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[Boiler]

Did they decide to put a Jesus bolt on an airplane?

Close - pilots generally aren't happy about an engine shutdown, much less during a carrier landing (this occurred during the 80's).  No loss of aircraft (loa) or loss of life (lol in my vernacular - always sends chills when I see it in posts) but that is probably due to the skill of the pilots themselves.

And yes, I work with helicopters as well. 

Helicopters don't actually fly - they're so ugly, the earth repels them!

 

[steven r]

Bad units. I wish I had a "batch" or "serial" number to report.

I spoke with Brett who is going to do an advanced RMA so that I am not without switches for 2 weeks.

Bad units? You would not believe the trouble people go through to modify the out of the box switches to make them dim.

http://www.instructables.com/tag/keyword:ws467/

Amusingly from the link above, at the time I checked, the instructions on how to "disassemble x10 wall switch" had been viewed 1,092 times while the instructions on how to "reassemble x10 wall switch" only had been viewed 844 times. Does that mean 248 people are quick learners or that they gave up. I, for one, wouldn't want to take one apart.

http://www.instructables.com/id/ECP6XSBHCOEP286ENA/

Interesting they have to add components to the design to keep it from dimming! The the link above shows you how to short them and give the switch local dimming.

Let us know if the new switches do the same thing. It wouldn't be the first time a design change was made without a module change. Also it wouldn't be the first time customer service was in the dark to a change.

[KDR]

I spoke with Brett who is going to do an advanced RMA so that I am not without switches for 2 weeks.

It almost sounds like maybe they sent them out and weren't suppose to and now they want them back quick.  Maybe an accidental release on a new or improved module. It would be nice to have a switch that operates like this along with one that operates like the older WS467.

^{----------------KDR}

[keyboardgnome]

The functional problem with them and the dimming feature is the time to enable or disable the dimming function...

You press the button, but hold it just a fraction too long your lights are half way on. To get them to be full bright again, you have to tap the switch to turn it off. Then press and hold the switch until the lights are all the way bright again, otherwise they're now "preset" to whatever LUX you were getting with them dimmed. Oh, and the reverse applies too if you turn them off.

So, in short, turning *on* the lights just turned into a 10+ second procedure and ordeal.

If they wanted to integrate the dimming function into the physical interface, I would HIGHLY recommend a different form factor. Otherwise, people will get frustrated.



I'll report back in regards to the replacement modules.

[Dan Lawrence]

Hmm.

Several of my WS467s are new (bought in the last six months) and none of them do what you described. Are these X10 USA sold ones or by someone else like Smarthome?

[keyboardgnome]

Nope- phone order to x10.com

[Dan Lawrence]

Then it appears X10 USA changed them.   Strange.   I buy new ones either from my local dealer or dealers like Automated Outlet.

[dave w]

My moneys with KDR's theory. These are new units, and either the well organized X10 web information has not yet been updated OR China made, packaged, and shipped them under the wrong part number (as in a new model, not set up for market yet).

[steven r]

My moneys with KDR's theory. These are new units, and either the well organized X10 web information has not yet been updated OR China made, packaged, and shipped them under the wrong part number (as in a new model, not set up for market yet).

OR... Since modifying standard ones to dim requires shorting some components with a blob of solder (see link in my previous post), he could of just gotten one that made it through QA with an extra blob of solder on the board.

(I'm still betting on a new undocumented module change.)

[TakeTheActive]

Any other ideas?

I go with the "undocumented enhancement" theory. And, with the history of POOR COMMUNICATIONS in X10 Corp, don't expect the telephone Tech Support to know much about it.

If anyone wants, I can video record and post what I am having.

I would like to have one of your switches for experimentation and observation purposes. Perhaps I can get MichaelM involved to see if you indeed received some "flukes" , or the WS467 was recently "enhanced" (like the LM465 ).

...however when I press the button to turn it off (a quick tap), it dims off on all 3 modules. Same to turn on.

I have an ~20 year old "One-Way WS" (either X10 or RadioShack - too long ago to remember) that I modified per instructions that I believe I found on Ido's site. Briefly, best as I can remember, I removed the push-button and slide switches completely, made a simple mod to the circuit board, soldered 2 wires to the circuit board, extending them through the hole from the missing switches, attached them to a modified (added the spring from a ball-point pen under the paddle to force it to become momentary) Leviton non-X10 paddle switch and dremeled the 'ears' off the WS so that I could "stuff" it into the utility box *BEHIND* the modified Leviton switch.

Since this is a 'one-of-a-kind' in my house, it's sometimes difficult to remember that ON requires a 'quick tap' or else you're stuck in the BRIGHT/DIM cycle. If I do forget though, which happens often, a release followed by 2 'quick taps' usually turns it OFF then ON. Personally, I cannot see X10 Corp providing an "additional-cost-to-manufacture" enhancement without passing that cost along to the consumer, so - do 2 'quick taps' work for your version?

[TakeTheActive]

Did they decide to put a Jesus bolt on an airplane?

Are you a pilot or aviation mechanic?

Jesus Bolt

Most helicopters have two of these bolts. The Jesus bolts are the bolts that hold the main mast to the frame, and the head to the main mast. If you loose either one of these bolts your entire rotorhead will seperate from your helicopter. They're called a "Jesus Bolt" because when they break the pilot was known to say "Oh Jesus!"

[keyboardgnome]

.... so - do 2 'quick taps' work for your version?

I'll try this tonight and report back. Thanks.

[keyboardgnome]

Are you a pilot or aviation mechanic?

Nope- I'm one of these folks who's a jack of all trades and a master of nothing. But having a friend who is an aeronautical engineer helps with this kind of knowledge

[TakeTheActive]

...And yes, I work with helicopters as well. 

Helicopters don't actually fly - they're so ugly, the earth repels them!

Something about "Helicopters are comprised of ~1000 individual parts constantly attempting to vibrate themselves free..."

[dave w]

OR... Since modifying standard ones to dim requires shorting some components with a blob of solder (see link in my previous post), he could of just gotten one that made it through QA with an extra blob of solder on the board.

(I'm still betting on a new undocumented module change.)

Yes, except look at keyboardgnomes second post...he has three of them and he descibes what might be soft starts. So I'm hoping they indeed are a new model, but I tend to think it is still some knd of mistake. X10's CS treated it as bad modules (when they really don't sound bad) and I bet TTA is correct when he said it ain't like X10 to incorporate new desired features without a price increase.

My interest is piqued...I'm excited!