| Troubleshooting the X10 System |
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Troubleshooting the X10 System
The P.A.R.S. Software enables the use of technologies from three different companies:
The P.A.R.S. software communicates to the X10 Transmitter which sends signals through the wall electrical wiring to the X10 Appliance Modules. According to X10, most homes work well with the X10 System. Having said that, anytime signals are sent through the walls electrical wiring there are chances of interferance that may cause irregular functioning. We have provided here a troubleshooting process that will isolate and allow for the correction of any problems. Phase Coupling If you are having difficulty controlling a module from a particular location, but can control it from other locations, or if the ability to control a particular module is intermittent, it is possible that the module in question and your CM 15A Transmitter are on opposite phases of your house wiring. The vast majority of homes in North America have the electrical power coming into the circuit box at 220 volts. It is then divided into two 110 volt phases. About half of the 110V lights, appliances and outlets in the house use one phase and the rest use the other phase. Phase coupling is allowing the X10 power line signals to travel from one phase to another. This is needed so that if the transmitter is on one phase and the Appliance Module is on the other phase, the Appliance Module will hear the X10 signal. In some cases, the signal from the transmitter doesn't travel effectively to the other phase. This may cause particular electrical outlet(s) with Appliance Module(s) to become unreliable. Possible Solutions You may be able to solve the problem simply by moving the transmitter or Appliance Module to another outlet. For instance, if the transmitter is plugged into an outlet that is near particular devices, its output may be reduced by electrical noise the device transmits onto your house wiring. Moving the transmitter away from the interfering device into another outlet may resolve the issue. A second solution is to use the inexpensive wireless Transceiver Model TM751. The TM751 Transceiver receives radio frequency commands from the X10 Transmitter and passes them into the house wiring. By placing the transceiver on the opposite phase from the transmitter, it bypasses the need for phase coupling. A third possible solution is to use a Passive Coupler. A Passive Coupler is a device which has been designed and manufactured for the purpose of transferring X10 signals from one phase to another. These are typically CSA and UL approved so that they are allowed in the electrical code. The X10 Passive Coupler Model XPCP should allow phase coupling to work, but it requires that you (or an electrician) open up your breaker panel and connect it to two breakers on opposite phases and to the neutral wire. For additional information or to purchase an X10 Passive Coupler, call X10 at 1-800-675-3044 and ask about or for the Passive Coupler Model XPCP. Line Noise X10 signals can be adversely affected by electrical "line noise" on your house wiring. Common sources of line noise are electric motors; fluorescent, halogen, and sodium vapor lights; TV sets; computers (including laptops); DC power adapters; and Uninterruptable Power Supplies. Some sources of electrical noise interference can be periodic as well; for example, the motor in your refrigerator will cycle on and off at random times to maintain a constant temperature. It generally only introduces noise into the power line when it is running. X10 transmitter commands (the commands that X10 transmitter sends over your house wiring) will work reliably with some line noise. However, the effect of an older device or multiple sources of noise altogether can make control less reliable. Possible Solutions The first step is to confirm that all of your Appliance Modules work correctly. Do this by finding an outlet where the Appliance Module works reliably well. Then, test all other Appliance Modules in that particular outlet. Locate any Source of Noise Once you have confirmed that your transceiver and modules all work correctly, the next step is to try to locate the source of noise and isolate it. An Appliance Module and a small incandescent lamp (like a nightlight) can be used to help track down the source of noise on circuits. Place the Appliance Module and lamp in an outlet that has unreliable communications with the X10 System. Using the P.A.R.S. software, turn on the flow of electricity to that particular Appliance Module and turn on the lamp. Turn on your dryer or another 220V device to bridge the two phases in your home. One by one, turn off each circuit at the main electrical circuit breaker. Find the circuit breaker that, when turned off, allows the designated Appliance Module and lamp to turn on. Find out which wall outlets are on that circuit with devices plugged into them. Turn the offending breaker back on then one by one, unplug all devices on that circuit. Just like what happened with the breakers, unplugging one of those devices will allow the software to control the Appliance Module. The last unplugged device is most likely your source of noise. Either replace the device(s) or place an X10 Noise Filter between the device and the outlet. X10 Noise Filters You can purchase X10 Noise Filter(s) from X10. They come in both plug-in (XPPF, 5 amps) and in-line (XPF, 20 amps). The plug-in types are useful when you have something that is plugged into the wall which is causing problems. The in-line filters are useful when the thing that is causing problems does not have a plug, or when a circuit has several devices which produce noise and you do not need to use X10 modules/controllers on that circuit. Two things to watch out for when using noise filters are:
Additional X10 Troubleshooting Information: You may find additional X10 troubleshooting information at the following X10 Web Site links:
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