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[Duck69]

I am confused about installing the UM506 to control my garage door.
Could someone explain Momentary contact and Continuous contact ?
 What position do I use to simply open and close the door as the original control does ?

[Brian H]

When you send an ON signal to the UM506.
Continuous turns On the contacts; until an Off signal is sent or an All Units Off is sent.
In momentary an On turns the contacts On for between 1.5 to 2.5 seconds. It then times out and turns off by itself.
So if you push a momentary button on the garage door control to open and close use the momentary on the UM506.

[steven r]

...how can I tell if  the garage door control is momentary or not ?...

The "door bell" style switch you push is a momentary switch like a door bell. Every one I've ever seen for this application is a SPST (single pole single throw) NO (normally open) switch. That means it has an open connection till you push the button. Then it closes momentarily till you release it.

If your door is like the above and you want to trigger it with a UM506, you will need to set the UM506 to momentary. Otherwise a continuous connection would be like holding the button pushed continuously.

I use the Universal Module (UM506) to close my garage door. It is plugged in right next to the garage opener. For security purposes I've chosen to use mine just to close the door and not to open it. In my case I have the Universal Module wired in series with a magnetic read switch that is only in the closed position when the door is open.

[Brian H]

I also think it is momentary as steven r indicated. I also like the unique way you set it to only close with a magnetic switch in series with the UM506 contacts. have to file that away for future use.

[steven r]

...I also like the unique way you set it to only close with a magnetic switch in series with the UM506 contacts...

Yeah... I trust X10 to close the door but I don't feel comfortable with it opening by X10. eg. Anyone could plug a controller into an outside outlet and open the door. Also when the same button opens and closes the door, how would you know its end state if you weren't watching it. With my setup, I can send a signal with my shutdown macro and know the door is closed. Also with the telephone controller and exit macros there's never the question did I close the door.

[Dan Lawrence]

I would suspect the average bugular even knows X10 even exiists.  Remember, the technology isn't mass marketed.

[steven r]

...If someone is going to steal from you, no amount of security devices is going to stop them!...

Very true! The key to that statement is if you are the target they'll find a way in. The flip side to that is that unless you are the target most burglars will pick the next house without the alarm and the lights shining on them.

...Secondly, you can get a discount on your home insurance...

My insurance company gives me a discount for a monitored home alarm but not for a car alarm. Strange to me but that's the way it works. I had hoped they would reduce the car insurance but alas. No discount for the deadbolt locks either.

[Brian H]

Where you using an RF Remote where the TM751 has to receive the signals or a powerline controller like the cm15a sends line signals from the house to the garage? Two different ways to have a problem. One is an RF range to the TM751 the other a powerline loss from the house wiring to the garage.

Be very carefull with the TM751. It is not like the cm15a that has a power transformer in it for isolation. The TM751 has a PowerLine Derived power supply. Common on the PC board is the HOT AC from the wall socket . Actually almost all of the X10 modules controllers and switches are AC Powerline Derived. Only transformer ones are those that a simple AC Derived Supply can't provide enough current or for safety. Like the TR16A Touch Tone Responder has a transformer and my guess is for FCC Phone Interface Acceptance

The antenna of the TM751 is isolated from the insides by a set of plates with the case in-between. Basically it acts like a small value capacitor. Couples the RF from the antenna to the circuits inside.
Now anything you do to the external antenna is isolated from the power. So anything connected or modified on the outside is safe. Anything inside is asking for a shock or sparks.

[Brian H]

True you can add wire to the magnetic switches connected to the window/door sensors. There is a practical limit anyway. I would thing long distances would get unreliable with noise on the wires making the sensor module touchy.
X10 does make RF repeaters problem is they don't do the extended security codes form what I have read.
Glad moving the TM751 got you the needed access to the modules for the garage door etc. Just not the security ones.