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[Hemingray]

I recently got a KR22A pocket remote off eBay (From the same seller my TM751 and HR12A was purchased). The HR12A I can use just about anywhere in and out of my house, however, the KR22A barely works even on the front porch. Is there a range difference between the two?

[Boiler]

Hemingray,
I don't have a KR22a but I do have the HR12a.  As you said, it works well in most locations in my house.  It uses 4 AAA batteries (6v total).  In contrast the KR22a uses a single 3V Lithium battery. 

The difference in the range is probably due to the difference in voltage and capacity (rated in mAh - milli amp hours) of the batteries.  In order to get acceptable battery life out of the KR22a's Lithium battery the Rf output was reduced (a AAA battery has roughly 5x the capacity of a 3v Lithium battery).  Simply put, you're paying for the small size of the KR22a with reduced range.

If you think that the HR12a has unacceptable range, ask youself how far your automotive remote will operate you door locks (these typically use 3v lithium batteries.  Mine will operate from ~30 feet with a clear line of site.  Your HR12a is trying to transmit through walls, wiring, plumbing, etc.  Try comparing the two.  It is possible you have a "low range" unit.

[HA Dave]

Boiler explained the range effectiveness very well.

But before you disguard the KR22A, remember it may have laid around a warehouse for sometime. A new battery may work wonders.

[DJ Cornfield]

Tonight I just got a 3-pack of the KR22A credit card controllers.  I tested them "in the clear", looking right at my new TM751 transceiver.  The best distance I can get is 20 feet (in an open room).  Beyond that distance, the operation is spotty with every few button presses not activating anything.  If I got behind a (thin) drywall, all I can get is 10 feet distance.  I agree with Hemmingray.  These remotes are very short range.  I feel bad about purchasing these cheap little dudes.  Now I know why they were selling them $14.74 for three!   

[lviper]

Darn, this had to be bumped after I just bought the same 3 pack on ebay yesterday. Oh well, I wasn't planning on using these from the outside anyway. I was going to give them to the kids so they can turn the lights on and off when they travel through the house during the night. All their rooms are upstairs and they always complain about the darkness of the downstairs when they live their vampire life and come down for a snack. There is no light switch for the family room at the bottom of the stairs. They have to enter the dark room and walk to the other side to turn on a light. They always seem to bump in to things.

[dave w]

Darn, this had to be bumped after I just bought the same 3 pack on ebay yesterday. Oh well, I wasn't planning on using these from the outside anyway. I was going to give them to the kids so they can turn the lights on and off when they travel through the house during the night. All their rooms are upstairs and they always complain about the darkness of the downstairs when they live their vampire life and come down for a snack. There is no light switch for the family room at the bottom of the stairs. They have to enter the dark room and walk to the other side to turn on a light. They always seem to bump in to things.

What you could do is get a second Transceiver for better coverage. It should be a RR501 and not a TM751. The RR501 always checks the powerlines before tranceiving a RF command to ensure it will not be "trampling" a command already on the powerline. The RR501 is available from various X10 resellers (eBay is one source) or as a kit (PHK05) from X10Pro.com.

[lviper]

What you could do is get a second Transceiver for better coverage. It should be a RR501 and not a TM751. The RR501 always checks the powerlines before tranceiving a RF command to ensure it will not be "trampling" a command already on the powerline. The RR501 is available from various X10 resellers (eBay is one source) or as a kit (PHK05) from X10Pro.com.

Hey now, that looks like a good idea. I also like the builtin outlet. Wonder if I could use that to power a small night light to let me know if the alarm system is armed?

[Brandt]

Darn, this had to be bumped after I just bought the same 3 pack on ebay yesterday. Oh well, I wasn't planning on using these from the outside anyway. I was going to give them to the kids so they can turn the lights on and off when they travel through the house during the night. All their rooms are upstairs and they always complain about the darkness of the downstairs when they live their vampire life and come down for a snack. There is no light switch for the family room at the bottom of the stairs. They have to enter the dark room and walk to the other side to turn on a light. They always seem to bump in to things.

I use the MS14a's for this with a macro that checks if the light off first and if it is off then it brightens the light about 12%

[DJ Cornfield]

Oh my gosh, this fun little system is nickel and diming me to death.  There are so many limitations on each little product.  The undisclosed limits make each part of a system nearly useless.  Let's see, I've been reading about this stuff for 4 weeks and using it for only two weeks.  The investment so far is $285.  From my experiences, I have it all straight now:
 
* The credit card remotes range sucks, SO workaround is to buy a different transceiver than the one I have.
* With AHP I can't control a simple x10 light switch in the next room, SO workaround is to buy a phase coupler.
* My socket rocket sensor will work about 8 times out of 10, SO workaround is to fumble around in dark 20% of the time.
* I can use a IR543 Mini controller to turn ON a reading light, but when my wife tries it, it will only turn on at 4% brightness.
* Can't use the x10 switches if someone is sleeping because of the overly loud SNAP sound at SNAP ON or SNAP OFF.
* After submitting a tech support request on email, no one will respond.
* After getting tech support on phone, if they promise to email you something, it will never arrive.
* If an x10 salesman promises you a discount on the phone, it will not be added to your order.
* The sluggish AHP program will lockup if you do simple things such as removing a switch and then adding a different switch with the same code as the one removed.
* The CM15A "plastic" antenna has such limited range, it's useless as an antenna and only looks like an antenna.
* The wall switches do not fit into my plastic wall boxes, SO workaround is to Dremel the corner tips of the switch bodies off with a grinding wheel

But I do have these positives:

* The TH2807 thermostat set back controller works as advertised
* I did get a $15 Facebook discount (come to think of it, not so good.  The FB discount cancelled out my $25 "Black Friday" discount which was supposed to be allowed top of other discounts)
* The forums are nice for bitching about the limitations, and there's always a guy with 3,000 posts that will question your sanity, and tell you what you SHOULD buy to make up for what you DID buy

 

[Brian H]

If the KR22a's are being used with your CM15A. Have you tried the taping a piece of wire to the plastic antenna on the CM15A to improve the range? Yes it is an antenna but part of the antenna wire is inside the case and not efficient.

Well the only thing I maybe able to add.
Your wife may have run into the preset dim feature in wall switches.
This information may give you an idea of how it works and can be reset.
And for once it is a free tip.
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Newer_Wall_Switches_and_Preset_Dim

[HA Dave]

Oh my gosh, this fun little system is nickel and diming me to death.  There are so many limitations on each little product.  The undisclosed limits make each part of a system nearly useless. 

Is this you [kobble kobble]?

[DJ Cornfield]

Since my post, I have had some successes:

I installed a phase coupler and got things on the other side of my (modular) house to operate.  Most people do not know they should not install phase couplers within their electrical panels.  It's not up to code.  It must be mounted in an external box (separate surface mount box or in-wall junction box).  You should also know that it's not code to double-up a phase coupler onto an existing breaker.  In other words, only one wire is supposed to be under each screw on a breaker.  You have to install a phase coupler on its own breaker.

The KR22A Credit Card Controllers have better range now.  I upgraded the CM15A plastic-joke-of- an-antenna to a metal Radio Shack antenna. (fully described in another post I made tonight).

Thanks, all for the pointers.  I've been soaking them all in, and playing with BVC too!  Man, that's fun.

No, kobble kobble is not me.

[dave w]

No, kobble kobble is not me.

There is no confusion, you are having fun, even with X10's faults. 

[rustbucket]

I got a 2 pack, one worked at the range I needed, the other didnt. I open it up and tweaked the adjustment in the middle of the buttons and got it to work OK. It took a lot of small adjustments and tries. Also I found that if you change the batteries, it reverts back to house code A, unit code 1

[Brian H]

Reverting to A1 is the normal thing that happens. When the battery is changed.