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[roadking]

The switched side of my SR227 has 120 volts when on and 60 volts when off.  The hot side has 120 volts all the time.   Is this a wiring problem or a defective receptacle?

[Brian H]

Is this with just a meter and no load on the switched outlet side?
If the internal power switch has a capacitor across it for protection or the SR227 has local control [I don't remember if it does]. A high impedance meter will read some leakage current with no load. No if you had a load on it even like a 3 watt night light and it was still 60 volts. Then I would say it is defective.

[steven r]

Is this with just a meter and no load on the switched outlet side?...

My electrical theory is a bit week but knowing what I know about X10 I concur with Brian that you need to be sure you are testing with a load.

[roadking]

When I plug in a "glow light" receptacle tester, it glows bright when switched on and dim when the SR227 is switched off.  When I test with a volt meter, I get 120 volts when on and 60 when off.

I'm not sure how to test with a load.....

[Brian H]

Sounds like leakage as the glow light tester and the meter don't draw much current.
You may want to get; as a test. A cube tap [lets you connect more than one plug to an outlet] in the switched outlet of the SR227. Connect the neon tester or meter and a small night light or lamp to the tap. So both are connected to the switched outlet together. Than take the readings again or observe the neon lamps actions.

[roadking]

Ok, I know I don't know much about electricity, but it usually makes sense.   This one does not.

I tried the "load test" on the switched outlet.  The meter registers 120 volts when connected to an extension cord with a small light on, and 0 volts when the X10 outlet is switched off.   That's what you would expect.

So why does it register 60 volts with no load and the X10 outlet switched off?

Better yet, just tell me if I will have a problem leaving a small half HP motor plugged into the switched outlet.   It will be operated about 4 hours per week, so most of the time it will be off, but I don't want 60volts messing with the motor 24x7.

Thanks for your help.

[Brian H]

There is a very small amount of leakage current from the hot wire to the switched output. A normal load has a very low resistance and loads the voltage down to almost nothing. The meter has a very High Input Resistance and is not enough of a load to cause it to be near zero. Any normal load like a motor or light will be plenty to keep the current and voltage to a very small amount. Should not hurt the motor at all.
Do you know if you have the switched outlet off and a table lamp on the outlet. If cycling the table lamps switch on and off then causes the outlet to go on? If so the switched side has a Local Control Sensing Circuit on it and it will then definitely read about 60 volts with just a meter.