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[jwikler]

I have an Ademco Vista P20 security system. Recently I installed a code encryptor that allows me to arm and disarm the system with a remote.  One of the buttons ("channel 4") on the remote can be used to activate a relay. I bought an X10 Powerflash and a mini-transceiver and some "rocket sockets" and an appliance module so that I can use Channel 4 on my remote to turn on lights. I tried to wire it up today, and it didn't work.
Here's what I did:
I identified the wires on the Code Encryptor harness that operate the Channel 4 relay.  According to the manual, they are:
Brown: common
Brown/White: N/0
Blue/Green: N/C
Assuming I wanted to make a "normally open" connection (lights off till I push the button, right?) I connected brown and brown/white directly from the Code Encryptor to the Powerflash, then plugged the Powerflash in. When I powered up the alarm system after making the connection, the remote didn't work at all to do anything.  Should I not have connected the Powerflash directly to the Code Encryptor? 
Please note: I am not as smart about electronics as you folks, and I don't know the lingo, so please be gentle.  Despite my inexperience, I can identify wire colors, find screw terminals, strip a wire and attach it to a terminal, and follow directions.  How hard can it be??  TIA.

[Brian H]

What Input type did you pick? A for voltage or B for dry closure switch.
What output mode are you using?
What Addresses are the modules and powerflash set to?

With the wired disconnected. Does the test button on the powerflash do anything?
After you get it working with the Test Button and not connected. Then we can work on getting it going with the console.

Since the powerflash only outputs power line signals and the TM751 mini-tranceiver only works with an X10 RF signal. It may not work at all with what you have. The powerflash should control the socket rockets and appliance module in mode 3. The socket rockets should work in all three modes. As appliance modules do not respond to all lights on commands.

Is your Vista P20 powered by the standard transformer or the one that can interface with an X10Pro module to send X10 signals on the power lines?

[jwikler]

What Input type did you pick? A for voltage or B for dry closure switch.

I tried both, because I wasn't sure which to choose.

What output mode are you using?

I tried Modes 1 and 2.

What Addresses are the modules and powerflash set to?

The Powerflash is set to A1. The transceiver is set to A.

With the wired disconnected. Does the test button on the powerflash do anything?

No.

After you get it working with the Test Button and not connected. Then we can work on getting it going with the console.

Okay. Makes sense.

Since the powerflash only outputs power line signals and the TM751 mini-tranceiver only works with an X10 RF signal. It may not work at all with what you have.

Oh, right.  Okay. In other words, the the mini-transceiver receives X10 RF as input and outputs power line signals? For some reason, I had been thinking it could receive power signal inputs as well.   

The powerflash should control the socket rockets and appliance module in mode 3. The socket rockets should work in all three modes. As appliance modules do not respond to all lights on commands.

Okay.  I'll test the "test" button using the rocket sockets and/or appliance modules and not the transceiver, and report the results.

Is your Vista P20 powered by the standard transformer or the one that can interface with an X10Pro module to send X10 signals on the power lines?

The standard transformer.

Thanks for helping! 

[Brian H]

OK will wait for results of mode 3 with test button.

[jwikler]

Struck out. Plugged a lamp into the appliance module, plugged appliance module into wall, set Powerflash to Mode 3, plugged Powerflash into wall, pushed "test" button.  Nothing happened. Same when I added a socket rocket to the lamp.

[Brian H]

You may want to try just rotating the address dials on the Powerflash and Appliance module a few times. On the off chance they are making poor contact.

If the Powerflash and appliance module are on the same address and in the same outlet for a test. The module should turn On when the test button is pushed and off when released. You will know if the appliance module turns on and off. It makes a very distinctive CLUNK when it changes state.

[jwikler]

I'll give it a try and report in.  Thanks.

[jwikler]

Rotating the dials did the trick!    Okay, now the Powerflash test button will work to control a lamp plugged into the appliance module. What next?

[Brian H]

Maybe put everything back to where they where if you moved them for the tests.

Leave the wiring off from the alarm interface and try the test button again.
If it works. Try reconnecting the alarm console and see if it trips the lights.
I have not found much data on your interface but think it is a dry closure relays.
You may want to try A voltage input first and if it does not trigger B dry closure.

[jwikler]

Okay, I'll try it.  Does it matter which wire goes on which screw terminals?  According to the Code Encryptor documentation, I'm supposed to be using the brown wire and, I think, the brown/white wire.  (Red and black are connected to the alarm main panel).  Am I right in assuming I want to use the N/O configuration, rather than the N/C?

[Brian H]

N/O sounds correct. When you turn the relay on the lights would then go on.
If the  output is a relay. It should not matter which wire is on the + and - of the Powerflash.

Input B and Mode 3 should be. Dry contact from things like a relay and on when triggered and off when trigger removed.

[jwikler]

Input B Mode 3 worked great in test mode: with socket rocket and appliance module.  I noticed, though, that lamps connected to X10 components must X10 signals to operate; i.e., that the regular manual controls become disabled.  So should I assume these lamps will be dedicated X0 lamps, and I shouldn't use lamps I also want to be able to control manually (without unplugging/unscrewing everything)?

When I connected the Powerflash to my Code Encryptor, nothing worked, and it disabled my alarm remote.  Let me make sure I understand the Code Encryptor documentation:
1. When making the connection, I should use the "Common" wire as one of the wires?
2. It describes the "Relay Output" as a 5amp Form C relay. There are various ways to configure the jumpers in the Code Encryptor.  The default (both jumpers in) is for "Momentary output".  I assumed that was what I wanted, but maybe not? There is another configuration for Latching (on/off) output.  Perhaps that is what I want?  There are also two timed configurations, but I don't think I want those.

[Brian H]

Socket Rockets do not have Local Control Sensing. So turning the lamps switch from On to Off and back to On will not turn it On.
Lamp Modules like the LM465 do have Local Control. The appliance module you have may also have local control.

Strange that connecting the powerflash to the Code Encryptor disables it.
Try reversing the common and the N/C wire connections on the powerflash terminals. It should not make a difference if the Encryptor is a mechanical relay but if it is a solid state relay. The polarity of the sensing voltage from the powerflash. May make a difference.

The powerflash sends an On when the relay is closed and Off when opened. So momentary output would flash the lights briefly. I guess latching mode maybe needed.

[jwikler]

Okay, thanks.  I'll try reversing the polarity and also check the Code Encryptor to see if I can find the jumpers and try the "latched" configuration. 

Don't want to sound dumb, but what does a jumper look like?  And is it something that is to be removed or just moved/toggled to a different position? Before I go doing things to the insides of the Encryptor, I thought I ought to know a bit about what I'm doing; or, at the very least, if what I want to try can be undone.  Perhaps it depends on the device?

[Brian H]

Well jumpers can be done a few ways.

I would look for maybe markings on the board with the jumper numbers on it.

Maybe like a few gold or silver pins sticking up from the board with a small plastic cap over the pins. That can be removed form the pins or moved to different pins to set options.
Example of what the pins could look like though may not be a row of forty:
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/SHS-40/SINGLE-ROW-HEADER-1-X-40//1.html
The movable shunts could look like this:
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/SJ-1/JUMPER-FOR-0.1-HEADERS//1.html

Another way would be a row of small switches that could be moved to on or off.