On 6/9/2011 5:07 PM, Smarty wrote:


I had a very elaborate X-10 set-up in my home, with many devices
being controlled by remote switches, and most of the lighting
controlled by both the dimmable and non-dimmable wall switches. I
had a couple dozen devices in total, and a bridge to ensure that
both of my 110 volt feeds were coupled to pass the comparatively
weak control signals from some home branch circuits to another. The
system worked pretty reliably for many years.

Once I switched to CFLs as well as standard fluorescent tubes, my
X-10 system became totally unreliable with all sorts of false
triggers. Putting a scope on my AC line made it instantly obvious
that the EMI created by these lighting devices was much stronger
than the X-10 signals. Furthermore, the X-10 code length was too
short to ensure no false triggering, given the noise environment.

I disconnected all of my X-10 stuff but have considered going to a
newer Zigby or other RF controlled local are net approach with
supervised switches capable of reporting their status back to the
controller. I have had terrible luck with any AC carrier line
devices, including some CCTV video cameras from Logitech and other
devices which try to piggy-back on the AC lines once I went to CFLs
and flouresents.

The noise levels are just overwhelming for these sensitive carrier
devices like X-10. And the signaling was never designed to be robust
enough to cope with the noisy channel either. They would need to do
longer codes sent more redundantly to get anywhere near acceptable
behavior.

You know, the funny thing is that I have had both good and bad with
x10. In my old house, in the southwestern suburbs of Chicago, it
worked, but to a point. I couldn't have too many modules, or the
signals would get swamped. I tried using the X10 amplifier/phase
repeater and the results were disastrous. So I had to go with a
passive phase coupler. It would continuously send out random x10
commands which were apparently triggered off noise. But, for the
most part, if I "obeyed the rules" it worked. Here in the western
mountains of NC, I use that amplifier/phase coupler, and it works
perfectly. I am basically using 1 house code and all 16 channels.
I do have a motion detector on another house code. I do
occasionally see an anomaly, but they are few and far between.