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[tom j]

Tom
When you program the SC1200 console, you select the house code and a "lamp code". This is the unit code that the system will flash when triggered. It will also flash the next unit code. So, if you select unit 7 as the lamp code, unit 8 will also flash.

Here's the weird thing. When you press "LIGHTS ON" on the remote, you would think that the selected unit will turn on (7 in my case) but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, the + 1 code turns on.

Brian, if your tracking number starts with "02" it will take a little longer. That designates Fedex "smart post" (I call it DUMB POST) which is ultimately delivered by the Post office.

I'm in the Chicago area, which is two fedex ground days from the NJ warehouse. But if the warehouse screws up and ships an order to me via DUMB POST, it takes a week.

Got ya! Thanks I see know, thanks again for the help. Thinking about picking up one I'm a sucker for all x10 stuff anyway, or at least that's what the wife says.     

Tom j.

[Waynemor]

OK, looks like I owe you guys a partial apology. After checking some more it looks like a timer just happened to set off the alarms about 30 seconds after I tripped them, so the 30 second thing on any unit code is not correct.
However after more testing they will start up about 6 seconds after an alarm if you have them on the alarm's unit code as per the instruction manuals for both.
Someone earlier talked about two cycles of off and on triggering them. According to their manuals this is the way they were designed. Remember when you activate the alarm it flashes the housecodes. If they started up on the first triggering you would get a siren every time you armed your system.
Someone asked me the date codes on mine. The SH10A is 07A01 and the PH508 does not have one (but it is real old). Someone else asked me about having a macro. Remember I just said that it should not be too hard to do. As of yet I have not had time to give it a go.
After having a good look at the SH10A I am more tempted to try tapping its siren and sending that to a Powerflash 284 to trigger all lights (or selected lights). To use this for an alarm I like a hard wired solution better. It may take me a few weeks to figure this out but if no one beats me to it I will be happy to post it for all.
I hope this was of help.

[Brian H]

Thanks for the added information on your Powerhorns.
I think the individual results may vary. As yours did trigger on the security light code and my older ones did not.

My PH508s with a 04 and 05  date code never did as well as my old SH10A. My 07 SH10As did but it was in like eighteen seconds. With the Radio Shack 49-1000. My SC1200 should be here next week so I will have a chance to retest all the mixes of devices.

I did find an archived copy of some PH508 modifications from the PIGS Electronics site.
One is how to shorten the number of cycles to trigger it. I may try this on one of mine.

The other one is how to add an output relay. Using the unpopulated area of the PCB where X10 could have installed it.
Yes the older ones have a unused area where X10 had designed in a relay output.
I will see if my new PH508 is the same. I have been told it may not.

[Waynemor]

So this Saturday morning I was in the mood for puttering (and the wife was sleeping in) so I took my SH10A mini powerhorn apart. I found the two wires that go to the siren and added leads to them. These I made long enough to leave the case and attach to the terminal contacts on my Powerflash. I did a lot of testing to make sure that I was not over driving the Powerflash but the short story is that these can be connected directly without needing any additional resistance etc.
Now whenever the siren is activated the Powerflash turns on the rest of the house as per the configuration that you have it set for.
Personally I like this method better than using a macro because it is an independant action from anything else. (With my luck the one time my house would get broken into the Activehome Pro would hang <G>)
Instructions for modding the SH10A Powerhorn
1. Undo the two screws holding the case together
2. Be careful separating the two halves as the code wheels could fall out
3. Notch a hole somewhere in the upper half for the jumpers to exit through (I did it right near one of the mounting posts}
4. Locate the silver disk (siren) on the front half. It will have 2 wires going to it.
5. Solder a jumper to each wire where it attaches to the disk (Be sure they are long enough and flexible enough to work with
6. Put the case back together
7. Attach the jumpers to the Power Flash

Now whenever the powerhorn starts the lghts go on for the housecode that I have set.
Another benefit of this is that if you have multiple housecodes for lighting you can set the powerflash for whatever you need
Hope this helps.

[JMac]

Isn't that AC voltage coming out of those leads?  And, is there any danger in that?

[Brian H]

The sounder is a very high impedance device that is driven by a high voltage at very low current.
My thoughts are the powerflash is such a low impedance compared to the sounder. It is loading the voltage down enough to not overload the powerflash's input.

Since the SH10A uses a power line driven power supply with no isolation. I would check from both of your extension wires to safety ground with a meter. To verify you don't have a shock potential to ground. As I am not sure if the driver transformer for the sounder has an isolated secondary.

[BENCHMARKMAN]

How does the phone control of the system work?  I don't understand how you could arm/disarm and turn lights on and off via phone.  Thanks

[Brian H]

Outside phone control:
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/Operation_from_an_Outside_Telephone

If you care to look at the SC1200s users manual or quick guide.
ftp://ftp.x10.com/pub/manuals/SC1200-OM.pdf
ftp://ftp.x10.com/pub/manuals/SC1200-QSG.pdf

[Waynemor]

When I put a volt meter accross the terminals on the Powerflash it was showing about 14 volts AC from the siren.
The docs for the Powerflash say that it can take 8 - 16 V as well as signal which is basically AC.
This is in the signal mode NOT the dry contact mode.
Since this was in the correct range for the Powerflash I carried on.
FYI the voltage that my meter registered for the siren was in the low 20's when it was not connected to the PF.
Obviously the current is very low since the PF brings the voltage that far down.
If I tried to use any kind of a dropping resistor  as a voltage splitter to bring the V down further it dropped below a triggering value so I left it alone.
The siren does work when this has been triggered.

[Brian H]

Unloaded my scope shows greater than 50 volt spikes.
I doubt the powerflash would be seeing over voltage.

My thoughts are not the voltage on the powerflash inputs but from your extension wires to house ground.
The SH10A small powerhorn uses a power line derived power supply with no isolation. Depending on how it is plugged in {mine is not polarized}. I can measure 120 volts AC from either sounder connection to house ground.

The larger PH508 has a power transformer in it and probably {never measured it} does not have AC mixed with the DC supplies.

[JMac]

And so, is this a "safe" modification in your opinion?

[Waynemor]

Thanks Brian H.
One more instruction needed for this to work properly.
Because the siren is not polarized you have to plug it into the elctrical socket correctly or it is possible for 120 volts AC to be live at one of the screws on the Powerflash. My fix for this is to mount the siren permanently in a polarized triple tap. I have used silicone to glue a triple tap to the siren so that the wide blade of the plug on the tap goes to the  blade coming out of the siren behind the code wheels.

[Brian H]

JMac; I am not sure if I would call it absolutely safe to do. As all of my older SH10As don't trigger on my 49-1000 and I am sure the SC1200 will be the same when I get it. So the newer one maybe a different design than I have.

I have a few other thoughts on both the hardware and macro methods.
The Powerflasher and SC1200 are not polite. As far as I can tell, they have no power line receivers in them.
I could see in some installations. The SC1200 sending the two security code on and off cycles on the power line. Triggering the SH10A with Powerflash sender. Steping on each others power line signals.

I could also see the two security code on off cycle power line signals. Triggering the macro and the CM15A being polite. Waiting for the power line to clear before sending the All Lights On and All Units Off.

Actually some AHP user. Is the All Units Off and All Lights On a valid command through AHP?

[tom j]

I agree with Brian's theory about the delay being caused by the additional addresses being sent.

When I initially tested my existing powerhorn with the new console, it was not set to the console's "lamp code" and din't activate however, I didn't wait 20 or 30 seconds. I changed the powerhorn's unit code to the code selected in the console and it works fine, except for a slightly longer delay in activation, maybe another second but nowhere near 20 or 30 seconds.

My existing powerhorn is in a garage eave so it's hard to get to. When I get a chance, I'll pull a couple horns from stock and try one set to the secondary (the +1) unit code and the other to any other number and time them.

Bigjohn aren't you getting a pause during the alarm sequence like Brian?? Thanks

Tom j.

[Brian H]

More similarities between the X10 SC1200 and the Radio Shack 49-1000 Kit.

Both the X10 MS18A and the RS 49-1003 Motion Sensor are FCC ID: B4S-MS17A.

Both the X10 DS12A and the RS 49-1001 Door/Window Sensor are FCC ID: B4S-DS11A. Though the cases are different. X10 snap on cover. RS held on by a screw and slightly wider.

The X10 SC1200 Console. FCC ID:B4S-AL04BSC12A. Note the manual incorrectly calls it the same as the RS 49-1000MC's ID.
The RS 49-1000MC Console. FCC ID:B4S-AL11BSC12A.