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Author Topic: X10 startup system just ordered  (Read 2625 times)

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protokatie

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X10 startup system just ordered
« on: February 07, 2010, 03:14:40 am »
Well, I finally got off my butt and ordered an X10 system. It may only be a remote with 8 appliance modules, and I realize  that it is the oldest tech, but it seems to fit the bill.

Basically I am wondering what other people who have an X10 system setup have experienced, and what advice they may give. What upgrade paths are really worth it (IE is Insteon really that much better, when I only need maybe 6 controlled objects).

Also, X10 may solve my "turn on the Magic Jack screen" thing I have posted before, as I could use a motion sensor to give power to the screen when someone walks into the tardis phonebooth.


Any advise? experiences? etc?
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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2010, 06:02:24 am »

I thought X10 was that exercise regime that Chad was banging on about?


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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2010, 10:14:34 am »
Invest in a phase coupler.

http://www.smarthome.com/4816B2/SignaLinc-trade-Plug-In-Phase-Coupler/p.aspx

It'll drive you nuts when you find certain devices only work if the dryers running, or the electric stove is on. :)
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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2010, 03:35:16 pm »
I messed around with X10 a long time ago and found it to be flaky.  Hopefully it has gotten better.  I'm considering messing around with Zwave technology.  You can get an SDk so you can write your own software to do whatever you want. 

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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2010, 03:38:11 pm »
As per the setup here, this is a single phase apartment, the washer dryer are 120 volts, so I am not worried about the signals going to another 110v leg of a 2 or 3 phase electrical system.

On top of that, the entire apartment has only 4 circuits, I hope this will help the signal, rather than be an impedence to it.
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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2010, 05:40:38 pm »
My father in law gave me an X10.  I lived in a small apartment so I only used it to have the entryway light come on based on a couple different motion controllers because the light switch was not by the door (i.e. you had to walk through the dark to get to it).  Since the wireless receiver sounds like it has a Frogger knocker in it every time it is activated the unit inadvertently served to announce visitors and to let us know when the neighbors were going in and out.  At first it was annoying, but we grew to actually like it.  In most situations the loud clicking noise would serve no useful purpose and would remain annoying.

I had no use for the other stuff.  It was a small, single-level apartment.  I didn't need to have the ability to turn off lights remotely.  But it was useful for what I used it for.  I wouldn't have bought it, but I was glad to have it.
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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2010, 07:44:41 pm »
At my last house, I had a neighbour who did alarm and automation installs. He had lots of stuff in his own house automated with X10.

I automate a lot of stuff in my Halloween haunt with X10. It took a while for us to figure out that when I set off my electric chair, his garage door would open or close. He lived 5 houses away and I had lots of fun activating things in his house before I moved.
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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2010, 09:11:13 pm »
We had a neighbor at our previous house who installed an X10.  They were very happy with it.
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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2010, 09:57:35 pm »
Be sure to get a whole house surge suppressor. X10 devices are pretty notorious for being susceptible to lightning strikes and surges.

One surge and you can easily loose +every single+ x10 device in your house.

Whole house suppressors are pretty cheap, and any electrician can install one (you can do it yourself pretty easily too, but it does require poking around INSIDE your breaker panel, so if you aren't comfortable with that, I'd recommend let an electrician do it).

You also might need a "phase cross over module" if you have a house wired with 2 phases (most houses are, don't know about apts). Otherwise, the signal will only propagate one whatever phase the transceiver is on. Alternately, you can get 2 transceivers and make sure they're on different phase circuits.

And yeah, I hate the X10 website  :)

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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #9 on: February 07, 2010, 11:28:10 pm »
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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #10 on: February 08, 2010, 02:27:23 am »
With most things i do i like to build them from scratch cause it's fun and usually cheaper.

I'm currently building something like this for my home with some off the shelf parts.

I'm using thoese remote controlled power boards and hooking the rf remote to the pc with a ledwiz and then using some voice command software called tazti to do what i want like saying "Lamp Off" etc.

It's pretty cheap doing it this way compared to getting some X-10 stuff in australia and i still have surge protection on the things i remote control :)

Plus the things i keep reading up about the X-10 products in australia isn't encouraging altho it might be diff for the US but reading these comments it doesnt seem like it


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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #11 on: February 08, 2010, 08:13:31 am »
Quote
rf remote to the pc with a ledwiz and then using some voice command software called tazti to do what i want like saying "Lamp Off" etc.

 ;D Is there anything an LEDWiz can't do !

 :applaud:

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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #12 on: February 08, 2010, 08:53:44 am »
Since we're on the subject, I've got an RCA branded base module that has been collecting dust for years now.  I'll send it to anyone interested for the cost of shipping plus $3 for the trouble.

It's just like this one: http://www.amazon.com/RCA-Home-Control-Module-Transceiver/dp/B002K5FTPE

To the best of my knowledge it is compatible with all X10 products.  Please PM me as to not clutter up this thread.



As for the original intend of this thread...  I recall that when I had this thing set up, florescent light fixtures rendered the system useless.  If there was any florescent lights linked to the system that were currently lit the signals would not register.  CFLs weren't so mainstream at the time so I've never tested that and now that I don't have the remote I no longer can.
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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #13 on: February 08, 2010, 09:00:16 am »
I've never had a prob with florescent on the same circuit, BUT you can only use the relay modules to control fluorescent bulbs (using a dimmable module to control a fluorescent is just asking for a fire!)

That said, there are some dimmable florescent on the market now, but I have no idea whether they'd be dimmable with an x10.

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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #14 on: February 08, 2010, 10:19:37 am »
That said, there are some dimmable florescent on the market now, but I have no idea whether they'd be dimmable with an x10.

Don't see why not.  The X10 dims the same way a dimmer does - cuts the 60hz sine wave at the appropriate point, doesn't it?
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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #15 on: February 08, 2010, 10:25:47 am »
That said, there are some dimmable florescent on the market now, but I have no idea whether they'd be dimmable with an x10.

Don't see why not.  The X10 dims the same way a dimmer does - cuts the 60hz sine wave at the appropriate point, doesn't it?

I may be wrong about this, but from what I read it uses a TRIAC to do the job, so I am guessing that it simply controls supply voltage or limits current.

When I get my x10 kit Ill try it out and report back. Now that I have done more reading up, I am a bit more worried. I have 5 computers in the apartment that are mine, plus each of the two roomies have one each. I also have one of those lightning lamps (I figured that would have to go even before doing all this research). Wait and see, I guess. Prolly should have started with insteon or Zwave.
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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #16 on: February 08, 2010, 01:47:03 pm »
Yup.  The triac is used to turn the power on at a very precise point after zero crossing.  You want 50% brightness?  Turn the power on 50% thru the AC cycle.

http://pcbheaven.com/wikipages/Dimmer_Theory/
« Last Edit: February 08, 2010, 01:48:41 pm by Ed_McCarron »
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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #17 on: February 13, 2010, 07:49:45 am »
Quote
rf remote to the pc with a ledwiz and then using some voice command software called tazti to do what i want like saying "Lamp Off" etc.

 ;D Is there anything an LEDWiz can't do !

 :applaud:

Not really hell a ledwiz would be perfect for making that barmonkey shown years ago on here.

But honestly what would you guys use these x10/ledwiz built things for in your home?

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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #18 on: February 13, 2010, 05:17:45 pm »
Well I got my system a few days ago, and it turns out I will need a repeater to get the x10 signals on the second leg of the 2 phase system (I could have sworn this apartment was only single phase, but apparently I was wrong). So I can only have x10 control of half the plugs in the apartment right now.

As per what I am going to use it for, well I have a whole bunch of different lights (some currently hooked to timers) and I would like to have my own custom setup for switches and lights.
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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #19 on: February 13, 2010, 05:58:26 pm »
Get the remote.  Its the best thing ever.  I can sit on the couch with my tv remote and turn lights on and off.

Yup.  I am that lazy.
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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #20 on: February 14, 2010, 07:10:06 am »
I'm using my voice so i don't have to use a remote lol

My pc is on 24x7 so i can just say what i want and it's done.

Im setting mine up to only control the lower level of my town house

I'm using it to turn my lamp, tv, dvd for now and will use an IR sender to send commands for things like change the channel etc.

I am looking at a rf controlled module aswell for the downlights so i can hook that up and say something like "Movie Time" which will set the tv to VGA input and loadup my html htpc interface i made and turn the lights off/dimm and maybe turn on 5.1 system if i bother with one.

I'm also mounting my tv to the wall and having an actuator behind it with a canvas over the tv so when the tv isn't in use i have a nice piece of art and when it's in use it slides up above the tv :) i can easily attach this to the power board aswell so it will show the tv automatically when i say "tv on" etc.

Otherwise i myself don't have any other use for the system im making to be honest. Im doing this more as a concept that i can do these cool things with such a small budget :)

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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #21 on: February 14, 2010, 09:35:35 am »
Voice only works if the area is rather quiet. I need button control. Buttons listen when others have been rendered deaf. Besides, I watch a lot of ST:V and ST:TNG, I dont want that interfering with my lights and/or warp core.
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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #22 on: February 14, 2010, 10:41:16 am »
Yeah.  Nothing worse than Picard issuing the self destruct order and the next thing you know it your apartment blows up.
But wasn't it fun to think you won the lottery, just for a second there???

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Re: X10 startup system just ordered
« Reply #23 on: February 14, 2010, 05:18:46 pm »
I am currently going through the star trek series myself and i haven't had any issues with placing commands so far and the voice control software im using is set to your voice so it really doesn't listen to anyone else saying the same commands which is handy but also a downside but in my situation not really for me.

I could always have a remote handy and use that with the computer aswell or i could get one of them remotes with the mic and use that.

I don't watch tv or will have tv hooked up to my tv at all (haven't watched it in 5 years now) but i do watch alot of tv shows i have on the pc and on the net so thats really the main reason i got a hdtv and for my video game systems.

Will have to see how my homemade system goes.

I would like to see a video of the X10 setup in one of your guys apartment to see how well it works :)