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[dwc]

System was working fine.  All of a sudden house codes A2&3 will not respond. Modules with these codes are inoperative.  Modules test good.  HELP!!

[Brian H]

More details would help in finding you an answer.

What controller and software are you using?

Type of modules loosing control?

Can you control the problem modules in the problem location if you change the House/Unit Code address?

Do you have any signal couplers or filters on known problem devices?

Any changes in the home even things you may not think of. New electronic devices? Even things like a new cell phone with a charger etc.?

The more you can tell us the better we maybe able to troubleshoot the problems.

[dwc]

The following Appliance Modules are in-op on House codes A2 & 3 HC20AM, Radio Shack 61-2681A, AM486 at all locations.  Controllers are Cm-15A, RR501.  Boosterlinc 4827, SignalLinc repeater 4826B and a XPCR. Software is Active home Pro. System worked fine when I left on vacation 3 weeks ago.  Got home  A 2&3 in-op everyWhere. All other codes OK.  Disabled Motion sensors on those codes.

Plugged modules into a plug strip with the CM-15A and tested modules on A 2&3. Modules tested OK.

No new equipment.

The only place modules will work is in plugstrip.

System has been in place 10+ years.  1st time for this problem.

[Dan Lawrence]

How old are the Radio Shack modules?  I had an old one (1980's vintage) fail in the on position.

[dwc]

They are old but work on other codes.

[Dan Lawrence]

Could be a noise problem. If the addresses work in other locations, noise is usually the cause.

[Brian H]

Have you checked your repeaters and bootsterlinc for proper function? Maybe that area has problems with some addresses with one of the signal enhancers acting incorrectly.
Dan's noise thoughts are another possible cause.

[dwc]

A 2&3 don't work anywhere in house.  All other house codes work.  What could be the source of noise? Nothing new has been added. The SignaLinc and boosterlinc LED's indicate a signal when using the CM-15a thru the computer link.  Also with the RR501 in a outlet and a module in a outlet <5' away no response.

[Brian H]

Long shot here. Try unplugging the RR501. I had ones power supply go bad and it did crazy things to my system. I rebuilt the supply and it again functions great.

[dwc]

Removing the RR501 doesn't help.  Beginning to think I have had a lighting hit while I was gone.  Am going to look into the whole electrical system.  I could see the whole system out not just 2 house codes.  Any recommendations on noise filters?

[robk]

I know this is an old thread, but for the benefit of anyone else, I had a similar problem. I had been using a CM15 to control a light in my LR as kind of a security light -- on/off at various times through the night to make it look like someone was up. Things had been working fine for a long time. Then, I unplugged it for a period of time, several months or maybe a year or so. I decided I wanted to get it running again so I plugged everything back in and it worked erratically. Sometimes the light would turn on but not off; sometimes it wouldn't turn on at all.

I did some research and found the suggestion that line noise can cause such problems and the X10 line filters can fix it. Well, I had gotten a couple new appliances and a new home theatre setup. I decided to start with the XPPF filter. I determined that my home theater system could exceed the 5A limit due to the AVR and UPS, so I thought, aw heck, why not try the air purifier then; that's new. Well, that was the culprit!

A short time later I started having problems again. Over the course of a few days I happened to observe that the light would not turn on or off when the ultrasonic humidifier was running. I ordered another XPPF and voila!; problem solved.

So, there are a couple appliances that can cause problems. If you have similar issues, think about what is new or changed in your home since the time your X10 was working properly. I wouldn't have imagined either of those appliacances would cause a problem, but they did. Either that, or maybe something else--like the new home theater setup introduced more noise, and taming down those two appliances lowered the noise enough that X10 works now.  FWIW.....

[Brian H]

If you need a X10 filter that can do up to 10 Amps. Smarthome sells a 10 amp 1626-10 FilterLinc. It has an internal slow blow fuse so if you overload it it may blow. Fairly large but has a unfiltered pass through outlet on the front cover and filtered outlet on the bottom.

Unless they recently updated it. The XPPF is rated for 5 amps but pushing close to the 5 amps. Would cause the internal coils to get warm.

If you have not seen Jeff's great troubleshooting guides. http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm