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Author Topic: Problems with AHPro, CM15 and SW11  (Read 25109 times)

pat30

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Re: Problems with AHPro, CM15 and SW11
« Reply #15 on: December 27, 2007, 04:56:11 AM »

So, I did what Charles Sullivan wrote.

- "Change the housecode|unit address in the SW10 icon to that of one of your AM12 modules. 
Click the On and Off button on the SW10 icon and see if the AM12 responds."
YES, AM12 responds.

- "unplug the AM12 module from its current location and plug it in an AC receptacle on
the same branch circuit as the SW10 module... See if the AM12 continues to respond"
NO, AM12 does not respond.

So, it seems it is a problem on this branch circuit.
Have you seen such a problem before ?
If true, what I can do ?

And I do not understand why with AHPro it do not run and I have no problem with RF controller
(EasyTouch 25 or SH624 Marmitek remote control).
Thank for your help and happy new year.
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Charles Sullivan

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Re: Problems with AHPro, CM15 and SW11
« Reply #16 on: December 27, 2007, 08:23:01 AM »

So, I did what Charles Sullivan wrote.

- "Change the housecode|unit address in the SW10 icon to that of one of your AM12 modules. 
Click the On and Off button on the SW10 icon and see if the AM12 responds."
YES, AM12 responds.

- "unplug the AM12 module from its current location and plug it in an AC receptacle on
the same branch circuit as the SW10 module... See if the AM12 continues to respond"
NO, AM12 does not respond.

So, it seems it is a problem on this branch circuit.
Have you seen such a problem before ?
If true, what I can do ?


This is a common problem when the transmitter is on one phase of a multi-phase household and the receiver is on another phase.  The X10 signal has no path between the phases, or is substantially weaker on the receiver phase. The solution is to add what is known as an X10 Phase Coupler at the breaker box.   If your house is powered by a 3-phase service, you will need a 3-phase coupler or perhaps a 3-phase coupler/repeater.

Quote
And I do not understand why with AHPro it do not run and I have no problem with RF controller
(EasyTouch 25 or SH624 Marmitek remote control).
Thank for your help and happy new year.


Try this: If you unplug your CM15 and plug your TM13 into the same socket where you had the CM15, do the shutters continue to respond to RF?  I don't know about the TM13, but the USA models of RF transceivers transmit at about twice the signal level as the CM15A.

X10 signals are sent as short pulses of 120 KHz at the zero crossings of the AC waveform.  In order to work with 3-phase circuits, older X10 transmitters repeat the pulse twice again at the times the other two phases would be at their zero crossings.  I don't know if the CM15 does this.

MichaelC:  Do you know if the USA model CM15A repeats its signal pulses at the 3-phase zero crossing times?


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Yesterday it worked.
Today it doesn't work.
X10 on Windows is like that.

HEYU - X10 Automation for Linux, Unix, and Mac OS X     http://www.heyu.org

Dan Lawrence

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Re: Problems with AHPro, CM15 and SW11
« Reply #17 on: December 27, 2007, 04:49:34 PM »

Speaking of phase bridging, the various X10 Phase couplers are fine, but there's a cheap and easy way to bridge phases:  If you have an electric stove, get a .1 uF 250 VAC Capacitor, available at many electronic stores for around a dollar or so and put it in the box the stove plugs into.  It will bridge the phases and the stove doesn't know it's there.
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I don't SELL this stuff... BUT I sure do ENJOY using it!!!

* Cor *

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Re: Problems with AHPro, CM15 and SW11
« Reply #18 on: December 27, 2007, 05:53:35 PM »

Mine is in the oven outlet. Which Radio Shack supplied. Works for a quick start. Under $5.00. Just remember to update your electrical map. Cheap test while waiting for the phase coupler. Just don't forget it there Thanks Dan for the reminder.
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Charles Sullivan

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Re: Problems with AHPro, CM15 and SW11
« Reply #19 on: December 27, 2007, 07:09:16 PM »

Speaking of phase bridging, the various X10 Phase couplers are fine, but there's a cheap and easy way to bridge phases:  If you have an electric stove, get a .1 uF 250 VAC Capacitor, available at many electronic stores for around a dollar or so and put it in the box the stove plugs into.  It will bridge the phases and the stove doesn't know it's there.

This works in the USA where electric stoves typically draw power at 240V from both phases of a +/- 120V split phase service.  However it would appear that the OP (pat30) resides in Europe.

The power distribution there is very often 230V 3-phase, and it's likely that an electric stove would be wired to only one of those phases.  (Input from any forum members in Europe will be appreciated.)

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Yesterday it worked.
Today it doesn't work.
X10 on Windows is like that.

HEYU - X10 Automation for Linux, Unix, and Mac OS X     http://www.heyu.org

pat30

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Re: Problems with AHPro, CM15 and SW11
« Reply #20 on: December 28, 2007, 02:20:42 AM »

Thank for your answers.

All my power distribution is 230V 2-phase.

I tried this:
- on the same branch circuit where I have the CM15: unpluged the CM15, put a TM13 into the same socket.
YES the shutters continue to respond to RF !
- put the CM15 (connect to my PC) on the branch circuit where are the SW10.
YES the shutters continue to respond to RF and NOW respond to AHP !
- put the CM15 (connect to my PC) on a third branch circuit (where the SW10 are not installed).
YES the shutters respond to RF and NOW respond to AHP !

So it seems I have a problem on the first branch circuit where I put the CM15.
I do not know why because the 3 branch circuits I tested have the 3 same circuit breaker in the electrical panel.
I continue the tests from others branch circuits (I have 23 branch circuits from the 'house' electrical panel for the house, and 18 for outdoor with 4 electrical panel).
Actually, to resolve my problem, I put my PC and CM15 on a branch circuit where I can run AHP.
The PC is connected by wifi to my router ADSL, so I can control my home by Internet (PC, CM15, Apache server, AHP and some scripts in Perl and PHP I wrote).
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Charles Sullivan

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Re: Problems with AHPro, CM15 and SW11
« Reply #21 on: December 28, 2007, 08:57:27 AM »

Thank for your answers.

All my power distribution is 230V 2-phase.

I tried this:
- on the same branch circuit where I have the CM15: unpluged the CM15, put a TM13 into the same socket.
YES the shutters continue to respond to RF !
- put the CM15 (connect to my PC) on the branch circuit where are the SW10.
YES the shutters continue to respond to RF and NOW respond to AHP !
- put the CM15 (connect to my PC) on a third branch circuit (where the SW10 are not installed).
YES the shutters respond to RF and NOW respond to AHP !

So it seems I have a problem on the first branch circuit where I put the CM15.
I do not know why because the 3 branch circuits I tested have the 3 same circuit breaker in the electrical panel.
I continue the tests from others branch circuits (I have 23 branch circuits from the 'house' electrical panel for the house, and 18 for outdoor with 4 electrical panel).
Actually, to resolve my problem, I put my PC and CM15 on a branch circuit where I can run AHP.
The PC is connected by wifi to my router ADSL, so I can control my home by Internet (PC, CM15, Apache server, AHP and some scripts in Perl and PHP I wrote).


It appears there is an appliance on the problem branch circuit which is attenuating the X10 signal, to the extent that the lower level X10 signal transmitted by the CM15 is being lost.  Appliances with switching power supplies often have heavy capacitive filtering at the AC input which can attenuate X10 signals.  Typical appliances like this are PC, UPS, TV, VCR, DVD, Stereo.  Test by unplugging all such appliances from the wall socket - merely turning them off is not enough.  If an offending appliance is identified, it can be isolated from the power line with a filter like the Marmitek FM10 Plug-in Filter.

However if you are satisfied with the operation of AHP where you now have the CM15 plugged in, you can now try this:
Create a macro by opening the Macro designer.  Click on "Advanced functions" in the drop down menu on the right.  Drag in the icon on the right "Extended code" and set its housecode/unit address to that of your SW10.  For "Command byte" in the icon, enter the value 0x03.  For "Data byte", enter the value 0x06.
Create a second macro as above but set the Data byte to 0x0C.
Create a third macro as above but set the Data byte to 0x12.

Now in the room view, run each of these macros in turn and observe the effect of each on your shutter.

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Yesterday it worked.
Today it doesn't work.
X10 on Windows is like that.

HEYU - X10 Automation for Linux, Unix, and Mac OS X     http://www.heyu.org

pietjansen@planet.

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Re: Problems with AHPro, CM15 and SW11
« Reply #22 on: February 06, 2008, 02:47:22 PM »

Well, maybe your problem can be solved because Marmitek is selling the CM15Pro (with ActiveHomePro) now. Should be a better product knowing Marmitek, having newer version of the software also. Seems you have bought with the wrong supplier, on their website it is said the product is not available because of a recall !

Good luck !

Piet
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pat30

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Re: Problems with AHPro, CM15 and SW11
« Reply #23 on: February 13, 2008, 08:31:08 AM »

I order this new hardawre from Marmitek
I'll make tests and report if it is OK.
Thank
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jacadito

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Re: Problems with AHPro, CM15 and SW11
« Reply #24 on: May 27, 2008, 06:35:03 PM »

I'm also in Europe, bought a CM15Pro a few weeks ago (used a CM11 before), and am now happily controlling 13 blinds via 11 SW10 modules. All commands are sent as extended code. I can position the blinds reliably.
I'm now working on a sun protection system with MS13 sensors (I put some black tape here and there inside to reduce light sensitivity so that they don't react to dusk/dawn but to sun/clouds light intensity difference). Bit of trial and error - maybe somebody has better way to modify the MS13 (so that it remains weatherproof !) ?
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ActivehomePro with CM15Pro, mainly used for controlling 11 blinds. Two MS13E sensors modified to react to strong light (sunlight) instead of dawn/dusk.
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