I used an XPR receptacle to power a garage door opener. The opener had a 1/2 HP motor and a light socket into which a 60W light bulb could be installed to provide light in the garage when the opener had power applied to it or when the opener operated. I had a 13W flourescent bulb screwed into the socket. The opener was plugged into a standard 120 VAC, 15A receptacle (circuit powering opener was a 15A, 120 VAC circuit) via a 6 ft cord that came with the opener (just plug the opener into the receptacle). The opener worked fine powered by this 15A receptacle so I figured I would control the motor by installing an XPR, 20A receptacle in its place.
Consider it an added security feature and a quick way to provide light in the garage when I neeeded it by hitting a keyfob. The XPR arrangement worked fine for a while but eventually it failed. Luckily it failed in the ON position. Whenever my X10 controller tries to issue a command to turn the XPR OFF, it fails to turn the receptacle off. You will hear a double set of clicks almost like the XPR is trying to transition to the OFF state but something doesn't latch (my guess as I don't know what is going on) and so it falls back into the ON position where subsequently you will hear another click almost as if it were re-trying but, of course, it fails.
This is the second XPR to fail in this application. The first time, I figured either motor inrush or temperature may have been a culprit in failure (same failure mode with the double sets of clicks being audible but I can't remember if the receptacle failed in the ON or OFF position). This first attempt saw the XPR installed in a receptacle box that itself was in the ceiling and thus in the attic space (receptacle box penetrated the garage ceiling and thus the box was in the attic space) where it can get up to 120-140°F . To counter this and to try to eliminate one variable, I used some standoff boxes to move the second XPR receptacle down into the garage space but still it was still up on the ceiling. Thus, it was not exceedingly far from the attic space and it dawned on me too late that heat could still maybe be getting down from the attic into the box (the garage itself gets quite warm also since we live in a warm area of the U.S. but not nearly as bad as the attic).
At this point, I am unwilling to experiment anymore to figure this out.
So, I turn to you guys. Any one out there have any idea what may have killed the XPR(s) (motor inrush, combination of bulb and motor, heat or cold from being installed out in the garage, heat coming down out of attic, anything I am missing, etc.)?
I ask because I wouldn't mind getting this thing to work but I don't want it to cost more than it is worth with any further experimentation.
I suppose while I am at it, anyone have any suggestions how to tackle this problem using components one can acquire, easily today?
Thanks.
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Topic: Any one out there have an idea why XPR receptacle may have failed? (Read 7452 times)