Print

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

[bitman]

I have an XPCR coming.

I'm an electronics savy guy.
I have an 1800 sq foot home with the breaker box in the garage.
Split phase as expected.

As I understand, this thing should be in it's own work box and all but want to hook it up to see that it works and possibly even improves the x10 situation that is deteriorating with every toy brought home before going to such trouble.

When I cut the power to the house via the two big service breakers, then I can remove the cover panel to see all the wires.

As I understand, I am to pick a 220 breaker ( such as the dryer breaker) that are fed from the main service breakers, and on the "house socket side" of that breaker, gang the XPCR read and black wires to phase A and phase B screws, therefore in parallel with the 2 110 dryer wires, and the white to a neutral buss bar that I presume will be there.

Pray and restore power.

Sound right?

TIA

:Ron

[dhouston]

Here's a simple explanation...
https://www.laser.com/dhouston/coupling.html
The links to Phil Kingery's articles (at the bottom of the page) no longer work.

However, it may be that noise and/or 'noise suckers' associated with your 'toys' are your problem and a phase coupler may not help that much.
https://www.laser.com/dhouston/noise.html

[bitman]

Thanks, but the links went 404.

[Brian H]

Jeff has some great X10 Troubleshooting and Information X10 Tutorials. He also makes the cream of the crop XTB-IIR repeater coupler.
http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm
http://jvde.us/xtb-iir.htm

Here is the XPCR Instructions if you care to see it before you get the unit.
http://www.authinx.com/manuals/X10/XPCR.pdf

[the other steve]

If I read you correctly, you are proposing to put the XPCR wires under the same breaker screws that the dryer wires are currently using (as is shown in the XPCR manual).

If that is your intent, you should gain the results you want, but there are some problems that could arise:  If the breaker only has one set of screws, that is considered "double-lugging," which is flagged by inspectors where I am.  Also, the XPCR is being supplied by a high-amperage breaker, which may provide little or no protection for the XPCR wires.

The idea may be sound, but the execution is probably not.

Ditto on Jeff's repeater (said the guy who replaced his XPCR with Jeff's XTB-IIR).

Steve

[bitman]

Exactly, the scant manual is where I gleaned my information. I just wanted to bounce this off of flesh and blood here as I haven't played in the breaker box play ground before. I know that double ganging - thanks for the term, isn't cricket nor is leaving the xpcr in the breaker box. If it works like I'm hoping it will, then I'll go the extra mile and put it in it's own work box etc and let an electrician do it. We have had our setup go from controlled intermittent to wth? of late. It seems like our new neighbors may be making some line noise (if that's possible) as things will work then things will not and we've just been sitting there between tests.

Thanks everyone!

[Brian H]

One tip on the XPCR.
Verify you have a solid Neutral power connection before powering up. I was experimenting around and missed a Neutral connection and had just the two Lines connected. The 220VAC overloaded the 120VAC MOV protective devices on each Line to Neutral. Ended up with two of the fuse wires opening up and two blown MOVs. Though the short fireworks woke me up. 

[bitman]

Thanks Brian.

[LostDog88]

Please don't forget that when you shut off the mains, the two big lugs with the big wires at the top of the box are still very much alive. And will hurt you. Badly. Very Badly.

Note. The big lugs with the big wires could be at the bottom. Let's not nit pick where the hell they are please. They will hurt you. Badly.

Just Sayin'.

[bitman]

Right!

Thankfully they are way up high and out of my work area.
The cover plate is metal and so I'm anticipating having to pull it away and not down and away to take it off as wouldn't there be a hot screw or two at the top main breakers?

You would think that would be a non-conductive component!

[JeffVolp]

Verify you have a solid Neutral power connection before powering up. I was experimenting around and missed a Neutral connection and had just the two Lines connected. The 220VAC overloaded the 120VAC MOV protective devices on each Line to Neutral. Ended up with two of the fuse wires opening up and two blown MOVs. Though the short fireworks woke me up. 

That happened to someone with the original XTB-II.  Although the splatter marks remained, it was easily repaired.  I switched to 250VAC rated coupling capacitors, MOVs, and fuses for the XTB-IIR.  I'm not aware of any damaged that way since.  It just won't work if it doesn't have a neutral connection.

Jeff

[brobin]

Thanks, but the links went 404.

If you're using Chrome, switch to "Incognito Mode" or Firefox (or others) and then the links will work.

[bitman]

Thanks, but the links went 404.

If you're using Chrome, switch to "Incognito Mode" or Firefox (or others) and then the links will work.

By George you're right! - Thanks.

Oh and: Very comprehensive document. Thanks again!