Re: X-10 Mystery - An Anti-Signal Sucker

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Dave Houston" <nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:430b2148.38877531@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> "Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> >I suspect that a scope the only way to know for sure, but I don't have
one
> >and the wife's already got her eye on you and all the money I spend
hanging
> >out here talking to all the HA gurus.
>
> Then I need to reiterate that I tried to dissuade you from buying the
> Monterey. ;)

Yes, you did.  But the little Monty is easy to hide.  It's the boxes of
magnets, solar panels, LED keychain lights, the used MICR and the surplus
item of the week at AllElectronics that bring out the "what did you buy THIS
time?"

> An unbiased measurement is not easy. The electronics of the Monterey
affect
> the readings, the 12VAC transformer and the electronics of the ESM1 affect
> readings and the ACT Scope-Test2 exhibits some gain. Direct viewing with a
> scope is tough because the 60Hz amplitude is so much greater than the
120kHz
> amplitude. Even looking at the line with a scope through a 0.1µF cap isn't
> perfect as it only attenuates the 60Hz - some gets through, adding to any
> 120kHz amplitude measurement.

I'm beginning to suspect some sort of interaction with the Monterey is the
culprit.  Still, most of those switching power supplies have been real
troublemakers and seriously drop the X-10 signal strength.  Somehow, the
tide has turned.  I just got two 2.5A 12VDC supplies to drive the mux units
that Dan, Marc and I all bought and THEY show an increase in the X-10 signal
when plugged in, too.

It's enough of a difference that I should be able to find a place in the
house with barely enough X-10 signal to activate an appliance module.  If I
can still read a signal at about 10mv with the Monterey, then I can see if
the appliance module works.  If it doesn't, and I plug the new switching
PS's in and the module starts to fire, then I'll know it's not just some
spurious reading and that the signal is now strong enough to trigger the
module.

Where I'll go from there, I'm not sure.  This is a good sign, though.  It
may indicate that PS makers have finally redesigned their units so as not to
interfere with X-10 the way they have in the past.

--
Bobby G.