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[Phil45680]

Hello to all in the Forum!

Just when I thought I had been through ALL problems with my X10 set-up, I found a new one and need some help.

All my cameras have been working fine for a long time. That is, until I shut down the power at the breaker to do some maintenance to the lines. When I powered the line back on, ALL my cameras seem to be in the "on" position and I can't shut them off. Attempting to switch from one to another does nothing. I have one camera that stays on screen all the time, which is the closest one to the receiver. I've tried unplugging it but then I have trouble with the next closest one staying on screen. I've changed the batteries in the remote (CR13A) and same results. I've changed out the transceiver module (TM751) and also moved it to different receptacles and also to no avail.

Like I said, just when I thought I'd resolved every problem I could encounter with my X10 setup, I've found another. 

Any help you could give would be appreciated.

[Brian H]

Cameras default to On when power up. That way single camera setups didn't need any remote or transceivers. So all of them On at power up is normal. Should be corrected after the first one is turned On by an X10 power line command.
Cameras work in groups of four X10 addresses. Same House Code and Unit Codes. 1-4,5-8,9-12 or 13-16. Turn one On the group other three go Off. By an X10 power line command.

Before the power down. Could you control the cameras with the remote?

Anything changed during the power down maintenance? Like new lights etc.?

[Phil45680]

Hi Brian,

First off, thank you for the reply! It's good to know there are those of you out there willing to take your time to help the rest of us!

I have actually 7 cameras hooked up at the moment and before powering down the system, they all worked perfectly and were fully controllable. I have 1-4 then 5, 6, and 7.

The only thing I changed is I have removed two dusk to dawn, motion sensor flood lights from the circuit that also controls the cameras. It was just a matter of removing the fixture, then the wire nuts, dropping the fixture and replacing the wire nuts and covering up the box. Other than that, not one thing has changed and that is what has be so baffled. Right now my #1 camera is the one that is visible. I have unplugged it and I can receive picture from another one. If I move my receiver around, I can at times, receive others as well. That is how I determined that all the cameras were staying in the "ON" state and not turning off.

What I can't figure out is why when I select any other camera, the others don't shut off like they are supposed to. This really has me baffled!

PhilG

[Brian H]

If not to difficult to access the cameras. Maybe disconnect all but one and see if it can be controlled. Then try a different one alone. Maybe a pattern will show up.

You could have something deteriorating even if nothing has changed. I know Noam and others have had CFLs start flaking out causing X10 to get intermittent or stop responding in some locations.

Someone move a electronic device? Like a cell phone charger, game console, laptop power supply etc.?

[dave w]

What I can't figure out is why when I select any other camera, the others don't shut off like they are supposed to. This really has me baffled!

Brian beat me in his suggestion, but I'm sending this anyway.
Sounds like the cameras are not seeing the PLC ON command for one camera in the group. You said you switched out your transceiver, but are you sure it is working, or you do not have a sudden noise problem? Plug your TM751 in the same outlet as a camera and send an ON command to a different camera.

[Phil45680]

Dave, Brian ... thanks so much for your ideas and help.

I spent most of the day yesterday working on this system. Unplugging cameras, changing house codes, etc. I finally put everything back to where I started. My thoughts were, why weren't things working when they WERE working? I have to be missing something. So, after putting everything back I thought to myself, the signal is just not getting to the cameras so they are all staying on. Even though I had moved the transceiver module (TM751) before, I had only moved it to outlets I knew had worked before. Well, I moved it to a completely different outlet and guess what? Yeah, the cameras all responded just like they are supposed to. I clicked one and the rest went off. I now have all 7 of my cameras working and under my control.

Go figure! I do love X10 stuff but it can be temperamental at times and without rhyme or reason.

Thanks again guys and I'm sure I will be calling on your vast knowledge again in the future.

PhilG

[Brian H]

Something has changed and the locations that did work are now a problem.
You didn't misplace a remote in a drawer or in a chair seat. Keeping an RF signal On all the time?
That one would clear itself out when the batteries died. Yes we have seen this. 

Maybe a phase coupler that has problems and the outlets that did work no longer can reach the cameras locations.

[dave w]

Thanks again guys and I'm sure I will be calling on your vast knowledge again in the future.

At one time in the past, it was always true to say "What has changed? What new gizmo did you plug-in". But we can't even bank on that helping to troubleshoot anymore. Powerline noise is now ubiquitous, so now when the two year old CFL in the basement finally becomes just noisy enough to be the tipping point for reliable system operation, the questions "what has changed?" "what is new?", "what did you move?" are becoming less useful.

I have been battling an intermitent low noise level in system for several months. Finally I threw money at the problem and purchased a XTBIIR blow torch repeater, which immediately made so many improvements that I wish I would have upgraded years ago. I had what I thought was an excellent repeater (ACT CR231) but I now have double the signal level.

It's getting tougher and tougher to keep an X10 PLC system happy.

<insert snd fx of sobbing and sniffing, followed by deep sigh, here>