X10 Plugin modules

[drmacro]

Hi, I have some old (original x10) wall modules. Some relay, some dimmers.

Using them with a ISY994iZW and a Insteon 2413S.

They don't seem to work. The relays modules chatter when I send an off, but, do nothing with an on signal.

The dimmer modules do nothing at all. I've tried on different circuits throughout the house.

I also have some newer (but still decades old) X10 in wall dimmers that work fine.

Any ideas?

[Mustang65]

5 minutes ago, drmacro said:

Hi, I have some old (original x10) wall modules. Some relay, some dimmers.

Using them with a ISY994iZW and a Insteon 2413S.

They don't seem to work. The relays modules chatter when I send an off, but, do nothing with an on signal.

The dimmer modules do nothing at all. I've tried on different circuits throughout the house.

I also have some newer (but still decades old) X10 in wall dimmers that work fine.

Any ideas?

Are you using LED or CFL bulbs? I found only the new modules allowed for CFL bulbs, never tried a LED bulb

[paulbates]

The chatter on X10 relay based modules means that they are toast. Supersockets do the same thing.. you get X number of on/offs out of them and then some physical part wears out. If the load is bigger, it happens sooner. I used SSs for yard light transformers and got maybe 5 years out of them before the chatter started and they stopped functioning and had to be replaced. If load is smaller they seem to last longer. Its one of the few physical / electronic malfunction problems I had with X10.

Paul

[oberkc]

This sounds to me as either a comm failure or a device failure.  If you have tried different locations, and determined that other x10 devices work fine, I would tend to think device failure, or load on device.  Do you have a phase coupler?  What other electronics are on the circuit in which the PLM is plugged?

[Brian H]

The relay modules have a sensing circuit in it. To determine if it is On or Off. If a change is not sensed. Many try a few times. Causing the ratchet to sound like a small machine gun until it gives up.

I would think it maybe the ratchet switch is no changing or the load is making a electrical noise and fooling the sensor.

For the wall switch dimmers. They are made for incandescent loads only. As they steal power through the bulb. If you are using CFL or dimmable LED bulbs. It may not work as expected.

Since new ones do work. I suspect the problem ones maybe bad.