Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[amil88]

Hello all, I'm new here and hoping to find some help.  I use simple home automation in the form of outside lighting controls.  I use wall push button automation switches, and mini controllers plugged in upstairs, downstairs, and in my garage to control just 4 outside lights.

Here's my problem with multiple failures.  The mini controllers fail very often, probably within a year.  The failure is that the pulse red led light on the mini controller glows all the time, even when no buttons are being pressed, and the unit doesn't function any more.

The first 2 times this happened, I figured just a fluke thing and scrapped the controllers and bought 3 more.  Now 2 of those 3 have failed the same way.

Any idea what could be making the mini controllers fail?  Is there a fix, like replacing an internal circuit board component, that I could perform myself?

Thanks in advance! 

[dave w]

Did you look inside to see if there is toast?

I have had a couple of the mini controllers fail and both were a burnt resistor in the units power supply area, near the two big line reactor caps. I think X10 is just pulling too much current through the resistor and they either bake the PC board or the resistor changes in value enough to toast something else. I don't remember if the transmit light was ON or not.

How long are your units lasting?

X10 has changed the design on the mini controller, perhaps they beefed up the power supply.

[Brian H]

I had an RR501 fry. Looked like the Zener Diode in the circuit is close to its rating and the board got brown and the solder scaled up. 
A new heavier wattage diode and filter cap for good measure and it has been going fine for at least another year.

[amil88]

Thanks to those who replied!

As I said the mini controllers have lasted less than 1 year, with minimal use.  The others I scrapped out I looked for damage or signs of "toast" inside, all looked good.  Strange....

So maybe I was lucky enough to buy some of a batch that are weak?

What is the best source (price and quality wise) for a basic mini controller?  Looks like I have to get some new ones....