X10 home automation - Anyone use it?

[Mark42]

X10 automation sounds good to me. I have a few places where it could be put to good use controlling outdoor lights, adding switch control to an outlet that doesn't have it, etc.

If you don't know what x10 control for home is, check out this link: http://www.x10.com/activehomepro/activehome-pro.html I know the web page is kind of cheezy, but there are lots of different suppliers of these products, so I think the technology is legit.

Before buying and testing these controls, thought I'd ask if anyone here uses them and what your experiences are .

Thanks,

Mark.

 

[jsfinn]

Re: X10 home automation - Anyone use it?

Yep - I use it for lighting control. I have a security system that has it integrated. It's nice - when the alarm is ON and I open a door to come in, it turns on lights for me so it's easy to get to the panel to turn the alarm off. Also, when arming the alarm, it turns the lights on so I can easily get out of the door. Of course the lights automatically turn back off after a set amount of time.

Also, if the alarm were to go off, the lights flash which is nice because it draws attention to the house from outside.

I also have a X10 controller connected to my garage door opener so I can open and close it with a key chain remote or even over the phone.

Every once in a while something quirky will happen with one of the modules but unplugging it and plugging it back in always has fixed it.

X10 works by sending signals over the electric lines in your walls - so interference can stop something from working. They make filters to eliminate the interference but I can't tell you how hard it was to troubleshoot the garage door opener module only worked sometimes - it turns out that it would only work when the compressor on the kitchen refrigerator was NOT running. A filter fixed this.

Start off small - you can grow it easily. I think you'll end up liking it. There is a lot you can do if you get creative.

 

[Mark42]

Re: X10 home automation - Anyone use it?

I would like to add a motion sensor at the end of the driveway to turn on the outdoor lights at night. I see that is an option. It will need a x10 wall switch and transmitter plus the motion detector.

Do you know what happens when there are conflicting codes? For instance if the outside lights are on via the x10 wall switch, then a car pulls in the driveway, it will send an "all lights on" command even thought the lights are already on. After 10 minutes or so, it will send an "all lights off" command. Will that turn the lights off even thought the x10 wall switch had the lights on?

I'm not able to get this level of info from the websites.

 

[The_Kid]

Re: X10 home automation - Anyone use it?

I've got a couple of their cameras hooked up. Now if I could just remember where I put the remotes that switch between units and pan the cameras.

One of my friends has his whole house wired with X-10. It all connects up to an older Mac computer that runs various scripts depending on the time of the day. At night if he gets out of bed the lights will come on just enough to see where you are going anywhere in the house, and turn them back off as you go from one room to another. He also monitors the front door with a camera that will announce over speakers "motion on front sidewalk".

If for some reason he's not home by a certain time at night (no motion detected in the house) it will turn on some lights to make it look like someone is home.

A lot of the X-10 equipment was in the house when he bought it, he just took it to another level.

 

[jsfinn]

Re: X10 home automation - Anyone use it?

Sorry Mark - I'm not sure what would happen.

I don't have any of the wall switches - take a look at them before you buy them - they are a little funny looking.

The light modules I use are either the kind that plug in to the wall and then the lamp plugs in to them or socket rockets.

With the wall plug lamp module, the lamp switch stays in the on position and the X10 module turns the light on and off. There is enough intelligence built in to the X10 module to allow me to turn the switch on the lamp off and on to make the light turn on though.


The other kind are the "socket rockets" that go between the light fixture and the bulb.

The socket rocket might be a good option because you won't have to change out the switch and you may get a little more control.

Also - keep an eye out for how exactly the wall switches and socket rockets can be used - I seem to remember that some of them only work on "house code A".

If you get REALLY in to it, some people control their sprinkler systems with X10 or even their thermostats. They make appliance modules to control things with a higher amp draw than a light but I haven't found a good use for one of those yet.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: X10 home automation - Anyone use it?

I have not used it but I understand it will not jump the rails in your breaker box without some sort or modification. Meaning that if you have 220 service, x-10 will work well on all the circuits on the same 120v rail. you need to bridge the other rail somehow (i think they have something specifically for this) to have devices work on the other 120v rail.

 

[SuzukiChopper]

Re: X10 home automation - Anyone use it?

You might want to check out http://www.homeautomatedliving.com

Also, UPB devices/controllers/etc are a lot more reliable then the X10 protocol.

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: X10 home automation - Anyone use it?

Sounds interesting I'll have to check it out. If it works over your existing electrical wires I wonder how well it will work over my very old, thick, cloth covered wires?

That and almost everything in my hose plugs into the same circuit. I wonder if this would cause it problems? There are only 3 circuits in the house and one is for overhead lights. lol

 

[Mark42]

Re: X10 home automation - Anyone use it?

I have not used it but I understand it will not jump the rails in your breaker box without some sort or modification. Meaning that if you have 220 service, x-10 will work well on all the circuits on the same 120v rail. you need to bridge the other rail somehow (i think they have something specifically for this) to have devices work on the other 120v rail.

I read where the street transformer provides the path, and some 220 appliances will too. I have a dedicated transformer for my house, so the signal should not have to go far to jump in the event that the 220 appliances won't do it.

 

[Mark42]

Re: X10 home automation - Anyone use it?

Sorry Mark - I'm not sure what would happen.

I don't have any of the wall switches - take a look at them before you buy them - they are a little funny looking.

The light modules I use are either the kind that plug in to the wall and then the lamp plugs in to them or socket rockets.

With the wall plug lamp module, the lamp switch stays in the on position and the X10 module turns the light on and off. There is enough intelligence built in to the X10 module to allow me to turn the switch on the lamp off and on to make the light turn on though.


The other kind are the "socket rockets" that go between the light fixture and the bulb.

The socket rocket might be a good option because you won't have to change out the switch and you may get a little more control.

Also - keep an eye out for how exactly the wall switches and socket rockets can be used - I seem to remember that some of them only work on "house code A".

If you get REALLY in to it, some people control their sprinkler systems with X10 or even their thermostats. They make appliance modules to control things with a higher amp draw than a light but I haven't found a good use for one of those yet.

It seems that you get what you pay for. The cheap stuff is more limited to the codes they can use, the more expensive will support all code combinations.

I will need switches because I want to control all the outdoor lights on that switch, and the socket rockets do not handle CFL bulbs. Looks like any device that can handle a load or supports CFL lights costs 30% more than the standard device. See, I upgrade all my lights to CFL to save money, and then end up spending more on devices to control the CFL lights. Ya just can't win.

Last year I bought a wireless security system for the house, and I think it also has built in x10 controler. Will have to read the manual and see. Would be nice to make the lights blink along with the alarm if someone tries to break in.

 

[j_martin]

Re: X10 home automation - Anyone use it?

When you get into the higher end video surveilance, like Geovision, you can control lights, dial phones, call the cops, keep a running comentary going to the cops about motion and location, etc. About the only limit is the wallet.

One really neat thing about them is that you can tell the system to look at a particular area in the frame to set off the motion detection. For instance, on a store door you'd describe a small rectangle on the top edge of the door. Any motion inside or outside the door won't set it off. If the door is moved, it rings the annunciator.