On 09/07/11 9:51 AM, Robert Green wrote:
"Art wrote in message news:j46in4

Your fluorescent shop light's starting circuit is probably getting
tickled by the X10 "local ON" sensing current.

Newer appliance modules have a much lower sensing current and do not cause
this problem. I just bought 10 3 prong appliance modules from Xten on
Amazon for less than $9 each, shipping included. I replaced all the older
modules controlling CFL's and fluorescents and voila, no more unintended
"relights" or flickering CFLs. I don't know if they modified their other
modules in the same way. I just know that I plugged in a "automatically
relighting" fluorescent into the new modules at it stayed off. Same with
CFLs that would flash when turned off remotely. No more flashing. Case
closed!

Much easier and safer than modifying existing modules, at least for me -
AND - you don't lose the "local sense" feature that allows you to turn on a
lamp by using the switch on the lamp.

I only found out because I complained about the problem to Jeff Volp and he
clued me in about the new appliance modules on the X-10 list. It's a
win-win situation since you don't have to give up local sense to stop the
flashing or "relighting." At under $10 a load (and with the retired
"flashing" modules having use elsewhere) it was a no-brainer for me. Not
sure when they changed over the design or what that translates into with the
date stickers but IIRC, mine are date from earlier this year. Might even
buy 10 more since someone told me X-10 is folding its tents and declaring
bankruptcy and they might get hard to come by in the future. I'll look up
the date stamp if anyone cares.

That reminds me. I bought a hybrid CFL/Halogen bulb to use with X-10 on
circuits without neutrals at the wall switch. Unlike the regular CFL-only
bulbs that flashed like disco lights the GE hybrid bulb turned on fine, but
it could never be turned off remotely. Oh well.

--
Bobby G.



Thanks for the info on the newer appliance modules.

In my application "local sense" will never be required for this fixture.

I'm installing the shop light so that I can walk in the back-yard door
of my basement and have a fixture come on. The basement lights only have
a SPST switch up in the kitchen i.e. no switch in the basement. They are
on an Edison circuit (shared neutral) so adding a 3-way switch would be
a major pain.

By tucking the new shop light up into a joist bay, it's out of sight,
out of mind, but will come on when I come in through the back door - as
long as the main basement lights are off. I'll never be turning the
light on or off via it's own switch.

The days of stumbling through a dark basement to pull the chain on the
utility sink light or flip on the bathroom light should now be over!