Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[BackAgain]

Not wanting to clutter other threads, I'll post this here.  Will also give me something to look back on and refer to if there are future problems.

AHP installed in x86 folder, Opens fine and shows Registered with three plugins.

CM15a installed and updated with timers downloaded to it.  Disconnected from PC and plugged into a centrally located outlet.

PLC01 also plugged into a centrally located outlet.

TM 751 plugged in out in garage (distant physically from units mentioned above) with antenna collapsed.  This is to help with coverage of remotes.  I had noticed some 'doubling' of commands when this unit was inside the house.  That may have been due to conflicts between it and the CM15.  That doubling is not happening currently since relocating it and collapsing the antenna.  It is NOT included as a module for any purpose in AHP.  The (HomeCode) 1 address is assigned to an appliance module in AHP and currently works fine.

For the moment, I seem to have coverage for all installed modules including those that were not working (garage and old style wall switches).

Unsure of Macros yet which is what started this latest quest.  Speculation is that the lack of Registration and the SmartMacros plugin may have been responsible.  I'll see if they work tonight and in the morning.

[dhouston]

CM11 plugged in out in garage (distant physically from units mentioned above) with antenna collapsed.

What antenna?

[Brian H]

The CM11A is a serial port controller. With NO X10 RF receiver or transmitter. So it has no antenna to fold over.

[BackAgain]

Typo.  Corrected.  I'm very, very tired.  Did some concrete work today in between everything else.

[BackAgain]

No go.

PLC01 acted up the next night again, so I unplugged it.  Appeared to start at about the time the Macros should have triggered, but none of the lights came on.

The next night (with the PLC01 removed), the macros still did not activate any lights even though they show in the AM.

AHP now shows 'Registered' including SmartMacros, and the file was downloaded again to the CM15 which is disconnected from the computer and plugged in at a central location.

Remote does activate all lights.  Macros do not activate any.  They're not even really macros, just 'On at night' set for each of three appliance modules with lamps plugged in (dimming not required, low wattage LED bulbs) and one with an On and Off time set for a battery charger in the garage.  Time Zone is set correctly in Hardware Configuration.

Note that these timers DID work with the same LED bulbs for months and the remotes DO turn them on and off, so the bulbs are not likely causing interference.  I don't know why they stopped working, but that's when I started trying to figure things out and thought the CM11 went bad.  Now I'm wondering if I've wasted $40 on the PLC01 and $50 on the CM15 since there is no change.

There is no coupler other than a simple capacitor inside the breaker panel, but given everything else, I'm not sure about spending more money on a different coupler.  There are some LAN devices on 2.4G, but since the remotes work without fail, I don't see them being the root cause.

[Brian H]

Are the remotes being transceived by the TM751, CM15A or both?

Are the TM751 and CM15A in different locations of the setup?

There could be some signal suckers and noise makers on the CM15A AC power or you have poor phase coupling.
As the simple capacitor across the incoming lines is not an ideal coupling solution. The typical .1uF across power line rated capacitor is 13.26 Ohms at the 120kHz X10 power line frequency.

If you have not looked yet. Jeff has a great set of X10 troubleshooting tutorials.
http://jvde.us/x10_troubleshooting.htm

The 2.4GHz RF signals should not effect the X10 310MHz RF Signals.
 
 

[Tuicemen]

Macros do not activate any.  They're not even really macros, just 'On at night' set for each of three appliance modules with lamps plugged in (dimming not required, low wattage LED bulbs) and one with an On and Off time set for a battery charger in the garage.  Time Zone is set correctly in Hardware Configuration.

So are these macros or timers? There is a difference!
Different issues will apply to a macro verses a timer.
In the files you sent me I didn't see any macros in the ahx file.

You say your using appliance modules, your AHP file shows lamp modules. There is a difference and AHP sends different signals to softstart then nonsoftstart modules, the file I have shows they are softstart.
Also your file shows you have 4 modules set to come on at the same time does the upstairs desk come on /go off when set?
that is the only timer set to an appliance module.
Not setting up AHP with the correct module types will always cause unexpected results.

[BackAgain]

Two lamp modules and two appliance modules I believe is what you'll see.  The other (P2?)  is an old style camera 12VDC power supply running a small DC LED in a display cabinet.

I get confused with the terminology of Timer vs. Macro.  They both show in different sections of AHP, but the Activity Monitor flags Timers as Macros as far as I can see.

I'm getting frustrated to the point of forgetting about AHP entirely and trying a console of some kind.  But I'm not sure that will work either and I really don't want to put any more money into this.

The TM751 is currently out in the garage with the antenna collapsed.  It's about 40-50' physically from the CM15 and there are several walls in between them including two concrete block walls.  There is a 220 VAC 30A line going from the main panel to the garage where there is a sub panel with local breakers.  It's there really only so I can use a small two device remote (KR19A) to turn the charger on/off if I need to.


The CM15 is plugged into an outlet that was previously used for a window AC unit that is wired on a separate 115VAC 20A breaker by itself.

ALL of the remotes work fine.  There is no stuttering or apparent duplication of signals that indicates a collision between the CM15 and TM751.

The only issue at this time is that the timers do not turn any of the devices on/off as scheduled.

I have explored the SmartMacro screen and set one for 'On at night' now that the add-on is registered, but I have not downloaded to the CM15 yet.

[Tuicemen]

The units that do not work with timers, can you turn them on/off within AHP?
I may not have the correct ahx file as I see only one appliance module (P12) on a timer and 3 light modules on timers (P2,3,4)

Macros require a x10 signal trigger, macros can include several devices, there is no off for a macro they simply run till completed max time 4 hours
timers work on time of day as the trigger, work for one device these can have on and off and don't have a run time.

it may be since your sending several different signals at the same time they're getting scrambled.
though I suspect it is how the devices are configured
try making a macro with a trigger of say A2 in it turn on the devices in question.
now click on the timer icon in the a2 macro and set it to come on at a time.
if it works make another macro A3 in it place your devices as off then set a timer to run it so it starts at the time you wish devices off.

[dhouston]

TM 751 plugged in out in garage (distant physically from units mentioned above) with antenna collapsed.  This is to help with coverage of remotes.

There may be a better way to get the RF range you need. See...
https://www.laser.com/dhouston/ImproveCM15A.html
A better antenna for the CM15A can eliminate the need for the TM751.

[BackAgain]

OK, let's see if I can remember all of this.  Still doing some concrete work outside in the heat, so my brain is not doing real well.  No, I don't let myself get over heated, which is why it's takiing so long.

Tried AHP again.  CM15 was disconnected, USB cable laying on the floor but AHP showed it connected and communicating.   

Plugged the CM15 into an outlet near the computer, plugged in the USB cable, got the Windows ping/acknowledgement.

Tried each module by clicking the onscreen icon.  Screen icon changed status and AM logged the event, however NO module reacted.

Unplugged the TM751 (PLC01 was already unplugged) and tried each module again.  No change.

I don't know why, but I got the idea to delete one of the modules from AHP and recreate it.  Clicked the new icon and the module worked.  Proceeded to delete and recreate all of the others.  The two LM465s worked, but the two AM486s did not.  Plugged the PLC01 back in and the two AM465s worked.  As of the moment, all now work from AHP.  There is one more AM486 (P1) and the old camera PS (P2) that also work as of now.

Deleted all timers and macros.  Created two new ones using the SmartMacro tool.  One to turn P3 (LM465), P4 (LM465) and P12 (AM486) On at Dusk/Off at Dawn.  The other to turn P15 (AM486) on and off and certain times each day.

CM15 is plugged in and connected to the PC.

PLC01 is plugged in.

TM751 is NOT plugged in.

All modules work from AHP.

We'll see what happens tonight when Dusk rolls around and again at Dawn.

[BackAgain]

Wake up this morning and none of the lights that should be on are on.  Everything is off.  Look at AHP, Icons are off.  Activity Monitor screen is blank (I had cleared it last night).

Click the button on A3 that says Run Macro and the devices turned on.

Why didn't the Macro fire at the scheduled time?

[Tuicemen]

Since the macro works when clicked I suspect the issue is in the timer.
However as a test try the macro set to run from the PC.
if that still fails then Post your timer settings (screen shot of advanced settings page).

[Knightrider]

Is there still a box to tic labeled "issue ON instead of bright 100%"?

[Tuicemen]

Yes, tools/preferences/macro options, and worth a try.