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[Tom G.]

So, after spending many hours today, my CM15A and Activehome is still not dimming any lamps. I went through a lot. Loading the newest Activehome software complelety failed to work on my laptop. I had to restore back to 3.236. Bottom line, I know it is a propblem with that particular laptop, or perhapd the USB, or the electrical outlet it is plugged in to. When I run it from a different computer in another room, it works fine. Propblem is, I can't leave it in that room. I need to have it running downstairs on the laptop where it has always run for years without problems. I know there were about 20 Windows updates, Java updates and iTunes updates in the last month or so. Could those be affecting Activehome. Does anyone have any more ideas why this laptop, or electrical outlet, would sudden;y stop allowing the dimming? Lamps do turn on but never dim.

Tom G.

[dave w]

Dim signals take a long time so are easily corrupted. Have you investigated "Boosterlink fights" Especially having two Boosterlinks on same phase. 

[Tom G.]

Hi Dave... I'm not sure how I would investigate Booster Linc fights. I actually have 4 Booster Lincs in my house. And they have been in place for at least 3 or more years. Everything worked fine with the 4 Booster Lincs for years until a few weeks ago. I don't think it is the Booster Lincs, but I really don't know how to tell. I'm at a loss as to how to figure this one out.

Here's what I know. Both CM15A's work properly, dimming and all, if plugged into an outlet upstairs in the front bedroom. Neither of them worked from their usual downstairs office location (where one has been in place and functioning fine for years). It is not software related, nor is it the CM15A's themselves. It is somehow a problem with the downstairs outlets that is preventing the dims. They still allow the units to turn on at the correct times, just nothing will dim. It seems like 3 or 4 other outlets I tried downstairs have this problem. Only the upstairs front bedroom outlet allows the CM15A to function properly. Unfortunately, it is too far away from some downstairs rooms for the x10 signal to reach.

I'm stumped and tired of spending so much time testing it. Nothing changed here in the last few months. Although I guess something changed that I am not aware of.

Tom G.

[Noam]

It sounds like *something* on that downstairs circuit could be creating noise and corrupting the dim commands.
Have you changed any electronics lately (new cell phone charger, new monitor, TV, etc)?
Do you have any CFL bulbs on that circuit, or on other circuits on that same phase?
If so, have you changed one recently, and/or could it be that one of the bulbs is getting old, and starting to fail (they can emit a lot of noise on the power lines when that happens)?

[dave w]

Hi Dave... I'm not sure how I would investigate Booster Linc fights. I actually have 4 Booster Lincs in my house.
I'm stumped and tired of spending so much time testing it. Nothing changed here in the last few months. Although I guess something changed that I am not aware of.

Tom G.

The fact that everything once worked and no longer works in the same outlets probably isn't a BoosterLinc problem but four BoosterLincs and the fact that ONs and OFFs work but DIMs do not screams BoosterLinc problems to me. If me, I would try unplugging all BoosterLincs but one on the same circuit as the CM15A and see what happens...or even no BoosterLincs and try.

If you have a lot of X10, maybe dump the BoogerLincs and coupler and upgrade to a XTBIIR repeater(?).

[Tom G.]

Nothing has changed electrically for more than a year. I do have a couple of CFL downstairs. Maybe they are getting old and causing problems?

I did remove all the Boster Lincs and it made no difference. Other than the fact that certain lights would not turn on at all. That's how I ended up with the Booster Lincs. I think the coupler and the repeater would require an electrician and that's more that I want get involved with  right now.

I was thinking maybe an Insteon controller that can also do X10 might be the easiest solution. I have to give up on Activehome but I need to somehow get it working again.

[Brian H]

One point with an Insteon controller.
Smartlabs chose to use the older %Dim X10 protocol and not the Extended X10 messaging used by the later soft start modules.
So dimming could be a problem. In some instances.

[Noam]

If you are having trouble getting the signals through, or there is a lot of noise, the Insteon controller won't be much help.
I suggest trying to find the reason the lights don't dim first, before spending more money on a new controller.

[Brian H]

Some troubleshooting and general automation links.
http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm
http://www.act-remote.com/PCC/uncle.htm
http://www.davehouston.net/

[dave w]

Nothing has changed electrically for more than a year. I do have a couple of CFL downstairs. Maybe they are getting old and causing problems?

$0.02
Noise that stops a DIM command but does not affect the ON or OFF commands will be one for the books. But the books are being revised all the time. If, with all BoosterLincs unplugged, the CM15A still will not dim a light in the same outlet but will turn it on and off.....

[Noam]

Nothing has changed electrically for more than a year. I do have a couple of CFL downstairs. Maybe they are getting old and causing problems?

$0.02
Noise that stops a DIM command but does not affect the ON or OFF commands will be one for the books. But the books are being revised all the time. If, with all BoosterLincs unplugged, the CM15A still will not dim a light in the same outlet but will turn it on and off.....

Isn't it possible for noise to affect some modules more than others (depending on the exact "profile" of the noise, as compared to the "profile" of the signal itself)?
We've seen cases of random "noise" turning on some modules and not others (if the noise looks close enough to a valid signal), so why not have noise that can interfere with dimming?

[dhouston]

We've seen cases of random "noise" turning on some modules and not others (if the noise looks close enough to a valid signal), so why not have noise that can interfere with dimming?

No! IMO "if the noise looks close enough to a valid signal" doesn't cut it.

The random events seem to be at least loosely related to a long known issue that X-10 noted in a FAQ.

• http://www.x10.com/support/x10trou.htm#on

where spikes on the powerline affect some devices (mostly X10 switches). During the recent spate of random events linked to Echelon smart meters, a couple of those so afflicted connected Smarthome made modules set to the same address and they were unaffected while the X10 made switches were.

In at least one case it was traced to floating pins on the microcontroller used by X10.

• https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!msg/comp.home.automation/HJOVTh8Y_Ps/6vX-Nood1GIJ

There's a 'scope screenshot of such spikes at...

• http://davehouston.org/noise.htm

I suspect a similar mechanism with the high amplitude Echelon signals acting like spikes.

[dave w]

Isn't it possible for noise to affect some modules more than others (depending on the exact "profile" of the noise, as compared to the "profile" of the signal itself)?
We've seen cases of random "noise" turning on some modules and not others (if the noise looks close enough to a valid signal), so why not have noise that can interfere with dimming?

I understand what you are saying, I just question *noise* that has no affect on the ON or OFF commands but wipes out the DIM commands. I could see one or two modules dimming sporadically in a noisy condition/environment but the OP indicates DIM does not work anywhere in his system. I keep circling around BoosterLinc problems, but the OP is a good troubleshooter and has eliminated the BoosterLincs. I dunno  

[Noam]

I didn't go back and re-read the whole thread, but is it possible that the modules are pre-SoftStart, but are defined as SoftStart in AHP?
The older module would respond to simple "ON" and "OFF" commands, but won't understand the Extended Dim commands.

[dave w]

I didn't go back and re-read the whole thread, but is it possible that the modules are pre-SoftStart, but are defined as SoftStart in AHP?
The older module would respond to simple "ON" and "OFF" commands, but won't understand the Extended Dim commands.

Yeah, that is very plausable, but the OP said the system has been working fine for years and *nothing has changed* which I took as no new gizmos. Even with new gizmos I can't wrap my head around "selective" noise. Not saying it isn't possible, just that I don't understand how. The Soft Start explaination makes great sense but isn't consistent with "system worked fine for years". And the OP statement that the CM15A will DIM in certain outlets. I keep thinking about FOUR BoosterLincs and signal collisions. Top tier repeaters like the XTBIIR and ACT 234 can be programmed to ignore signals from other repeaters to avoid the collision/corruption problem. I don't think the BoosterLinc is that sophiscated. But I can't explain why the no dim problem suddenly started out of the blue. I'm out of guesses.