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[bittyblueeyes]

I am a newbie, and I am trying to get my system set up...

My husband was excited at first about the idea of automating our home, but now hes frustrated at how much money this is costing and it STILL doesnt work.

I started out with a small system, some stick on wall switches, a TM751, and some WS12A's...
The WS12A's close to the transceiver worked, but the one in the bathroom only worked when the transceiver was plugged in in the bathroom.
I checked the forums, and decided to get a signalinc dryer coupler/repeater... Just in case it was a phase issue...
 
Then I ordered PLW-02 switches, Nstinct remotes, and socket rockets, and the securilink security system... on faith that the coupler would fix whatever issues and make everything work happily together... and Ive got WS467's and SR227's on backorder.

The coupler/repeater, when I finally got it (Im in Canada) solved some problems, but not all of them... and from the list of things that I wanted to automate I could tell I needed a little bit more than my TM751 transceiver could handle...., So after a bit of research I ordered a WGL v572A all housecodes transceiver and PSC-05... I figured that would solve the range of the transceiver, and I wouldnt have to buy 16 TM751's.

I installed all the PLW-02's, and PROMISED my husband that once I got the PSC-05, the system would work...

I finally got it, and now if the PSC-05/V572A combination is plugged in upstairs, I can control the lights upstairs with my remote... but I cant control the lights downstairs, even from downstairs... even when the PSC05/V572A is plugged in downstairs... Seriously they are 6 feet apart.

I have a theory that its electrical noise, because I have the office (three computers and a printer) and a home theatre system in that area... along with the washer/dryer, furnace, two upright freezers, etc. All in the basement...

I was thinking that I could fix that by getting those noise filter power bars, But after reading some posts Im a little worried that those will make it worse....
I dont want to buy a filter for each device, because we have five devices just in the theatre room, never mind the printer, and all the computers, monitors, etc... Thats a lot of filters...
Can you plug a power bar into a filter? Would that be sufficient?
Would a signal booster help? I dont want to get one that requires an electrician to install because that will throw more money into it and piss off the hubby... He's usually pretty patient but this has been going on awhile...

Another thing is that my computer module (I dont know which it is, it came with ActiveHomePro) doesnt work when the transceiver is upstairs, because its too far away... the range on the computer module sucks. 

PLEASE HELP... I have a week to find a solution to this before the hubby gets home and finds out nothing works.  <me

[Brian H]

I power bar in the filtered outlet of a filter designed for X10 should work OK.
You would have to find the current or power used by each device and then add up all of them for what you want on each filter.
The X10Pro XPPF is five amps but has a reputation of getting warm and smelling if pushed maybe over three amps.
The Smarthome 1626-10 FilterLinc is a ten amp one. I have one on my computer setup and another one on my LCD TV and all of the other things connected to it.
ACT makes an AF120 that is 15 amps.

It does sound like you have some power line signal issues.

You probably found some of the troubleshooting links in your research but in case you didn't.
http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm
http://www.act-remote.com/PCC/uncle.htm
http://www.davehouston.net/

[dave w]

.
I have the office (three computers and a printer) and a home theatre system in that area... along with the washer/dryer, furnace, two upright freezers, etc. All in the basement...

Could be noise, but look for the small stuff like cell phone charger, or any very light weight wall plug charger/power adaptor. The light weight ones use a switching power supply which are notorius noise makers. Unplug suspected noise makers and see if system starts working.

[Brian H]

I would second what dave w said. Smaller stuff first.
Now if the CM15A interface is on one of the computer circuits. I would also give them some thought.

[bittyblueeyes]

That made me think... If I plug the computer into a noise filter, is that going to mess up my computer interface? Or does that communicate over RF?
I looked up my order, I have a CM19A...

Also, do I need to have a transceiver close to that for it to communicate with the computer? Or will the all-housecode one pick it up?

[Brian H]

No a power line filter on the computing equipment will not effect the CM19A Tranceiver.
If you had the CM15A that uses AC for its power. It would make a difference.

The transceiver is the unit sending the power line RF comands the CM19A is sending to it.

The TM751 can only do one House Code.

The CM19A can send and receive all the X10 addresses {A-P House Codes 1-16 Unit Codes} by RF.
It also has no way to receive or send power line signals for triggering things like macros or directly controlling modules.

[bittyblueeyes]

Ok...

So I guess I will start with the computers and theatre stuff, since it seems that computers and projectors are big offenders... and then cell phone chargers and things of that nature...

I really wish I had test equipment...
Is there a way to find out the combined amperage without test equipment? So I can find out what level of filter to put on the home theatre and office power bars?

I looked on the back of my devices, and they have watts, and Hz, and AC power, and Voltage, but nothing about Amps. I am not an electrician...

Is it worth buying test equipment, considering that Im only doing a home-installation, and not doing this professionally?

Also, do I have to check all the little devices like alarm clocks and lamps? What about lamps that are plugged into SR227s? If they generate noise, how do I filter them? 

I imagine this would be a lot easier to set up on a new-build house...

[Tuicemen]

There are converters on the net to find amps if you know watts and volts
Here is one that will find the value you leave blank.
http://www.supercircuits.com/resources/tools/Volts-Watts-Amps-Converter
 

[bkenobi]

I found that using the ratings off of home theater equipment is not necessarily accurate.  The ratings that are provided for a receiver, for instance, seems to be the maximum possible current that the unit could draw.  In my case, I was testing an Onkyo unit that claimed 6A (as I recall).  When I used a Kill-A-Watt and turned the volume up louder than I would ever use, I found that it was only drawing 3-4A.  The same (but not as severe) was found for all of my other components.  According to the manuals, I would have been capable of drawing ~15A.  I measured much less than that with everything turned on (~8A IIRC).  Thus I was able to use a 10A plug in filter rather than having to build something based on a 20A filter.

The take away from this is that a kill-a-watt (or similar) will potentially save you significant hassle in finding a larger filter than you really need.

[Tuicemen]

Rattings displayed by manufacturers for amp/watts  are extreme case.
True a kill o watt meter is a handy item but pushing values to the extreme can lead to problems.
It is always adviseable to have a buffer to avoid issues with spikes.
 

[Brian H]

If the Kill-A-Watt  meter is also used to check the Power Factor and VA ratings. There could be out of phase currents that can sneak up on you.
One user here used a XPPF on overhead fluorescent lights. Measured the current as with in the 5 amp rating, but the out of phase currents they didn't measure. Fried the XPPF.

Leaving a safety margin is a good idea.

[bkenobi]

Absolutely!  But, how do you know how much of a buffer is needed?  If I went by the manufacturer specs on my setup, I'd have needed an XPF or a pair of 10A plugin filters (which would have made things difficult with everything hooked up to a UPS).  I figured 25% over maximum seen current draw should be sufficient, but I don't really understand the out of phase stuff you guys are talking about.  I'm just starting to see how capacitive loads can cause issues and what they mean to the AC wave form.

[dave w]

but I don't really understand the out of phase stuff you guys are talking about.  I'm just starting to see how capacitive loads can cause issues and what they mean to the AC wave form.

Google "power factor".