It is taking HAL at least 5 seconds to dim a light.

Cause:

The device was configured to brighten the light fully to turn on or dim. If you tell HAL to dim a light and it was configured to use the brighten the light fully to turn on or dim method, then HAL will send multiple "bright" signals to the light to make sure that the light is at 100% luminance. Once it's sure that the light is at 100%, then it will dim the light to the level specified. Because it takes time for the multiple "bright" commands and the actual dim command to be sent, there will be a noticeable delay before the action is completed.

Solution:

Select the turn the light off before dimming method for dimming lights instead of the brighten the light fully to turn on or dim method. The turn the light off before dimming method is significantly faster because it only sends three commands. The first command shuts the light off. The next command turns the light on to 100% and the last command dims the light to the requested level. Why isn't there a method to turn the light on to 100% and then dim the light, therefore taking only two steps? Because one constraint of the X-10 system is that if a light is already dimmed, then telling it to turn on has no effect – the light stays at the current dim level. Go to the Automating Your Home section of the Online Help Guide or Operating Manual for more information on specifying dim control of lights.