Puzzling X10 behavior

[DC]

I have a device (N6) that for some unexplained reason turns on every night at 8:00:01. Actually, I don't think the device turns on but HS shows it is on. Below are the log entries for this time period:

09/27/04 08:00:00 PM~!~Event Trigger~!~Condition Trigger (Fill Fountain) N7 On (Landscape Zone 21 - Fountain Fill)
09/27/04 08:00:01 PM~!~X10 Received~!~ N On

Questions:

1. Does the second entry indicate that HS RECEIVED an "N ON" command from an external source (as opposed to SENDING the X10 command)?

2. Could this be what turns N6 on? If so, why does N6 turn on when it's not an "N6 ON" command?

[Rupp]

DC,
I see this from time to time but it's generally not a problem. I believe it stems form noise on the power line left over from the previous command on that house code. It is from an external source as indicated by X10 received. I believe it needs to have an All Units included to be a valid command like N All Lights On. As far as number 2 goes I have no clue. Hopefully Rick or someone who understands the X10 protocol can comment.

[Rick Tinker]

X-10 allows you to group units together and issue a single command to them so that the huge time frame needed to operate several devices is reduced. This is the group option that HS provides on the device actions in events. How this works is that in a letter code, you can address multiple units before sending the command. Thus, A-1, A-3, A-5, A-10, A-ON would result in units 1, 3, 5, and 10 turning on.

What appears to be happening is that through the miracle of X-10, the addressing of the N7 unit is appearing in a weak form as an N6 in parts of the house. Thus, the N6 unit is addressed. The unit stays addressed until a command is received. Now, when the noise or whatever the cause is of the N On is heard over the powerline, the unit turns on. The noise could even be the result of a coupler/repeater re-generating a command or a signal that it did not hear clearly.

Nonetheless, there are a couple of things you can do to try to mitigate this until such time that you switch to something that does not have these issues like Z-Wave. What you can do is to either change the address on the N6 device, or in that same event that turns on N7, have it also issue an X-10 command "N Off". Since there is no means by which to do this without using a script in HomeSeer, the easiest way is to create a device in the "N" letter code that does not physically exist, and turn it off after you turn on N7. For example, if you do not have an N16 device, create one in HomeSeer, and then in your event action turn N7 On and then turn the N16 device Off. (Make sure the grouping option is not turned on!) That subsequent off command should clear the addressing of the modules in the N letter code.

It is a workaround, but I have had to do it before because of a pseudo-issue with Leviton switches and their extended data commands not clearing the addressing of modules.

[DC]

Rick, I would consider switching this to Z-Wave but this is a Rain8 sprinkler controller. N6 and N7 are two zones in the same controller. Only N7 is actually turned on but HS thinks N6 is on also. I guess it's my TI-103 that is incorrectly interpreting something as "N6 ON".

[Rick Tinker]

I was just teasing about the Z-Wave thing because of your X-10 problem.

The TI103 is one of the fastest and strongest interfaces out there, but it can be over-sensitive at times. If one of the workarounds does not correct the situation, you may wish to contact ACT to see if they have a solution for the over-sensitivity of the interface.