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[orbytel]

Hey all,

I'm having a bit of trouble, and I'm kind of hoping someone can shed some light on this issue, as its driving me nuts. I'm not going to use model numbers for x10 units, as you'll know what I'm talking about, and I'm in Australia which uses different model numbers for the same products that everyone else uses.

I initially built a custom home theatre room, with a Fibre Optic Star ceiling, which is powered by an AC light engine, which I had running off a wireless transceiver module. The star lights run off the mains circuit (not the lighting circuit). This worked great for about a year, until my wife put my keychain remote through the wash, which rendered the x10 module unusable, until I invested in a new one (which was about a month).

Anyway, I then purchased a cm19, which a bunch of in wall dimmers, as well as a benchtop remote. I immediately started to have issues, and could get everything working but the star lights. They worked fine plugged directly into the mains, but the x10 module wouldn't respond when plugged into the light box.

I immediately decided to go out and purchased a lamp/appliance module, and see if that would fix the issue, and it worked first shot (when I plugged the wireless transceiver into another power point). Then, after about an hour, it just stopped working.

Here is what I have done to troubleshoot:
*attempted to turn on the module using a tabletop remote, firecracker, x10 commander etc. Nothing.

*Tested the RF transceiver, and it is receiving RF signals and repeating them along the lines, but it will no longer turn on or off any appliance connected to it (i think that part of the module has been damaged, but it still does its job). 
 
* I have tried all modules on different circuits throughout the house, and the PL module works great on ALL powerpoints, with all appliances, but it doesn't respond when the light box is plugged in.

*i figured that there may be some noise on the line, so I ran a new power point to the location, from a different circuit, still with no success.

*Turned off ALL other power points, a/c, alarm, disconnected electric curtain rods, and every other electrical appliance in the house to check for noise, and it still does not respond.

I've come to the conclusion that the light box itself must be causing issues with the module connected to it (perhaps it initially fried part of the RF transceiver that it was originally connected to). What doesn't make sense, is that it worked for so long before, and it's not dead as the light box is still working when connected directly into a powerpoint.


Can anyone shed some light on this for me? The effect isn't as great when I have to get up and turn the star lights on and off at the wall.

Thanks!

[Brian H]

The new module is it a appliance module with a mechanical switch in it?

With the problem light disconnected can you hear it clunk on and off and if you have another light on it does it go on and off?
If it doesn't clunk or the test light doesn't go on even if it clunks it maybe damaged.
If it does clunk and a test light does go on. You problem light maybe causing the problem.

How much load is the problem light? Ours here in the States are 500 Watts for lights and 15 Amps for pure resistive loads.

[dave w]

If everything worked for a year and then suddenly quit (for the moment, consider washing the remote only a coincidence) what did you get new? Sounds like it could be a noise problem. Search this forum for "noise". Modern electronics act as electrical noise generators and "noise" impedes X10 signals. Also what kind of light engine is the fiber optics driven by? Incandescent or halogen should not generate noise, but a metal halide engine (xenon, mercury, sodium, LED, etc) definitely will. Maybe a filter on your light engine will fix the problem.

[orbytel]

The new module is it a appliance module with a mechanical switch in it?

With the problem light disconnected can you hear it clunk on and off and if you have another light on it does it go on and off?
If it doesn't clunk or the test light doesn't go on even if it clunks it maybe damaged.
If it does clunk and a test light does go on. You problem light maybe causing the problem.

How much load is the problem light? Ours here in the States are 500 Watts for lights and 15 Amps for pure resistive loads.

Thanks for your quick response, the module i purchased is supposed to be a HA103 Lamp/appliance Module. The appliance module is suitable for appliances up to 2400w load limit.

I think i've found the problem though. On the label on the light box, it states 230v/50hz  when I opened up the light box, I found the following:

Voltage: 230V/ 50HZ
Bulb type: 12V/ 35W Halogen
Motor: 12V AC

This should work no worries, but when i inspected the module, it states 40w minimum load, and it was model# ha113

The ha113 is solely a lamp module, and does not support halogen lights. Not only is the light box a halogen light, it is also under the 40w minimum load...

It seems the wrong module was packed in the wrong packaging, so im going to take it back and swap it for the correct module and hopefully that will fix my issue.

I'll let you know how it goes.

[Brian H]

OK Sounds like you did get an incorrect part.