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Re: X10 Interference from the Cellet Cellphone Charger
Some interesting suggestions Marc.
I don't know what is down the road. I'm getting pretty burnt out right now.
My ToDo list includes porting some of the "R" features back to the 8-pin PIC
in the XTB-II. And there are a couple of features I had wanted to include
in the "R" firmware that were put on hold to just get the unit done. One is
a possible way to repeat extended commands while avoiding the overlap issue.
The RS232 link is something I had thought about. There is so much info
available in the XTB-II relating to line noise, traffic, etc. It would be
nice to be able to access that information. However, since the unit is
referenced to the powerline, it would take a fair amount of additional
circuitry for an isolated RS232 port.
Having looked at what is in the ESM1, and the fact that it costs as much as
it does, I had thought about making an alternative X10 test unit. If I ever
do that, features such as you describe could be included.
FYI, the receptacle on the XTB & XTB-II is powered through a L-C-L filter to
totally isolate it from the powerline. That is essential to prevent a
feedback loop when the XTB or XTB-II is transmitting. Since it was only
intended to provide power to a X10 transmitter, the inductors are sized for
that current.
Jeff
"Marc_F_Hult" <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:j1t0g39qfhlv9or7oosvfru7i4r6p5kauq@xxxxxxxxxx
> On Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:50:04 -0400, Marc_F_Hult
(some snipped)
>>And suggests another product that would provide a public service and have
>>some commercial potential.
>>
>>Up to now most folks plug new AC devices into the powerline 'communication
>>medium' in their house and then retroactively try to determine what the
>>problem is with X-10 and(or) INSTEON as noise and signal attenuation
>>accumulate, in varying degrees, with each device.
>>
>>A testing tool could provide a more proactive approach by quantitatively
>>assessing potential detrimental effects _before_ plugging a prospective
>>new electrical device into the 'system'.
>>
>>It c/would incorporate an isolation filter, noise measurement, signal
>>attenuation and visual indicator in one unit. Presumably the 'signal
>>attenuation' portion would consist in a transmitter and a receiver that
>>would register 100% in the absence of a signal sucker.
>>
>>For this purpose, the isolation and power to the DUT and the tester itself
>>could be provided by a pair of low-voltage transformers with their
>>secondaries connected together (with or w/o a capacitor). I've played with
>>this arrangement with INSTEON and it works well for isolation (and FWIW,
>>for transmission of INSTEON/X-10 signals over a low-voltage AC line when
>>the transformers are bypassed with capacitors and the secondaries
> connected with up to 200 feet of Cat5).
>>
>>The test function might be incorporated into a future version of the
>>XTB-xx transmitter with the front AC outlet that is usually just a
>>pass-through being the outlet into which one plugs in the Device Under
>>Test. Indicators could be as simple as one row of LEDs for attenuation
>>and one row for noise. Or a small LCD or via RS-232.
>
> It may be time to migrate to a physically larger form-factor than the
> CM11a/ACT-TI103/XTB wall-wart model.
>
> Using an enclosure based on an AC outlet power strip would provide needed
> volume for filter/isolator and circuitry and allow the outlets to be used
> for different purposes including device testing as discussed above, X-10
> isolation ( aka "filtering") and even ON-OFF switching. The latter is a
> common need for controlling (eg) routers and cable/dsl 'modems'. What
> better place to add an X-10 or INSTEON appliance module for that purpose
> than immediately adjacent the transmitter on the protected ('firewalled')
> side of an isolation device (ala Lightolier Compose).
>
> The volume made available by using a power strip might allow for
> incorporation of existing XTB-xx PCBs with little modification -- add-on
> PCBs providing additional functionality. The extra volume would also allow
> for use of a conventional L-C-L-C-L filter ala X-10/Leviton and ACT that
> could be available through one or more of the AC receptacles on the strip.
>
> ... Marc
> Marc_F_Hult
> www.ECOntrol.org
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