Re: New Smarthome Appliance Module

[Art Todesco <actodesco@xxxxxxxxx>]

Let me add one more thing.  Right now, 9:30PM, I
can't dim N3 or N15 (the only ones
that I care to dim) unless the sending device is
right near the modules.  BTW,
these are both lamp modules.

Art Todesco wrote:
> Right now, everything is working pretty good. However, about 2 or 3
> times per
> year, everything goes nuts.  I use HC N.  N2 will randomly turn on, maybe 6
> times, especially at around dusk.  N2 is a wallswitch module.  If you
> manually
> (from RF transceiver) turn off N2, nothing happens.  If you then
> manually turn
> off N1, N1 module (appliance module) would go off, but in addition N2 would
> also go off.  Plus, during these few hours, other unit codes were
> unreachable or
> would do similar things as described above.  .
>
> After a few hours, all was ok.  I put a few x10 line filters (Smarthome)
> on the
> 2 CF lamps plugged into N1 because it "seemed" to improve things.  I
> also have
> a filter on my computer (w/UPS) and a large digital computer electronic
> organ.
> This also seemed to help a little.
>
> Dave Houston wrote:
>
>> I think you are wasting your money. External sources are seldom the
>> culprit.
>>
>>
>> When you see random 'on' events, are they logged by whatever interface
>> you
>> use? IOW, are there valid X-10 PLC commands on the powerline that could
>> account for the events. If not, the filter is unlikely to help. If
>> there are
>> valid signals, they could be a symptom and not a cause of the event.
>> (e.g.
>> 2-way *Linc modules/switches may be sending them.)
>> There are other things that can cause random on/off events. Inductive
>> spikes
>> from fluorescent ballasts and from motors can cause them and there's
>> evidence that noise from other sources may also be a factor. Which
>> modules/switches are affected?
>>
>> Art Todesco <actodesco@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> I didn't really mean to imply that the whole house filter would
>>> solve, or even help
>>> this problem.  However, I hope it will help some of the random
>>> triggering that
>>> happens from time to time.
>>>
>>> Dave Houston wrote:
>>>
>>>> I doubt a filter will help. There is some evidence that the *Linc
>>>> modules
>>>> and switches are affected by out-of-band noise that the filters do not
>>>> block. In my case, X-10 made LM14As worked fine in circuits where
>>>> 2000STWs
>>>> would not work reliably. THe LED on the 2000STWs would blink
>>>> randomly but I
>>>> could see no noise on the line using a scope and ACT's Scope-Test2.
>>>> Does their appliance module have an LED? What is it doing when the
>>>> module is
>>>> unresponsive?
>>>>
>>>> Art Todesco <actodesco@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Update from OP:  One of the 3 times this has happened was most
>>>>> probably NOT a loss
>>>>> of housecode/unit code.  I still think the first 2 occurrences
>>>>> were.  The 3rd occurrence
>>>>> was probably a situation where there was some type of interference
>>>>> preventing
>>>>> access in that particular location.  This seems to happen from time
>>>>> to time in my
>>>>> house.  Next I am going to try one of the whole house x10 filter
>>>>> units.  I'll keep you
>>>>> posted.
>>>>>
>>>>> Dave Houston wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> I don't know what they use in appliance modules but they use a
>>>>>> PIC16C622A
>>>>>> and a 24LC32A (4KB EEPROM) in the 2000STW lamp module. There's no
>>>>>> reason to
>>>>>> think that the EEPROM would lose data from power glitches. It's
>>>>>> more likely
>>>>>> to be a flaw in the firmware used in the PIC so I agree that
>>>>>> replacing them
>>>>>> is probably futile until they find and fix the flaw.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Wayne <wayne@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Correct, that is not supposed to happen.  But it happens to me
>>>>>>> occasionally on multiple modules.  I suspect it is related to power
>>>>>>> line glitches or spikes.  Do you have any idea what is causing yours
>>>>>>> to reset?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I spoke with some SmartHome folks at EHExpo in March and apparently
>>>>>>> they had heard of modules losing thier settings, but didn't have
>>>>>>> enough clues at the time to determine a root cause.  I have been
>>>>>>> unable to force mine to lose thier settings by simulating power
>>>>>>> fialures.  SmartHome has offered to replace them under warranty, but
>>>>>>> there isn't much point for me until they fix the issue.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Sun, 29 May 2005 08:59:45 GMT, "BruceR" <brNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxx>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Send it back. That's not supposed to happen.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> From:Art Todesco
>>>>>>>> actodesco@xxxxxxxxx
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I have one of those new "wheelless" Smarthome
>>>>>>>>> appliance modules.  It looses the housecode and/or
>>>>>>>>> unit code about once per week.  Is this a common
>>>>>>>>> problem?  Anyone else have this problem?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>