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[radioguy1007]

Although I do not have the hardware you are discussing here, by review of the schematic and Pi current draw specs taking 5 volt power from the CM15A is going to result in smoke.  Using a Pi minimum current of 80 mA (it goes much higher) from the specifications, there are at least 2 components in the power supply of the CM15A that will be subjected to too much power.  D28, a 10 volt zener diode drops the unregulated supply before the voltage regulator.  This is likely present to remove some of the power dissipation (heat) from the regulator.  There is also a 150 ohm 1/2 watt resistor (R55) in this series path.  If we use the minimum .080 current, that puts 0.96 watts of heat on the 1/2 watt resistor (remember there is power across it already from the CM15A circuitry).  The zener will be dropping 0.80 watts just from the 0.80 mA Pi load - and it too is dropping power already for the CM15A.  If someone could measure the voltage across R55 in normal operation we could determine an exact power draw of the CM15A.  But just the 80 mA of the Pi will smoke that resistor alone.  X10 has been marginal on their transmitter designs in the past - as evidenced by black areas on circuit boards from heat (personal experience). 

[petera]

Surely it would be simpler to run the mini USB cable through the CM15 enclosure ensuring that both the Pi Zero and the CM15 had their own separate power supplies. Wouldn't be too bulky and off putting and should be neat enough while ensuring that both Pi Zero and CM15 we're isolated from each other in the event of a fault with either.

[dhouston]

@radioguy1007 - glad you caught that. I had assumed the CM15A MCU would draw more current than the 30mA it's rated for.

Pin 2, the +5V lead of the CM15A USB port doesn't connect to anything. It might be used to supply the Pi Zero.

[Tuicemen]

@Tuicemen now that you have your Pi Zero twinned with your CM15 and the ability to control it all remotely via an Android app I'd imagine it's potential usability has far exceeded the WM100.

The PI ZeroW CM15A mesh has far exceeded the abilities of the WM100.
As I've stated before the only benefit the WM100 has over this setup is the power out put of its PLC.
I'm sure Authinx could increase that

As mentioned in previous posts, maybe the makers of the WM100 should try and replicate that usability and twin their unit with something like the Pi to give their users far greater versatility with X10 technology.

I have brought up the idea with Authinx who then passed the idea on to the factory.
Authinx is interested in doing something like this, creating a wm100 pro as to speak.
I've also been keeping the Authinx owner updated with my progress.

Looking forward to your write up on how you fully exploited the CM15/Pi/Homegenie combination and exactly what you achieved.

This may be slow coming as every thing I want to do I'm told is possible but the how to info is so very vague. at least to me.
The WM100 is semi useless without the internet the CM15 Pi mesh isn't dependant on the cloud.
My off grid place has been with out internet for 3 days, 15 hours and counting.
 

[petera]

@Tuicemen now that you have your Pi Zero twinned with your CM15 and the ability to control it all remotely via an Android app I'd imagine it's potential usability has far exceeded the WM100.

The PI ZeroW CM15A mesh has far exceeded the abilities of the WM100.
As I've stated before the only benefit the WM100 has over this setup is the power out put of its PLC.
I'm sure Authinx could increase that

As mentioned in previous posts, maybe the makers of the WM100 should try and replicate that usability and twin their unit with something like the Pi to give their users far greater versatility with X10 technology.

I have brought up the idea with Authinx who then passed the idea on to the factory.
Authinx is interested in doing something like this, creating a wm100 pro as to speak.
I've also been keeping the Authinx owner updated with my progress.

Looking forward to your write up on how you fully exploited the CM15/Pi/Homegenie combination and exactly what you achieved.

This may be slow coming as every thing I want to do I'm told is possible but the how to info is so very vague. at least to me.
The WM100 is semi useless without the internet the CM15 Pi mesh isn't dependant on the cloud.
My off grid place has been with out internet for 3 days, 15 hours and counting.

Nice to achieve and surpass the ability of AHP with such a small form factor. and still moe to come no doubt.

Not a Windows user now but used AHP quite satisfactorily many moons ago. The big "interruption" with AHP encouraged me to look at other platforms for HA and with the arrival of the single board computer I finally discovered something that made sense to leave running 24/7.

I really do believe you're only limited by your imagination with the Raspberry Pi. You'll have many more hours developing and expanding your Raspberry Pi. When you've finally got your head around Homegenie there's so many more options to try. Domoticz, Hasbian and Linux HA to name but a few.

I found getting up to speed on JSON really opens up the world of home automation too.

[dhouston]

Pin 2, the +5V lead of the CM15A USB port doesn't connect to anything. It might be used to supply the Pi Zero.

Upon further review, connecting +5V in this way is probably beyond the soldering skills of most.

[Tuicemen]

Pin 2, the +5V lead of the CM15A USB port doesn't connect to anything. It might be used to supply the Pi Zero.

Upon further review, connecting +5V in this way is probably beyond the soldering skills of most.

It is a very small connection with little room between other solder joints.
I tested this connection on one of my older cm15 units and it did not come up as 5V but 4.88V.
 I can't get my meter to register the amps so there may not be the required amps there to power the Zero W.
I tried to keep my mod to a non solder one, so most can do it.
I may need to do a few more test as my ZeroW is using a 2.5 amp power supply simular to that required by the 3B+
I tested the Zero on a few  chargers although the Zero would start and I could SSH into it with less then 1.5 amps HG would not start

[JeffVolp]

Something to consider with the Pi is cooling.  If it pulls 500-700mA as the specs would indicate, that may cause too much temperature rise if enclosed in the CM15A case.

I had been following this discussion, and had been looking at the possibility of using the Pi Zero W as a controller daughter board with the mother board containing the power supply and XTB-232/523 X10 powerline interface packaged in the same case used for the original XTB.  But with the power supply dissipation, that much heat might cause too much temperature rise inside a small sealed case.

Jeff

[bkenobi]

There are many people who use the RPi as a video player and install fans on the board to keep from overheating it.  This use is not going to be as demanding for the RPi, but in combination with the CM15, it may produce a lot of heat.  Since we know it's a sealed box, this might be a bad idea.  Couldn't slots be cut into the side of the CM15 case?  If they were small, it would not be a safety issue but obviously it would no longer be UL.  Then again, I'm pretty sure adding a RPi into the case and modding the board to accept it might slightly alter its UL anyway.   

[Tuicemen]

There are many people who use the RPi as a video player and install fans on the board to keep from overheating it.  This use is not going to be as demanding for the RPi, but in combination with the CM15, it may produce a lot of heat.  Since we know it's a sealed box, this might be a bad idea.  Couldn't slots be cut into the side of the CM15 case?  If they were small, it would not be a safety issue but obviously it would no longer be UL.  Then again, I'm pretty sure adding a RPi into the case and modding the board to accept it might slightly alter its UL anyway.   

The Zero W takes up only half of the battery compartment the cover still slides over. Removing the other half of the battery compartment may allow for a small fan if one was worried about over heating.
The holes cut in the case for HDMI, USB, and SD card access have to be slightly bigger to slide the Zero into place anyways, this allows some movement of Air. There is also room for a small heat sink which you can order with the Pi.
The battery cover does have two fake slots which one could open up with a Dremel tool as well which may help.
However that might require more of the battery compartment removed then I did
I've not noticed my cm15 case getting hotter then usual (yet) and I have taken no extra steps for cooling not even a Pi heat sink.

The Pi CM15  mesh has only been running a short time and I'm not taxing the Pi as my HG setup is not extensive (yet)
Only 3 house codes, 8 Security sensors, 4 IP cameras, 2 dusk dawn timers, 2 other timers, Weather underground, and the Energy monitor. No macros configured yet.

[dhouston]

This isn't for everybody but were I to play I'd use a Pi Zero W + RTC + RF RX & TX + XTB-232 + FreeBasic
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M105UFC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/SMAKN%C2%AE-315Mhz-Transmitter-Receiver-Arduino/dp/B00UWBJ7GK/ref=pd_sbs_21_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00UWBJ7GK&pd_rd_r=YD97Q73ME77FWAAMRM7N&pd_rd_w=NyWON&pd_rd_wg=m5N98&psc=1&refRID=YD97Q73ME77FWAAMRM7N
http://www.cdadapter.com/srtune.htm
https://www.freebasic.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=21433

[bkenobi]

Assuming the RPi was connected to the network (which it has to be in order to control devices remotely), what would be the benefit of the RTC over using NTP?  RTC modules are cheap, but if NTP is already available is it needed for a Linux device?

[dhouston]

After a power outage a router may need a manual reset. A $5 RTC provides a bit of insurance.

[petera]

I'm using passive cooling on an cased over clocked raspberry Pi 3 running Kodi. More than sufficient so I reckon it would work on the Pi Zero too.

Some real interesting ideas on cooling Raspberry Pis here.

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/keep-raspberry-pi-cool/

[Tuicemen]

After a power outage a router may need a manual reset. A $5 RTC provides a bit of insurance.

Or if your unlucky and your ISP is slow at repairing internet connections you could be days with incorrect time.
4 day 13 hours and counting (no internet) at my off grid place.
Originaly I had also thought this RTC was not needed.