Re: No more X10 at Radio Shack?

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 28 Nov 2006 15:41:51 GMT, "Jeff Volp" <JeffVolp@xxxxxxx> wrote in
message  <3NYah.115414$Fi1.103737@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>X10 can be a cost-effective and very reliable system for those who care to
>put in some effort.
>
>Actually, it is probably better that retail channels drop it because that
>will get rid of many of the impulse buyers who are disappointed when it
>doesn't work 100% right out of the box.  You know the ones - their VCRs
>flashed 12:00 for years until manufacturers included automatic clock
>setting.

This is a not an apt comparison in my opinion. A person does not need an
electrician to program a VCR, but in most jurisdictions in the US, a person
must either have the knowledge, manual skills, tools *and* authorization to
do electrical AC work themselves, or hire a licensed  electrician who may
also need to be bonded and(or) show proof of paying fees/taxes in the local
jurisdiction.

What proportion of folks are competent enough to accurately construct a
schematic diagram of their home's AC wiring and then reconfigure the main
entrance panel to put all X-10 on one phase safely and in accordance with
codes?

In many/most US jurisdictions, the home owner (not a renter, not
brother-in-law) is the only individual other than licensed electricians that
can do this work. And it is part and parcel of what makes your system --
built during _new_ construction --  successful.

Folks should be made aware that your approach, applied during new
construction, was a different situation than a retrofit to existing housing
which is the predominant use of X-10 as far as I know.

So it is much more than simply "care[ing] to
put in some effort" in most cases.

... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org