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[bilyth]

I have a mini controller mc10a that %90 of the time works fine. but lately it's not triggering my macros & i can't figure out why.

I don't believe it noise/interference because it will turn any module on & off properly. But when i hit a house code that's specific for a macro, it's not triggering it. & it's not just one macro, it's all of them.

And I'm able to trigger the macros from active home on my desktop.

Any good explanations? fixes?

This happened before & then spontaneously went away. Now it's happening again.

[Puck]

Does your Activity Monitor show that the CM15A is receiving the mini controllers signals?

[bilyth]

it doesn't appear so. So looks like cm15a is able to transmit macros & module commands but is not receiving mini controller signals.

what does that mean?

I just cleared the interface & re-downloaded the macros etc...& didn't seem to do anything.

Nothing has changed, it was fine a couple days ago.

thanks.

[Puck]

Do your macros have conditions that may not be true for the macro to execute?

If this isn't the problem, then it appears that somewhere (electrically speaking) between your mini-controller & the CM15A the signal is being degraded. Maybe on opposite electrical phases?

Have you tried moving the mini-controller to an outlet on the same circuit as the CM15A for a test to see if the macros trigger?

[bilyth]

Some macros have conditions, others don't.

i tried moving the mini controller to another outlet in the same room & i was able to trigger the macros. I moved it back & initially was able to trigger the macros again...but then it stopped.

So, it seems to be on & off. It looks like the signal isn't reaching the cm15a consistently. Weird, because it had been working no problem for a couple months.

Maybe it'll start working again soon. I live in an apartment & i wonder if it's related to what my neighbours have plugged in or are using. i can't think of any new devices that i'm using.

[Dan Lawrence]

That sounds like a phase problem.  X10 sells phase couplers, but if you have an electric stove a capacitor mounted across the contacts in the stove outlet.  Do a search for phase couplers. 

[bilyth]

Well..after unplugging & replugging, it's working again. for who knows how long (but like i said, it had been working months before..maybe on the odd occasion it wouldn't work).

So, i did a quick search on phase couplers. So all you do is buy this capacitor, open the box in the stove plug & somehow connect/drop it in & it solves all phase issues in my apartment?

I'll consider it if i continue to have problems. don't want to mess around with the stove right now if htings are working.

thanks.

[dave w]

i tried moving the mini controller to another outlet in the same room & i was able to trigger the macros. I moved it back & initially was able to trigger the macros again...but then it stopped.

So, it seems to be on & off. It looks like the signal isn't reaching the cm15a consistently. Weird, because it had been working no problem for a couple months.

Maybe it'll start working again soon. I live in an apartment & i wonder if it's related to what my neighbours have plugged in or are using. i can't think of any new devices that i'm using.

If everything worked at one time, it is not likely a phase coupling problem. Consider the possibility of it being a noise problem also.  Any new things with "wall wart" power supplies (cell phone charger? etc. or  "brick" power blocks ?) these can be noise generators.

  You can usually test for a phase problem by waiting until the problem manifests itself. Turn on your oven and see if things begin working, that would indicate a phase problem.

[bilyth]

well, it's working again now. i'll make note of what electronics are running the next time i have issues.

thanks for the help. i've learned a few things.

[tsttm]

That sounds like a phase problem.  X10 sells phase couplers, but if you have an electric stove a capacitor mounted across the contacts in the stove outlet.  Do a search for phase couplers. 

i have the same problem & found that turning on the stove does eliminate it.

So, where can i find more details on this capacitor on stove contacts? are you referring to a plug in phase coupler or actually doing something with the stove plug?

Is this what you're referring to:
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Phase_Coupling#Home_Grown_Solutions

it says it could be against electrical code to do this..so i'd rather just  buy a plug in solution..but is what you're referring to a different thing? your solution sounds like a cheap economical solution vs buying a plug in thing.

(need detailed instructions, please)

[Brian H]

Do you have a electric dryer or an outlet for one?
Smarthome sells a three and a four pin dryer outlet passive coupler. They also have an X10 repeater coupler in both styles.
I believe that an electric stove outlet maybe different and they may not fit.
Sometimes they have a few in the open box or clearance areas also. Just read the fine print if you decide to use either of those choices.

http://www.smarthome.com/4816B2/SignaLinc-trade-Plug-In-Phase-Coupler/p.aspx

http://www.smarthome.com/4816A2/SignaLinc-Plug-In-Phase-Coupler/p.aspx

[tsttm]

thanks. i just made a new post in the general forum.

I don't have a dryer & as far as i know, no dryer outlet (i live in an apartment). I'll look around, but i doubt it.

So, yes, it turns out my stove plug is different- it doesn't have the bendy prong. (see NEMA 14-50)

http://www.stayonline.com/reference-nema-straight-blade.aspx

So, am i out of luck? Can i get adapters..& are they safe?

thanks.

[Dan Lawrence]

Does your stove plug into a outlet (in a box behind the stove)?  If so, a capacitor can be connected inside the box between the 220 connectors. Any good electronics shop should be able to determine the .mfd of the capacitor.  The capacitor will bridge the phases and the stove doesn't even know its there.   

[dave w]

http://www.x10.com/support/x10trou.htm

[Brian H]

If you go the capacitor route. I used an AC powerline rated one only for me to feel safer.
Some construction data. Also added an 18 uh coil in series with the capacitor to tune the circuit. Smarthome's dryer outlet one have the coil in them also.