X10 problems

["Adam Stevens" <adam@xxxxxxx>]

<delurk>

Hi,

I've been using X10 for a number of years.  Mostly for monitoring
the
house (using Hawkeye PIRs) rather than control of devices, although I
do
have a number of lights which are X10 controlled.

Over the last week, I've been experiencing serious problems with my X10
settings.  It's a bit of a long story, so please bare with me!...

My setup consists of about 6 Hawkeye's, a couple of X10 RF receivers
and
a few other bits and bobs.  Last week, I noticed that the Hawkeye's
had
stopped working, and today, I finally got around to having a play to
see
if I could see what was wrong.

Most of my PIRs are on house code "F" (F2, F4, F6 etc, which
allows the
code + 1 to be the dawn/dusk sensor, and leaves F1 as the socket on the
TM13).

I have a small three bedroom house, one of the bedrooms is my office,
contains all my computer kit, and is the room where the CM12 is plugged
in.  There is a double socket in the landing just outside the
office
door, and a single socket at the other side of the landing.  

I know for a fact that the mains ring goes from the office, to the
landing double socket, to the landing single socket, and then into the
main bedroom where I have about 6 double sockets.

If I plug a TM12/13 into one socket in a double socket (set to, for
example, house code "G"), and an appliance module into the other
socket
on the double (set to "G7"), then using my RF remote, pressing G1
on or
off causes the TM12 to switch on and off (as expected). Pressing G7 on
or off causes the appliance module to switch on or off.

If however, I plug the TM12 into the single socket in the landing, or a
socket in the bedroom, then although I can switch the TM12 on or off
using G1, G7 has no effect at all.  Even if I plug the TM12 into a
double socket in the bedroom, and the appliance module into the other
socket of the double, then although G1 will cause the TM12 to switch, I
can't get the appliance module to switch at all (although they're right
next to each other, and I know they both work).

I've played with this quite comprehensively, and it would appear that
X10 singles are not getting any further than the double socket in the
landing one way, and a socket in the sitting room the other (which is
the "other side" of the mains ring).  If I use any other
socket in the
house, no X10 is received.

I've read about new electrical equipment sometimes causing X10
interference, however the only new thing I've bought in the last couple
of weeks is a TiVo, and a new TV.  I've tried unplugging these from
the
mains, but I'm still getting the same problem.

The weird thing is that for a couple of years, this has all worked
fine.
I've never had a problem with X10 communication to the extent that I've
even been able to use X10 in my detached garage which is about 100 feet
>from
Also, none of my lights are now controllable via X10, presumable
because
my CM12 is plugged into the mains ring in the office, and the single
isn't getting as far as the lighting ring.

This really is driving me mad!... Does anyone please have any ideas on
what's going on?!!

While I'm here, I've also (because of these problems) been thinking
about switching from X10 for my PIR monitoring to some kind of wired
system.  I've had a quick look at the 1-wire systems, but I have to
say
that it all appears quite complicated to me!!... Can anyone point me in
the right direction for using some form of wired PIRs in conjunction
with Homeseer or Autom8it. 

TIA,
Adam.






http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
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