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[KWLnTN]

Hello,

I had a deck built a few years ago and had plugs put on every corner.  I also had a hot tub installed and the electrician put all the outdoor plugs and hot tub on the same circuit.  The circuit is a GFCI due to the water of the hot tub. 

I can't get any of my X10 stuff to work out there.  Is there anything I can do to make the single go out there?  I have a couple of repeaters in the house and I also have some Insteon that uses the x10 code. 

Thanks for any help you can give me!

Kenny

[Waynemor]

I haven't run into this problem myself yet, but a lot of people have mentioned that some GFCI's don't always play nice with X10. It may be as simple as that.
Hope that helps.

[steven r]

I haven't run into this problem myself yet, but a lot of people have mentioned that some GFCI's don't always play nice with X10....

I too haven't had problems with GFCI's or arc-fault breakers.

...I can't get any of my X10 stuff to work out there.  Is there anything I can do to make the single go out there?  I have a couple of repeaters in the house...

While repeaters can create their own problems particularly if you're using more than one (real time boasters are better), my bet is that something is a major source of noise or a really big signal sucker.

My guess is that you're going to need some filters including possibly an inline one for the hot tub.

The first thing to try is to turn off / isolate everything you can and try plugging in a controller nearby to test.

[dave w]

The circuit is a GFCI due to the water of the hot tub. 

I can't get any of my X10 stuff to work out there.  Is there anything I can do to make the single go out there?  I have a couple of repeaters in the house and I also have some Insteon that uses the x10 code. 

Thanks for any help you can give me!

Kenny

Some GFIs can stop (non amplified) X10 signals cold by not passing it. You can test this by putting a wired controller (Mini Controller, etc.) or a transceiver (TM751 or RR501) module at the very end outlet (you want the "electrical end"  of the patio circuit). Use the remote or Mini controller etc. to see if you can now control X10 modules between the transceiver/controller and the GFI breaker (you did not say if the GFI was a breaker or a feed thru GFI outlet, but it really does not matter for the test). If your patio X10 stuff now work the problem is your GFI.

You said you have two repeaters. Are you talking repeaters OR transceivers?
A repeater such as an ACT or XTBII should be able to blast a signal through a GFI breaker. If it does turn out to be the GFI you might try replacing it for a new one. My problem GFIs were early designs that used fairly large toroids that acted as chokes to the X10 signal.

[steven r]

...You can test this by putting a wired controller (Mini Controller, etc.) or a transceiver (TM751 or RR501) module at the very end outlet (you want the "electrical end"  of the patio circuit). Use the remote or Mini controller etc. to see if you can now control X10 modules between the transceiver/controller and the GFI breaker... ...If your patio X10 stuff now work the problem is your GFI....

While I agree the GFI could be the problem in the above situation, I believe it could pass the above test and still be a problem unrelated to the GFI such as line noise or a signal sucker that no longer is between the signal source and the items you are trying to control.

[dave w]

While I agree the GFI could be the problem in the above situation, I believe it could pass the above test and still be a problem unrelated to the GFI such as line noise or a signal sucker that no longer is between the signal source and the items you are trying to control.

Yup, You are right. From KWLnTN's description I assumed the patio circuit to be outlets and the hot tub. Since KWLnTN implies all the X10/Insteon in the house still works correctly,  the problem appears to be on the dedicated patio branch. So, yes it could also be noise or suck from the hot tube. But my thought was: if it is a noise or suck problem there would be X10 problem indications inside the house. My point intended was, since everything works inside the house, to get KWLnTN to investigate the possibility of a "choking" GFI before buying filters. If the hot tub has a master switch or it's own GFI breaker it can be isolated. Although KWLnTN saying he has TWO repeaters makes me question a GFI choke problem or even a noise / suck problem for that matter.

Hey steve did you ever build that latching relay for your water pump?

[steven r]

...Hey steve did you ever build that latching relay for your water pump?

Was that me?
I do have a pump that cycles hot water but it's doing everything I need it to do. I don't remember needing a latching relay for it but I could of had some obscure thought pass through head that I did for some reason.  Refresh my memory if I posted something