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HTINews Column - Dave Rye on X-10

Some Common X-10 Questions and Answers

Q. Why do some modules work in some outlets and not in others?

A. If you are having difficulty controlling a particular module from a particular location, but can control this module from other locations, or if the ability to control a particular module is intermittent, it is possible that the module in question and your controller are on opposite phases of your house wiring.

Most houses are fed from a 220 volt service which is then split into two phases of 110 volts each in the circuit breaker panel. The X-10 signals, which are transmitted onto the house wiring (onto one phase), will normally couple across to the other phase through the breaker panel, pole transformer etc. If however, due to loading etc., you do not have enough coupling, you may couple the signal from one phase to the other by having a qualified electrician install a 0.1 microfarad, 240V AC or 600V DC capacitor across your 220 volt line from hot to hot, i.e. across any 220 volt breaker. This will couple the signal from one phase to the other. The capacitor should be rated for "across the line connection" such as part number P4603 available from the Digi-Key catalog. This part can be purchased from Digi-Key by calling 1-800-344-4539.

Alternatively, you may be able to solve the problem simply by moving the controller to another outlet. Note also, that if the controller is plugged into the same outlet as a TV its output may be reduced. Therefore, moving the controller away from the TV may also solve the problem.

Q. Why doesn’t my Wall Switch Module turn on but not off?

A. The wall switch module is wired in series with the light bulb, this means that the powerline signals have to pass through the filament of the bulb in order to complete the circuit. The reason you can get the wall switch module to turn on but not off is because the X-10 signal has to pass through the lamp, and a hot lamp has a higher resistance than a cold lamp, therefore it takes a slightly higher amplitude of signal to turn a wall switch off than it takes to turn it on. If however you have a big enough signal, you would not notice the difference. See "Phase Problem above." Also, certain types of bulbs can act as a block to the X-10 signal.

The following types of bulbs should NOT be used with Wall Switch Module:

• Florescent bulbs
• Halogen Bulbs
• Sodium Vapor Bulbs
• Any kind of energy saver bulb (i.e. Sylvania Capsellite, GE Miser, etc.)
• Any kind of low voltage bulb

Q. Why can't I use the X-10 WS467 Wall Switch Module to control a fluorescent light?

A. The main reason why the X-10 POWERHOUSE wall switch module cannot be used to control a fluorescent fixture is because it is a two wire device and is hence wired in series with the load. The control signals which are transmitted onto your house wiring therefore have to pass through the incandescent lamp (load). However, a fluorescent light contains a ballast which acts as a block to the X-10 signals and makes it impossible to control the switch remotely. Also this ballast is an inductive load (a coil), and controlling such a load could permanently damage the wall switch module. This is also why the WS467 should NOT be used to control any kind of appliance (such as a ceiling fan). A Wall Switch Module for controlling fluorescent fixtures is available from Leviton Manufacturing Co. (718) 229-4040, Advanced Control Technologies (317) 337-0100, and from Log-One (908) 729-4380. They also have a version for controlling ceiling fans. Note however, that these commercial grade versions require a neutral connection and are therefore recommended for installation only buy a qualified electrician.

Q. Why do some modules sometimes turn on and off by themselves?

A. Certain devices in your house can cause electrical interference. Devices such as baby monitors, wireless intercom systems, or anything that transmits signals over the house wiring might interfere with X-10 codes. TVs and computers can also sometimes transmit noise, even if they are turned off. This interference will more commonly stop X-10 signals from getting through, causing intermittent control. However, in some cases it might be possible for this noise to change a transmitted code into some other code which might cause the wrong module to turn on or off. This however would be a rare occurrence. The easiest way to determine if a device as causing interference is by UNPLUGGING it. If this fixes the problem, try plugging the offending appliance into a Radio Shack filter, cat. No. 15-1111.

Q. Why does my MT522 Mini Timer (R.S. 61-2670) flash "18:88"?

A. The Mini Timer can manually control 8 modules and can be programmed to automatically control 4 modules. You can set 2 ON times and 2 OFF times for each of these 4 modules. If you try to program more than 2 on or off times for a module, the display will flash "18:88" to let you know you’ve exceeded the limit. To clear this; set the slide switch to REVIEW, press the number button that you pressed when the display changed to 18:88 and then press CLEAR. Or simply unplug the Mini Timer and take the battery out, then plug it back in and reset the time and your programmed events.

Note: you can only program times for units 1-4 OR 5-8 (not both). If you set times for units 1-4 and then move the slide switch to position 5-8, the times you set for units 1-4 will affect modules set to 5-8 instead. If you try to program more times for units 5-8, the display will show 18:88 as described above, indicating that you have exceeded the 2 on/off times allowed per unit.

Q. How can I get my PR511 Motion Detector (R.S. 61-2604) to sense motion and turn the lights on ONLY at night?

A. For the PR511 to turn on lights when motion is sensed only when it's dark you should set the DUSK adjustment to the 6 o'clock position. However, the unit will need to settle before recognizing this new setting. After ten minutes of darkness or dusk, the unit will operate properly. It is recommended that adjustments are made during the day when it is light. The power to the PR511 should then be turned off for about a minute and then turned back on. After 10 minutes the unit will recognize that it is light and then when it gets dark it will start sensing motion and turning lights on.

Note: if you set the dusk setting all the way around to the LIGHT position, the motion detector will sense motion at all times, even during the day. This is useful if you want to use the unit to activate a remote chime (SC546/61-2688) to act as a remote door bell, i.e. to sound a chime inside the house when the motion detector senses that someone has approached your home. However, if you set the motion detector to sense motion at all times, it will also turn its connected floodlights on at all times, and also turn on any other lights you have set it to control, at all times. It is not possible to set the unit to activate remote chimes at all times and lights only at night. The unit simply senses motion and transmits digital codes. The modules respond to the codes they are set to (A 1 for example). The motion detector does not know whether it is sending a code to a Lamp Module or a Remote Chime, it simply sends A 1 ON.

Dave Rye is Vice President and Technical Manager for X-10 (USA) Inc., and was formerly with Pico Electronics in Scotland (X-10's engineering division). He has been with X-10 for 23 years (he jokes about how he was with X-10 when it was X-9). His responsibilities include technical liaison between O.E.M. customers and X-10's engineering in both Scotland and Hong Kong, procurement of industry approvals (UL, FCC, CSA, and ISC), technical writing and production of all X-10 brand literature, manuals, and packaging, and management of X-10's customer service department. Dave has written many articles on Home Automation and Security. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Home Automation Association.

Dave can be contacted by email - DaveRye@aol.com