Hi all,
Last year at this time, I installed some x10 modules in my house to deal with controlling Christmas lights/window candles. I put a coupler/repeater in my box to make sure the signals got out to both phases as they should (approximately 2,400 sq ft home over 2 stories). We have some plug in lamp links and we also changed out a few outlets to the 15a split receptacles. All of this is controll by a lcd mini timer (looks like a small alarm clock).
There are a few things not controlled by the x10 system yet that I'd like to work on. We have a 3 bank of switches on one side of the front door that we flip one switch to control an outlet in a 2 story foyer (up top on an overhand) to turn on a small tree in a picture window, and another switch we use to activate outside outlets (2) where one outlet is switched and one is always one to turn on home outside trees. Also - we have 3 light posts outside. This is a 3 wired circuit where the lights are on a switch in the front hall and the outlets at the top of the posts are always hot. Right now, we wrap the light posts, plug in "on at dusk for 6 hour" times and go with that. I'd like to control all this.
On the upstairs foyer thing, I can probably just plug in a lamp link and leave the switch in the on position (outlet is only controlled by the one switch).
On the outside tree lights, 2 outlets, one switch involved. Must be 3 wire if one part of the outlet is always on. What can I do there? I was thinking of changing the switch somehow (do the switches use normal face plates?) but with the 3 wire thing, not sure how that would happen. I assume in the switch box (didn't take off the face plate), I'm only going to see 2 of the wires (and a ground?) so I'm thinking the always on outlets won't even matter.
On the lamp posts, since it's the always on piece of it that I want to control. I think this circuit is on it's own breaker. What I thought I might be able to do is trace from my panel and in my basement somewhere, install an x10 outlet in series and then just turn that outlet on and off with the controller which would then control the lights around the poles. Does that make sense? Can you control something not plugged into an outlet like that?
thanks in advance!