I have an Insteon USB PLM (71.1c.1 v9E). It seems not to recognize X10 off commands. I think this is a recent issue since adding some new Insteon switches. I have a program set to run from an X10 off received and this program never runs, and X10 off commands very rarely show up in the log. X10 on commands get responded and recorded in the log 100%.

I have 3 different x10 transmitters: 1 an in-wall pad, 2. an X10 wifi module 3. an old X10 desktop controller. All behave the same: on command received; off command not seen by PLM but it is seen by the X10 devices and by the X10 wifi module.

IOW press A1-off on in-wall or desktop, X10 lights turn off, X10 wifi shows X10-off received, but PLM sees nothing.

Note that the area I'm trying to control has both X10 and Insteon devices, and I want the X10 keypad to turn on both the X10 and Insteon, so I wrote a simple program which works to turn all both sets of lights on, but only the X10 devices respond to the X10 off command.

Any ideas would be appreciated. (i've already thought of replacing all the X10 devices with Insteon, but this would be expensive and a lot of work)

Sounds to me like the PLM signals are strong enough to make it out. The X10 device's signal is not strong enough to make it back to the PLM.

The keypad is x10 rf, correct? If so, it has a plug in receiver. Plug that in to an outlet closer to the PLM and retest

1 minute ago, paulbates said:

Sounds to me like the PLM signals are strong enough to make it out. The X10 device's signal is not strong enough to make it back to the PLM.

The keypad is x10 rf, correct? If so, it has a plug in receiver. Plug that in to an outlet closer to the PLM and retest

No all the X10 are plugged in. The PLM receives the ON command from all sources, but ignores the OFF command from all sources. i.e. the X10 keypad is a wall mounted keypad connected to power line. Press ON on the keypad, PLM sees it. Press OFF on the SAME keypad PLM ignores it. That happens with the X10 wifi interface too, etc.

If the X10 wifi interface is also not seeing the off commands, then it's a problem with the keypad. Tried it with an ordinary X10 module, plugged in close to the keypad?

54 minutes ago, Guy Lavoie said:

If the X10 wifi interface is also not seeing the off commands, then it's a problem with the keypad. Tried it with an ordinary X10 module, plugged in close to the keypad?

The X10 wifi sees the command.

FWIW, I have the EISY set with a "scene" called "basement" which has some new Insteon switches I added to the basement. All the other basement switches are X10. When I press "on" on the x10 keypad, I have a EISY program which turns "Basement" on. If I go in and turn "Basement" off with the EISY console, the event log then shows when I press X10 off. But it seems lost when the Basement scene is on.

But does the event viewer in admin console show reception of the On commnd? The Off command?

Just now, Guy Lavoie said:

But does the event viewer in admin console show reception of the On commnd? The Off command?

OK, more info. I disabled all the EISY programs. I've narrowed this down to a single switch in the scene. If that switch is on, the PLM doesn't see X10 commands. If I turn that switch off from the console, the PLM sees all the commands. !?!? What could that switch be doing? I'll try to reset the switch and report back.

8 minutes ago, scholarwarrior said:

If that switch is on, the PLM doesn't see X10 commands.

But you're one step too far. Before we can say that the eisy isn't "seeing" the Off command, we need to see what the event viewer says. If it does receive the command, but doesn't produce the result you expect, then it's something else, like a program logic issue, or something else down the line.

Now that one switch is an X10 switch? What does control? Incandescent bulbs, LED bulbs? Could the switch or whatever it's controlling be causing line noise? If it's easy enough, try removing the bulb or whatever but leave the switch itself on, and test again.

The one switch is an Insteon 2477D. Resetting the switch made no difference. That switch controls LED recessed modules, but there is one LED module on that switch that I don't have anywhere else in the home. I'll try disconnecting that module.

[edit] To answer the other questions: when that switch is on, the viewer doesn't show X10 commands (either on or off).

Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by scholarwarrior

Ok, when I disconnect that LED module everything works. the PLM gets all the X10 commands.

The light in question is one of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D7Q1Z2RJ

Any ideas on how to stop the interference? Also why is the interference affecting the PLM, but not the X10 lights or wifi controller?

[edit] the same circuit has several other LED light modules and those being on do not cause any interference.

Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by scholarwarrior

Well all line powered LED lighting devices have a ballast of some sort, to bring down the voltage to the few volts that LEDs need. This one just happens to be creating noise that X10 doesn't like. That's not rare. The easiest solution is to replace it with one that works ok, if it's not too expensive and/or troublesome to do so. Otherwise you'd need to get some sort of X10 line filter between the switch and the light.

For your second question: Different devices have different sensitivities, and can also depend on how physically or electrically close (eg: same circuit breaker) they are to the device producing noise, or absorbing X10 signals. This problem has been the main issue with X10, and much of the reason for newer protocols and communications standards. Still, X10 is still around 49 years following it's introduction. It's had a long life!

Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by Guy Lavoie

Last on this: I had happened to have one of these lying around: https://www.x10.com/products/xpnr?_pos=4&_sid=41e7767a8&_ss=r I plugged it in-line with the fixture. Problem gone.

8 minutes ago, scholarwarrior said:

Last on this: I had happened to have one of these lying around: https://www.x10.com/products/xpnr?_pos=4&_sid=41e7767a8&_ss=r I plugged it in-line with the fixture. Problem gone.

Living with X10 requires you to be ready for things like that. Good going.

On but no off can be the load is making noise when on and masking the off command. The XPNR is probably reducing or removing the noise sending the off command is then received.

Edited 2 hours ago2 hr by Brian H