Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[darryl1959]

I have several issues with X10 and am interested in some feedback.  Anyone from X10 can feel free to weigh in…and do me a favor (X10 folks) – don’t give me the fluff, give me the real story – you’ll find that your customers are more willing to support you and work with you if you’d just tell us what is going on!

First on the list is quality. 

LM465A – I had read (in this forum) and understood that there were the issues with the LM465A lamp modules.  I wound up having 5 of 6 shipped to me that had the “half bright” issue – my question to X10 is: how can you still be shipping these when it is a known [quality] issue?

KR19A – Only works on the “A” house code.  Nice little remote to keep on my side table in my upstairs den.  Was very easy to change the house code but it wouldn’t work.  Would only work when changed back to house code “A”

KR22A – I could only describe this as “freaky”.  It literally would work whenever it felt like it (and that wasn’t very often)

RR501 – I wound up with one of these because I ordered one of the “kits” and I figured what the heck – it will come in handy and does have a built in appliance module.  On a whim I went to test it and although it does receive and send commands from my HR12A remote – the built in appliance module doesn’t work.  It turns on and off (you can’t miss that telltale “thawack” sound that it makes but the actual outlet doesn’t go live.  I didn’t open it up but I’m sure it is attributable to a poor solder connection or a failed component. 

X10 FOLKS – help me out here.  I love the products – it’s a tried and proven technology – what is going on with your quality?

Next – BACK ORDERS!

I’m a nice guy but when I’m pushed too far I come out swinging.  My next call to X10 is going to bypass whoever answers and I’m going right to a supervisor.  This is why.  I have the following on back order.  (1) LM 15A (Socket rocket) (4) WS 467 Wall Switch Modules. All of these are eagerly awaited.  I have a decent size 3 level house and what X10 I do have in the house (other than the aforementioned that require return) workS great.  I need all of these others to complete the project (outside light control – chandelier in the dining room, etc) I have called the X10 folks THREE TIMES and have been told “oh, they JUST came in yesterday” They will be shipped immediately!  Yesterday has come and gone guys – what is going on here? 

Also, one of the people that I talked to told me that they’d send me the tracking info on the socket rocket….First, the tracking number came in half way so fedex couldn’t recognize it of course.  I emailed this person back (fortunately they had send it from their email account to me) and told them the issue. So, I got a complete tracking number only to find out it was for the original order which had already been delivered.  After a couple more emails back and forth I was just dropped and no one has bothered to communicate back to me.
 
Ironically I just received an email on my Eris and guess who?  X10 telling me my X10 bucks are about to expire.  Well, call me reticent here but I am not exactly willing to spend anything with X10 right now until these issues are resolved.  As a matter of fact, as a gesture of goodwill, I think they should extend the X10 bucks spending period until such time as I can use it.  There is more I’d love to buy, as I stated before I love the technology.  But, what use is it to me currently? Not much.  Out of 21 devices I should be using and controlling – 8 are inoperative and 5 are on back order.  That means that out the approximately $200.00 I have recently spent I am using only 38% of my investment right now!  So, I’m getting $76.00 in value for my money!  UNACCEPTABLE!

[Brian H]

Since this is a user to user forum. X10 employees may not see your message. Though I wist they would.

Five out of six LM465's half bright. Not good at all. This was reported months ago. My guess is the warehouse pulls them from a pallet and just ships them. X10 is depending on their Chinese Factory to actually ship good product.    Most likely no way to test all of them locally at the warehouse.
Same for the other modules you are having troubles with. No or limited QC.

My thoughts are if X10 can't get its act together. People will move to other more expensive but working automation products.

X10 Automation has its quirks, but we have learned to make it work in ways not even thought of.

[darryl1959]

Hi Brian -

Thanks for your reply.  I wasn't sure if X10 read any of these or not.

Do you have suggestions for a more reliable system?  I'm willing to invest the money.  The house is too big to run around turning devices on and off.  By the time I invest in digital timers I will have spent a fortune - plus I want centralized control.

Darryl

[Brian H]

I don't know if they read here. If they do I have not seen any answers or relplies from them.

Have you tried the online order problem form?
http://www.x10.com/support/forms/order-support-request.html
http://www.x10.com/support/forms/order-info-request.html
http://www.x10.com/support/forms/warranty_exchange_request.htmOn the X10 Bucks. They are only good for standard priced items.

Any package deal that shows in Red is not qualified for the X10 Bucks.
http://www.x10.com/products/x10_bucks_landing.html

[Brandt]

I suggest buying X10 from eBay. Best prices I've found, and I'm sure those guys will refund the products they sell a lot faster than X10.com

[dave w]

LM465A – I had read (in this forum) and understood that there were the issues with the LM465A lamp modules.  I wound up having 5 of 6 shipped to me that had the “half bright” issue – my question to X10 is: how can you still be shipping these when it is a known [quality] issue?


X10 FOLKS – help me out here.  I love the products – it’s a tried and proven technology – what is going on with your quality?

IMHO
1. Because X10 does not bother to "purge bad stock" The customer does it for them. I just can't figure out how that can be cheaper than all the shipping costs. I don't think X10 is very concerned about how their customer perceive their quality. They know their prices will pull in new customers to replace the disgruntled ones.
2. There are a whole bunch of us asking that same question.

[GMAN]

1. Because X10 does not bother to "purge bad stock" The customer does it for them

I don't think X10 is very concerned about how their customer perceive their quality. They know their prices will pull in new customers to replace the disgruntled ones.

Sounds like the outfit I USE to work for. Us guy's cared about customers and would get really pissed when we heard about management
blowing stuff off. QC      Our internal slogan was  "Customer Tested" sense 19XX.

The joy of that great price fades with time when things work out - One NEVER forgets when they get mistreated or shined on.

[pconroy]

One NEVER forgets when they get mistreated or shined on.

True, very true.
I joined Sprint (a US Based telephone company) in the early 90's.  I can't tell you how many people said to me, after I told them where I was working, "You know, I had them once. They sooooooooo screwed up my bill, I'll never use them again."

There's another old saw in the business:
- Do a great job and your customer might tell one or two others.
- Do a terrible job and your customer will tell 7 or 8 others.