Acoustically noisy Xanura modules

Forum about Xanura, Eaton Holec and Marmitek and other brand X10 and A10 devices.
Post Reply
MindBender
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
Posts: 640
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2006 5:31 pm
Location: Netherlands
Contact:

Acoustically noisy Xanura modules

Post by MindBender »

In some threads I have been mentioning Xanura modules being noisy. Acoustically noisy, that is. As a matter of fact, they are quite loud.

Some of my modules are located in central junction boxes in the ceiling with a lid and a light fixture mounted on top of it, but standing under it, I can still hear it. Other modules are mounted in junction boxes in the wall with a switch or an outlet mounted on top of it; Those I can hear throughout the room. A few modules are mounted in the base of a floor or desk lamp and one of those is on my night stand so it's not an imaginary problem.

To check my sanity I have removed one of loudest modules I could find and I've made a recording. Unfortunately I couldn't post here because the forum doesn't accept .wav files (Pieter?)

But I did a couple of measurements and it appears that these modules produce a very distictive sound: A high pitch sound of around 11kHz with a light rattle on it. Almost like a tiny, yet persistent cricket. It even briefly increases it's pitch periodically. Some modules are louder than others, but the sound is the same. <b>Warning</b>: Once you know what they sound like, you will hear them everywhere, no matter how soft they are. So if you never heard it, don't go looking for the sound and don't listen to my recording or you will unwillingly train yourself to hear it.

But looking at the spectrum is quite safe. The illustration below shows the full audible spectrum and the xanura sound clearly stands out. The waterfall diagram shows the periodic frequency shift:
Image

When zooming in on the spectrum, the rattle can be explained with of the bandwidth of the sound:
Image

Does anybody experience similar noises?
User avatar
RDNZL
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Posts: 1008
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 1:45 pm
Location: Dordrecht, The Netherlands
Contact:

Acoustically noisy Xanura modules

Post by RDNZL »

Another thing to look out for then.

I was just thinking about buying some Xanura modules, now that my motions detection is working 100% ok, I would like to switch all my light automatically when entering a room after dark, but I have been reading about modules failing after a while (chak) and this issue, what is the overal satisfaction, should i go for the Xanura modules?

Does Xanura replace faulty modules for free?

Regards,
Ron.
MindBender
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
Posts: 640
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2006 5:31 pm
Location: Netherlands
Contact:

Acoustically noisy Xanura modules

Post by MindBender »

It needs to be said: Eaton offered me to replace all modules at no charge. Of course I will need to exchange all modules myself, something I'm not really looking forward to. The new modules are said to make less noise, but one of my new SAIX12 is still clearly audible from its central junction box, in the ceiling, behind a fixture. But a lot less than the one I measured above.
MindBender
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
Posts: 640
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2006 5:31 pm
Location: Netherlands
Contact:

Acoustically noisy Xanura modules

Post by MindBender »

Hm, I just took a brand new SAIX12 I ordered some time ago out of the box to finally replace the module in the toilet upstairs which has been refusing to switch off for some time now. I was hoping that the SAIX I measured above was an exception, even considering it's from the old series. The new series are supposed to be a lot better, but the one I got is a lot worse:
Image
Note the interruptions in the waterfall diagram: It matches the change in pitch exactly, so all you see in this diagram is produces by the module.

What's even worse is that I unwillingly seem to have trained myself to hear this sound and now I'm hearing it everywhere! I'm living in a house with 39 crickets!
Droezel
Member
Member
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 4:02 pm
Location: Belgium

Acoustically noisy Xanura modules

Post by Droezel »

I'm actually also glad that I installed all my modules (din mount) in the wiring closet far away from places where I want it quiet. x10 appliance modules have the loudest click, and the dimmers have that annoying buzzing sound. But then again, I'm not glad that my system is only one way.

Can the xanura din modules also do 2-way communication?
Lempens
Member
Member
Posts: 265
Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:24 am
Location: Netherlands

Acoustically noisy Xanura modules

Post by Lempens »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Droezel</i>

Can the xanura din modules also do 2-way communication?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Now they are the same as Marmitek only more expensive
MindBender
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
Posts: 640
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2006 5:31 pm
Location: Netherlands
Contact:

Acoustically noisy Xanura modules

Post by MindBender »

I don't mind the clicking sound of modules switching. Personally I find it even reassuring to hear that everything still works as it's supposed to. Even the buzzing sound of dimmers don't bother me, not even if the halogen transformer buzzer along, because I know it's inherent to the way they work.

It's the always present hight pitch cricket that bothers me. Once I hear it, I cannot ban it from my head anymore; I even hear it through the sound of my music and my TV set. But it's not imaginary: I can measure it (see above) and the pitch is low enought for most of us to hear. So I'm sure other people must be suffering from this. Anybody?
vivaldi
Starting Member
Starting Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2009 8:07 pm
Location: Netherlands

Acoustically noisy Xanura modules

Post by vivaldi »

Thanks for this warning. I am planning to install XANURA. However my wife has very sensitive for high sounds.
Lets raise this issue at the Xanura course march 6th.

Have a nice day
Post Reply

Return to “X10, A10 Xanura Marmitek Forum”