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[drfthorse]

AHP 3.228 used to work great with all my light switches and various timers.  I could control individual lights by clicking the icon through the AHP interface.  About a month ago my whole house power went out for an hour or so and since that time almost nothing works.  Now of all my 12 different switches only 1 (M5) works through the AHP interface.  When I click on icons in AHP GUI no switches work except for M5, which works as expected.  Various switches are a part of timers and macros and the only one that responds to timers and macros is M5.  Only M5 works through the RF palmpad remote.  BUT everything works from my plugged in maxi controller so I know all of my switches are still responding to X10 signals just fine.

Troubleshooting:  I have unplugged CM15A from the wall, removed batteries, reinstalled batteries and plugged back in.  I have cleared memory and downloaded timers multiple times.  I have the x10 pro phase coupler so that isn't the issue.  My WS12A decorative wall switches are setup as 2 way lamp modules in the interface.

I am at a loss and left scratching my head.  The holidays just weren't as enjoyable having to manually turn Chirstmas lights on and off.  :-)  Any ideas would be much appreciated.

[Brian H]

Are all the switches using the M House Code?

In your tests with the maxi controller. Did you use the same outlet as the CM15A was connected to?

[drfthorse]

Brian, some switches are on A and others are on B.  All christmas lights are on M.  The Maxi controller always works with all house codes even from various outlets.

[Brian H]

So the Maxi Controller can control the switches from the outlet the CM15A interface is normally used in.

If the Maxi Controller can control the switches and the CM15A can not control the switches from the same outlet. I am leaning towards the CM15A has failed.

Do you have any plug in modules that you could try in the CM15As outlet and then move it to other locations for tests?

[drfthorse]

Yes I have various unused AM486 modules.  Are you suggesting setting up a new module on an unused code, creating a timer, download to the CM15a interface, unplugging the CM15a and moving it to a different outlet along with the newly created module and waiting for the timer to activate?

If so I will give it a try.  Thanks!

[drfthorse]

The brand new module and the newly created timer WORKED in a different outlet (disconnected from PC USB) as described above.

Well, now what?   

[Dan Lawrence]

You probably need a filter on the PC that has the CM15A as PCs are notorious noise producers.   Every PC or laptop in a house with X10 should have a filter in it.

[drfthorse]

I understand how filters can help with the x10 signals.  I have this pc plugged into a large 1200VA APC battery backup.  Even though it is not a filter, this setup did work great since startup (about 8 months) but one day it decided to stop working.  If EVERYTHING in the CM15a quit working I could understand but some things still work.  It seems like the CM15a just forgot about 95% of the modules in the memory and AHP.  The 5% it remembered work everytime within timers and macros.

It there another way to reset either the AHP modules or the CM15a memory besides unplugging and removing the batteries and clearing and downloading the memory?

Thanks to all for your assistance!

[Dan Lawrence]

Since the PC runs off the 1200VA APC battery backup, the CM15A is also probably plugged into the APC as well.  Therefore you should get a filter for the PC, as the possible noise is still there.   The battery backup is there to allow you to shut the PC down properly in the event of a power failure.

What else besides the PC and maybe the CM15A is plugged into it?         

[drfthorse]

The CM15A is plugged directly into the wall.  I have read it is good to avoid surge strips and power line conditioners when using x10.  The APC has two PCs, router, modem, NAS, two switches, two monitors, speakers, etc.  But all of this was not a problem for 8 months.  There was never any random lights on or off and the timers always worked like clockwork.

Is there any good reset procedures that have worked in the past?

[Dan Lawrence]

As I posted before, your problem HAS to be noise.   The APC does NOT filter noise, and you have several known noise producers  plugged into it.   

I don't have a APC, but the PC that has AHP on it also has a cable modem, a flat screen monitor, a router and 2 printers plugged into a pair of power strips that are plugged into a wall socket (on a separate breaker, btw) that has a filter on it!!!

You can add one unit that begins a noise problem.   Three years ago my wife got a new laptop.  She sits on the sofa a and the sofa is 7 feet from the PC desk.  Two lights in the Living Room (X10 controlled) stopped working. So another filter was added. 

There is now a PC used as a file server in the basement - that has a filter on it.

Go to   http://www.automatedoutlet.com/  Automated Outlet and look for filters. Their prices are lower than X10 USA's ans their shipping is flat rate regardless of items.

[Brian H]

The APC UPS has a line filter in it and most likely is sucking up X10 signals. I have my APC BX1000's AC input on a 10 amp X10 style filter.

It is possible something in the home is now making more noise and the signal that was strong enough. Is now not getting to all the modules. A filter on the UPS may strengthen the signals as they are not being absorbed.

[dave w]

It is possible something in the home is now making more noise and the signal that was strong enough. Is now not getting to all the modules. A filter on the UPS may strengthen the signals as they are not being absorbed.

drifthorse,
I'm jumping on the noise band wagon also. Try unscrewing or disconnecting ALL CLFs in the house and see if you have X10 control. Also are re you sure you have no new switching power supplies cell phone, Xbox, (basically a new "anything" about the same time as when your troubles began. ?

As a side note possibly related to your house power going out. While living in Florida, before I got a "blowtorch" repeater, I would notice a seasonal change in how well my modules responded to X10 commands. Drove me nuts. An explanation was the power company transitioning from "winter distribution"  to "summer distribution" and vice versa. More line balancing capacitors are switched in for summer power to keep distribution level line voltage from short duration sags. Apparently this had minor influence on line impedance in the home which effected how well X10 signal traveled though the home. To me the "pole" transformer feeding the house should have isolated this, but apparently it did not. I'm not offering that as an explanation but just as information. However do you have a repeater?

[drfthorse]

Thanks all,
I do have the XPCR coupler repeater that I wired into my electrical panel.  I only have (1) CFL bulb in the house (trying to sacrifice energy for x10 operability).  I can think of no new switching power supplies added to the system lately.

Dave - If what you say about the power company is true then you might be on the right track about the power.  This all started when the power went out to our neighborhood for an hour or so.  Maybe they switched some transformer or something to influence the singals.

I have purchased some filters and I will let you know if that has any positive influence.

Thanks again!

[dave w]

Dave - If what you say about the power company is true then you might be on the right track about the power.  This all started when the power went out to our neighborhood for an hour or so.  Maybe they switched some transformer or something to influence the singals.

Maybe, but since you DO have a repeater I doubt the change in distrubtion would cause your problems. The Florida "summer/winter" distribution home incident was created in a marginally weak signal environment. So the seasonal change in the spring just tipped the X10 signal from marginal to insufficient on a couple of branch circuits. At the time if I would have had a repeater I doubt I would have ever seen the problem.

I guess one thing you could try is to select a non working module as your test module and begin sending ON-OFF signals from AHP/CM15A or a wired or remote controller and turn off every breaker in house except the two feeding the CM15A and the test module. If the module suddenly starts working it is noise or signal sucker and it will be a simple matter to trackit down.