On Oct 28, 10:12*am, wrote:
On Oct 27, 10:15*pm, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Oct 27, 8:47*pm, "Robert Green" wrote:
"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
....
On Sep 18, 5:39 pm, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I installed someX10components today and have someissues.
First, it's interesting that the specs for the MS16A Wireless Motion
Sensor given on theX10site make no mention of the transmission
range. Wouldn't you think that that is a pretty important number to
know?
http://www.x10.com/products/x10_ms16a.htm
However, you can find them here and they state the transmission range
is 100'.
http://kbase.x10.com/wiki/MS16A
Using the test buttons on the sensor, I can trigger an RR501 receiver
consistently within 40', intermittently within 40' - 50' and not at
all above 50' - and that's with nothing obstructing the line of site
between the two units.
Put a garage wall between them, and I'm limited to a max of about 25',
less than 15' in some locations.
I've tried 2 different MS16A units and 2 different RR501's and got the
same results. Yes, they were brand new batteries. I even tested them
to eliminate the batteries as the problem.
Next issue: When using the dimmer feature of the WS4777 3-way switch
or WS467 single switch, the bulbs do not dim to nothing. You can still
see the light in a 65W outdoor spot even when the sun is up. I don't
know how often I'd want to dim them to nothing, but I'm just wondering
if that is normal.
Lastly (for now) I seemed to get inconsistant operation of the system
when the RR501 were plugged into GFCI outlets. They seemed to work
about 90% of the time, but every now and then the test buttons on the
sensors wouldn't do anything even if I was standing right in front of
the RR501. If I move the RR501 to a standard receptacle it starts
working again. I tried two different GFCI's and got the same result..
What's up with that?
If this is normal operation, then I'm going to be very limited as to
where I place my sensors since I appear to be restricted by both
distance and receptacle type.
My new toys aren't making me happy!
...Vent mode on...
My simple 1 sensor, 1 receiver, 2 light system is about to be ripped
out.
One light is on a 3 way switch, the other is on a single switch. The 2
switches are in the same box, but on different circuits. The receiver
is plugged into a receptacle on the circuit with the 3 way.
Intermittently, the single switched light does not come on when the
system is triggered by the sensor but the 2-way light always does.
Intermittently, whether one light or both are on, they (or it) stay
on, even after the time period set on the sensor has past. I'm pretty
sure it's not a "movement" issue because the lights have gone off in
windy conditions, but stay on (sometimes) under the calmest
conditions.
I know that some people have said that they love this X10 stuff and
operate a number of fixtures in various configurations with it, but if
it's so quirky that it can't work consistently with my simple set up,
I've got no need for it.
...Vent mode off...
I don't know how I missed this when you first posted it but I did, so here's
my late response.
I'm sorry that your X-10 experience was not good. *Twenty years ago, you
would have had few if any problems. *However X-10 has barely kept up with
the changes in the modern home's internal 110VAC wiring. *Ironically, I
would still advocate X-10 for large home installations. *It's absolutely
great "bang for the buck" stuff - there's nothing cheaper or more
versatile - but for even the simplest installations you usually need a
coupler/booster; *there's just no way around it. *I was just about to dump
$2K plus in X-10 gear before I stumbled on the WGL transceiver and the XTB
signal boosters. *A light that turns on intermittently is even worse than no
automation at all.
There are too many noisemakers in the modern home for a 5V X-10 signal to
make it through reliably. As you've discovered X-10 can be so twitchy that
it can turn light X on remotely but fail to turn it off. * That's very
disconcerting because it's so counterintuitive and it renders the technology
unusable, for the most part. *It's definitely NOT for anyone who doesn't
really like to (choose any):
a) tinker with gadgets
b) fuss with settings
c) play with electronic doodads
d) run around the house screaming WHY WON'T THE F*(KING LIGHT TURN OFF!!!?
X-10 is a challenge because there's so much more noise on the powerline
these days. *I've got gear (PC power supplies) that can even stop a 25V
signal (noisy switching power supplies). * While buying a booster pays off
for big installs, it clearly doesn't make sense for a one-off situation like
your dad's.
I'd recommend X-10 only in tandem with the XTB and WGL boosters for anyone
wanting to automate on the cheap. *You can get great stuff on Ebay that
lowers you "per load" cost to well under $10. *I know some people don't
blink at paying over $100 for a wall switch but I'm not one of them. Look at
the upside: *You've *gotten some hands-on experience with X-10 and learned
about its capabilities. * If you ever want to do a whole house in X-10 you
at least know the issues you'll be facing.
And you know exactly why I recommended a stand-alone unit for the light
control problem you had in the beginning. *While it's a simple task for an
all-in-one device, doing it with X-10 exposes you to a number of serious
problems in the "stock" protocol. *RF signals too weak to punch through
interference and that don't deliver the claimed range and powerline signals
that suffer from the same problems. *Too much noise on the powerline for a
stock 5V X-10 signal to penetrate. *Boost that to 25+V and suddenly X-10
behaves very nicely. *Once you get used to having X-10, staying in a house
that has no automation is like being away from the computer. *I knew in
short order what a technojunkie I've become. *Worse, still, you tend to push
it on people who have absolutely no use for it. *Until they turn on the
floodlights from a bedside keyfob for the first time. *Then they're like Tim
Allen on Tooltime.
--
Bobby G.
Can I assume that you are the same Bobby G. who raved about the WGL
unit in Home Toys back in 2008?- Hide quoted text -
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Derby, sorry to see you're having so much trouble. *I also missed your
earlier post, possibly because I was traveling. * I agree that from
what you described you are doing everything right. *And what you're
trying to do is exactly what the products were designed for. * Some
suggestions I can think of:
1 - Try putting the RR501 in a different outlet or on an outlet on
another circuit.
Based on the range I'm getting from the detector, that's going to be
problematic.
All of the outlets in the garage (where the detector is mounted) are
on the same circuit. Most are GFCI's which seem to make the operation
even more intermittent. The next closest outlet is in the living room
and we'd have to put up with the noise from the relay.
2 - Try swapping the location of the 3way master and slave switch.
That's doable, except that the 3 way light never gives me any trouble.
It's the entry light that's on the single switch that intermitantly
does not come on when the motion detector tells it too. The spots over
the garage door (the 3-way) *always* comes on, the single-switched
light over the entry door often doesn't. Both of the these lights are
on the same circuit, so why one always works and the other one
sometimes doesn't is beyond me. However, turning them off is another
story. Very often, they just don't ever turn off.
3 - As someone else suggested, try the X10 forum where there will be
more people with experience that may be able to give you some
suggestions.
It'll have to wait until after Halloween. I've got the receiver
unplugged since I'm using strobe lights and spots on my graveyard and
operating room display. The ghoulish surgeon holding the skeleton's
leg in the miter box is sure to scare the little one's this year. As a
matter of fact, the skeleton doesn't look all that happy about it
either.
Your question about the Edison circuit issue is interesting. * It got
me thinking about how X10 works just with standard service. * For
example, if I plug the transmitting device into a circuit on one hot
leg of the 240V service and the receiver on the other hot leg, how
does the signal get from one to the other? * But, apparently it does.
It would seem one way it would make it there is via any 240V load that
was on or via an Edison circuit that was active. * But failing that,
I'm now scratching my head trying to figure out how it works in
general.
With all the trouble you're having, I'm sorry for suggesting this as a
solution. * It's working for me with a motion sensor, an RR501, two
single pole wall switches at locations far apart in a large house, a
couple plug-in wall modules, and one of the timer/controller
countertop widgets.- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -