RE: RE: What the **** is going on!!!???

["Keith Doxey" <ukha@xxxxxxx>]

Hi Anthony,

not fatally flawed... just not as good as it could be.

The reason you arent warned off it, is that it is generally the cheapest
way
to get into Home Automation and definately the easiest for Retrofit. Having
said that, the recent Clipsal CBus products now make a proper hardwired
lighting control system affordable for most people. for any New Build or
Total Refurbishment projects there is absolutely no reason NOT to go for
Clipsal as it is streaks ahead of X10 but for a bit by bit implementation
X10 is still the easist and cheapest at the moment.

I have had several of my table lamps blow bulbs and they have also blown
the
fuses in the Lamp Modules but (touch wood) I havent had any blown triacs.

I dont have any LM15's so cant comment too specifically on that module but
I
believe there is one MAJOR difference. As I understand it, the LM15 is a
small unit that plugs into a lamp socket therefore it is much smaller than
any other module. This probably means that it doesnt have its own internal
fuse like the normal Lamp Modules and Wall Switches. The modules with
internal fuses have a much lower rated fuse (2A or 3A) than the typical 6A
or 10A MCB which means that the power should cut much quicker in the event
of overload and this is probably what saves the triac most of the time in
those modules.

You can get "bomb proof" systems but I think your opening line
summed it up
nicely....
"having just spent several hundred pounds", for a virtually bomb
proof
system you need to start looking at the "Big Boys" like Lutron,
Rank Strand,
etc. Then modify your statement to "having just spent several THOUSAND
pounds".

Here in the UK we can justifiably feel ripped off because we tend to pay
between 4 and 10 times what the Americans pay for similar products. The
American socket rocket is only £11-26 ($17-99). Prices have dropped here
but
still have a long way to go. My first modules cost me £35 each from Laser
and when Maplin first stocked them they were £49-99.

Keith

www.diyha.co.uk
www.kat5.tv


> -----Original Message-----
> From: anthony.tod@xxxxxxx [mailto:anthony.tod@xxxxxxx]
> Sent: 17 August 2003 14:43
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: [ukha_d] RE: What the **** is going on!!!???
>
>
> So having just spent several hundred pounds on bits and
> pieces for X10 are
> we now saying it is a fatally flawed system?
>
> Surely if they fail every time a bulb blows they are not "fit
> for purpose"
> and should be withdrawn?
>
> I am confused now, I know we are playing with non mainstream
> kit here, but
> this stuff has been around a good few years now, how come
> everyone on the
> list doesn't spit and scream every time this stuff is
> mentioned and warn us
> off it?
>