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[tony paolillo]

I installed the SR227 at A2. It works fine
with nothing plugged in it, but when i plug
something in it it wont respond at all. I
have a light rope for the yop of my cabnets
that im plugging into it. Its not much amps.

Any ideas why it doesent respond when
something is plugged into it?

Tony

[roger1818]

Tony:  Can you turn it on with it plugged
in?  Sometimes if what you have plugged in
generates power line noise it can prevent
the module from receiving the command to
turn off.  I wouldn’t' have thought a light
rope would have generated any noise though.

[X10 Pro]

It could also be that the rope-light is too
low a wattage to control. Do you have a
regular lamp you can try in the SR227? Also,
make sure you are plugged into the X10
controlled socket -- the top one.

[tony paolillo]

Yes, its plugged into the top spot. I
plugged a phone charger into it and it did
switch then but not when the rope light is
plugged into it.
Why would it not switch because it has low
wattage? Why does the switch depend on the
wattage plugged into it.
I would think it switches no matter what is
plugged into it and if its to much it blows
a breaker or such.

Tony

[X10 Pro]

Tony: The module allows a small amount of
current through all the time to allow the
local control of the light. When you switch
the SR227 on or off with the rope light
connected, does it still click? If so, the
switch is working, but the amount of current
coming through is keeping the light on.

[tony paolillo]

No, it does not click. If i unplug the light
it will click, but i does nothing with the
light plugged in.

[Brian H]

If the module is off and you then connect
the rope-light, can you turn it on? Sounds
like it may have a electronic ballast or
control. That maybe making noise or
absorbing too much X10 signal. I had a CFL
that would go on but not off. An ELK  ESM-1
signal meter showed 2 bars of signal if on
and 3 if off. Both should be high enough for
no problems, but the bulb must have
scrambled the signal so the module did not
go off. I used an X10 filter as a test and
with the X-10 filter between the module and
the lamp it again worked. In my case a
different brand of CFL fixxed the problem.

[tony paolillo]

Someone just told me that it could be that
their on different legs in my breaker
box..??..
The outlet that the main unit is plugged
into is on the opposite side of the breaker
box that the kitchen is on.
He said i might have to put in a bridge.?.
Does that sound right?

Tony

[joe s.]

If your SR227 works with one device (normal
incandescent 40w lamp) and not the other
(suggested in your original note) then a
phase/coupler (which I would recommend in any
installation) - is likely not the cause.

By any chance - is that one of those new LED
type light ropes?

BTW - long term - you should get a phase
coupler/repeater anyway.  One of the best and
simplest to use is at:
http://www.automatedoutlet.com/product.php?productid=180&cat=0&page=1

[tony paolillo]

The SR227 does seem to work with a regular
lamp. But it doesent work well. Actually,
most of the X10 doesent seem to work very
well. I have to click on , on the remote
several times to get it to work.
But with the rope light in a LM465 lamp
module seems to work, but not in the SR227.
Here is what i have no:
http://www.lowes.com/lkn?
action=productDetail&productId=48674-1390-
G9165WHI.
It is the 5 halogen lights and it does the
same thing as the rope light. It doesent
work in the SR227 but does work in the LM465.

p.s. is the LM465 supposet to hum? loud
enough to annoy you in the kitchen.

Tony

[Brian H]

No the LM465 should not hum loudly. I don't
believe that module is designed for that
type lamp. Any triac type module may not
work on CFLs; Low Voltage Lights with
transformers or any other loads with
inductive or electronic ballasts. Sounds
like you have a signal problem. Could be the
modules are on one phase of the house wiring
and the controllers on the other.

[joe s.]

Aha...halogens.  Only relay type devices
(your SR227 is one of them) are supposed to
work with these...the LM467 is a Triac
device....no wonder the lamp module is
noisey, I'm surprised it didn't fry.

Because you've suggested unreliable operation
overall - My spidey sense is suggesting you
may have both noise problems and phase
problems.

For noise troubleshooting - plug in a normal
lamp into your SR227 - then (this is gonna
hurt) go around and UNPLUG as many electrical
devices in your home as possible (especially
TV's, PC's, surge protectors, UPS's, compact
fluoresent and fluorescent lights, even
fridges etc.)  Don't worry about "normal"
lamps - but every other electrical device s/b
suspect.   Is your system working reliably
now?  If so - start plugging stuff back in,
'til reliability goes away....and you'll know
what needs a X-10 noise filter to improve
your system's relaibility.

If the halogens still don't work after you've
removed any noisey devices, they may be a
noise source themselves and might need an
X-10 filter too.

Phase coupler/repeaters are used to extend
X-10 coverage to most (all) wall sockets and
switches...since you don't have one, I would
predict even after you troubleshoot for noise
- lamp modules will only work reliably in
about half of the house outlets - the other
half are likely on the "other" phase of your
power line.

BTW - sometimes people put their CM15a in an
unusually poor circuit, just because it's
close to the computer etc.  Just for testing
purposes, run a good quality extension cord
from another room to power the CM15a - you
might be surprised.

[Brian H]

My X10 controller was very marginal untill
my APC BX1000 had a filter added to it. Yes
mine is close to the computer.

[tony paolillo]

Funny, I have the main unit pluged into the
same outlet as my UPS.
Thanks for your help, i will try all of the
suggestions. I will be moving around the
main unit and getting some filters.

Thanks again

Tony