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[HAM-x10er]

Hello all,
I've been using X10 appliance switches for several years to control my Christmas lights outside as well as my Christmas tree inside.  Everything has worked great and continues to do so.

I have a Christmas village that has lights in the houses and a couple trees with LED lights on them.  I built a box with a WS467 inside to switch it all.  The AC goes through the WS467 and then to a switching regulator and to an AC plug on the front.  The AC plug on the front is used for the lights in the houses - nitelights.  The switching regulator produces 2.8V to run the LED's and 4 small (non-LED) streetlights.

I can turn it all on just fine (used to start flashing after a couple mins but putting the house lights on the switch took care of that) but no matter what I do I can't get the thing to turn off.  (with the remote) 
So, looking for ideas...
I'm pretty sure the lights flashing after a couple minutes was because of improper load on the WS467 so it didn't know where it was - on/off...that seems to be a common thread on these posts.  But the fact it now runs all day with no issues, turns on but simply will not turn off baffles me.  I can turn it off with the WS467 switch but obviously that defeats the purpose.

Thanks in advance for any help you might offer me.

Wayne.

[Brian H]

Problem we have seen before. Turns On no problem but not Off.
One of the loads on the WS467 is making power line noise. So when it is On the noise prevents the X10 signal from turning it Off.
My thoughts are the switching regulator supply. It is either making noise or has a noise suppression cap on the AC input killing the X10 signals.

Also the WS467 steals power through the load and the switching supply probably drove it crazy. The fact that the small incandescent bulbs calmed things down by allowing the switch get power. Shows the WS467 was not getting power correctly until the small bulbs calmed it down.

[HAM-x10er]

Thanks for the response.  I'll take a look tonight.  Unfortunately I don't have a schematic for the regulator so I'll have to do some snooping.

So, if that is the issue what is my recourse?  Different regulator or is there a filter of some kind that might do the trick?

[dave w]

So, if that is the issue what is my recourse?  Different regulator or is there a filter of some kind that might do the trick?

The WS467 doesn't do switching power supplies. Are the bulbs in the village standard C-7 bulbs? If not, stick a 7W night light in the mix to provide more trickle power to the electronics in the WS467. If the bulbs in the Villiage are already C7s nite light bulbs, then you may have to filter the power supply. Maybe an Appliance Module would work, but like Brian said the switching power supply is probably making a noise problem for you.

[ahannan]

I have had AM486's turn themselves off instantly when trying to turn on switching power supplies too.  I switched all my LV lighting near the house to 12V LEDs.  I dropped my power consumption by 80 to 90%.  I have strayed away from X10 for this application and have used Intermatics Digital Timers because of this.  I am doing far rear yard LV and really want to use the X10 so I can control them via the PalmPad.  I am trying to avoid using a X10 control relay module wired to relays to do it.  I ran across this thread while looking for solutions

On a side note, CFLs that are turned on in circuit near the X10 module will render the X10 deaf too.  I had an AM486 on a Christmas tree.  It came on every night via Active Home, but not always off.  Then I'd try with the PalmPad, and sometimes it would work.  Finally I realized it was when I had the Porch lights on (CFLs / manual switch), the AM486 was deaf.  It seemed totally random, but it was just my randomness of when I was turning the porch lights on and off.  Even the signal amps couldn't over come this.  I may try switching brands of CFLs.

I have also installed a bunch of X10 XPPF in front of equipment with switching power supplies like Computers, TVs that are not on UPSs or Power filtering equipment like APC's H15 to keep my signals from being eaten and clean and I've installed the X10 XPCR.  Unfortunately I can't put XPPFs in front of wall switched permanently mounted wall fixtures.

[JeffVolp]

I am using a combination of 12V LEDs and 12V CFLs for landscape lighting.  They are fed by a 300W step down supply that contains a real 60Hz transformer.  The primary is switched by an in-line Leviton 6375 fixture module (equivalent to the XPFM).  The 60Hz transformer acts as a filter, and prevents noise from the CFLs and LED lights from effecting the X10 operation.

Jeff

[Brian H]

Leviton makes a 2687 5 amp wired in filter. That may fit in a light fixture.
http://www.smarthome.com/4835/Leviton-6287-Noise-Block/p.aspx

[Noam]

I've had CFL bulbs go bad, and flood my system with enough noise to render some or all of my X10 modules "deaf." The bulbs still lit up, but had a very audible "buzzing" sound (that wasn't there on other bulbs of the same make and model). Replacing the bad bulbs fixed the problem.
If your lights worked in the past (using the same bulbs), then one or more of the bulbs just went bad. It would probably be cheaper to replace the bulbs than to buy and install in-line filters (which might not fix the problem, anyway).