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[therapy]

Hi all,

Totally new to x10 so be gentle with me!!

I've set up my CM15a to run a couple of Plug in modules and have just added an X10(2nd) SIMTONE switch to turn my 6 X GU10 lights off and on.

Everything works fine UNTIL I turn on the lights and the USB connection showing that my AHP is connected to my XP computer suddenly disappears. I then have to turn off the lights, and unplug the power, then plug it in for the CM15a for it to show up again.

Would the GU10 lights be interfering somehow with the CM15a.

I have tried the CM15a in 3 different PC's and 1 x XP and 2 x Vista and all 3 of them drop the USB when I turn on the lights.

Any help or pointers would be great     

[Brian H]

Exactly what is a SIMTONE switch? We don't have them here in the US.

Can you give us a part number of the SIMTONE switch as my Google search found a few of them. We maybe able to find more information after we can find data on the switch itself.

It does could like maybe noise from the lights.
Are they line voltage or low voltage with a power supply?

[therapy]

Sorry SIMTONE just make the silver surrounds (plastic clip ons) for the light switch

The switch is an x10-2223 Dimmer 2 wire purchased from x10-hk.com. It doesnt have a neutral (uk wiring) but I dont think that should make any difference.

[Brian H]

Our WS467 and WS12A dimmer switches also don't use a neutral.

[therapy]

Do you know if the GU10 type bulbs give off any "feedback" which would affect the CM15a in any way??? I'm totally lost as to what could be causing it.....

[Brian H]

GU10 is the base connection style.
Are they a standard 240 volt 50Hz they use in the UK or a low voltage type with a power supply or transformer on them?
I would not think a standard power line bulb would make noise or are they a LED type and not incandescent or halogin?

[therapy]

They are just a standard 240v 50hz Halogen bulb, not low voltage, so I cant see the connection between turning them on and the USB dropping as there "shouldn't" be any interference
    

 

[Noam]

Are you using a standard length, shielded USB cable? Have you tried swapping out the USB cable to see if that makes any difference?
I know that when I tried to use a USB-over-CAT5 extender (several different brands, in fact), I would get noise creeping in, especially when lights or my furnace came on, that would disrupt that USB connection. I gave up on extending the USB, and extended the power connection instead.
A bad USB cable (of "standard length") can had faulty shielding, and might be picking up some interference, too.

Does the same thing happen if you turn the lights on manually (not using the CM15A)?

Is the switch that you are using rated to handle the type and wattage of those lights?

[therapy]

I do have a spare USB cable which I shall plug in and try, and the switch rating states it should be able to handle 400W total.

 -:)Noam, I do have 2 banks of 6 x 35w lights = 420W total (although only one of the banks is turned on when the USB drops) but I suppose it could make a difference. I shall take out a few bulbs and try again

Many thanks Brian and Noam for your input I do appreciate it, I shall let you know if I havent thrown the switch against the wall by then

[Dan Lawrence]

I just checked  and x10-hk.com is NOT in the US/Canada.  It serves "X10 Home Automation product for 220V Countries include Hong Kong ,UK , Italy , Netherlands , Spain , United Arab Emirates , Germany , Malaysia , Singapore , Thailand , Australia , Italy , Portugal ,  ...etc" so therapy is not in the US or Canada.  He needs to tell us where he is and what kind of CM15 is he using as US/Canada X10 items are not compatible with European X10 items.

[Brian H]

I believe he indicated the UK. In one of the posts in the thread Dan.

[Noam]

I do have a spare USB cable which I shall plug in and try...

Let us know how that goes.
I'd be particularly curious to know if the connection goes out without the CM15's involvement (like when you turn the lights on manually at the switch).

Are the lights wired directly to the switch, or is there any sort of transformer or control module in between?

[therapy]

Just to confirm I am from the Uk, and the wiring goes straight from the lights to the switch with no transformers or anything other than standard wiring. The USB drops whether I switch on the lights manually or through the PC, I shall try and remove some bulbs and check the connections. I can only think that by overloading the switch there must be some feedback from the switch? Does sound a bit strange though. Again, many thanks everybody I shall let you know how I get on

[Noam]

I can't tell for sure, but from the documentation on their website, it looks like the X10-2223 is a on-way device (it does not transmit its status over the powerline).

From that, I am having trouble coming up with a scenario that could cause the issue described, other than some sort of surge when the load comes on, or some sort of electrical noise disrupting the USB communication.

If there is a way to test the switch with just a since incandescent bulb (instead of the bunch of halogens), you might be able to narrow down the cause.

you also stated that to reset the system, you need to turn that light off, unplug power to the CM15, and then plug it back in.
Have you tried doing a full reset? To do that, you would unplug the CM15 from power and the USB, and remove the batteries. Wait a minute or two, and then replace the batteries and plug it back into the USB and the power.
Have you tried doing your unplugging with the light still on? Does it not work in that case?

If you haven't, you might want to try those, and let us know how it goes.

[Brian H]

The CM15A is on a USB port on the computer and not on a hub?

Any possibility the CM15 and the lights in question are on the same circuit.

I guess there is a rare chance. The switch itself is defective if it was a new untested one.
Though I also don't see the connection between the USB problem and the lights.

Does the switch say it is good for 400 Watts as the manual indicates 500 watts max and 40 watts min.