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[BSROwner]

First some background:
I have a long rancher style house which has some weird wiring (the prior owner thought he was an electrician).  At one end of the house is my CM15A which I update using the Marmitek version of Active Home Pro (I was using the US version, but when the original x10 went belly up, I needed something to keep my system up to date). Many of the inside and all the outside lights are X-10 controlled, but due to the weird wiring, sometimes signals won't reach various modules.  I've had the plug-in power line bridge installed for a number of years, but it only helps a bit.  When the new X-10 came out with the PLC01 Powerline Repeater, I bought one and plugged it in near the breaker box. Since I have split 220 service, the breakers on once side are odd numbers, the breakers on the other side are even numbered - I plugged the Repeater into the odd breaker side, since the CM15A was on the even breaker side. With the Repeater in place, the on and off commands sent by any X-10 interface (including the CM15A) are properly executed.

The issue:
When the CM15A sends a Dim command, something happens and it never reaches the lamp modules - none of them - even the ones just upstream of the CM15A. If I unplug the Repeater, the Dim commands work fine (but then I have dead spots that don't respond to any signals from the CM15A).

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make the PLC01 and the CM15A play nicely together?

Thanks,
Art.

[brobin]

I'd replace the the PLC01 with an XTB-IIR while you still can, particularly with your wiring. It's worth every penny and more. See: www.jvde.us

[Brian H]

Most breaker boxes have every other breaker positions on alternate lines. So you can have tandem breaker next to each other for 220V. You may want to look at the breaker map usually found on the box. To verify you have the CM15A on one phase and the PSC01 on the other.

I don't know of a possible fix. My thoughts are the PSC01 is having issues with the Dim commands. Are the modules the older ones that are sent a stream of dim commands or soft start where they are sent an extended X10 message dim?

If you have a X10 RF remote you maybe able to put the transceiver in the CM15As position and see if a similar thin happens.
It the CM15A is what you are using for X10 remotes. You could see if the remotes dim signals do the same thing.

[Tuicemen]

Sounds like your using the PLC01 for something it wasn't designed for (a phase coupler)

This doesn't explain why all dim commands stop working when in use other then its creating a firestorm of commands which I've seen this device do. When this happens usualy all x10 signals are affected not just dim commands.
You may wish to try a phase coupler instead of the PLC01.

[Brian H]

I picked up a PLC01 as it was on sale recently.
I may try some things and see what happens.