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Author Topic: WM100 Randomly Turns On the Wrong Lights  (Read 7039 times)

rickkel

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WM100 Randomly Turns On the Wrong Lights
« on: March 28, 2019, 12:56:29 AM »

I tried to find others with a similar problem, but could not.  I have a fairly simple setup for my house, only 9 switches/modules that I use to have lights automatically turn on when I'm not home so I don't come home to a dark house or make it look lived in when I'm on vacation.  In the past, I used a CM15A controlling them, but it no longer connects to my Windows 10 computers.  My recently purchased WM100 is set to turn on five (5) of the lights around dusk and turn them all off at various times of the night.

Today I came home after dark and the house was lit up like a Christmas tree!  Two modules that I didn't want to come on did - and at full brightness.  When I looked through the history of what the WM100 did, neither of those assigned switches were sent a signal.  None of the modules on the Device list showed as "ON"; they were all showing as "OFF".  None of these modules have any timers assigned to them.  Has anyone else had such a problem?

Before you ask, no, the CM15A is no longer plugged in as I cleared all stored data in it trying everything under the sun to connect it to my Windows 10 computer.  Each of the switches and modules has its own number assigned to it.  I've made sure and synced any changes I've made to timers, etc. to the WM100.  Might it be necessary to clear it out and re-sync the timers, etc.?
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Tuicemen

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Re: WM100 Randomly Turns On the Wrong Lights
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2019, 07:11:09 AM »

All 9 modules were on?
Are all 9 lights?
Were all modules that turned On, on the same circuit?
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dave w

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Re: WM100 Randomly Turns On the Wrong Lights
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2019, 08:55:52 PM »

Today I came home after dark and the house was lit up like a Christmas tree!  Two modules that I didn't want to come on did - and at full brightness.  When I looked through the history of what the WM100 did, neither of those assigned switches were sent a signal.  None of the modules on the Device list showed as "ON"; they were all showing as "OFF".  None of these modules have any timers assigned to them.  Has anyone else had such a problem?
YES. When we lose power at the house, if the restoration is dirty or a "brown up" I have several modules that will come on. Mostly Appliance Modules but a few Lamp Modules.
Are the your modules old?
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toasterking

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Re: WM100 Randomly Turns On the Wrong Lights
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2019, 12:49:31 PM »

I've always had the same problem with lamp, and sometimes appliance, modules from X10 regardless of age following some power outages.  ACT, SmartLabs (Insteon), Marmitek, etc. never misbehave.  It's enough of an annoyance that I designed a workaround for it into the HA logic platform I'm writing.  Status of X10 modules is tracked as "Received State" and "Desired State".  They usually are kept in sync, but if the UPS detects that the utility power is out, only "Desired State" is updated (since no X10 modules would be online to receive signals).  Once the utility power is restored, an algorithm compares "Received State" to "Desired State".  Based on the device models in the database, it knows which modules remember their state and need to be sent commands to meet the "Desired State" or left alone, and which modules need to be sent whatever the current state should be regardless because their state is unpredictable.

I'm not aware of an "official" fix for this issue.

But bottom line is that I don't expect that the WM100 sent any commands to turn your lights on; I think it's an issue of your lamp/fixture modules not remembering their state correctly after a power outage.  Reviewing this, I'm noting that I put a lot of work toward solving something that very rarely affects me.  That's probably a good indicator of why no one else has bothered to solve it and why my platform may never be finished.
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dave w

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Re: WM100 Randomly Turns On the Wrong Lights
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2019, 04:30:53 PM »

Toaster, your fix is brilliant. When living in south Florida, powered by Florida Power and Light (other wise well known as "Florida Flicker and Flash")  I had a similar solution in that after and outage everything went to a "desired state" based on time of day.  Back in the late 80's X10 knew they had a problem and began putting (I think) 200V MOVs in the Appliance Modules, which for what ever reason seemed to be more sensitive to power interruptions. I don't know exactly when that was, but do know I have more problems with older modules.

Thank you for sharing your fix. Since I have no modules that send Status, I am just going to incorporate a "Desired State" in my HA.  >!
« Last Edit: March 29, 2019, 04:32:36 PM by dave w »
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toasterking

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Re: WM100 Randomly Turns On the Wrong Lights
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2019, 10:07:11 PM »

Since I have no modules that send Status, I am just going to incorporate a "Desired State" in my HA.  >!
In my implementation, any command sent by the HA computer is recorded in "Desired State" immediately.  Once the X10 command is on the powerline, it is recorded in "Received State" as well.  An X10 device doesn't have to explicitly report its status to be compatible with this, nor do I bother polling.  The HA computer continuously sniffs the powerline.  If it hears a command from any other transmitter to change a module's state, it records it; that's a "Received State".  It has a fairly accurate picture of what state all modules are in at all times, unless they are modules with local control buttons that don't send any command when pressed (i.e. X10 wall switches).  I try to keep as few of the latter in my system as possible.

I use a lot of "X10 Pro" XPDF modules and know that they all are affected by this problem.  I don't know whether they have the 200V MOV in them.
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brobin

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Re: WM100 Randomly Turns On the Wrong Lights
« Reply #6 on: March 30, 2019, 12:11:59 AM »

In my Stargate the issue is handled by running through the entire schedule anytime signal from the TW523 is lost and restored. In the module definition table there's a checkbox for power fail restore. However, if a module was turned on or off manually before the power loss, it will restore only to it's scheduled status. Even with that, we had a brief power glitch this morning that triggered a couple of old brown BSR modules to turn on.
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Picture Taker

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Re: WM100 Randomly Turns On the Wrong Lights
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2021, 12:31:48 AM »

I bought the WM 100 last November seemed to work fine then over the last month
Several of my light switches lamp modules and appliance models stopped receiving signals from my control boxes but did respond sometimes to the WM 100.
Since my system has been in service since 1993 thats over 28 years I figured it might be time to replace some of the components. 
 I have at least 45 pieces.  I purchased 5 light switches and several appliance and lamp switches.

But I still could not get remote control of several switches and appliance modules to respond even if I plugged my control box into the same receptacle as the 
x 10 device.

Sometimes I could control things in another room but not on the same circuit.

At this point I stopped replacing switches and started to search for a source of interference but found nothing I placed line filters on the computer and TV’s anyway.

This is when things got really wired.
Later that  week the master bedroom ceiling light would turn on by itself .  Must have have got out of bed 5 or 6 times to turn it off it would not respond to any remote.  Finally I took the switch off line with the small toggle.

The next day the hall light started to do the same thing followed by the back porch and torch lamp in the computer room and kitchen counter spots.
But this time I could sometimes turn them off with the remote kinda like electronic wack a mole.

Now the point of the whole story while taking the dog for a walk all 8 of my out side coach lights turned on.
I tried to use the app on my phone to turn them off but the app kept saying it could not connect to the WM 100.
When I got back in the house is when I noticed the blue light was out on the unit.  I unplugged the 
WM 100 and placed it on the table. 
I then used my thirty year old sears remote control to turn off the outside coach lights and accidentally hit the kitchen fluorescent light switch and for the first time in a month had control of that light.  The same light Switch I could not control when plugged into the same receptacle in the same electrical box on the same circuit breaker.  Everything that had not worked for a month was now working perfectly.
And of course all of the mysterious lights coming on randomly stopped.
Plugging the WM 100 back in caused all of the various switches and modules to stop working with any of the plugged in remote controls and the lights started to turn on by themselves. 
I was still unable to connect to the WM 100 and the blue led never came back on.

Well telling this story was like theory for me because I lost some much sleep and wake time trying to troubleshoot the problem.
I must have unplugged everything I own looking for the source of the interference and mysterious turn on of lights etc.

Hope this was helpful for you.

 



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brobin

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Re: WM100 Randomly Turns On the Wrong Lights
« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2021, 12:47:02 AM »

Don't buy another WM100 to replace it!  Instead, if you'd like an upgraded replacement for the WM100 have a look at the Smartenit Harmony P2.  For $59 you get a device that does everything that the WM100 should do, has a real time clock, Alexa & Google Home compatibility, and works with X10, Insteon and ZigBee devices.  It's 'Automation rule's scheduling is very flexible too.  It has a good app and a web portal as well.  You can look at details here: https://smartenit.com/shop/zigbee-insteon-x10-multi-protocol-gateway-hub/
The base unit is $39.99 and you need to select the "Add X10 and Insteon with Powerline only Modem" that brings the price to $59.99.  I've been running one for almost three years now with no issues.  The P2 plugs into an Ethernet port rather than WiFi but is $100 less than the G2 with WiFi.
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Brian H

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Re: WM100 Randomly Turns On the Wrong Lights
« Reply #9 on: October 14, 2021, 06:16:26 AM »

If the HUBs Blue LED is no longer on.
Problem control of modules gone when the HUB is not powered up.
It looks like the HUB is failing and causing all kinds of issues.
You may want to look at the Smartenit controller. As it looks like the HUB has failed.
brobin is happy with his.
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Brian H

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Re: WM100 Randomly Turns On the Wrong Lights
« Reply #10 on: October 14, 2021, 04:12:50 PM »

You may also want to contact X10 and see what their technical service has to say.
https://www.x10.com/pages/contactform

X10 site indicated it has a one year warranty.
Depending on its age. It maybe still in warranty.
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brobin

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Re: WM100 Randomly Turns On the Wrong Lights
« Reply #11 on: October 14, 2021, 04:32:05 PM »

Picture Taker: From your post I see you bought it last November so it looks like you still have a few weeks left on the warranty.  Might as well get a new one from them.  If it were me I'd put the new factory sealed one up on ebay at a discount and use the $ to buy the Smartent P2.  You'll have a better system for no $!
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