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[dave w]

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.

Silly question here (I specialize in them).

Are you sure it is simply the USB connection going down when you turn on the GU10 halogens? or could it be the entire CM15A locking up? I don't know how to isolate, since the computer can no longer talk to the CM15A.  But if were me I think I would delete the GU10 lights in AHP and recreate.

[therapy]

Right, update!

I hadn't really looked at the bulbs, they are in fact 12v low voltage halogens (sorry about the false info) which means they're all on transformers (would this make a difference??)
I have split the bank of lights into two individual switches, and with each switch that is turned on the USB x10 disappears off the connected devices list (so I dont think there is anything wrong with the switch.

Have done the hard reset on the CM15 (taking the battery out and leaving it for a while, then putting it back in with the lights on) but it doesn't seem to make any difference, still the same result when I turn the lights on.

Im guessing there must be some interference due to the transformers which is affecting the CM15 in some way, I'll have to put some incandescent lights on the switch to prove this.

Thanks to everyone for helping  me out with this...

[therapy]

Also changed the USB lead to another brand new one I had around so hopefully I can tick that one off as well.

 

[therapy]

After a few more hours fault finding I finally decided to put the switch on a circuit without low voltage transformers and "hey presto" everything worked first time, no drop of USB. Hope this might help some other poor newbie with an answer as to what possibly could be the problem.

I now have the option of changing the low voltage lights over to 240v lights to eliminate the transformers (unless anyone knows of a work around??)

I've also now worked out that the switch in the new position (under some cabinets in the kitchen) will only work if the flourescent lights near to the switch, but switched on a different circuit, are OFF, but I knew that flourescent lights played havoc with the x10 commands.

Once again, thanks for everyones input and help. I'm getting there....slowly!           

[Brian H]

Dimmers and transformers hardly ever get along with each other.
Especially the two wire ones where the power for the switch is stolen through the load.

Glad you found the cure. I believe the dimmers and transformers where making all kinds of garbage noise on the power lines.

[Noam]

You could try replacing the dimmer with a switch designed for florescent lights, with a neutral wire.
You also may need to install wire-in filters before the florescent lights.

[pomonabill221]

The Power supply for the halogens are probably a switching power supply and not a magnetic transformer!!!
SMPS's are VERY noisy (electrically) AND have input filters so that the switching noise will not go back out the line input.
   Also, the X10 dimmers don't really like magnetic (reactive) loads, and don't really play well with non dimmable (or even some dimmable) SMPS's.
  These filters usually have a small cap across the line, anywhere between .047uF to 1uF.  THIS WILL SUCK ALL OF YOUR X10 SIGNAL as well.
  The noise from the SMPS may be so high that the CM15a is being locked up because it is "receiving" the switching noise from the SMPS.
  This are all guesses though.  The only way to see is to use a scope and look at the line noise, or use the XTBM monitor to see how much noise is on the line.
  Just a few more tips and hints....

[Noam]

It should be possible, in theory, to switch the load using a relay-type X10 switch, and wire in a filter to prevent the noise from reaching the rest of the X10 setup.