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[ROBERTH]

Hi Guys

It has been many months since my past post. I gave up on my second brand new in box SC1200 with failing zones. I feel like I have wasted money. Has anyone come up with a fix? I would love to get my system working. I can only get my SC1200 to work with one door and one zone. Even at that sometimes even one zone will act up. As stated this is my second SC1200 new out of the box. I can set up other zones but eventually they fail and act as if they are open no matter on a wood surface or a metal door. I have tried all kinds of spacings etc. Any help or suggestions? THANK YOU!

[Brian H]

You can register the other zones but eventually they give you a Trouble Zone Message on the SC1200?
Are the Door/Window Sensors a DS12A or DS10A?

[ROBERTH]

You can register the other zones but eventually they give you a Trouble Zone Message on the SC1200?
Are the Door/Window Sensors a DS12A or DS10A?

Hello Brian

Thank you for your help. I am using brand new out of the box DS12A door/window sensors. My SC1200 is a second brand new out of the box replacement. I can get two door/window sensors to work but eventually one or both will be seen as open. I have tries spacing them and placing them on two different types of doors (wood and metal). No matter what I do eventually the system fails on both sensors. I have an entire kit of unboxed sensors that is waiting to be setup but I have not done so since my many issues since day one. Should I just get a different model than the SC1200? I appreciate your help.

[Brian H]

If the display was Problem and a Zone Number. Then it would be a sensor not checking in, with in around four hours. Most likely a signal range issue.
In that case some found mounting the SC1200 vertical to reorientate its internal antenna helped.

Open Zone is a different problem. More like the magnet and internal switch are not activating reliably.
I believe a few folks found that the magnet passed the sensor enough to go Closed and back Open. So fast the Open was not immediately registered but the next time the sensor checked in it sent the Open Status. Others found they where close to the detection range and the wind or vibrations would trigger an open.

I had mounting problems with my DS12As and fancy door trim. I ended up not using the internal magnetic switch and wired external large gap magnetic switches on the doors with the DS12A on the wall above the door. Yes you can register both the internal and external switches as separate zones. In my case only the external zones where used. Most folks it is the other way around. Register the internal zone and not the external zone.

You may want to try our search function to find other threads about intermittent Open or Problem errors.

[ROBERTH]

Hi Guys

I am still dealing with the intermittent Open or Problem errors on my second SC1200. I have tried all suggested spacing and fixes. Has anyone else resolved this issue? How did you resolve it? X10, after many failed phone calls, tech chat dumps and emails are sending me a 3rd SC1200. Anyone have a fix? How did you wire in a different sensor to the wireless sensors? I can do that no problem if it does resolve my problem.

Thank you!

[tom j]

Say how common is this problem open zones with the SC1200 jeez this thing is as buggy as all get up.

Tom j.

[Brian H]

I had problems with my DS12As and getting a reliable mounting between the supplied magnet and the internal magnetic switch. Fancy moulding on the door and frame.

I ended up not using the internal magnetic switch and wired an external large detection gap magnetic switch to the second zone terminal block inside the DS12A. http://www.seco-larm.com/Magnet1b.htm  SM-431-T was what I used but there are many brands and styles to fit your needs
Then the DS12A was mounted flat on the wall above the door frame. The switch was on the door frame and magnet on the door.
Since the internal and external zones are separate. I just registered the external zone and ignored the internal one.
DS10s you can just splice a wire on to the existing one and mount the DS10 higher with the supplied magnetic switch on the door and door frame.

The SC1200 has many posts on poor RF range and modifications to add external antenna or mounting the consloe vertical sometime helps. Any metal items between the SC1200s location and the sensors locations can also effect things.

[tom j]

I had problems with my DS12As and getting a reliable mounting between the supplied magnet and the internal magnetic switch. Fancy moulding on the door and frame.

I ended up not using the internal magnetic switch and wired an external large detection gap magnetic switch to the second zone terminal block inside the DS12A. http://www.seco-larm.com/Magnet1b.htm  SM-431-T was what I used but there are many brands and styles to fit your needs
Then the DS12A was mounted flat on the wall above the door frame. The switch was on the door frame and magnet on the door.
Since the internal and external zones are separate. I just registered the external zone and ignored the internal one.
DS10s you can just splice a wire on to the existing one and mount the DS10 higher with the supplied magnetic switch on the door and door frame.

The SC1200 has many posts on poor RF range and modifications to add external antenna or mounting the consloe vertical sometime helps. Any metal items between the SC1200s location and the sensors locations can also effect things.

Hi Brian so once you made this modification it was reliable? and what about the problem with the large power horns not being in sync is that still a problem or has x10 addressed the issue. Thanks!


Tom

[Brian H]

I never tried mine with the internal magnets so I can't say if there would be a difference.

If the internal magnets where going back open from passing the DS12A that could cause the open report. It would not fix the trouble report that is more like an ranges issue of the console not receiving the hourly sensor checking in.

I have no idea if the Large Powerhorn issues where fixed. There have been no posts on anyone finding a combination that worked.
Since X10 is changing their business model for things like Tablets and Webcams. I seriously doubt anything is being put into fixing things like that.

[pseeker]

Even with an external antenna mod, In recent weeks I have had a range issue with a DS10A.  Works solid most of time... fails solid every few days.  I am guessing it is some rf signal interference (ie neighbor, leaky electronics, smart meter etc).  I gave up and unregistered the sensor. 

Say how common is this problem open zones with the SC1200 jeez this thing is as buggy as all get up.

Tom j.

[tom j]

Even with an external antenna mod, In recent weeks I have had a range issue with a DS10A.  Works solid most of time... fails solid every few days.  I am guessing it is some rf signal interference (ie neighbor, leaky electronics, smart meter etc).  I gave up and unregistered the sensor.  

Say how common is this problem open zones with the SC1200 jeez this thing is as buggy as all get up.

Tom j.

Guess I'll just have to pass on the SC1200 seems like way to many issues and like Brian said probably no fix in the works form x10.


Tom

[pseeker]

Given the problems you are having, that's probably a wise decision.  Had I known how many hours and hacks needed to get this thing going, I would have purchased a different system.  I am guessing the SC1200 works well for those people living in small home or house with wide open spaces.

Guess I'll just have to pass on the SC1200 seems like way to many issues and like Brian said probably no fix in the works form x10.

Tom

[mike]

Hi Guys

I am still dealing with the intermittent Open or Problem errors on my second SC1200. ....Anyone have a fix? .....

From my experience with 4-5 of these, I think it is 99% fair to say it is NOT a DS10/12 issue.  I tried external antennas, rf ampflifers, adding a 3rd AA battery to nearly double the rf output of the sensor, none stopped the apparent semi-random blinking zones as sc1200 stops seeing them.  I blame local WPAFB for the rf interference that I believe is over and above the background norm.  From my experience, the sensors will not work consistently over about 5-10' max - so no way to use this system in any size home.

I believe my last installation is now reliably seeing all sensors.  I had in wall ethernet cable throughout the office/garage and gave up and basically extended the sensor two wires to a central location and mounted the DS units on the wall next to each other with the sc1200 mounted with them.  Now the rf distance is 1 foot.  

This has been the only solution I found.  I also use one of those old rf repeaters x10 used to sell that repeats security sigs also - so remotes sorta work most of the time.  

Only way I got arm and disarm to be 100% was to have my ahp run timered routine to simulate one of my remotes - arm at x:00 pm, disarm at y:00 am.  ahp is on external antenna which is still about 10' from the sc1200 now.

In order to know if the alarm actual sets, I ran the internal speaker wires into my in home phone line on the other 2 wires and have a couple speakers around to hear the dink sounds of arming or constant dink dink dink dink if it fails to arm at evening.  

sorta defeats the easy wireless install main features huh?

[des1157]

The sc1200 is a piece of garbage! I am having many issues with the zones losing sync no matter how close they are and it does not function with any lan line/answering machine I have tried to date. Contacted X10 and they are fully aware of the situation and refuse to identify the phone system it will work with. They also refused to return the product after 30 days (spent 35 trying to get it to work and keep sensors synced as well as trying many different things to get it to work with any phone/answering machine to include purchasing 2 different new phone systems. I file a complaint with the Better business bureau and they refuse to reveal a phone system it will work with for them. Do us all a favor and file complaints with the BBB to stop this company from selling this device to unsuspecting people. I imagine, at this point, I am at least $500 in the hole due to X10 and their faulty claims and buggy system.

[jbreslau]

Sorry to hear you wasted your money.  I figured out very early on that this system was junk.  Mine is boxed up and being shipped back tomorrow.  On top of it, X10 said it takes 30-45 days to issue a credit.  That is crazy!