Ghost X10 signals

[rehbergr]

I am getting ghost X10 signals every minute and they are always for unit B9. The only trasmiter I have is the one hal uses. I took a piece of the log and pasted it below, basically I get this every minute pretty much exactly and it has been there for quite some time.

Does any one have any suggestions where this may be coming from specially since it is not random? If it comes from outside of my house is there a device for blocking the signals from entering the house?

09/13/03 10:14 AM Advanced X10 B Bright(0) Received
09/13/03 10:14 AM Advanced X10 B 9 Received
09/13/03 10:14 AM Advanced X10 B Bright(0) Received
09/13/03 10:14 AM Advanced X10 B 9 Received
09/13/03 10:14 AM Advanced X10 B Bright(0) Received
09/13/03 10:14 AM Advanced X10 B 9 Received
09/13/03 10:14 AM Advanced X10 B Bright(0) Received
09/13/03 10:14 AM Advanced X10 B 9 Received
09/13/03 10:14 AM Advanced X10 B Bright(0) Received
09/13/03 10:14 AM Advanced X10 B 9 Received
09/13/03 10:14 AM Advanced X10 B Bright(0) Received

[esommer]

If The Light Is By A Window Or Outside, Someone My Be Controlling It. Check Out This Article: http://www.asihome.com/Projects/QA040403.htm. If That Is Not The Case, Have You Tried Restarting HAL?

P.S. Accoriding To The Log You Posted There Was A X-10 Singal Sent 12 Times In One Minute. :lol:

[rehbergr]

There are actually 12 X10 codes sent in 4 seconds. Hal receives 4 then 2 seconds later there are 4 more and again 2 seconds later there are 4 more. Then exactly 60 seconds later it starts again.

I don't even have any devices on house code B or unit 9 for that matter. Hal has been restarted many times since I noticed this.

[ToddG]

Have you considered actually assigning a lamp module to that House/unit code, then stopping HAL to see if the light is actually affected when HAL is not running Vs. when HAL is running? Aside from transmitters which you said you don't have (includes motion detectors, key chain controllers, palmpads, stick-a-switch), do you have any wireless receivers (TM751, Robodog, X10-security devices)? Since the problem recurs at regular intervals is sounds like perhaps powerline noise generated by something is being interpreted by your CM11A or other X10-interface as a command.

[ToddG]

Does your home have an inercom system that transmits over the powerline? In addition, I have read that some baby monitors can generate noise that is close to an X-10 signal.

Defective X-10 modules can crete bogus signals. Do you have a spare CM11A you could swap w/the one you are using to see if that stops the problem? Are you using any two way modules? A defective one could be generating the bogus signals.

Disconnect all your x-10 modules. If after doing so, the problem stops, reconnect them 1 at a time until the problem starts again. When it does, you have probably isolated a faulty module. I once had 1 defective (1 way) wall switch module stop all successful X-10 signals in my home. Using the above method I was able to find it and replace it.

[JimMcGowanInlet]

The signal style makes me think it may be a thermostat. Do you have any X10 thermostats?

I also remember a post a while back about other X10 users sending out repetitive house codes to jam systems. But I think that user was getting A01 on/off constantly.

[Greg from HAL Support]

Also do you have any 2 way X10 switches or modules? TW523/PSC05?

Perhaps something like this could be causing a problem.

Tech Support
Greg

[rehbergr]

Nope, no thermostats, no 2 way switches etc... Other than the lamp modules that came from hal I only have one other switch and that is a leviton 6343 dimmer switch. What puzzles me is the perfect interval.

I have an X10 pro phase coupler that blocks but I didn't install it since I bought a repeater/amplifier/coupler from leviton. I thought the device from leviton would make the system more reliable. What happens if I install two coupling devices, will all the signals be send multiple times?

I was hoping to use IR to X10 to use my remote to advance the DMC to the next track. But with these couplers/repeaters in place I am not sure what the impact will be, will hal see the X10 signal several times?

[ToddG]

Did you try disconnecting and reconnecting the lamp modules and dimmer switch as I suggested in previous post? On page 22 of his book, 'Troubleshooting Home Automation', Jeff Fisher suggests that a defective controller or module can transmit repeating signals accross your powerline.

[rehbergr]

I tried removing the lamp module which didn't solve the problem. I have yet to remove the switch, I will probably just turn off the breaker to test that one.

[rehbergr]

It has to be coming from outside my house, I disconnected everything and hall still gets the B9 codes every minute. Just for the fun of it I unplugged the power line interface from the outlet just to make sure hal wasn't going crazy and the ghost signals stopped. So either it is coming from outside of my house or I have some other device in my house (thats not an X10 device) that can create these signals perfectly every minute.

[AutomatedOutlet]

It almost sounds like a noise problem. Have you tried putting a filter on some of your larger appliances?

[JimMcGowanInlet]

If you think its inside your house you can continue with the breaker test. Keep turning off breakers until the problem goes away. If it doesnt go away then its outside your house and you need a blocker.

[AutomatedOutlet]

Good idea!

[ToddG]

Could it be your CM11A (or equ.) is defective? Do you have another one you can swap it out with to see if the problem continues? IMO The USB interface that Smrthome sells seems to be more reliable than the CM11A.

[rehbergr]

When I find the time I will do some testing breaker by breaker. As for the CM11A I do have plans to replace it with a USB capable equivalent.