Re: New Smarthome Appliance Module

[nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston)]

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?
>>>>>>
>>