Re: XPS3 Strangeness

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"David White" <whitedavidp@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:3uednTL_C_LJJ47VnZ2dnUVZ_qqgnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Thanks for the response Bruce. I had not heard of the XTB units. But in
> my old house I had a SmartHome SignalLinc (no booster) in my dryer
> outlet. It will not fit my dryer in the new house though (and there is
> not enough room behind to fit).
>
> If I understand the SignalLinc and BoosterLinc operation, they both are
> attempting to create a better bridge across the two sides of my electric
> panel so that signals can pass more easily (the booster adds some form
> of signal amplification). Is this correct and true also of Jeff's units?

Yes.  I've been so impressed by its performance that I wrote an article
about it for Hometoys:

http://www.hometoys.com/ezine/08.04/green/xtb.htm

Since I installed the XTB-IIR (the coupler/repeater version) my X-10 stuff
just works and that's really much greater praise than it sounds.
Unfortunately, it sounds like you'll have to get an electrician to install
it.  That's easier than it sounds, because it basically means installing a
new 240VAC outlet somewhere, hopefully near the circuit panel.  It increase
the power of the X-10 signal (according to the formula P=VA) nearly 25 times
over the standard X-10 signal.  So far, the only problem has been a chime
module that "sings" softly whenever the XTB transmits, and that was solved
by moving it further away from the XTB.

> I have not checked yet to see if the garage interior light circuit and
> the circuits having the controllers  are on different sides of the
> panel. If they turn out to be on the SAME side, what sort of improvement
> might I expect from such a unit as Jeff's?

>
> Thanks.
>
> BruceR wrote:
> > Do you have a coupler or repeater installed in the breaker panel or
> > nearby? Without at least  a coupler you cannot expect reliable
> > operation.  Best Bet (by far): buy and install an XTB-IIR from Jeff Volp
> > http://jeffvolp.home.att.net/xtb_files.htm. It is by far the best X10
> > problem solver available.  Second Choice and not nearly as good: Get a
> > plug in BoosterLinc from www.smarthome.com that plugs into your 220v
> > dryer outlet.
> >
> >  David White wrote:
> >> I have recently installed two XPS3 switches. One - inside my garage -
> >> has a XPSS (WS14A) companion installed and controls my interior garage
> >> lights (both incandescent and fluorescent). The other is stand-alone
> >> and controls the lights on the garage's exterior (incandescent only).
> >>
> >> I also have a mini controller (MC460) plugged into an outlet inside
> >> the garage in a location where there are no switches so I can operate
> >> both interior and exterior lights.
> >>
> >> Finally, I have my computer connected to a CM11A running ActiveHome
> >> (1.3x). I am using this only for test purposes right now.
> >>
> >> So here are the issues:
> >>
> >> (a) It seems that the mini controller can ALWAYS turn the interior
> >> lights on (B5) but it has difficulty turning them off sometimes. When
> >> this happens, repeated attempts sometimes work - but not always.
> >>
> >> (b) I find the same as (a) when using ActiveHome and the CM11A to
> >> control the interior garage lights (B5).
> >>
> >> (c) Neither the mini controller or CM11A seem to have any problems
> >> with the stand-alone XPS3 for the exterior lights (B6). They appear
> >> to go on/off first time, every time.
> >>
> >> (d) I have also noted that the interior garage lights sometimes
> >> (while I was in the garage) turn themselves off. This auto-off thing
> >> is rare but it has happened twice that I have noticed (maybe more not
> >> noticed).
> >> My first thought is that the interior XPS3 is faulty (or maybe the
> >> companion) since the controller issue seems limited to that switch AND
> >> because that switch does the weird auto-off thing. But the interior
> >> lights ALWAYS seem to respond when either the XPS3 or XPSS is pressed
> >> directly an the controllers always are able to turn them on. So I am
> >> not really sure I can blame them.
> >>
> >> That would seem to saddle the problem with the controllers. But I'd
> >> think it very unlikely that BOTH controllers are somehow bad. And they
> >> both work fine on the exterior lights (and other devices). Plus, they
> >> do turn the interior lights ON first time, every time.
> >>
> >> Any ideas or suggestions?
> >>
> >> Thanks
> >
> >