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[Squirrel1162]

I am using 2 Socket Rockets to control 2 outdoor lights that operate off of the same indoor switch.  One will work as intended, the other comes on, but then when the off command is given, only dims to 50%.  I didn't think that was possible.  I moved the transceiver to the same circuit thinking that there might be a issue sending/receiving the signal.  That didn't work either.  Is the LM15A bad and need replaced, or is it something else?  Thanks for any and all help anyone can give me.

[dave w]

Socket Rockets can not dim, so you are probably correct...it needs to be relaced. One question curious however. If you unscrew SR from the lamp socket and then screw it back in, is the bulb still at 50%  ??

If, yes, then it is kaput but it would be in a strange failure mode (almost like 1/2 of the triac shorted...). If it is OFF after screwing the SR back in...thats even stranger. Keep it as a totally new failure mode from X10. Maybe they will buy it back to see what happened, to improve the device quality.....

[Brian H]

Very strange problem.
Normally a failure would be it is always On or it can't be turned On.

Try Dave's hard power cycle reset and let us know how it acts.

[bolco]

I, too, just encountered this strange issue.  I use socket rockets in my walk in closets.  1 that i've had for 6 years finally gave out after the metal base became detached from the plastic socket rocket...so, I bought 2 new ones.  BOTH of them have a tendency to remain lit at approximately 50% when I hit the OFF command...and seems to occur more frequently if I send the OFF command after the light has been on for a while...say over 30min or so.

Any progress with this issue?

Should I be fearful that it's faulty enough to burn my house down???

[Brian H]

Thank you for your added information with the not going all the way off.

How large a wattage bulb is in it? Since it sounds like a heat related thing. I was just curious on how close to its maximum rating you where using?

Standard incadescent bulb?

Since we are a user to user forum, X10 may not even be aware of the problems. Though they may scan things here from time to time.

Since the triac is not turning 100% off. It may get warmer than normal, but we can't say for sure if it is a hazard.

It is not right and I would call X10 and exchange them.

[Dr.Fiero]

Just as an addendum - what's the orientation of the unit(s)? 
If it's in a closet, I'm going to guess the bulb hangs down?

That's going to drive the heat right up into the unit, so if it was on the edge of failing - it might push it over.

Just for the fun of it, toss the unit in the fridge for a few hours, then try it again and see if it 'un fails'.
(that would show it's a semiconductor thermal fail anyhow!)

[Brian H]

Good point on the bulb direction.
We have seen a few reports of bulb down in a fixture only open on the bottom. Getting hot enough to distort the plastic and failure of the module.

Does sound thermal. Since the Socket Rocket doesn't dim it should be on or off.

[bolco]

Well, not only is my 100W incandescent bulb screwed into a ceiling fixture...it is also enlosed in a glass globe...so, heat COULD be the issue...BUT, I've had this setup for many years without issue until my first socket rocket failed completely.  Then, I ordered a new one, and this happens.  Maybe the older ones could handle the heat better that the latest models?

[Brian H]

Oh I would not be surprised if X10 has changed things.
Many modules have been updated to use more readily available parts.

I got a Socket Rocket in one of the deals. It ran 20 minutes with a 100 watt light bulb and went POP. Now it is Dead.
I took it apart and compared it to a internal photo I saw on an automation site. Mine did not look the same as the one they had a photo of.

[dave w]

Well, not only is my 100W incandescent bulb screwed into a ceiling fixture...it is also enlosed in a glass globe...so, heat COULD be the issue...BUT, I've had this setup for many years without issue until my first socket rocket failed completely.  Then, I ordered a new one, and this happens.  Maybe the older ones could handle the heat better that the latest models?

FWIW - my personal opinion:
I think X10 has been having quality issues (across multiple product lines) for some time. You are not the first to describe this problem, and as Brian noted, he has seen a few problem Socket Rockets. I suspected a bad run of triacs, the symptom is like one of the SCR junctions in the triac is shorted, but that failure would never turn completely off, always remaining at 50%. So your problem is strange.

I think the world renouned "Brian H Testing Laboratories" (also known as BHTL by forum geezers like me) analyzed this failure in either a Socket Rocket or a Lamp Module, but I do not remember with the diagnosis was...which is not the only thing I do not remember.

[Brian H]

Lamp Module goes to half brightness at full On. Triac only firing on the negative half of the AC waveform in my unit. Your unit may only like the positive half.  Used a triac from a lamp module that I converted to a Sharp SSR output.

I looked inside my Socket Rocket that went POP but all those small PCBs are hard to trace as they are mounted solder side to solder side.
I did notice the two circuit boards where almost touching on their solder sides. No insulator between the boards either.
It also looks like the PCBs have surface mounted parts on it's solder side.
In them the triac is riveted to a heat sink; that is in the bulge on the side of the unit.

Mine doesn't have the insulator between the PC Boards as shown in this pdf file. From another Socket Rocket thread here.
http://tophatbrewery.com/files/socketrocket.pdf