| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| bwhitney |
Posted - 09/03/2012 : 8:02:33 PM
We have had an X10/Insteon system in place and working great for years. Something broke after a lightning storm which I assume is some surge related issue.
The system includes:
3 X10 LampLincs (Model 2000stw3)
1 Keypad Dimmer (Insteon compatible, Model #2486d, 6-buttons)
X10 SwitchLinc (Model #12080I)
X10 Maxi Controller
We have programmed a scene using the maxi controller that turns on the 3 LampLincs by either hitting a keypad button or using the SwitchLinc.
We had a lightning storm that did something to break the operation of the system. We have tried to reprogram using the maxi controller with little success -- i.e. sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. Programming from different outlets seems to cause different results.
The lights on the switchlinc and the keyboard and all lamplincs are on. In the past, a successful program signal send from the controller causes the light on the controller to turn off and then on. Now it stays on most of the time when trying to program.
Questions:
1) Can a surge do something to the electrical system as a whole to make sending signals less reliable?
2) Would buying a booster module be worth a try?
3) Even though the maxi controller was not plugged in during the lightning storm, could that be the problem?
4) If we started from scratch, what components would we need to buy to replace everything currently in the system including the controller -- would everything be insteon?
Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| stusviews |
Posted - 09/06/2012 : 10:56:09 PM
The signal bridges you refer to ($10, $40) require that a neutral be present. SH has a coupler that does not require a neutral. The latter mentions Insteon, but I'm not aware that is any functional difference between the three.
Both, by physical design, are meant to be installed in a wall box, but needn't be. A hard-wired device installed at or near the panel achieves the best coupling. It's a wire-in device that usually requires an electrician or someone with sophisticated wiring skills.
It may be easier if you have an unused wall box space with 220/240VAC.
Edit: bridging devices have no known detrimental effects  |
| bwhitney |
Posted - 09/06/2012 : 7:13:34 PM
Thanks for the detailed explanation. So a quick search smarthome has a $10 bridge and a $40 one.
http://www.smarthome.com/4815AC/HomePro-CP000-X10-Signal-Bridge/p.aspx
What would you recommend?
Is this something I could install myself or would have to hire an electrician?
Are there any disadvantages in using this device with any regular stuff on the circuit?
Thanks again. |
| stusviews |
Posted - 09/04/2012 : 8:16:09 PM
Electric is supplied to residences from a transformer with a center tap. If you have overhead lines, you can see those transformers. They are big, often gray, container looking objects. The powerline coming into your house usually consists of two black wires and one bare stranded one. The bare wire is the neutral.
This is called a 3-wire or split, single-phase electric supply providing 220/240 volts. The center tap is the neutral giving 110/120 volts between the neutral and each leg of the power line. Each leg is 180º out-of-phase with the opposite leg, thus the term phase-coupling (not phases). Half of your 110/120 volt circuits are on one leg and half on the other. A yoked pair of circuit breakers is an indication of a 220/240 volt circuit.
If an X10 device is on one leg and another X10 device is on the opposite leg, then the signal between them must travel to the distribution transformer and back. It often does not make it depending on distance and other powerline conditions. Bridging devices (phase-couplers) alleviate the problem by coupling most of the signal to the opposite leg before it leaves the residence. |
| bwhitney |
Posted - 09/04/2012 : 7:01:39 PM
Thanks for the response Geo and Stusviews. I have already tried to take all the lamplincs out, but not the switchlinc and keypad. Would I need to uninstall those as well?? I can sometimes get a lamplinc to work now if I plug it into the same socket where I use the maxi controller which tells me that the lamplincs are still working. Do you know what the significance is of the maxi-controller light not turning on and off during programming now -- unless I have it plugged into the same socket?
I think you are saying that a surge can cause other, regular appliances to send out noise on the line that subsequently affects X10/Insteon components. Perhaps this is what happened.
What is a bridge? |
| Geo |
Posted - 09/04/2012 : 05:01:08 AM
Powerline surge can definitely damage equipment connected to the power lines. Most X10 devices don't have transformers, they use bleed capacitors instead. Usually rated for about 250V, surges can be much higher. Most modern appliances (TV, computers, etc., even CFLs) have filters on their inputs which can be damaged and subsequently cause X10 signal attenuation while working normally.
Before spending money on new hardware, I'd disconnect all the X10 equipment for several minutes, then start reinstalling it step by step. It may also help to assemble it first on a bench, powered from one outlet, thus eliminating attenuation by other appliances.
A booster always helps but you need a bridge first. Then you may have to add some filters if there is attenuation by some appliances. |
| stusviews |
Posted - 09/03/2012 : 8:21:31 PM
quote:
Originally posted by bwhitney
1) Can a surge do something to the electrical system as a whole to make sending signals less reliable?
Unlikely, but something connected both before and after can be a cause of difficulty.
quote:
2) Would buying a booster module be worth a try?
A booster can help weak signals. It's unlikely that it will fix something broken.
quote:
3) Even though the maxi controller was not plugged in during the lightning storm, could that be the problem?
Without doing some troubleshooting, anything can be the problem. But if it was not plugged in it's virtually impossible that lightning affected it.
quote:
4) If we started from scratch, what components would we need to buy to replace everything currently in the system including the controller -- would everything be insteon?
3 Dual-Band LampLincs
1 KeypadLinc 6-button dimmer (dual-band recommended)
1 SwitchLinc (dual-band recommended)
1 KeypadLinc w/Tabletop enclosure
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