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[REM]

I’m new to X-10 and just installed my first 3-way dimmer (WS12A) switch.  There doesn’t appear to be anyway to ground the switch.  Should I be concerned from an electrical safety perspective?

[JimC]

I am certainly not an electrician but if the device you are using has a "UL" label on it and it came with no way to ground, it must have been designed to be used that way. If all of the parts of the switch that you are likely to come in contact with are non-conductive (plastic) the ground would serve no usefull purpose anyway. Just make sure that all of the ground wires in the box are securely fastened together so as to maintain the integrity of the grounding throughout the system.

[roger1818]

There doesn’t appear to be anyway to ground the switch.  Should I be concerned from an electrical safety perspective?

No.  The electronics are all contained within a plastic box.  The metal plate on the front is there to act as a heat sink for the triac.

[REM]

Thanks for the replies.  Based on further experimenting I have a few additional newby questions I hope someone might be able to address.  I’m using the ActiveHome Pro CM15A software with two WS12A dimmer switches and two LM465 lamp modules that I purchased from X10.com.  Some of the lamps I’m attempting to control have incandescent bulbs, some compact florescent bulbs.  Every thing works fine (on/off control, timers, dimming, etc.) with the lamps with the incandescent bulbs.  The lamps with the florescent fixtures only seem to respond to the on/off commands.  I also seem to be getting a buzzing noise in the wall mounted dimmer switches when the florescent fixtures are on. 

I’ve seen components on the XC10 site for florescent fixtures but thought they were for traditional florescent fixtures with separate ballast.  Am I correct to assume it really any fixture that has a florescent bulb? 

[JimC]

Most X10 lamp switches and  lamp modules are for incandescent lamps. Unless the device is marketed for florescent lamps they may not work. None that I know of can be used for dimming florescent. The socket rockets seem to work fine for on and off use with compact florescent   even though the instructions state that they are for incandescent.

[REM]

Thanks Jim.  I was hoping that I could use these energy saving type bulbs, particularly for the fixtures that I'm planning to used to while we're away from home.....so much for energy savings!

[kwyjibo]

If you have two or more bulbs controlled by a WS12A, try mixing compact fluorescents and regular old lightbulbs. I've got a couple of lights done this way; I think having the regular bulb in circuit cleans up the signal path. They don't seem to interfere as much as when I just had CFLs in there either. YMMV, of course.

[JimC]

Rem,

You may want to take a look at the "Socket Rocket". Many have posted using these with CFL's with success. I have been using one with a CFL for a month now with no problems. This device only accepts on and off commands (no dim).