OFF"). This leakage is sufficient to keep LED lights dimmly lit. Putting an addition load on the module (the nite light) shunts the leakage current so the LEDS extinguish.