Alarms quit sounding

[JeffVolp]

Right now only the Assembled XTBM-Pro is listed as available.

As of this morning 2/5/19 there are only 4 left.  After that no more PCBs are available unless someone else steps up to take over production.

There is one rental unit currently available, but it may go out again any day.

Jeff

[cscjjd]

     I want to thank Brian for posting the link to Jeff's troubleshooting page (see reply #11) and thank Jeff for the page itself as I found it really valuable in explaining what may have caused my problem in general.  I had no idea that making a change in some completely unrelated minor piece of household electrical equipment could potentially change the functioning of X10 components.  After reading the material authored by Jeff I now have some understanding of how and why this may happen.
     Tracking down the specific problem causing my system's problem would potentially be easier if I had started on it immediately upon noticing the problem.  Now that it has been a month or two since it started, it is more difficult to remember what electrical components (down to the level of a light bulb or a cell phone charger) were changed immediately before the problem began as one of them may be the culprit.  I know now to start investigating right away.
      Thanks again for all of you who made suggestions -- what a great resource this forum is.

[cscjjd]

Finally, after all this time, I've stumbled onto the solution...

So, the problem turns out to be in the power supply for the SC1200 console.  I never considered the power supply as a possibility as all other console functions have been working normally (I have been using my cell phone, which the console dials upon a tripped sensor, as an "alarm")  and I'd assumed the console power supply was just that - a simple power supply, and that all other functionality was embedded in the console.  Apparently however the power line signalling is part of the power supply itself (other members may have more info on this aspect).

p.s. I happened to find this after I obtained several other alarms from a friend and none of them worked either.  I then happened to try my console with their power supply and voila - problem solved.  I have since opened my (old) power supply and did not see anything grossly amiss but will look more closely at it when I'm sure it's safe (I am not expert at this and wanted to be sure any capacitors it might contain have time to discharge).  I will report any further findings.  Thanks to all!

[Brian H]

Yes. The SC1200 power supply wall wart.
Has the +DC, Common to the SC1200, Zero Crossing detector signal to time the SC1200's commands to the power lines and the X10 power line transmitter in it.

Four wires. Common,+DC, Zero Crossing to the SC1200 and the power line transmitter keying signal from the SC1200.
I always suspect electrolytic capacitors when I have problems with X10 and Insteon devices.   

[Brian H]

Did some tests on a XM19A.

X10 XM19A Power Supply for an SC1200A
Winford Engineering BRK4P4C Breakout Board
Tenma 72-10410 True RMS Multimeter

Pin 1   XM19A Yellow Common
Pin 2   XM19A   Green  +DC To SC1200
Pin 3   XM19A   White  Power Line Transmitter Keying Signal From SC1200
Pin 4   XM19A Red    Zero Crossing To SC1200

Pin 1 to Pin 2 DC output:
No        load: 18.65VDC, Could not read any Ripple
30 Ohm load: 9.67VDC, 316DCmA, .400VAC 120Hz Ripple
20 Ohm load: 8.10VDC, 397DCmA, .446VAC 120Hz Ripple

Pin 1 to Pin 4 Zero Crossing:
Zero Crossing 60Hz Pulse.

AC Input Pins 278 Ohms

[GPL]

I had the same symptom as you, and I found out that the XM19A PSU had stopped sending out the X10 codes.
After some troubleshooting on the board, very difficult because everything is terribly packed, i found two 10uF capacitors completely dried out, replaced them and then it worked.

[Brian H]

Dried out capacitors. Is a typical problem I run into. In X10 and other brands like Insteon. Especially their 2413S/U PLM. Switching supply but caps not well rated for a switching supply.