Re: I think they've done it again.

["bruceR" <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'd be quite pleased if that were the fix. I spec'd deep boxes all through
my house when it was built so I have plenty of room and I won't have to
unlink/link everything.

  <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> On Sun, 25 Jun 2006 12:00:22 -0400, Marc F Hult
> <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> <1f7t92ll7oa28ospsqhfbm3bdvmhqe5nco@xxxxxxx>:
>
> >
> > Mike from INSTEON wrote in
> > http://www.techmall.com/post.asp?method=ReplyQuote&REPLY_ID=636&TOPIC_ID=180&FORUM_ID=9
> >
> > "The component that is in question is the choke coil. Repeated
> > INSTEON signals generated by the dimmer or controller were getting
> > into the triac and causing the flicker. We have increased the value
> > of the choke coil to attenuate the INSTEON signals that go into the
> > triac. "
> >
> >
> > There are two inductors in an ICON dimmer with an MCU marked
> > "GL2476D BETA" with stick-on label. They look just like those on
> > the other model INSTEON dimmers I have.
> >
> > The large inductor (choke) is in series with the red AC _input_
> > lead and consists in 4 turns of 14AWG on a ~15 mm diameter green
> > toroid and has an inductance of ~18 uH (measured at 120 hz and
> > 1000hz with an EXTECH LCR meter). The other terminal of the
> > inductor is connected directly to the input of the TRIAC.
> >
> > In contrast, the choke on an X10 WS467 is about 45 turns of ~16 AWG
> > on a 25mm long ferrite rod and measures  44 uH. This construction,
> > size and inductance is typical of residential dimmers.
> >
> > "Specification grade" (architectural grade) dimmers have much larger
> > inductors. This is one of the inherent advantages of centralized
> > dimmers over wall-mounted dimmers because there is no practical
> > limit to the size of the inductors in a centralized dimming panel.
> >
> > (The ICON dimmer also has another, low-current inductor in series
> > with a diode near the coupling transformer.)
> >
> > If, as it appears, the problem is with the high-current input choke
> > and can be solved by doubling the inductance, more turns on the
> > inductor would do the trick if that doesn't cause the inductor to
> > saturate. But if a physically larger inductor is needed, space will
> > be a problem. The INSTEON dimmer cases are/can be made shallower
> > than most other dimmers in part because the choke is smaller.
>
> As I understand it, a field fix that has been considered by SmartHome
> is to wrap the load wire several times through a external toroid
> choke core. In other words, add more inductance in series to the
> (measly) ~18uH provided by the T-16 toroid choke (labeled L3) they
> already have in the dimmers.
>
> That's easy enough to do if you have enough volume in the switch box
> and is a conventional fix for filament buzz and other noise-induced
> problems. Commercial de-buzzer coils  I am aware of are typically
> need an additional or very large switch box.
>
> ... Marc
> Marc_F_Hult
> www.ECOntrol.org