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Author Topic: WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it  (Read 5161 times)

jeffdharlan

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WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it
« on: January 12, 2011, 02:06:42 PM »
OK, I have installed one WS12A wall switch.  It is a single pole switch, but in the same box is another 2-button switch to turn on the ventilation fan and ventilation fan light.     

About 85% of the time when I use the PalmPad to turn off the bathroom light fixture (A5) it will fade down to the dimmest setting (not off).  The other 15% of the time the light comes back on after 1-2 minutes of being completely off.  The opposite happens when turning it on - it fades to dimmest setting after a few minutes or dims up and down erratically in no certain frequency.  This happens when I try the switch itself without the remote.

I do not have a lot of x10 equipment installed.  Here is what I have:
1.) (2) EagleEyes - A2 (were controlling 2 Socket rockets of the same code but I removed them for now and have not been installed since I installed WS12A)
2.) WS12A - A5 (controls (1) 5-light bathroom fixture w/60W incand. bulbs)
3.) (2) Lamp Modules - A6
4.) CM15A - (I have completely removed batteries and unplugged the unit to clear out any memory and plugged it back in.  It works fine with the Lamp Modules)

Using the PalmPad or the WS12A toggle switch the same behavior occurs...and I have to shut the WS12A off at the sliding button to stop it from coming on in the middle of the night or day when I am gone.

Any clue what might be causing this?  In the past I have used the other 2-button switch (always on) with a socket rocket in the ventilation fan light with no problems as far as turning it on and off from the PalmPad.

Could it be line interference from the 2-button switch?  If so, how do I fix this issue?  I will be happy to provide any more info if I have missed details that might uncover this mystery.

P.S. Do the WS12A have any issues with failure that make them behave this way?  I know the Socket Rockets are doomed to failed when a light bulb blows.  I want to get back in my wife's good graces with X10 again.  She liked the convenience of turning the bathroom light out before going to bed with the PalmPad.

At your mercy,

Jeff
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jeffdharlan

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Re: WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2011, 02:37:50 PM »
Ok, I saw this post: http://forums.x10.com/index.php?topic=4441.0

Is this the only solution to fixing this problem?  I am not proficient in soldering or reading schematics at all.
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Brian H

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Re: WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2011, 03:49:30 PM »
The schematics and fix given in that thread. May not apply to the newer soft start WS12As.
I know when X10 reworked the new CFL friendly appliance module and the soft start lamp module. The electronics are completely different.
I have not see a new soft start WS12A but suspect they may also be completely different from the older ones.
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jeffdharlan

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Re: WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2011, 04:04:33 PM »
As far as I know mine are the new soft start ones...bought it in October/November 2010.  So no concrete fix for this?
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Brian H

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Re: WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2011, 04:13:23 PM »
I don't know about a fix for the newer units.

If someone has a fix they will surely give you details.
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dave w

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Re: WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2011, 04:27:21 PM »
If this is old knowledge...sorry.

It souns like the resume dim feature has dimmed the light down to minimum. When you turn the light on at the switch just do a quick tap, don't hold the paddle down waiting for the light to come on.

Tap it on and then brighten it to full on. Tap it off and next time whether by the local switch or by AHP the light should come on to full brightness.
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Brian H

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Re: WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2011, 04:34:43 PM »
Maybe the users sheets never got updated.
Even though it was late 2007  ::)
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Newer_WS467s_and_Preset_Dim

AHP has just been updated for soft start modules so the calling them a LM14A may no longer be needed.
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lviper

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Re: WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2011, 04:37:17 PM »
Quote from: dave w on January 12, 2011, 04:27:21 PM
If this is old knowledge...sorry.

It souns like the resume dim feature has dimmed the light down to minimum. When you turn the light on at the switch just do a quick tap, don't hold the paddle down waiting for the light to come on.

Tap it on and then brighten it to full on. Tap it off and next time whether by the local switch or by AHP the light should come on to full brightness.

Funny how we all have to learn a new way to turn on a light. My family is constantly pressing and holding the button to turn the light on. Always results in it being dimmed. They just can't get it through their heads to just quickly press and release the button and the light will slowly turn on. Guess it shouldn't be called soft-start. It should be called slow-start. Tap the button, go get coffee and when you return your light will be on... rofl
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Brian H

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Re: WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2011, 04:45:38 PM »
Could be worse. The Insteon switches can be set to ramp on and off at a rate of eight minutes.  rofl
« Last Edit: January 12, 2011, 04:49:08 PM by Brian H »
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dave w

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Re: WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2011, 06:03:11 PM »
Quote from: lviper on January 12, 2011, 04:37:17 PM
It should be called slow-start. Tap the button, go get coffee and when you return your light will be on... rofl

 -:)  Yeah but the bulb will last 100 years, or until armed Nanny Gov agents break in and remove it.
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Brian H

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Re: WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2011, 07:13:59 PM »
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jeffdharlan

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Re: WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it
« Reply #11 on: January 13, 2011, 08:18:18 AM »
Quote from: dave w on January 12, 2011, 04:27:21 PM
If this is old knowledge...sorry.

It souns like the resume dim feature has dimmed the light down to minimum. When you turn the light on at the switch just do a quick tap, don't hold the paddle down waiting for the light to come on.

Tap it on and then brighten it to full on. Tap it off and next time whether by the local switch or by AHP the light should come on to full brightness.

I am aware of this.  But it dims off or come on and nobody is touching the remote or the paddle!!!  That is the main problem here.
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jeffdharlan

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Re: WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2011, 08:22:59 AM »
Quote from: Brian H on January 12, 2011, 07:13:59 PM
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Modules_Turn_On_or_Off_by_Themselves

The advice is to use an XPPF.  Does not apply here.  :-\

This weekend I will play around with it.  Thinking about unplugging all computers/tvs/surge strips, etc. and seeing if that helps, possible isolating the issue by only turning on that breaker and see if it is tied to anything specifically on it.
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dave w

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Re: WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2011, 09:35:50 AM »
Jeff,

It is really rare for electrical noise to turn ON a device. Normally noise just prevents an X10 command from probagating through out the homes wiring, so things don't turn on or turn off when told to.

Has the switch done this since install? The fact that using a Palm Pad to turn it off is NOT turning it off but only dimming down to the minmum DIM setting of the newer Soft Strat switches smacks of a bad WS12A.

Does your CM15A/AHP activity log show anything when the switch mysteriously comes back on? If not, I cast ballot for a "poo-poo, pee-pee, caa-caa" switch (a technical description of failure, you may not be familiar with).  ;)
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jeffdharlan

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Re: WS12A will dim on and off without a command sent to it
« Reply #14 on: January 14, 2011, 08:50:34 AM »
This did not happen right after install, maybe a month later.  I will check the logs this weekend.  I tried the PalmPad tonight and it would not do anything to that switch, but did work for my lamp modules.  The erratic behavior, however, did continue....
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