Re: Need help with PLC noise problems in a Manhattan (New York City) apartment

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Dave Houston" <nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:438abdb8.31781980@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Any RF system is likely to be problematic in a densely inhabited urban
> environment.
>
> My mystery signal disappeared after being here 24/7 for about a week.

It would be interesting to see how ZigBee fares in this near worst-case
scenario.  I can't see it being any *more* problematic than X-10 will likely
be.  I can't imagine something as robust as an RF mesh network working worse
than primitive and slow X-10 in a dense urban multi-unit dwelling.   The
repeater function of mesh networks *should* eliminate many of the problems
that X-10 faces in problem environments.

How would you rate ZigBee's RF system v. X-10's in terms of robustness?  By
that I mean reliability of communication and rejection of interference.
When you press J5 on, it actually GOES on and never changes state without
direct command?

The OP's apartment building more than likely was built many, many years
before the average household electrical consumption tripled or even
quadrupled.  IIRC, household energy use tripled from 1949 to 2000.  In old,
large buildings, there have probably been numerous upgrades to building
wiring.  I'll bet that some were done more professionally than others, even
with NYC's rigorous code and inspection requirements.  As you pointed out,
some buildings have gone from low per occupant electrical consumption
"office" to high per occupant "upper class residential."

I've found the further you get from "new" the harder X-10 seems to be to
implement because of the oddball home-brew fixes we see here where someone
pulled a neutral from the wrong circuit to power a switch.  Of course, YMMV.

I guess I'd take my chances on a robust, low power RF protocol over an
undocumented local power grid that's connected to God knows what.  It would,
indeed, be interesting to see how both ZigBee AND Insteon do in such a
situation.  Surely with all your contacts, Dave, you could get someone to
treat the OP to a head to head test of protocols using loaner equipment?
If ZigBee and mesh networks are all they are touted to be, they should
trounce X-10 in the OP's environment.  What an ideal "test case."

As for your mystery signal disappearing I am not sure whether that's
comforting or alarming.  Where did it come from?  Where did it go?

--
Bobby G.