Re: 2 100amp panel coupler help needed

[ddl@danlan.*com (Dan Lanciani)]

In article <439fb7ac.22372824@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston) writes:
| ddl@danlan.*com (Dan Lanciani) wrote:
|
| >You need to be careful mixing passive coupling and repeaters.  Although
| >I've traced only the CR230's circuit, I believe that most repeaters drive
| >the two legs with carriers 180 degrees out of phase (presumably for the
| >benefit of 220V-only receivers).  Thus any passive coupling that doesn't
| >flip the phase works against the repeater.  Based on the cautions I've read
| >I think that the 4851 also couples without flipping the phase, though this
| >was not immediately obvious on casual inspection.
|
| If that's the case, wouldn't any incidental coupling from 220V ovens,
| dryers, etc. work against the repeater.

Indeed it does, though no more so than any 120V load works against the
signal on a single leg.  The impedance of 220V loads at 120kHz isn't
generally all that much lower than that of 120V loads.  The problem comes
when you try to create a low impedance path between phases with a big
capacitor, tuned couplers, or what have you.  As far as the repeater is
concerned this is exactly like deliberately installing a "signal sucker" load.

| How many 220V X-10 receivers are there?

How many are there where?  Apparently they are common in industry, but
there are none in my house.  For that reason I've been toying with the
idea of modifying a CR230 to drive the legs in phase.  I've repaired the
unit with the bad power supply (if anyone cares, yes, the cap had leaked
as well from the heat) so I have one to play with.  It isn't completely
trivial since the output driver circuit does not appear to be symmetrical.

				Dan Lanciani
				ddl@danlan.*com