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Author Topic: Best phase coupler  (Read 5081 times)

sundance

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Best phase coupler
« on: May 28, 2012, 02:28:15 PM »

Hi,

I have been having trouble for a while with unreliable X10 signal and installed a capacitive coupler that doesn't help. So I need to take the next step up. Will the Smarthome 4816B2 SignaLinc work OK for coupling X10 as well as Insteon signals? Would the XPCR Coupler Repeater work better and will it handle Insteon and X10 or just X10? I realize X10 and Insteon are two separate and different systems but there are some device that work on X10 and Insteon and I may start to integrate to Insteon.

Thanks
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Brian H

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Re: Best phase coupler
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2012, 03:02:23 PM »

4816B2 is a dryer outlet passive coupler and would couple Insteon and X10 signals to the other phase.

The 4826a is the repeater type. As is the XPCR.
Both do not couple Insteon power Line signals and the Insteon Dual Band Devices used for RF reception and phase coupling do not repeat or couple X10 signals.

Best coupler many of us use here is the JV Engineering XTB-IIR, for X10 coupling. It respects Insteon signal even though it does not repeat them. Some other repeater couplers can cause Insteon problems.
http://jvde.us//xtb/XTB-IIR_description.htm

Also Smartlabs is slowly eliminating X10 support in their latest hardware revision Insteon module.
« Last Edit: May 28, 2012, 03:13:10 PM by Brian H »
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bkenobi

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Re: Best phase coupler
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2012, 11:59:36 AM »

In a correspondence with Smart Home a couple weeks ago regarding a specific X10 module they provided, they told me that they are planning on removing all X10 equipment and not providing it any longer.  This is driven by X10 no longer manufacturing or supplying them.  They indicated that if X10 starts manufacturing and supplying modules again, they may start producing their Smart Home branded equipment again.

I'd get the XTB-IIR over the XPCR if you have lots of signal problems.  If you are simply dealing with a phase coupling issue, it would probably suffice (as would any other coupler or coupler/repeater).  I personally installed a XPCR before realizing I had other issues that needed extra help which were solved by the XTB-IIR.
 

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