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[Brian77]

I've searched for this elsewhere but haven't been able to find a direct answer to my question.  I recently installed various x10 componentry, lamp modules, 3-way wall switches, etc., linked with a DS7000 security system.

Everyone on this forum refers to lights "flashing" when the system trips.  When my system trips, my lights go on and off, but they dim on and off, rather than flash.  Also, turning lights on and off using the security remote does the same (dims on, dims off).  Is there a way to change this so that when turning lights on and off, whether in normal usage or when the system is tripped, is done is a normal on off fashion rather than in a dimming up/down fashion?

On another note as well, I have young children and when arming the system at night, probably because the command lights on, lights off is given at arming, a remote powerhorn in the system goes off a few times, rather loud.  Is there any way to arm the system without the remote powerhorn going off momentarily during arming?  I don't mind the chime of the DS7000 console, that's tolerable, but the powerhorn is extremely loud and wakes up the children.

Any help on either or both of these would be greatly appreciated!

[Brian H]

If you manually turn the lights on and off with the consoles buttons or the security remotes on off buttons. Do the lamps slowly go on and off?
If they ramp up and down and not go instantly on and off. You have the new soft start modules.
I would say the on and off from the console with soft start would do that.
Though you are the first one to mention it.

[Puck]

Good point about the softstart lamp modules; the flash rate of the DS7000 would be to fast for them to completely turn on or off.

This is an excellent example of X10 introducing a new lamp module with a different function, without a part number change, that will eventually hurt them.

If you can no longer get the non-softstart lamp modules, then the primary function of the DS7000 security system has been rendered useless. They NEED to inform potential buyers of this product on their site!!!

Brian77: The remote powerhorns are triggered by the ALL Lights On/All Units OFF commands sent out by the DS7000 when a zone is breached; there is no way to have them disabled when armed in home mode.

[dave w]

Good point about the softstart lamp modules; the flash rate of the DS7000 would be to fast for them to completely turn on or off.

This is an excellent example of X10 introducing a new lamp module with a different function, without a part number change, that will eventually hurt them.

Taking a look at the X10 home page, or their e-mails...I don't think product engineering is what X10 has on their mind right now...tend to think the inmates are running the asylum.

[mikey_45]

I wonder if your Powerhorn is set to the same unit code as your security console.  The instructions say to use an unused code.  If you have it set to the same code, the arming signal will set it off.

[Brian H]

No the Powerhone will not trigger on a single on code. It needs  a continuous 1 second cycle of All Lights; On All Lights off [All Units Off also works for the Off] to the House Code it is set to; or the same on off cycle on the address it is set to. So a single on and even off to the address will not trigger it.

[mikey_45]

Yep, confirmed.  Just tried it on various settings, and could not get it to trip by simply arming the system.  Could swear I've seen it go off unexpectedly in the past, though, guess it was something else.

[Brian77]

Mikey 45, you are a genuis.  Thank you, I didn't know that the unit code wasn't supposed to be set to the security console.  Once I changed the unit code, it no longer trips on arming the system.

Thank you so much!

[mikey_45]

You're welcome.  Something else might be wrong though, as I can't duplicate the problem on my system at this point.  Can't remember if you have AHP, but if so, you might try arming the security system and then checking the activity monitor in AHP.  You should see something like (my Unit Code is D1):

0   1/4/2009 3:13:33 PM   Receive   D1 (New DX7000)
1   1/4/2009 3:13:33 PM   Receive   D On (New DX7000)
2   1/4/2009 3:13:34 PM   Receive   D1 (New DX7000)
3   1/4/2009 3:13:34 PM   Receive   D Off (New DX7000)

If you have more off's and on's, that might be fooling the Powerhorn - I'd want to find out why, as it might affect other things.  Also, I find if I hit the Arm Button twice, and have the Powerhorn on the same code as the DS-7000, that will cause the Powerhorn to sound briefly, though the Activity monitor looks normal.  In that case, of course, simply changing the Powerhorn code fixes everything.

[Brian H]

My older PH508A and SH10A Powerhorns need more than one on off cycle.
That said x10 has been doing a lot of design updates to many of their modules and most times not changing the part number. So it is entirely possible; a new production run Powerhorn may act completely different than mine. So not setting them to the same address as the security code may now be required if you don't want a momentary blast.