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[specs]

I am considering purchasing the "Protector Plus 7-Piece Set " along with a horn and a bunch of motion detectors.

I have three outstanding questions:

1. The electrical grid where I live is: 127 Volts AC at 50 Cycles (or Hertz or Hz).   Now, most us appliances work just fine plugged into my 110 outlets, but some of the more sensitive ones require being plugged into a transformer or UPC.  So the question is, would the X10 equipment handle that voltage (the actual voltage into my house is actually closer to 120, but the 50hz might still be a problem, yes?)  If the system will not fry itself out at that voltage/hertz, will it cause false alarms?

2. Concrete, I looked for at some threads on this issue, but didn't really come across any concrete answers (pardon the pun).  My house is very open (4 seperate buildings across 10000 square feet)  All the walls are solid concrete.  My 900mhz phone doesn't go far, my 2.4ghz will make it through most of the buildings with minimal static.  So the question is, should I go ahead and get a couple of repeaters?  OR should the system be able to communicate just fine.

3.  Wireless lans.  I have two wireless G and one wireless N  networks on the property, are those going to cause any problems with interference?

If these are answered in depth elsewhere, please just provide the links.  Thanks in advance.

[specs]

One more thing I forgot.

4. Wind,  we have lots of windows and it is very windy here.  Average about 15knots year round.  This is why I would rather use motion detectors inside the buildings instead of window/door alarms.  We like to leave the windows open and even when closed they tend to rattle a lot (which I assume would create false alarms).

Will wind set up the motion detectors?  Assuming nothing in the rooms gets moved by the wind (ie no papers lying about, etc)  Should the 2-step mode be sufficient to keep wind-caused false alarms to a minimal?

[steven r]

1. X10 signal will not travel through a UPS. In fact a UPS can suck the X10 signal from the line. You may need filters or blocks. I don't know about the "Protector Plus" but the internal clock on the CM15A syncs with 60Hz so the 50Hz would be a problem for it. Not sure if there is a CM15A for 50Hz yet or if "Protector Plus" needs 60 Hz.

3. Wireless may interfer with camera signals but not the wireless sensors.

4. Not sure about the wind but window sensors maybe OK. Extra magnets can allow windows to be alarmed in a partly open position.


Hopefully someone with a Protector Plus system will post their thoughts also.

[Duck69]

I posted a reply to a similar question which you can find here on the forum. This should answer your first question.
General Category / General Discussion / Re: 110V conversion to 220V.
Do a search for answers to questions #2 & #3 I'm sure the answers are here.
Question #4 You can use 2 door/window module sensor contacts wired together on a window so that you will have 2 positions for the window. Closed & partially open. The fact that the wind rattles your windows shouldn't send false alarms unless the contacts get separated far enough apart to send a signal. Which shouldn't happen with rattling. Where I live in Northern California we get some pretty severe wind, and gusts of more that 15 knots and I haven't had any problems.

[TakeTheActive]

1. The electrical grid where I live is: 127 Volts AC at 50 Cycles (or Hertz or Hz).

Just out of curiosity, what is your location?

[steven r]

...Just out of curiosity, what is your location?

I was wondering that also.

[TakeTheActive]

...Just out of curiosity, what is your location?

I was wondering that also.

Hey! Look who's back!

Day off or lunch break?

[steven r]

...Hey! Look who's back!...

Day off. Back on Fri.

[specs]

Just out of curiosity, what is your location?

Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles

[specs]

I don't know about the "Protector Plus" but the internal clock on the CM15A syncs with 60Hz so the 50Hz would be a problem for it. Not sure if there is a CM15A for 50Hz yet or if "Protector Plus" needs 60 Hz.

So if I find out that the equipment can handle the minor voltage increase (out of the plugs it is about 121 volts)  what problem would the 50hertz cause?  I guess I don't really understand what "internal clock on the CM15A syncs with 60Hz" means.  I definitely am not stuck on the "Protector Plus" that was just the kit I was looking for on their website.  Any suggestions are welcome.

[TakeTheActive]

...what problem would the 50hertz cause?  I guess I don't really understand what "internal clock on the CM15A syncs with 60Hz" means.

• 60Hz = 60 'cycles per second' = 3600 'cycles per minute'
  .
• 50Hz = 50 'cycles per second' = 3000 'cycles per minute'

There's a counter circuit inside the CM15A that says:

• After you see 60 "pulses", advance the internal clock 1 second

Do you see where the clock would now run 50/60 % slower?

[specs]

...what problem would the 50hertz cause?  I guess I don't really understand what "internal clock on the CM15A syncs with 60Hz" means.

Do you see where the clock would now run 50/60 % slower?

Ok, I hear you, but how would that affect the system, functionality-wise?  Btw, reading the link in your signature, great info there.

[TakeTheActive]

Ok, I hear you, but how would that affect the system, functionality-wise?

Well, your TIMERS wouldn't work too well - 1 hour on your Netherlands wall clock would be 50 minutes on your CM15A, 2 hours -> 1 hour 40 min, 3 hours -> 2 hours 30 min...

Btw, reading the link in your signature, great info there.

THANKS!

It's certainly refreshing to find a Newbie (Date Registered:  Today at 09:11:43) that takes the time to READ *BEFORE* posting (usually previously answered) questions.

Psst... You can CLICK on 'Helpful' (just above Total Posts:) on any of my posts in appreciation!

[Dan Lawrence]

The most important thing to mention is that anything sold by X10USA WILL NOT work outside of the US or Canada. Neither any modules or the CM15A will not funtion at all and nothing with US/Canada conectors can be plugged into a non-US electric system without adapters and AHP will not function properly.

[Charles Sullivan]

The most important thing to mention is that anything sold by X10USA WILL NOT work outside of the US or Canada. Neither any modules or the CM15A will not funtion at all and nothing with US/Canada conectors can be plugged into a non-US electric system without adapters and AHP will not function properly.

Your statement is a little too broad Dan.  Certainly the US X-10 products will work perfectly well in any locality where the Voltage, Frequency, and Receptacle style matches the US/Canada standards, which includes at least a number of countries in the southern hemisphere.  With the exception of timed macros, modules and transmitters will work at 50 Hz so long as the voltage is within a reasonable margin around 120 Volts and there's either a plug match or an adapter for the receptacle style.

Given that the international versions of X10 products often cost 4-5 times as much as the US versions, a number of hardware hacks have been published for modules and transmitters to allow operation at 230 Volts.  See for example: http://www.idobartana.com/hakb/index.htm  Unfortunately the circuitry of recent modules is often different from those for which the hacks were developed.

This web page lists Voltage, Frequency, and Plug styles for most countries:
  http://www.exportassistance.com/export/foreign_voltage.html