X-10 lost newbie (round 2).

[Laldaas]

Ok I have returned again. Maybe you remember me from this long long thread http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=110964

Life has finally has calmed down now! (I hope)

Any who I am confident I now can start with HA and excited about it!

I have decided to leave vr for some day in the future and I am looking to just get started with the basics. Last time I attempted to get this going I bit off more then I could chew.

So to begin I now have a stand alone pc for homeseer which I will be setting up in our landry room.

I have read many posts of users refering to this as the server. Is there any preperations to this pc I should make?

It is a amd atholon 1800xp processor with 756mb ram 60 gig harddrive.

I am going to wipe it clean with a fresh installation of windows xp , and will only load mircrosoft office and HS.

$$$ is still a slight issue so I am looking at ebay and looking primarily at x10, well it is the cheapest to start with.

I currently have <TABLE class=whitearea cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="90%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=mainbodynopad width=200>HomeSeer v2.0 Z-Wave Starter Kit</TD></TR><TR><TD class=mainbody12nopadRed width=200>BD-HS-Z-1 (software & hardware)</TD></TR><TR><TD class=mainbodynopad vAlign=top width=200 height=70>HomeSeer v2.0 software, Z-Wave usb interface, handheld remote control and 3 Intermatic lamp module. 120v/60hz




</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
so my question is where would I start and with what. so far I have enjoyed the zwave with the limited experiance I have had, however it is a little expensive to spread through out the house at the moment.

I have spent some time looking over alot of the x10 products yet lost because it seems there is so much to choose from.


Current Wish list:

pantry and lyndry room ar both pull chain light bulbs annoying and often left on unessarily. I would like to set up motion senors that turn lights on when entering and turn off in 10 min. when not occupied.

I would eventually like to get every light switch on outlet working with HS but this is a step in the right direction for know.

I just keep reminding my self baby steps.

Thanks for you time.

Laldaas

[Rupp]

One of the inexpensive ways to automate pull chain lights is to use the screw in lamp modules like these:
http://www.x10.com/automation/lm15a_s.html
They can be had on eBay cheaper but one warning, these do tend to burn out if the light bulb goes out.

These are a much higher quality device and will work with your current Z-Wave devices.
http://store.homeseer.com/store/Z-Wa...ngs-P1C62.aspx

The beauty is you can use your Z-Wave stuff , with X10 stuff as well.

PS Welcome back to the family

[Rotech]

Well my friend welcome to this world of A. I just started this year, but before getting in to HS I was using X10, after one week Its was obvious I had to change to another type of technology X was unreliable in my home, thanks god that I didn't spend alot. Then I switched to zwave (started with two module and wall switch) rigth off the bat reliability went to 100&#37;. I not saying x10 is worthless, but I would combine x10 with zwave (motion sensors,RF switches any x10 rf devices) and like you said "baby steps is very important.....

[michelrochette]

Very good.
I have 15 years experience with X10. I am search then next step for my new home. I have 2 choices, Insteon or ZWave.

Is your recommendation is Zware ?

If yes, i have CM11A. I don't change.

You tell me she module interface with my home automation server ?

Thanks

[Rupp]

Very good.
I have 15 years experience with X10. I am search then next step for my new home. I have 2 choices, Insteon or ZWave.

Is your recommendation is Zware ?

If yes, i have CM11A. I don't change.

You tell me she module interface with my home automation server ?

Thanks

Z-Wave is very good and takes the powerlines out of the equation but you will need a new Z-Wave interface and I recommend the Z-Troller available here:
http://store.homeseer.com/store/PC-Interfaces-C66.aspx

There are also starter kits available here:
http://store.homeseer.com/store/KitsCombos-C120.aspx

[TeleFragger]

Current Wish list:

pantry and lyndry room ar both pull chain light bulbs annoying and often left on unessarily. I would like to set up motion senors that turn lights on when entering and turn off in 10 min. when not occupied.

Laldaas

First thing you will find out you will need and this plays true with everyone here... you will need an antennea.... even for your motion detectors...
I have this one..
http://www.smarthome.com/4832.html

now rfxconn, i think that is who makes it.... also makes an antennea... it costs more but maybe worth going to depending on your needs in the future...

now with an antennea you will need the acrf2 plugin ($30)
so for the antennea and plugin you are at roughly an extra $110 but WELL WORTH IT!!! I too am using x10 and had problems with some of it.. the antennea fixed alot of it as the range is perfect...

you can also go a different route.... if no one will ever be in those rooms with the door closed..
now you could put a ds10a (door window sensor) on the door for when it is opened a event gets tripped telling HS to turn the light on.. then when closed turn light off...

now if you may have the door closed when someone is in it then the simple motion sensor works good... although there is a delema though....
I believe the x10 motion sensors only check every 10 seconds.. so you may open the pantry and the light may not come on immediately...

so what i have done (example is garage)
open door and door sensor says to HS to turn light on.. you go in the garage and as long as there is motion the light stays on... after 8 minutes (i think) of no motion the lights shut off...

this has been working for me 100% yes... 100% I have x10 working 100% for my garage and most of my house. I still have 2 outlets that are being picky but I havent spent the time yet to figure out why...



now you say you dove in hard before and had to get away...
well if I had to sum up all of my problems and what fixed them... if I had to setup a new x10 setup in a different house...
this is the first things needed...

x10 coupler repeater.... I paid $50 but they were $100 and now even cheaper
http://cgi.ebay.com/X10-PRO-Coupler-...QQcmdZViewItem

I dont know how well these work...
SignaLinc Plug-in Phase Coupler Repeater X10 4826A
http://cgi.ebay.com/SignaLinc-Plug-i...QQcmdZViewItem


but I can tell you once I got that to bridge the electrical panel most of my issues went away.. then I had the range issues with my motion sensors... well the antennea was a easy fix.... I have a well better range on them now...

the ds10a are a security device type so you have to have the acrf2 plugin to configure them....

my crawl space uses just a ds10a (door sensor) so when the door is opened or closed the light is turned on or off...no worry about motion....

well if you run into any issues post them up...

[Rupp]

First thing you will find out you will need and this plays true with everyone here... you will need an antennea.... even for your motion detectors...
I have this one..
http://www.smarthome.com/4832.html

Don't forget that there are still the very affordiable TM751's and RR501's that pickup motion sensors and put them on the power line. The drawback to these are they are really slow.

now you say you dove in hard before and had to get away...
well if I had to sum up all of my problems and what fixed them... if I had to setup a new x10 setup in a different house...
this is the first things needed...

x10 coupler repeater.... I paid $50 but they were $100 and now even cheaper
http://cgi.ebay.com/X10-PRO-Coupler-...QQcmdZViewItem

A coupler/repeater is a must for X10.

I dont know how well these work...
SignaLinc Plug-in Phase Coupler Repeater X10 4826A
http://cgi.ebay.com/SignaLinc-Plug-i...QQcmdZViewItem
These are for Insteon and will not work well with X10.

but I can tell you once I got that to bridge the electrical panel most of my issues went away.. then I had the range issues with my motion sensors... well the antennea was a easy fix.... I have a well better range on them now...

the ds10a are a security device type so you have to have the acrf2 plugin to configure them....

my crawl space uses just a ds10a (door sensor) so when the door is opened or closed the light is turned on or off...no worry about motion....

well if you run into any issues post them up...

.....

[TeleFragger]

.....

huh????

duhh you put yours in bold....

[TeleFragger]

.....

very affordiable TM751's and RR501's that pickup motion sensors

Yes but I tried them and they are a pain in the butt... I gave them away and the guy is using them as appliance modules....

These are for Insteon and will not work well with X10

Didnt know that... why does it say it is for x10?

Amplifies X10 signals for greatly improved performance

I actually have one of the old signalinc dryer one.. has like a 6' 240v cord.... and is not a repeater.. just a phase coupler.....
I looked at these and thought of using one.. but changed my mind...

[Laldaas]

Ok, well it has taken me some time to return to this Thread. lol

Any way I have picked up a few things many of which were unrelated to this post however to continue with this thread and wishing to takle the pantry and lyndry room light project.

I have picked up a few DS10A (door window sensor) and a few Socket Rockets LM15A.

I consider Z-wave as mentioned by Rupp and well it is the route I wish to go but I would just like to keep it as cheap as possible for now as I learn.

So being a holiday weekend and I finshed staining the deck I thought I would get some QT with HS.

So I sit down look over my ever growing box of HA stuff and attemp to handle these two projects on my own. well I hit a brick wall.

This is nothing new for me.

So I go to add devices and notice the is nothing in the drop down for DS10A's.

How do I add these to the system.

I orginally was under the impression I could use TM751's in conjunction with the DS10A. to trigger the socket rocket. Was I mistaken?

Is the only route to pick up the W800 and the acrf plugin?

It is in the game plan to pick these up but I was hoping it could wait a little while.

Just talked my wife into dropping 500$ this weekend on low voltage lighting to spice up the deck for the season. unbelivable how much that stuff goes for!

All Iteams are reasonably priced but once you start adding it up whoa!

[Wadenut]

So I go to add devices and notice the is nothing in the drop down for DS10A's.

How do I add these to the system.

...

Is the only route to pick up the W800 and the acrf plugin?

It is in the game plan to pick these up but I was hoping it could wait a little while.

Yes, the only way you'll add the DS10's is with ACRF2. Seems to me you're taking some big baby steps.

[fran_joel]

Ok, well it has taken me some time to return to this Thread. lol

Any way I have picked up a few things many of which were unrelated to this post however to continue with this thread and wishing to takle the pantry and lyndry room light project.

I have picked up a few DS10A (door window sensor) and a few Socket Rockets LM15A.

I consider Z-wave as mentioned by Rupp and well it is the route I wish to go but I would just like to keep it as cheap as possible for now as I learn.

So being a holiday weekend and I finshed staining the deck I thought I would get some QT with HS.

So I sit down look over my ever growing box of HA stuff and attemp to handle these two projects on my own. well I hit a brick wall.

This is nothing new for me.

So I go to add devices and notice the is nothing in the drop down for DS10A's.

How do I add these to the system.

I orginally was under the impression I could use TM751's in conjunction with the DS10A. to trigger the socket rocket. Was I mistaken?

Is the only route to pick up the W800 and the acrf plugin?

It is in the game plan to pick these up but I was hoping it could wait a little while.

Just talked my wife into dropping 500$ this weekend on low voltage lighting to spice up the deck for the season. unbelivable how much that stuff goes for!

All Iteams are reasonably priced but once you start adding it up whoa!

Like Telefragger said, the only reliable way to incorporate RF into your setup is to buy a high quality RF receiver. The cheap X-10 stuff (MR-26A, RR501 or TM751 or the likes) just won't do...

WGL makes the W800RF32 and RFXCOM makes the RFXCOM 310Mhz receiver.

http://www.rfxcom.com/receivers.htm

Both are good products that receive regular US and Canada X10 RF and X10 security RF signals (DS10A for example) and feed them to Homeseer. Then you need a plugin to actually do something with these signals and the ACRF2 plugin is simply the best for that.

If you want to go a step further, you can look at the RFX dual receiver (310 and 432 Mhz). This one has the advantage of picking the signals from a wide variety of 432 Mhz wireless sensors on top of the X10 310 Mhz sensors, such as the Oregon Scientific wireless sensors (temperature, humidity, weather station, etc.)

Agreed that this is a giant step, but once taken there is no looking back

[TeleFragger]

If you want to go a step further, you can look at the RFX dual receiver (310 and 432 Mhz). This one has the advantage of picking the signals from a wide variety of 432 Mhz wireless sensors on top of the X10 310 Mhz sensors, such as the Oregon Scientific wireless sensors (temperature, humidity, weather station, etc.)

Agreed that this is a giant step, but once taken there is no looking back

exactly... since I posted I have bought the rfxcom 433 antennea.. and wished I never bought the w800 antennea.... instead went the route you have listed above..... yes I have the w800 (310) and rfxcom (433) and they work great!!!!!! but should have gone with both from rfxcom....


anyhow... yes a quality antennea is what you need.... with that you can do motion without any plugin, however for the ds10a's you do need the acrf2 plugin....

~Jeff

[jackpod]

I am having excellent results with the W800 and the stock antenna. I have 3 w800 and get great coverage over my 2.5 acre lot

[TeleFragger]

I am having excellent results with the W800 and the stock antenna. I have 3 w800 and get great coverage over my 2.5 acre lot

im not knocking them....

I am merely saying that since I required a 433 antennea too.. it would have been a bit cheaper to go with rfxcom.... my w800 is 100%.....