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[liderbug]

PSC01 powerflash, I have 2 and they seem to have a problem sending the on/off command to my CM11A.  Then I noticed my TM451 and my HR12A seem to work every time.  So my question is can I solder a micro switch or a mag reed relay across the right 2 points in the HR12A?  And if that works, I could have a 8 input device.  Ever been done before?

Thanks

[dave w]

Yes,  you can use an external wired in switch. But if the switch stays closed, it will be like you holding down a Palm Pad button. It will transmit continuously. Your system will be flooded with commands and the batteries will run down. Momentary contact only.

There is also a hack to use the dusk/dawn sensor in a X10 "xxxxEye"  motions sensor as a auxiliary sensor input of contact input. The "Dusk?Dawn function is the Motion Sensors Unit Code plus one. It does not effect the motion sensing feature. This can be a continuous closure like what you would feed to the PowerFlash. http://www.idobartana.com/hakb/index.htm
Look under the Motion Sensor heading.

[Brian H]

Are the two Powerflash module in the same location ad the TM751?
If not you could have a power line signal problem from the Powerflash modules to the CM11A. That does not exist from the TM751s location.

[liderbug]

Yes I realize the connection must be momentary.  I just want validation that it would work - thanks.

Location - here's the problem - 1 circuit to the room (office), so: UPS, printer, lamp, weather station display, CM11A, fan, etc. etc. etc - and the  CM11A, if any of my 110 v connections change, gives "Poll received unknown value..." from the interface.  It's become a real balancing act.  I've gone through the breaker box and swapped phases, added filters xpps - from what I can tell ... no I'm not going to say that ... 

Thanks

[liderbug]

OK, I need to have someone tell me where to go (politely)  .   I've searched for some circuit examples where a switch, NO, closes, and an R/C circuit is connected to On and the reverse for Off.  All I can find is "We have 3 in stock - add to cart ...".

Thanks

[Brian H]

Not sure if there is any tips in this. Hack a Palmpad thread.
http://www.cocoontech.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1422

[dave w]

I've searched for some circuit examples where a switch, NO, closes, and an R/C circuit is connected to On and the reverse for Off.  All I can find is "We have 3 in stock - add to cart ...".

FWIW
I don't think simple R/C will work on the Palm Pad. Seems like an interval timer is what you are looking for. Try "All Electronics" or "Ramsey".

Your OP states your two PowerFlashes "seem to have a problem sending ON/OFF commands to my CM11A". Why don't you just troubleshhot that problem? Did they ever send commands to CM11A succesfully? If so you may have a noise problem. If not, it could be noise or phase coupling.

http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm

Also since your RF seems to work well, if you have a "xxxEye" motion sensor hacking the "dusk/dawn" circuit  may solve your problem and the hack would not require a momentary closure.

[liderbug]

I think I picked up on something late today - in my greenhouse power comes from the inside (gh) breaker box, runs about a foot to a pair of PAO11 in a double box,  My 2 pumps (F2,F3) run off the X10 controlled outlets with a appliance module (F4) in the bottom of one (exhaust fan).  Now comes the new part - I ran a cord from the other hot outlet up to a duplex outlet next to my PVC pipe where I plugged in the PSC01 (F9) - has been giving me fits.  First my photocell setup, which worked great on the bench, wouldn't count 90% of my triggers.  So I set up with magnets and mag-contacts - 90% went to 100% failure.  So I went to Radio Shack and got a micro-switch with a 3/4" arm with roller. Put my meter on it - on, off, on, off ... My logs?  nada, nothing, el-zippo.  Not even pressing the "test" button.  So I unplugged F4 and moved the PSC01 to the hot outlet. Works great, all of the time.   So what is it?  By adding 4 feet of power cord to get to the PSC01 ... kills it?  I thought maybe the blower 8" away... so I unplugged it - nope.  I'm having flashbacks to running RG-58 and needing to have a 50 ohm terminator on the end of the cable.

See: http://forums.x10.com/index.php?topic=24977.0 that's the orig post leading to this one.

[Brian H]

With all hand picking locations, wiring choices and small changes. Making communications work or not.
It indicates you have a power line signal problem.

Do you have any phase coupler or X10 repeater between the phases?

Have you looked at the troubleshooting links given earlier for some tips?

Are both PAO11s on the same breaker or each one on a separate breaker? That maybe on the opposite phase.

I will see if I can find data on the HR12As electronics. It maybe in the FCC web sites look up database.

[liderbug]

Same phase, same line, same box. I've swapped things in my main breaker box so phase 1 is my X10 phase and my loads are balanced.

I ran a line 12/2/G romex from the garage (50') to a new breaker box in the GH.  Off 1 breaker, about 1' to a double box with a pair of appliance modules - (I've swapped out for a pair of PAO11)  Now for this project.  I have a 4' cord (I don't throw a.n.y. thing away) I'm guessing 14 gage wg.  To a duplex outlet - with the PSC01.  Is it you can't put a X10 device at the end of a stranded wire?  It must be solid?   I've never tried - but shouldn't I be able to put a lamp mod at the end of a extension cord - rather than at the wall and then run the cord?  Or is it the length?  If my 4' cord were ... 8' would it work?  Ever been around electronics and ground problems?  I'm going to check for any ground loops today.  Thoughts?

Bottom line:  PSC01 plugged into outlet - works.  Insert a 4' stranded cord between outlet (and second outlet) and PSC01 - broken.

Thanks

[JeffVolp]

Reading through this thread it looks like you have a LOT of electrical loads.  Since every load causes some finite attenuation to X10 signals you are probably dealing with marginal signal levels.

Jeff

[liderbug]

"... LOT of electrical loads."  Do you mean X10 loads or just normal house loads?  If X10 - Flood/lampmod/doorchime(x2)/wallswitch.  - AppMod water feature, - greenhouse-  appmod(x3)/PSC01/TM571/PUM01.  There may be a distance factor - main breaker to CM11A 25' - mb to garage->greenhouse 100' (as the electron travels).  For what it's worth I put in a new duplex outlet using 14/2/g romex and (knock head) it seems to be working. 

of course at 6:45 this morning, yum did an update and hosed my system for the entire day - just found the problem and fixed it  $!@#%$& @#$%%!@ computers.....

Question:  Is there anywhere a document with "rules"  1. Thou shall not try to run X10 greater than XX feet.  2. All wiring shall be YYY.  3. etc.  Or is it sort of ... well, maybe, and you could try... rotsa-ruck ...

Tired, headache, late - maņana, maņana, I lov'ya maņana. You're only ....
(see how rummy me getting...)

[JeffVolp]

"... LOT of electrical loads."  Do you mean X10 loads or just normal house loads?

Anything that plugs into an outlet can cause some attenuation.  In most cases it may be less than a percent.  In other cases the attenuation can be significant.  I just had a report that a Playstation 3 was killing the signal on its circuit.

As many of us have discovered, X10 signal levels fall off as they propagate away from the source.  So, the longer the wire length, the weaker the signals will be.  Unfortunately, there are no hard "rules".  Years ago at our other house we had trouble controlling the post light even after installing a Leviton 6201 repeater.  The round-trip wire length was probably around 100 feet.  But, I have customers controlling X10 devices with runs of 500 feet or more.  One has two houses sharing the same utility transformer.

Jeff

[dhouston]

And just to complicate things a bit more...

The PLC signals are 120kHz RF so the household wiring acts like a transmission line with reflections, standing waves, peaks, troughs, etc. 

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_wave

[liderbug]

Electrons - strange little beasties they be.  Your last replies - what I expected, not what I hoped for, but expected.  I've had experience with grounding problems and electronics - now there's a world unto itself.  Nuder time, nuder forum....

Been think'n - what we need to do is marry X10 with IP over power.  Same functions (plus) but F7 becomes 192.168.15.7.  There's the PicoTux 100. But this is getting wayyyyyy off subject.   

According to my graph this AM ------_____ my current set up works. Thanks for the help, shoulder, et-al