Switching/Dimming garden lights with X10

Post by **eliket** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:45 pm

This evening I want to test if the X10 Signal reaches my barn in the back of my garden. As told earlier, my barn is connected by a different power-group on a direct powercable from the meterkast.

I now have 3 devices that pass X10 signals on the net, a Marmitek SC9000 alarm-unit, a Marmitek CM11 Computer Interface and a TM13 Tranceiver Module. I have two keychain remotes for the alarm and a comfort remote to control the alarm and lights. I'm still looking around for an universal remote to complete everything.

What I discovered is, that my SC9000 can't reach the back of the house, when plugged in the other side. The TM13 only reaches the back of the house if plugged in a outlet in the back. I think I will face a problem with X10 signals reaching the barn. Any brilliant ideas for solving this?

Post by **Lennart** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:56 pm

Hi Eric,

You could use a repeater, such as the Xanura SVX10. You can only use one of these and have to place it close to the fuse box (meterkast). It will set you back around 65 to 70 euros, but should solve the distance problem:

The TM13/CM11/SC9000 should be able to reach the fuse box/SVX10. The SVX10 should be able to reach your barn.

I'm assuming you don't have a 3-phase installation, otherwise you would need a different solution (phase coupler) with a (very) different price tag.

Lennart

Post by **eliket** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:36 pm

Thanx,

This is the layout I'm planning...

I don't think I have 3 phases, but tomorrow I'm sure about that because I will have my fuse box replaced with a new model.

I'll have a look at the SVX10

Post by **Niknik** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:46 pm

If the barn uses a separate electric circuit, why not use a RF "bridge"?

You would just need to add a RF->X10 receiver in the barn circuit, and it should be able to drive all your outdoor lamps without a problem.

Post by **Peterpc** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:14 pm

You know you can use the CM15Pro as an "RF Bridge"?
It can send an X-10 signal as an PLC signal or as an RF signal. You can even use 3 CM15Pro units as dedicated 3 Phase coupler.

Post by **Henk** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:29 pm

In general you can program the SVX10 so it will amplified all housecodes ... but you can program the SVX10 selective for one of more housecodes ...... for each housecode only one SVX10 can be active. Multiple SVX10's in a house is possible.

So you may decide to use code F for the X10 equipment in the shelter/barn and place the SVX10 here - programmed with code F. The signal strenght should be at least 100mV ......otherwise the SVX10 will not do its job .....

Placing a SVX10 in the switching cabinet (meterkast) close to the central controller is only usefull for receiving X10 signals generated somewhere in the house. The SVX10 will amplified those signals so the controllercan read them/
The signals transmitted by the controller don't need amplification because their level is 4-5 Volt.

Advice to get/borrow a PUX to do some actual signal strength testing ..

Henk

Post by **eliket** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:45 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by niknik
 If the barn uses a separate electric circuit, why not use a RF "bridge"?

You would just need to add a RF->X10 receiver in the barn circuit, and it should be able to drive all your outdoor lamps without a problem.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hi,

But will my homeseer PC and my alarm-unit be able to control the lights in the garden this way?

Post by **Niknik** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:17 pm

Like PeterPC said, you can use a couple of CM15 to create a bridge between your "house circuit" and your "barn circuit".

Whatever x10 commands are going through one circuit will be sent via RF to the other circuit.

Post by **eliket** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:00 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by niknik
 Like PeterPC said, you can use a couple of CM15 to create a bridge between your "house circuit" and your "barn circuit".

Whatever x10 commands are going through one circuit will be sent via RF to the other circuit.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Normally, X10 signals travel over all circuits right?
So if all x10 commands can reach my fusebox, the SVX10 takes care of the amplification to the barn...

Post by **eliket** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:13 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Henk
 Advice to get/borrow a PUX to do some actual signal strength testing ..
Henk
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Quite expensive unfortunately... Would anyone be so kind to let me borrow theirs?

Post by **Digit** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:30 pm

I think most of us don't have one, for the same reason...

Post by **eliket** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:23 am

Crap! The electrician who was here this evening found out I have a 3 phase fusebox

I wanted to replace teh fuse-box anyway, do you guys know of a fusebox with phase-couplers integrated?

Post by **Bwired** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:30 am

You can use the Xanura Hifs35

Check this topic to http://www.domoticaforum.eu/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=823

Post by **eliket** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:49 pm

Damn, the cheapest price I could find is 830 euro's.. This is gonna be an expensive hobby

What I copuln't find is if this is a complete fusefox, with sufficient groups and earth-leak switches, besides the sperfilters and phase-couplers...

Post by **eliket** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 2:28 pm

I sent an email to electro-online, and they came with this solution:

U kunt bijv de VKS44L nemen:
http://www.elektroonline.nl/elektro/pro ... _id=144411

De meerprijs van een grotere kast ivm X10 modules kost 50 euro extra

So this would cost me 415 euro's, but then I would have to buy the sperfilters and phase-couplers apart. Could end up cheaper I think.

Since this is getting SO expensive (for a few lights in my garden

) I'll postpone the new fusebox and will think of a temp solution for getting X10 to my Barn... maybe buy the fase-couplers now and a amplifier which I can, in time include in my new fusebox...

Damn, this is getting complicated