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[glousteau]

I'm new to X10, bought a garage door sensor, and some lamp modules.  My goal is to have the lamps come ON when the garage door is open.  My question is, can I have more than one lamp module being fed from the same powerflash module?  My goal is to have the one powerflash sensor connected to the garage door sensor, when the garage is open, have little night lights come on throughout the house to let me know its open.  It seems to work with just one lamp module, but I'm not sure about adding the other lamp modules.

thanks

[Charles Sullivan]

I'm new to X10, bought a garage door sensor, and some lamp modules.  My goal is to have the lamps come ON when the garage door is open.  My question is, can I have more than one lamp module being fed from the same powerflash module?  My goal is to have the one powerflash sensor connected to the garage door sensor, when the garage is open, have little night lights come on throughout the house to let me know its open.  It seems to work with just one lamp module, but I'm not sure about adding the other lamp modules.

thanks

Any reasonable number of lamp modules can be set to the same housecode and unitcode and will respond together when the Powerflash sends the signal.  This presumes of course that you have a good X10 signal path from the Powerflash to each of them.

[HA Dave]

Charles Sullivan of course is correct. Nightlights, lamps, you can even add some chimes too. Unless you run into a phase or interference issue you should be good.

The nice couple across the street was robbed a few years back. He had left his garage door open while he mowed the yard. Apparently... he was mowing in the back... while a thief just walked into the home and found his wife's purse (and a couple other items). Thank God.... the thief and the elderly wife.... didn't cross paths.

Thief's know to look for open garage doors... and they're easy enough to spot too. I use AHP ($50 with all the plugins.. including OnAlert) and setup a voice announcement reminder for my garage door. I am told when the door is raised or lowered... and reminded every 10 minutes when it's up. You can see (and hear) it in action at my YouTube Channel.

[glousteau]

Next question, do different brands of equipment matter? or if i code something to be say m 13 it should be consistent across brands?  I've got two working that are the same brand, but one isn't working.  wonder if i'm running into the different legs of the 220VAC feed issue I've seen?

[HA Dave]

........... wonder if i'm running into the different legs of the 220VAC feed issue I've seen?

Yeah... that is called a phase issue.

I don't know what "brands" your refering to. X10 technology is a standard... and X10 has slapped other brandnames on their products for decades. I have some Radio Shack and some Black&Decker brand X10.

[glousteau]

are there any writeups on the phase issue and how to solve it myself, rather than having an electrician do it?

I was referring to one of my lamp modules is branded by Magnavox, not sure what the others are, but if its standards based as you say; it all should work together

[Dan Lawrence]

are there any writeups on the phase issue and how to solve it myself, rather than having an electrician do it?

I was referring to one of my lamp modules is branded by Magnavox, not sure what the others are, but if its standards based as you say; it all should work together

All X10 modules are made in the same factory to the same specs regardless of what name is on the case.

[Jsnlong]

There are alot of plug in phase couplers. You can just plug them into your dryer outlet and the dryer plugs into it. Smarthome.com has them. Thats where I got mine. Little easier then wireing one into the electrical box.

Move the magnavox one to where the x10 powerhouse one is at and see if it works there. If it does then its not the brand.

[steven r]

are there any writeups on the phase issue and how to solve it myself...

Jeff has a lot of information on the subject as well one of the better products made to bridge the phase gap.
If you search this forum, you should find it or perhaps Jeff can give us a link here.
(I don't have it at the tips of my fingers right now.)

[JeffVolp]

Jeff has a lot of information on the subject as well one of the better products made to bridge the phase gap.
If you search this forum, you should find it or perhaps Jeff can give us a link here.

Hi all,

The X10 troubleshooting tututorials are at: http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm

Jeff

[glousteau]

ok, so i bought a phase coupler/amplifier and installed it in my dryer plug.  I know have 2 of my 3 lamp modules working where/how I want them.  I can't seem to get third one to sync up in a certain location.   It is plugged into a surge protector, could this be causing issues for me?  Any other things to check?  should i be able to run 3 lamp modules off of the one garage door contact?

thanks

[Dan Lawrence]

ok, so i bought a phase coupler/amplifier and installed it in my dryer plug.  I know have 2 of my 3 lamp modules working where/how I want them.  I can't seem to get third one to sync up in a certain location.   It is plugged into a surge protector, could this be causing issues for me?  Any other things to check?  should i be able to run 3 lamp modules off of the one garage door contact?

thanks

Surge protectors are notorious for blocking X10 signals.  Plug the module into a non-surge protected outlet in the same room and it will respond.

[glousteau]

thanks, seems to be working so far.  I'm going to have to run a regular extension cord to the location.