Home Automation - X10 Powers-On LV Lights Spontaneously
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airman210
03-03-04, 06:44 AM
I recently installed low-voltage downlights (WAC brand; models MT-316 & HR-802) controlled by X10 wall switches (model WS12A). The lights turn-on at random by themselves, and sometimes when an X10 switch in another room is pressed. I changed the housecode on a few of the X10s (to prevent neighbors from possibly controling them), but no luck; the problem persists.
Some other facts: the lights stay on--they don't turn off or dim by themselves, but can be turned off or dimmed manually. The transformers in the lights are electronic, i.e. they operate at 20kHz@12 volts. The electronic WAC fixtures are advertised as dimable with standard solid-state dimmers, such as X10. The load doesn't seem to matter--one of the lights is a single 50W fixture, while another circuit has 485 watts on it; they both come on independently at odd times, and these two are on different house codes and different unit codes, e.g. A1 & D3.
What's up with this???
Some other facts: the lights stay on--they don't turn off or dim by themselves, but can be turned off or dimmed manually. The transformers in the lights are electronic, i.e. they operate at 20kHz@12 volts. The electronic WAC fixtures are advertised as dimable with standard solid-state dimmers, such as X10. The load doesn't seem to matter--one of the lights is a single 50W fixture, while another circuit has 485 watts on it; they both come on independently at odd times, and these two are on different house codes and different unit codes, e.g. A1 & D3.
What's up with this???
SafeWatch
03-07-04, 10:41 PM
Take a look at some of the other recent posts regarding X-10. It's not unusual for X-10 to act up like that. It could be any of a hundred things causing problems.
Good luck!
Good luck!
jrx10
03-19-04, 06:37 AM
while these electronic transformers for your LV lights may work with a regular dimmer, it is my understanding that x10 2 wire dimmer switches (without a neutral--white wire--connection) "bleed" power through the lamp filament in order to "listen" for the x10 signal. I'm guessing the electronic transformer is producing noise through the switch. <p> switchlinc or toggle lincs (available at smarthome) makes a dimmer that is supposed to work with low-voltage electronic transformers and it has a neutral connection (to hopefully bypass the electronic transformer noise--you must have a neutral connection in the switch-box. this will probably solve your problem and still maintain the LV dimming function. (I think leviton also makes a dimmable switch that works with magnetic transformers). a relay-switch (appliance switch) will probably also take care of the problem, but these don't have the dim feature. here's a link to the switch-linc with the neutral wire. smarthome switchlink