Loosing Time Of Day

[jacob eisler]

It works for a while then after several
days (3 days) it time of day shift by about
30 minutes a head. To solve the problem I
have to reload the program into AHP unit.
What should I do to resolve this problem?
Jacob

[roger1818]

The clock in the CM15A is susceptible to
certain types of powerline noise that cause
it to gain time.  If you can find what is
generating this noise and plug it into a
noise filter (preferably an X10 noise filter
so that your signal strength won't be
affected) the problem should go away.  X10
has admitted that some people have this
problem but claim it is not a bug.

[mike connelly]

I just switched from ActiveHome to
ActiveHome Pro.  With ActiveHome, I had the
same problem with losing or gaining time
with the CM11A, but at least ActiveHome gave
me a way to check the CM11A time via
the 'Set Interface Clock' function.

How can I do the same with ActiveHome Pro
and the CM15A?  I suspect but am not sure
that it also is not holding the time
correctly.

[tom reynal]

My ActiveHome Pro seems to have gained an
hour too.  Nothing noisy around (no variable-
speed drives, residential application).
Also, now (after 4 weeks), the USB
connection isnt working.  What gives?

[corbett messa]

My unit has been working flawlessly for about
a year. Then about a month ago it started
losing time. All might lights come on hours
before they are supposed to. I can only get
the time right by connecting it to the PC and
syncing it.

I have no variables that have changed that I
can think of, although I will have to look
around. The unit is plugged into the same
outlet as always. The only thing that has
changed is the computer that I have the
spftware installed on and that I use to
program the unit. I do not see why this would
matter. The computer has always been plugged
into the same outlet. I use Linux, so I had
to install the software on my wife's XP machine.

Any ideas?
Corbett

[roger1818]

Mike: The AHP software should periodically
update the clock in the CM15A automatically.
If you want to manually do this, one way is
to open the “Hardware Configuration” (I think
that is what it is called) window.  Just
opening this window will update the clock.

Tom:  Anything that has a switching power
supply (pretty much all new electronic
devices) are a potential source of powerline
noise.  I suspect (though I never confirmed
it) that my HP DeskJet printer was what was
causing the clock in my CM15A to gain time.

Corbett: It is loosing time???  I have never
heard of that one.  Maybe the opto-coupler
that gets the 60Hz pulse from the powerline
has blown and it is using the CPU clock
instead.  Either that or your power company
isn’t giving you a true 60Hz power (are any
other clocks in your house loosing time?).

[corbett messa]

All other clocks are running correct. I have
not changed anything in the house, that I
can think of.

It starts out fine, then gets worse as the
weeks go by. I have submitted a case to the
X10 support guys, but I am not sure they can
do much. It is of no use to me this way. I
might open it up and see if anything is
blown.

It is not hooked up to the PC when this
problem happens. I only connect to the PC to
change the timers.

[tom reynal]

It looks like poor hardware design to me.
If there is no line protection (zeners or
MOV's, etc.), and there are transients in
the the "real" world (not a lab
environment), then X10 should replace these
under warranty with a modified unit.  Yes, I
can add my own isolation (which I should not
have to do), but then the carrierline
signals to the modules are weakened if not
lost entirely.  Do you hear us X10?  Pls be
proactive and take care of your customers...

[jeff]

I have Active Home Professional and a CM15A.

Things were fine the first two months, now
when we came home from a week of vacation
the time shifted ahead about an hour.
Seems similar to other posts.  I loaded the
latest PC version but I fail to see how
this will impact the CM 15A from loosing
time.

I had an issue where the unit seemed to
loose some of its program (simple to 3
modules) so I looded the new updated today
to see if this corrects that issue.

[barry freidly]

Like the other postings, just three nights
ago, after operating on time since
installed new this summer, my CM15A
suddenly started turning off all modules an
hour early. This has got to be a product
issue.

[corbett messa]

I was told a few steps to try from the
support team, but none of them seem to work.
I am going to try another piece of hardware
this week and see if it is my house or the
hardware.

Corbett

[corbett messa]

Update - I just got an RMA issued for my
module from X10. It is still covered, so they
are going to replace it. It was a pretty easy
process, after I submitted a case with them.
They asked me to try a few more things. When
they failed, they issues an RMA. Of course I
have to send the unit back first, but I have
a friends as backup.

Corbett