Why is there intereference and after 3 years of being fine now my X-10s don't work ?

[Dag]

I didn't add any new electrical equipment yet after 3 years of working fine, suddenly the X10s are not responding to my Aquacontroller II properly. I changed the X10s modules for new ones, to no avail. I have a buddy who experienced the same problem, after his x10s were also working fine for a long time. Did this happen to anyone else, and if so, did you fix it?

I know Curt sells some kind of modules that will work, but they're no good for me, since my tank is remote from the Aquacontroller, and Curt's units have to be hard wired with a telephone line.

[szwab]

yes happened to me but figured out it was a ballast that was going bad and interfering

[clp]

I suspect that some new appliance has been turned on/installed in your house, and that is generating electrical noise that is interfering with X10 communication.
Here are a few things to check/try:

- Make sure that the control interface is plugged into the AquaController with a 4 conductor telephone cord. The light should blink off when commands are sent out, but otherwise will be on.
- Make sure that the control modules x10 addresses match the configuration of the AquaController. The default AquaController program is listed in the back of the manual.
- The control interface and control modules should plug into the same circuit. If not, you may need to install a signal bridge.
- Do no use power strips with active surge suppression as they can attenuate the x10 signal. Use inexpensive powerstrips.
- With the AquaController try to turn on and off the control modules. Go to Control & Status -> Manual Control. Select the device you are having trouble with and repeatedly turn it on and off. Note that commands are only sent out when you press the select button.
- If you have added any new equipment to your tank, turn it off, and then repeat the Manual control test.
- Try switching to an unused X10 address on the control module and in the AquaController’s configuration.
- Try swapping the control module with a known good one and see if the problem persists.
- Try power cycling the AquaController. Remove the 9V battery and unplug the AC adapter at the same time.
- If nothing is working try shutting off all appliances around your tank, and then try the manual on/off test. If something is causing X10 interference around your tank, it is likely an electronic ballast.


Curt

[Dag]

Thanks, Curt.

All good suggestions, except I don't know what signal bridge is or where to get it.

One of my metal halides is strangely dim; I wonder if it's a ballast problem?

[clp]

Try shutting of the ballast and see if you can then control other devices. You can get the signal bridge from us or any of our resellers; our part # is SBLEV. The signal bridge allows the control interface to transmit commands to circuits on the opposite phase/leg of power. The signal bridge install between two circuits in the breaker panel.

Curt

[Dag]

With the AquaController try to turn on and off the control modules. Go to Control & Status -> Manual Control. Select the device you are having trouble with and repeatedly turn it on and off. Note that commands are only sent out when you press the select button.

I did this and found that I was able to control one module without a problem, but couldn't get the other one to turn on and off. Oddly, the module that worked was on a different circuit, the one that didn't was on the same circuit. All this was done with the troublesome ballast unplugged, so that does not seem to be the cause. Any other idea?

[clp]

Have you tried swapping the modules around? Maybe the one module is just broken.

Curt

[Dag]

Here's what I did:

I took an ordinary light and attached it to the module that I was having problems with (or so I thought). It turned on and off just fine! so it's not the module, it's the fixture that's attached to the module. The fixture that I'm having problems with is an Icecap spotlight powered by a new 150W electronic ballast. Isn't that puzzling?

[Dag]

Curt,

When I recently changed the ballast on that lceCap pendent, I wired the ground coming from the lamp a bit differently. I attached it to the ballast box. I wonder if that could be causing "noise" affecting the x-10. If so, any suggestion about how to wire that ground wire coming from the lamp?

[clp]

If you can control devices correctly when this ballast is off, then it is probably the source of the problem. Install an X10 noise filter (our part #NF5) on this ballast. It is likely generating electrical noise that is inteferring with X10 communication.

Curt