Re: x-10 outlet chatters

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

<<"Dimbo Spams" <cuervojose(remove)@jps.net> wrote in message
news:9KydndxyO_5NEWbanZ2dnUVZ_tijnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
When ever my program sends a signal to turn on the outlet, the outlet
chatters and the light blinks on and off, then stays off. If I use the
remote to turn on the same outlet, all works fine, if I use the remote
interface on the computer to turn on the light, again, all works fine. It is
just when the computer program sends the signal that there is a failure. Any
ideas? Thanks in advance>>

I recently had an experience that caused me to ask one of our experts off
line about chatter.  I was tested modules that had previously been
"chatterers" before I cut them up for parts and lo and behold, they no
longer chattered!  I'm of the mind there are two kinds of chatter:  One
caused by a physical failure of the plastic cam controlling the 110VAC relay
and the other caused by some sort of powerline "environment" problem.

I based that conclusion on examining ones that have physically failed and
chatter all the time as well as examining units that have no apparent cracks
and yet chatter in certain situations.  This may start a holy war of sorts
because all I have are some miraculously revived chattering appliance
modules and no particular theory of operation.  Even so, let's try to work
this through because it sounds as if your problem correlates with my
experience that chatter is not always a physical problem.

Can you swap that module out for others to see if the chatter persists?  The
two fairly old appliance modules that I've written "Chatters" on *twice*
(which means they chattered in their original locations AND when re-tested
elsewhere) that are now running the basement lights without issue leading me
to conclude that electrical environment is at fault.  I realize there might
be other issues at play, though.  A slightly cracked or worn cam might work
mounted horizontally, but not vertically.  These units are plugged into
grounded circuits now, but they might have been plugged in using a
three-wire adapter before when they were chattering.  Unfortunately, I did
not record that information.  I also recall that when they chattered, they
were plugged into an outlet strip that had other modules, including a TM751,
into the same strip.

Anyway, if you can give us more details about your gear (what type of
controller, modules, whether they are modded or not) and what you have that
you can swap out we might be able to figure this out.  Do you have multiple
X-10 RF receiver modules installed?  That's something I used to have before
that I don't have now which further muddies the waters in terms of running
the problem to ground.

--
Bobby G.