Comments on: Tired of the light being left on http://www.thumpernet.net/WordPress/2008/08/22/tired-of-the-light-being-left-on/ Ryan's ideas, rants, ravings, and oh so much more ... Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:26:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Ryan http://www.thumpernet.net/WordPress/2008/08/22/tired-of-the-light-being-left-on/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Ryan Sat, 23 Aug 2008 16:55:56 +0000 http://thumpernet.net/WordPress/?p=43#comment-3 I actually have not had that hard of a time with it ... even with fairly close neighbors. That tends to be a big problem for some people. I have a filter on 1 desktop PC and in reality it is not used anymore. I could be used for any 110V device that might put noise into the system. Big problem items are computers because of the switching power supplies (look that up sometime), window air conditioners (older models especially), and refrigerators (again older "non-green" models). Other than that I had to install a signal bridge into the breaker box. It is "supposed" to be hooked to two empty breakers, but I shared two breakers that are already in use -- one of them even contains the septic tank motor. The reason for the bridge is to get across the "two sides" of the breaker box -- not phases. X10 sends signals across the hot and neutral lines (as I recall) and sometimes cannot get across to the other side of the box (1 bus to the other bus). I "occasionally" have a phantom on signal get received by 1 of the living room lamp modules --- but I have it attached to a UPS too so I suspect the UPS is sending something through -- potentially when it is doing a self battery test. About UPS and X10 .. they do not get along. X10 will "usually" not pass through a UPS (in or out) and I have never seen a UPS pass noise back out to the line side (just to the load) so no need to filter them. Start with something small - 1 lamp module or appliance module (lamp module can dim - appliance cannot), a transceiver module (which will also control 1 appliance, and 1 wireless remote. There are tons of different signal bridges available - but most all of them require wiring into the box. There are a couple that I just looked up that can be plugged into a 220V outlet which then can still be used (like for a dryer) that acts like a bridge as well. You do not have to buy one right off ... see how it works first. Move the modules around and see if you can get across the breaker box without it (find an outlet on one side of the box and an outlet on the other side of the box (just look inside if you have them labeled. I have 10 modules in use that I can think of and I do not have problems -- except for the case above that I mentioned. You can always add on to the "system" later on with more devices, PC control, alarm clock/timers, etc. One of the other projects I did was using a dry contact module to turn on and off a heat/air damper. It's switching the 12VAC output from a transformer to open and close the damper. That module is called a Powerflash Interface. Let me know if you want some help to fund a test. I actually have not had that hard of a time with it … even with fairly close neighbors. That tends to be a big problem for some people. I have a filter on 1 desktop PC and in reality it is not used anymore. I could be used for any 110V device that might put noise into the system. Big problem items are computers because of the switching power supplies (look that up sometime), window air conditioners (older models especially), and refrigerators (again older “non-green” models). Other than that I had to install a signal bridge into the breaker box. It is “supposed” to be hooked to two empty breakers, but I shared two breakers that are already in use — one of them even contains the septic tank motor. The reason for the bridge is to get across the “two sides” of the breaker box — not phases. X10 sends signals across the hot and neutral lines (as I recall) and sometimes cannot get across to the other side of the box (1 bus to the other bus). I “occasionally” have a phantom on signal get received by 1 of the living room lamp modules — but I have it attached to a UPS too so I suspect the UPS is sending something through — potentially when it is doing a self battery test. About UPS and X10 .. they do not get along. X10 will “usually” not pass through a UPS (in or out) and I have never seen a UPS pass noise back out to the line side (just to the load) so no need to filter them.

Start with something small – 1 lamp module or appliance module (lamp module can dim – appliance cannot), a transceiver module (which will also control 1 appliance, and 1 wireless remote. There are tons of different signal bridges available – but most all of them require wiring into the box. There are a couple that I just looked up that can be plugged into a 220V outlet which then can still be used (like for a dryer) that acts like a bridge as well. You do not have to buy one right off … see how it works first. Move the modules around and see if you can get across the breaker box without it (find an outlet on one side of the box and an outlet on the other side of the box (just look inside if you have them labeled.

I have 10 modules in use that I can think of and I do not have problems — except for the case above that I mentioned.

You can always add on to the “system” later on with more devices, PC control, alarm clock/timers, etc. One of the other projects I did was using a dry contact module to turn on and off a heat/air damper. It’s switching the 12VAC output from a transformer to open and close the damper. That module is called a Powerflash Interface.

Let me know if you want some help to fund a test.

]]> By: zlwilly http://www.thumpernet.net/WordPress/2008/08/22/tired-of-the-light-being-left-on/comment-page-1/#comment-2 zlwilly Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:24:46 +0000 http://thumpernet.net/WordPress/?p=43#comment-2 I've always been interested in X10, talked to Dad but he seems to be one hundred percent against the technology. His idea that it's too flaky and too hard to fix. What kind of filters did you have to install to get around some of those problems? I've heard about refrigerators and washing machines needing them for example. I’ve always been interested in X10, talked to Dad but he seems to be one hundred percent against the technology. His idea that it’s too flaky and too hard to fix. What kind of filters did you have to install to get around some of those problems? I’ve heard about refrigerators and washing machines needing them for example.

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