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[jpc763]

I have had X10 installed in my house for 8 years now and have been very happy with it for the most part.  Over the past year I have started having problems.

Environment - 3600 sq foot home built in 2001.  Only using the A channel and all 16 addresses.  Of those, 6 are on timers with an ActiveHome Pro timer (CM15A).  The rest are controlled using 6 or 8 PalmPad remotes (HR12A) throughout the house to a RC501 transceiver.  The lights that are timed are...
1) Outside lights - On at Dusk and off at Dawn.
2) Space heater 1 - On a 15A heavy duty SR227 socket
3) Space heater 2 - Also on a SR227 socket
4) Room lamps - Also on a SR227 socket
5) Nightlight - on a lamp module LM465
6) Holiday Lights - on AM486 modules - up to 6 of them.

The rest of the rooms have WS467 wireless switch, XPDI3 dimmer switch, LM465 Lamp Modules and SR227 sockets that are switched on and off from the palm pad remotes. 

I have a SmartHome SignalLinc 4816H phase coupler wired into the panel.
I have several XPPF filters in places where the signal has been sucked away by a TV or other appliance.

I will first go over what has changed in the past year.  In February I dismantled a saltwater fishtank upstairs that was plugged into one of the room power systems and installed a much larger system in our basement.  I had 2 NEW 15 AMP circuits installed that are running High Intensity (Metal Halide) lights, pumps, heaters, filters, etc.  The power load is spread across both circuits.

Now my problems...

1) Lights go on at random - Lights will just turn on when nothing else is being switched.  Not the timed ones, but the other ones.
2) Holiday lights don't work anymore.  I cannot get a signal out to the plugs that the holiday lights hook into.  If I move the plug to another room, it works, but not the outlets that the lights plug into.

I am ready to chuck the whole system, but thought I would post first.  ANY help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.  John

[Dan Lawrence]

The new fishtank may be source of your problems.  Try a filter on the fishtank and see if X10 signals improve.

[jpc763]

The new fishtank may be source of your problems.  Try a filter on the fishtank and see if X10 signals improve.

5 Amp or 15 Amp?  Thanks for the info.

[Brian H]

The choice of filter rating depends on the power used by the lights.
Do you know how much power they use?
15 Amps would be the safest choice if you can't determine the exact load.

[JMac]

I agree with the 15 amp selection.  Otherwise, you might be soldering in the the replacement "slo-blo" 5 amp internal fuse early on.

[JeffVolp]

I recall someone else having a problem with Metal Halide lamps.  A resistance heater should not be a problem.  Neither should be a pump with an induction motor.

While the easiest thing would be to isolate the whole system with two high current filters, it may be more effective to isolate the potential noise source(s) with the lower current XPPF filter.  High-current filters are notch filters that only attenuate signals in the X10 band.  The XPPF is a low-pass filter, which attenuates all frequencies above its cutoff frequency.  So, if there are components of your system that are broadband noise sources, the powerline would be much cleaner if you install individual XPPF filters on them.  The XPPF is available inexpensively on eBay.

The best filtering would be to feed two powerstrips with high-current filters, and then add a few XPPFs feeding the noise sources.  That would guarantee maximum signal rejection at the X10 band while also eliminating broadband noise.

Jeff

[glb7272]

I am by no means an expert on x10 but would it be possible to turn off the entire fishtank for a few minutes and see if the system works correctly? That could confirm or deny if it is the fishtank or not.  These guys are right it is probably from the ballast on the lights, but you never know.

Second thought.
Are you testing the rf remotes in the same place that the plug in the modules are located? or are you testing them from a different room where you placed the module?  Maybe rf interference? Way out there thought.... but do you know where all the remotes are (you have 6 or maybe eight)? Don't laugh at this but I installed a rf device at a customers house and it worked randomly. 5 hours and 4 modules later i figured out another remote on my truck (smashed on after a box collapsed) was sending out a signal that caused all the problems. Once again, a way out there thought.

I would check the tank before you buy anything first if that does not work move on to "new" devices in your house. Then the experts could guide you to the right filter and placement.

[Brian H]

Yes we should have asked if the problem went away; if the new fish tank lights where off for a test.