Re: Strange X10 Lamp module problem

[dlh <dlh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Jan 31, 8:55=A0am, Art Todesco <actode...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On 1/30/2012 1:04 PM, dlh wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Jan 30, 9:16 am, Art Todesco<actode...@xxxxxxxxx> =A0wrote:
> >> Here a new one on me. =A0I have used X10 in my house since it came out=
 and
> >> have never seen this. =A0I have 2 lamp modules plugged into the same
> >> outlet strip. =A0One is a stock lamp module, the other is a lamp modul=
e,
> >> but with the solid state relay modification found on a few on-line
> >> sites. =A0It has worked perfectly for some time. =A0So this modificati=
on
> >> actually makes it a silent appliance module. =A0But, it's still a lamp
> >> module at heart, only the output is a little different. =A0The are bot=
h
> >> set to B1. =A0The SSR modified module has 2 lamps (w/CFLs) connected t=
o
> >> it, hence the SSR. =A0 The other one has a heated warming blanket. =A0=
Last
> >> night, both were on and all of a sudden, both just shut down by
> >> themselves ... this is not the strange part. =A0After, neither would
> >> respond to any X10 commands. =A0I only used a wireless remote with
> >> transceiver for testing. =A0I probably should have tried a direct X10
> >> command from a manual controller, but I don't think that would have ma=
de
> >> a difference. =A0And I never touched the transceiver, only the wireles=
s
> >> remote. =A0At first I blamed the modification, as I hadn't noticed tha=
t
> >> the unmodified module was also off, =A0But then I discovered it too wa=
s
> >> off and wouldn't respond either. =A0After powering down bother modules=
 and
> >> re-powering, they now both work perfectly! =A0 I haven't a clue as to =
what
> >> could have caused this problem. =A0It had to be some "command" or pseu=
do
> >> command (noise?). =A0There are only 2 houses on the outside transforme=
r.
> >> 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. =A0Any 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. =A0The guy from the
> power company parks up at the top of the mountain and can access
> everyone below. =A0But this problem occurred at night and the modules bot=
h
> appeared to lock up in the off condition, until they were power cycled.
> =A0 If it were only one, ok, but 2, side by side, on the same house and
> unit code? =A0And, there were not other lockups in the entire house. =A0W=
eird.

Who is your electric utility? Duke Energy seems to have the most
problems and it's not only when the meter is being read.