Re: Sudden Nuttty X10 Behavior.

[kpfeif <kpfeif@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Roger wrote:
> kpfeif wrote:
>
>> Frank Olson wrote:
>>
>>> "kpfeif" <kpfeif@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> news:423e34bb$1_1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>
>>>> Hello.
>>>>
>>>> I've been using X10 stuff in my house for about 3 1/2 years with
>>>> absolutely zero problems.  Over the weekend, however, my house has
>>>> apparently become possessed.
>>>>
>>>> I don't have a lot of stuff - four regular X10 switches, a motion
>>>> detector in the garage to turn on the inside entryway light (one of
>>>> the switches), and four PCS switches in the home theatre.  I noticed
>>>> the other night that the red status lights on all the PCS switches
>>>> were flashing red.  Weird. I plugged in the multicontroller and
>>>> couldn't control them via X10.  The same goes for anything in the
>>>> house X10 - nothing worked.
>>>>
>>>> Also, the X10 switch controlled light in the entryway randomly fades
>>>> itself all the way one, stays like that for a bit, then fades back
>>>> to nothing.  Nope, no X10 interface is plugged in anywhere.
>>>>
>>>> Them, for some weird reason, everything works fine again - PCS
>>>> switches, lamp modules, etc.  I was just waking upstairs before, and
>>>> suddenly the entryway light did its thing, and at the same time the
>>>> bank of PCS switches (I could see both) starting blinking red.
>>>>
>>>> What could possible be happening?  Is this interference?  we have
>>>> nothing new plugged in - I have a filter in place for the
>>>> undercabinet lighting, but that's working fine.
>>>>
>>>> Help!  My house is driving me insane!
>>>>
>>>> Kris
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Do you have a coupler installed?  Perhaps one of your neighbors (with
>>> whom you might be sharing a transformer) has also installed some X-10
>>> (or other) lighting controllers.  I seriously doubt your house is
>>> haunted.  :-))
>>>
>>> The unit is called a signal block coupler.  X-10 Pro PZZ01.  You may
>>> also require a signal bridge (X-10 Pro XPCP).
>>>
>>
>>
>> I don't.  That was my first thought - it would make sense.  It seems
>> that right after I turn on the light, it fades itself off.  A logical
>> response if I just turned the neighbor's living room light on...
>>
>> Is there a cheap way to debug things?  Would this also explain the
>> flashing red LED on the PCS switches?
>
>
> Based upon your symptoms, I would bet on interference from something in
> your house. Years ago, I had a similar problem from a halogen light with
> a dimmer switch. All X10 became unreliable when I used the dimmer
> switch, but it took awhile to figure this out. You may have some luck
> debugging the problem if you have someone else go around and turn things
> off while you watch the blinking lights.
>
> Roger

Interesting - a Halogen light we have in the house starting acting a bit
   weird the other day...I'll unplug it and give it a shot.