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[zdman]

I have just begun installing a number of x10 products in my house. I have been quite successful, but have one issue. I have a X10 PRO Modle XPFM inline module wired to a ceiling fan. It works fine when the fan is running full speed, but when the fan is running on another setting, the module will not turn off. I can hear it click but immediately hear another click....as if it is going off and right back on again.

I am not sure but from searching hear and on google, it sounds like I need ot modify the unit to disable local sensing. I found numerous instructions on the web for this, but none that fit my particular module. THe XPFM I have , has a board with the a surface mount 14 pin device on one side. Everything I have found so far shows units with more pins on it. Does anyone have a schamtic of this device and/or know how to disable local sensing? If not, is there another solution to my problem?

Thanks.

[Brian H]

Sounds like the newer board in the Appliance Modules.
I have not seen any mods or schematics. So if someone has them. It would be of interest to me also.

[qmclaugh]

I have this exact same problem.  please- someone at X10 - help us troubleshoot this.  Very annoying problem! 

[Brandt]

I have an XPFM inline with a fan/light combo fixture that I installed a few months ago where the XPFM controls both the light and the fan (I still have to use the pull chains to control them individually). It seems to work fine at all fan speeds, but now that I think about it I think the incandescent lights were on while the fan was running. They may have the same effect as the 'nightlight' hack with appliance modules on fluorescent lights.

EDIT: I just tested by putting the fan at the lowest speed, and pulling the chain to turn the light off, then turning off the XPFM unit with an XPT switch and it did NOT turn back on.

[Brian H]

Brandt; Thanks for the test on your fan and light combination.
The turning back on at lower speeds maybe also related to the exact way the fans speed is controlled and the motors characteristics. So yours maybe fine while a different motor and speed setting components may kick the XPFM back on.
Maybe some type of noise suppression circuitry could be used between the XPFMs load connection and the fans Line connection.

[train_depot]

The problem is nothing to do with noise. The problem is the "local control" feature in the XPFM. Something to do with the back EMF from the motor (the momemtum of the fan causing it to act like a generator right after it is switched off) fools the XPFM into thinking the user is trying to switch it back on again using local control (manually switching off and on at the appliance). Not sure why it only happens on medium and low, but it does.

The solution is to trick the XPFM into thinking that appliance is still on by adding a continuous load. You can do this by adding a 47K resistor across the blue and white wires of the XPFM output. You need a 1/2W 47K resistor from Radio Shack. Why 47K? That's the lowest value resistor you can get from Radio Shack that will be within the power rating at 120V. 47K at 120V is 0.3W.

I used a short piece of "euro" connector block (that's the plastic connector blocks that have screw down terminals inside, they sell tham at Radio Shack too) to mount the resistor on one side (covered in some insulation tubing) and blue and white wires to the wire nuts on the other side. Mounting a resistor straight into wire nuts would not be a good idea.

Obviously this is not "code" so do so at your own risk! However I had the exact same problem and this fixed it for me.   


+------+
|      +---blue---+---- to fan hot
|      +          |
|      +          Z
| XPFM +          Z 47K 1/2W
|      +          Z
|      +          |
|      +---white--+---- to fan neutral
+------+

[Brian H]

train_depot; The XPFM does not have local control in it.
Mine will not turn back on if the load is toggled on and off.
Date Code: 05A05. Later revisions could be different.

It is noise or an inductive kick. Getting back into the relay status circuit.

Yes the resistor fix has been used by a few other here with equal success.

[train_depot]

I don't see how it could be "noise". It was 100% reliably switching back on when the speed was set to medium or low. I think it is more likely the "inductive kick" as you say. My point is that noise filtering won't fix it (unless as a side-effect it happens to put sufficient load on there).

[Brian H]

Inductive kick does sound more like it.

I have a test load that I use to glitch modules.
An older magnetic ballast fluorescent light.
It can cause some Insteon ApplianceLincs to go nuts. To the point the microcontroller gets lost. 
I had mixed results with a filter between it and the special load.
A resistor did seem to work fairly well.

Since X10 and X10pro have done some redesigning. To use easier to get parts. Like surface mounted parts. We have seen newer modules act differently than older ones. That is why my tests and newer models may not agree.