Re: No more X10 at Radio Shack?

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Kurt Delaney" <kurt_dot_delaney@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:KQhbh.2954$ad7.2358@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> "Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:XuudnZ-osJyEHPHYnZ2dnUVZ_oGdnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxx
> >
> > While I'd love to have the reliability of Centralite or Lutron's RF
> > system,
> > I don't think I'd ever be able to recover the cost when selling the
house.
>
> Having X10 switches installed actually *reduces* the value of the house --
> the average home buyer sees this stuff as an unknown, and most home
> inspectors will flag it as a liability.

I've got a big plastic bag in the basement filled with the manual switches I
yanked to install the X-10 ones.  I figure it will take a few hours to pull
the X-10 and replace it with the original stuff when we move.  The only
problems I anticipate are broken pigtails if I futz with the wires too much.

> Which, IMHO, is correct.  If a X10
> switch quits working (which is quite common, unless you are using very
high
> quality stuff like PCS), how will a new homeowner who knows nothing about
> X10 be able to fix it?  Most likely, they would have to call an
electrician
> (read: $$$) and they would most likely just replace the X10 w/ a regular
> switch.

Two points here.  Number one is that X-10 users have lots of quality level
choices when it comes to switches.  That's good.  I checked RadioRA pricing
again last night and it seems that they are in the $100 to $300 "price per
load" if you factor in the cost of their controllers and bridges.  To be
fair, and to modify my original statement somewhat, it sounds like a
homeowner *could* take RA with them with they moved as easily as I can take
X-10, so it's not really a factor in choosing between the two.

I wouldn't feel that I'd be leaving much $ behind using either X-10 or
Lutron or even Insteon.  The problem is that I would want my next HA system
to be hardwired, based on Ethernet-type cabling and that's an investment
that won't transport easily to the next home.  Part of the beauty of X-10
(and other HA protocols) is that you can do so much without rewiring.  If
you want to control clusters of lights, have multiple control points, etc.
you can do it without having to pull wires or rewire outlets or light
switches unless you need a neutral where none exists.  But RF and PLC are
both vulnerable to interference while "fly by wire" is inherently "battle
hardened."

The second point is that it's been absolutely YEARS since I've had to
replace an X-10 wall switch.  I got a closeout of Stanley-branded wallswitch
modules with pushbuttons and have had no failures since (that was in mid
90's or so, IIRC).  One reason might be that the Stanley instructions were
quite clear that the blue and black wires were NOT interchangeable.  One
went to the hot side, the other to the neutral.  Was that secret that's kept
them all working all this time?  Dunno.  All I know is that in MY house,
X-10 wall switches have been very reliable, although I will agree that at
one time I was replacing them far too frequently.  Everyone can have a bad
product run or can mislabel their installation instructions.  As you point
out, if X-10 switches had NOT been reliable, I would still have had my
choices of alternatives in a range of prices from $20 to $100.

> When you come to sell the place, don't be suprised if you will have to
swap
> out all of your X10 switches with regular switches.

Kurt, I agree wholeheartedly.  I've already planned for and budgeted for the
swap.  I've got the original switches labeled by outlet number and ready to
be swapped before we even show the place.  Having X-10, and to a lesser
extent *any* HA system, is going to hurt rather than help any home sale,
IMHO, unless, of course, you're selling to a fellow HA enthusiast.

P.S. - Maybe my spell checker's biased but it wants to replace "Lutron" with
"latrine!"  (-:
--
Bobby G.