Re: Dave Houston....I need your help!

[nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston)]

I suggested the KeypadLinc might have a line filter capacitor that was
interfering with your HomePlug as a more plausible explanation than your
guess that it was outputting noise that was blocking HomePlug. Neither
should be happening. I checked the HomePlug 1.0 spec. They use 4.5-21MHz and
adapt to noise by not using channels (21 in total) that are noisy. It's
really not plausible that your KeypadLinc is noisy across that wide a
spectrum.

I doubt the lamp module is defective. There's nothing in it that should be
able to create noise (when unloaded) that would register on an ESM1. I
suspect ypu have some other intermittent noise source.

Are you sure that light cannot get past the cap?

This is really hard to troubleshoot without better data. A log of valid X-10
would help narrow things down.

I suggest disconnecting the KeypadLinc to see whether the network recovers
and whether any other problems go away.

I'm not familiar with its features. I assume it can transmit 120kHz bursts
to control secondary devices. If defective it could be a source of 120kHz
noise.

mike2711@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

>Hi Dave!
>
>1. Your HomePlug network stopped working when you added the KeypadLinc.
>This
>really should not have happened since the network uses frequencies in
>the
>3-20MHz range, much higher than the 120kHz used by X-10.
>-I think you said in another thread that possibly smarthome must be
>using a line filter that is attenuating the higher frequencies used by
>the "homeplug"...
>
>2. Devices controlled by the KeypadLinc turn on/off at random times.
>-The only device affected is the landscape transformers...
>
>3. A lamp module appears to be noisy even with no load. This is also
>something that should not happen. X-10 lamp modules have a choke the
>should
>block noise from reaching the powerline. You will get triac switching
>noise
>but these are short duration bursts that will not (usually) show up on
>an
>ESM1.
>-I think it is a faulty lamp module. On one test with no load, it
>created noise. On a later test with no load, no noise! Go figure!
>
>IIRC you said you had the landscape transformers plugged into the lamp
>module. This is not advisable as the laminated cores of coil type
>transformers don't like the chopped triac waveform. In general you want
>to
>avoid inductive loads with a lamp module.
>-The transformers have always been plugged into an appliance module or
>an X10 receptacle. The behavior is the same between the two different
>receivers.
>
>Do you have a CM11A, CM15A, PowerLinc or some other controller with PC
>software that can be used to log valid X-10 PLC activity?
>-No....unfortunately. I know that would help a great deal...
>
>Are you using the photocell option with the transformers?
>-The transformers are mounted in the garage, one has a photocell built
>in which has a cap over it. The other I ordered without the photocell.