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[wyleu]

I am UK based and have qualified with BS2391 BS2371, I have been Part-P registered but this is currently lapsed.

I have a fair bit of experience with X-10 devices. I have used Heyu to configure CM12U units successfully, I have X-10 Motion Sensors controlling both AM12U's etc I have installed X-10 based Marmitek Wireless security systems and used Simply Automates Harmony product.

I have built an extension which is lit by 15 AD10's and 4 LD11 dimmers.These are controlled by momentary switches. Some units have multiple switches to allow control from several ( up to 3 in some cases) points. The momentary connection is used.
 The Dimmers have behaved flawlessly dimming pairs of incandescent bulbs (60W). The AD10's however have been controlling both Osram 12W quick start CFL's and 70W fluorescent tubes. They have proved fail frequently. Starting by developing intermittent faults (Room switch became unresponsive requiring several press's to produce a response)which then seem to increase in frequency of failure till the unit either fails to respond at all, or remains almost permanently on ( even throu' an MCB cycle) till one 'lucky' press turns it off.

The front panel switches become inoperative in the failure mode, whereby none of the positions produce a response, till possibly a correct response is achieved when the unit works, till it fails again. Very irritating!.

I have now had at least fifteen units fail this way. I have spoken to Manufacturers and distributors, and fitted and removed Neons on control lines to reduce 'noise ( manufacturer suggestion). Most irritatingly these failures are almost infectious in their nature. I have replaced units with new product and the new product has failed. The problems render the installation almost ridiculous. The Garage light, for example, has not functioned for over a month 70W fluorescent ( awaiting replacement AD10's) and the bedroom light (2 Osram CFL's) have just had a unit replaced that has lasted approximately 8 months.

The Modules are housed in two Din Racks within a metre of the distribution board. The units do not get hot, even thou' they are adjacent to the dimmers ( temperatures measured using one-wire sensors have never exceeded 28 degrees Celsius ).

This is all very frustrating. The control wires are wired in 0.75 multi-core looming wire ( There are quite a few of them and single core Twin & Earth would have been too large for the plastic conduit used throughout the installation). This thin wire means that I would need to use 2Amp fusing to replace the X-10 installation with conventional switching and a considerable re-wire which I would like to avoid but with every failure I am more inclined to think that way.

The original unit that circuit that failed was 4 Osram CFL's operated by a motion sensor and this became intermittent and the AD10 was replaced and two incandescent bulbs were substituted. The circuit behaves well.
The second major event was, as a result of the floods in Gloucestershire, two years ago, the mains voltage dropped to 135V AC ( measured and photographed using a Certified Fluke meter ) for an evening. That seems to have been the catalyst to a greatly increased degree of failure. The particularly worrying aspect is the infectious nature of the fault, whereby new AD10's fail.

Before I add another DIN Box to allow some patching and testing of a hybrid system converting circuits to conventional wiring does anyone have any suggestions as to what might be causing this incredibly irritating problem?

[Brian H]

Can you unlock them if you cycle the AC Mains to the modules?
The fact that the Osram CFL's when replaced with incandescent bulbs maybe a clue.
The 70 watt Fluorescent lights. Do you know if they have an electronic ballast?
My thoughts maybe noise maybe locking them up or inductive kicks from the fluorescent tubes are damaging them.

[wyleu]

Cycling the supply doesn't affect them, they just remember their pre-disconnection settings.

I'd love to have a good look at the mains waveform around the devices but I lack an oscilloscope.
I have an identical fluorescent that hasn't ( as yet ) killed it's AD10. But it was certainly noticable that upon replacing a couple of modules with new ones other units level of intermittent fault seemed to increase. It's not helped by x-10 delays and fluorescent start up times. You do tend to multi-press...

I'd love to see a circuit diagram for the AD10. For instance how far down the circuit is the front panel slide switch? Because in failure mode that switch becomes inoperative. I've taken a couple of AD10's apart but no obvious signs of damage or charred components. I might well start removing the individual components and test those but it all gets quite involved and the IC's seem to have no ident which doesn't really aidthe process.

I would be interested to hear of anybody that has a considerable number (>5 or so) AD10's that are behaving, especially on UK voltages. Because of the unique wiring arrangements for the modules replacing them is quite involved.

[CEPWK]

I do hope you find a solution as i have my whole house done with LD11 & AD10.
I have put in the AD10s as wanted to switch gu10 LED lights and they don't do well on the LD11 so got them and put them in.
All ok to start with, but now am finding the same probs as you are. I have put new ones in and same thing happening couple of weeks / months down the line.
I have also just taken one apart to try to see if it is the switch or what that is failing.
So good luck to us both.
Shame the manufacturers don't care. But at £20+ each that is prob the reason why.

[cote1]

I have the same problem since last days.

I bought 6 modules last year, but I installed them last Christmas.

Two weeks ago the first one started to fail: it controls 2 fluorescent lights (2x36 W) and it fails although from the manual push button. When you switch on the light (with the button) it works, but when you want to switch off, pushing the button doesn't have effect.
If you cut the main power and give again, it hold the lights on. The AD10 0/1/Auto switch doesn't change this status to move to "0 position" (except if you disconnect-connect the main power after change its position).

Last weekend, the second one started to fail. It controls the swimming-pool pump. For this I have a contactor in the middle, and the AD10 only give signal to this contactor (it avoid the problems for capacitive or high levels of current).

I could do another test with this second one, because I could switch off the load (because the contactor has an independent switch on it). When I disconnect the charge (switch off the pump "after" the AD10), the AD10 starts to work and disconnect to push button (i think that this is a way to know that AD10 isn't wrong and the connections are OK).

I think some possibilities (without an internal diagram):

1- There is a inducted current (from the load) in the relé to hold on.
2- The rele has a problem, and a current through its contacts "magnetize" themselves (this could be a bad idea if the red LED is in the primary rele circuit, because it holds on).

Something new? Someone has the internal diagram? Any idea?

Thank you.

J.C.