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Author Topic: Strange X10 Mystery (solved)  (Read 4310 times)

Knightrider

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Strange X10 Mystery (solved)
« on: December 28, 2010, 11:24:59 PM »

It's past my bedtime, but had to share.....

In the last couple of days I've noticed that my HVAC announcements (via dispatcher) have been failing to tell me when a hydronic zone gets activated or if the furnace runs.  It always, however, does announce when a system shuts down.

I've been on the chat talking to - Bill -(ofWGJohns.com) and he's having a hard time believing me that 2 different powerflashes on 2 different unit codes are failing to send the on signal to 2 different cm15's on the same circuit (with 2 different AHP versions and 2 different SDK revisions) are seeing an "OFF" code being sent, but not the "ON" code.

In testing, I tried sending some lighting and appliance commands from a KeyPadLinc and a mini controller and they showed the module state just fine in AHP on both machines.

Mind you, the HVAC system was working just fine (in cellar on separate circuit, same phase as controlling PowerFlashes), just no logging on my computers.

For the record, I plugged my XTBM into a circuit on the opposite phase and tripped my thermostat and the commands showed up just fine.

On a whim, I put the XTBM in the living room and adjusted the thermostat to activate a water circulator pump (on appliance module) and the oil furnace (um506) to check the frequency count on the PLC from the powerflashes.

That's when I noticed that right after the "ON" transmission there was a sharp increase of noise on the line followed by a rapid decrease.

Then it hit me.

Last month I installed an electronic air cleaner on the blower.

Seems that the drop in voltage by the furnace or start up on a water pump was causing the air cleaner to have fits thus blocking the CM15A's from seeing the data.

I don't know how I would have ever solved this problem without the XTBM.

Thanks to Jeff Volp for the equipment and to Bill for helping me to preserve what little hair I have left.

You both get a +1 from me.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2010, 11:32:46 PM by Knightrider »
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-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)

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Re: Strange X10 Mystery (solved)
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2010, 11:37:09 PM »

To be fair, I think that without the XTBM we would still be sitting there saying;
  "That doesn't make any sense.";
  "Have you tried...";
  "Where's the tea?"
   and
  "What smells like dead horse?"  >*<
rofl
 >!
« Last Edit: December 28, 2010, 11:40:33 PM by -Bill- (of wgjohns.com) »
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-Bill- (of wgjohns.com)
bill@wgjohns.com

In the real world, the only constant is change.

When I'm online you can find me in the Home Automation Chat Room!

Brian H

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Re: Strange X10 Mystery (solved)
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2010, 06:12:52 AM »

My XTBM found my furnaces solid state ignition system. That only runs for the first thirty seconds after flame on. Make noise.  ;D
I see even us seasoned veterans have to go back and say "What Changed" in my home.
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Knightrider

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Re: Strange X10 Mystery (solved)
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2010, 06:52:03 AM »

Brian H you are so right.  It took me about 10 minutes to even figure out what I had changed.
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Noam

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Re: Strange X10 Mystery (solved)
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2010, 08:46:31 AM »

I guess I was "lucky" that it only took my dad (an EE with over 40 years' experience), his oscilloscope, a LOT of time, and a whole bunch of random luck to find the noisy CFL across the street from me. I don't know if an XTBM would have found it any sooner, since I wasn't looking outside my house.
However, if I start having signal issues in the future, I think I might just by an XTBM first, and try to save myself some time.
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jamesjr

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Re: Strange X10 Mystery (solved)
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2011, 02:55:59 PM »

Noam,
        What did you do to block out your neighbors CFL?

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Noam

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Re: Strange X10 Mystery (solved)
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2011, 03:11:11 PM »

Noam,
        What did you do to block out your neighbors CFL?

I didn't.
I bought him a pair of new CFL bug-bulbs for the lights on either side of his front door.
$13 was a lot cheaper than any of the whole-house filter solutions.
(And, he is happy because he gets fewer bugs coming in when he opens the door at night)

He gave me the old bulb, which my dad took home to test.
Not only was the buzzing loud enough to hear if you got within a few feet of the bulb, but when my dad plugged it into a fixture right near his meters, the noise was off the charts!

It wasn't a particular brand that was the problem - he had two identical bulbs, and only one was making noise. It was just a bulb that was starting to fail, and part of the process causes a lot of powerline noise. It happened to me a few years ago, too.
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jamesjr

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Re: Strange X10 Mystery (solved)
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2011, 10:44:44 PM »

Awesome solution!!!!

A Win Win as they say!!!!

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