Re: XPS-3 Strangeness

[David White <whitedavidp@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for all the responses.

I had another XPS-3 that has been working perfectly on another circuit.
So I took your advice and swapped the two switches. I find that the
problem does NOT follow the switch. So there does seem to be an issue
with the circuit in question.

Thinking that there may be stray commands passing, I have been running
version 1.42 of ActiveHome (which seems to fix other strangeness I have
been seeing when running version 1.32 on Windows XP) and watching its
communications log. I am not seeing any unexpected commands being received.

So perhaps it is noise as you suggest. But if, as you say, the noise
should not generate on/off commands, how could it be impacting the
XPS-3? I bought these switches precisely because they are supposed to
handle fluorescents. Can I tell if the fluorescents are the cause simply
by removing the tubes? Or will there still be noise from the ballasts?

Is there anything I can do about the noise save removing the shop lights?

Thanks.

BruceR wrote:
> The X10 Pro line does not generate a signal under any condition - they
> are receive only devices. Higher end switches from Leviton and Smarthome
> can generate signals when manually operated. The noise could very well
> be coming from the flourescent light itself but that should not generate
> false on and off commands. It may be worth trying another switch to see
> if the one you have is defective.
>
>  David White wrote:
>> The circuit in question has 2 overhead incandescent bulbs and 2,
>> 2-bulb fluorescent shop-type lights.
>>
>> Would the noise you are speaking of come from something on the
>> controlled circuit or outside?
>>
>> I had the thing wired by a pro electrician and he carefully identified
>> the wires and matched them to the instructions. It all works just
>> fine. But just a moment ago, I turned on the switch and within a
>> minute it shut itself off again on its own. This auto-OFF seems to
>> happen with greater frequency than auto-ON.
>>
>> I am not sure how these work. I know there is a relay inside as I can
>> hear it snap. I presume that switching the XPS-3 ON engages the relay
>> which holds contact until it is switched OFF. Is this correct? If so,
>> could it be a faulty relay that is just "letting-go"? That would
>> explain the auto-OFF but I guess not the auto-ON.
>>
>> On a different but related issue: I am running active home connected
>> to my CM11A and watching its communications log in an effort to see
>> any "stray" commands. When I manually turn either of my XPS-3 switches
>> on/off I do not see any activity. Are these things supposed to
>> generate a signal when they are turned off/on?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> BruceR wrote:
>>> What kind of lamp are you controlling?
>>> It's not a common problem and is usually caused by noise.
>>> You could try another House Code but it probably won't make a
>>> difference.
>>> The companion switch shoudn't make a difference.
>>> It's probably not defective.
>>> Yes, you should verify your wiring as a first step but if it works
>>> it's probably OK.
>>> Again, noise is the most likely culprit.
>>>
>>>  David White wrote:
>>>> Hello. I recently purchased and installed 2 XPS-3 switches I got off
>>>> EBay. One has a WS-14A/XPSS companion switch.
>>>>
>>>> Almost as soon as I installed these, I have noticed that the one
>>>> with the companion switch will sometimes turn itself off. But in
>>>> the last couple days, I have noticed that it is also sometimes
>>>> turning itself ON. The unit without the companion switch is fine.
>>>>
>>>> I have a CM11A that does turn some modules on/off on timers. But the
>>>> switches in question are NOT controlled that way. Even so, the
>>>> strange events do no relate to the events that are programmed (not
>>>> the same times). I am also very sure that no one else in the area
>>>> has X-10 running (I live in a pretty rural environment).
>>>>
>>>> So:
>>>>
>>>> (a) Do the XPS-3 units commonly have this problem?
>>>>
>>>> (b) Does the presence of the companion switch make any difference?
>>>>
>>>> (c) Does this seem a manufacturing defect?
>>>>
>>>> (d) Could this be due to a wiring mistake on my end?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks.
>
>