Re: Strange X10 Lamp module problem

[Art Todesco <actodesco@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 1/31/2012 4:22 PM, dlh wrote:
> On Jan 31, 8:55 am, Art Todesco<actode...@xxxxxxxxx>  wrote:
>> On 1/30/2012 1:04 PM, dlh wrote:
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>>> On Jan 30, 9:16 am, Art Todesco<actode...@xxxxxxxxx>    wrote:
>>>> Here a new one on me.  I have used X10 in my house since it came out and
>>>> have never seen this.  I have 2 lamp modules plugged into the same
>>>> outlet strip.  One is a stock lamp module, the other is a lamp module,
>>>> but with the solid state relay modification found on a few on-line
>>>> sites.  It has worked perfectly for some time.  So this modification
>>>> actually makes it a silent appliance module.  But, it's still a lamp
>>>> module at heart, only the output is a little different.  The are both
>>>> set to B1.  The SSR modified module has 2 lamps (w/CFLs) connected to
>>>> it, hence the SSR.   The other one has a heated warming blanket.  Last
>>>> night, both were on and all of a sudden, both just shut down by
>>>> themselves ... this is not the strange part.  After, neither would
>>>> respond to any X10 commands.  I only used a wireless remote with
>>>> transceiver for testing.  I probably should have tried a direct X10
>>>> command from a manual controller, but I don't think that would have made
>>>> a difference.  And I never touched the transceiver, only the wireless
>>>> remote.  At first I blamed the modification, as I hadn't noticed that
>>>> the unmodified module was also off,  But then I discovered it too was
>>>> off and wouldn't respond either.  After powering down bother modules and
>>>> re-powering, they now both work perfectly!   I haven't a clue as to what
>>>> could have caused this problem.  It had to be some "command" or pseudo
>>>> command (noise?).  There are only 2 houses on the outside transformer.
>>>> And, we are pretty far from any neighbors making it difficult to get
>>>> rogue RF transmissions, i.e. lots in the subdivision are 3 - 4 acres.
>>>> And the one neighbor on the same transformer doesn't have or even know
>>>> what X10 is.  Any ideas??
>>
>>> There have been many reports of sudden plagues of random ONs and/or
>>> OFFs after the installation of a "Smart" Meter by various electrical
>>> utilities in various parts of the country. All of them appear to use
>>> LonTalk (although identifying it by the ANSI standard number) to
>>> communicate between meters and the Data Aggregator which usually
>>> serves all of the meters on the same transformer. It appears to affect
>>> X10-made modules and switches (but not those made by Smarthome).
>>
>> We have an RF reading electric meter in this house.  The guy from the
>> power company parks up at the top of the mountain and can access
>> everyone below.  But this problem occurred at night and the modules both
>> appeared to lock up in the off condition, until they were power cycled.
>>    If it were only one, ok, but 2, side by side, on the same house and
>> unit code?  And, there were not other lockups in the entire house.  Weird.
>
> Who is your electric utility? Duke Energy seems to have the most
> problems and it's not only when the meter is being read.
It's definitely Duke.  The power is not very constant.  I even see
voltage drops from heat pump motors starting that are not in my house
.... most likely, the guy across the street on the same transformer.
But, X10 had been really clean.  Much cleaner than in my old house in
suburban Chicago (for X10, that is).  I have called Duke for voltages
going high, like 125 -130 volts.  When I called them, they immediately
said it was their problem and corrected it within an hour or so.  But,
over the months, it has crept up again, to about 120, which I guess is
ok.  I think it crept up because others on the same feed complained
about low voltage and they corrected it the easy way.  BTW, at 123 volts
or so, I've had some electronic equipment get squirrelly.  That's what
made me start looking at voltages.