Re: Do X10 modules degrade over time?

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 11 Sep 2006 08:07:40 -0700, "random735" <random735@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message  <1157987260.054973.269820@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>Had a similar experience with a powerlinc (serial).  Started missing
>more and more until eventually it was neither receiving nor
>successfully sending signals.  My transceivers were working fine, and I
>swapped out the powerlinc with another one and all was fine... so it
>definitely is not a noise related issue at least in my case...(i
>thought it was at first, believe me, i tore my house apart trying to
>figure out why the powerlinc was having issues)
>
>so it definitely did degrade over time until eventually it stopped
>responding/sending...given that it's a solid state device, i have no
>idea what would cause that....

The age of the OP's X10 devices corresponds approximately to a spate of
electrolytic capacitors (which dry up and otherwise age even under the best
of circumstances and original construction) made with faulty electrolyte.
"Entire newsgroups have sprung up on the Internet to deal with the problem."


http://www.edn.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleid=CA255062&partner=enews&text=carey+holzman
http://www.niccomp.com/taiwanlowesr.htm
http://www.chemi-con.com/u7002/reliability.php

http://www.edpsciences.org/articles/epjap/pdf/1999/01/ap8043.pdf#search=%22electrolytic%20capacitors%20aging%20failure%22
http://leonardo.eeug.caltech.edu/~ee14/lab1cds.html

... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org