Home Automation
X10
General Information
The purpose of the X-10 system is to utilize the house's built-in electrical wiring to communicate signals between devices. Almost any electrical device can be remotely turned on and off - some devices, like incandescent lamps can be dimmed and brightened as well. You can use wireless remotes, timers, and other devices ("controllers") to control X-10 "modules."
To keep track of the modules, each one is assigned a house code and a unit code. There are 16 house codes and 16 unit codes within each house code, for a total of 256 individually addressable devices - more than enough for almost any household application. With a small system, all controllers and modules can be placed in the same house code for convenience (most controllers will only operate modules in a single house code at one time). The unit code is used to further identify the device. Note that you can set multiple devices to the same address (house and unit code) -- these modules will then act identically.
X10 Modules
Our system primarily consists of lamp modules and wall switch modules.
The lamp modules allow you to control a single incandescent lamp (no fluorescents, motors, TVs, etc.) rated at 300 watts or less, and can be dimmed. These modules are simple to install - simply set the house and unit code on the dials on the front of the module using a small screwdriver, remove the lamp's plug from the wall socket, plug the lamp module into the wall outlet, and finally plug the lamp plug into the lamp module. That's all there is to it.
The wall switches are rated at 500 watts maximum, can be dimmed, and are also used to control incandescent lights. These modules take a little more time and caution to install, but other than setting the house and unit codes on the dials on the front of the switch, the installation is identical to that of a standard wall switch. There are also versions of the wall switch available that can be used in "two-way" (or more) installations where a single light is controlled by multiple switches. The switches are installed using existing wiring for this type of setup.
X10 Controllers
In addition to the Omni, our system includes mini-controllers, a wireless controller, a mini-timer, and a CM-11A ActiveHome computer interface.
The mini-controllers plug into a wall outlet and allow you to control up to 8 X-10 modules. The modules must all be on the same house code, and must have unit numbers of 1 through 8. The controller actually can only directly control 4 units at a time - there is a slide switch that selects units 1-4 or 5-8. The controller also has buttons for dimming or brightening a module, as well as an "all lights on" and an "all lights off" button. We have these units at the bedside as well as in all areas that have X-10 controlled lights or appliances.
The wireless controller is similar to the mini-controller, except that it is wireless, and it can control a whole house code worth of devices (16 total). As with the mini-controller, it has a slide switch that selects units 1-8 or 9-16, as well as a dim/brighten button (no "all on/off" though). The wireless controller uses four AAA batteries and will fit nicely in your hand. The controller communicates with an appliance module that is plugged into a wall outlet (this module can be used to operate a device on unit code 1 or 9). The catch is that the receiver will only operate 8 units, so you will have to buy two if you want to have access to the full 16 devices (the remote control and the receiver are available individually).
We bought the mini-timer before we had the Omni system. It can be used to directly control modules just like the mini-controller, but also has a built-in clock that can be used to turn devices on and off at specific times up to twice a day per module. While it can control 8 devices just like the mini-controller, only four can be placed on timers. It also has the ability to adjust the schedule by a random amount for a more "lived-in" look. Another feature that we use often is the "sleep" feature - you can turn a module on (bedroom mood lights, for example), and press a button to have the controller automatically turn that device off after a preset time (15 minute increments). This controller can also function like an alarm clock with buzzer and snooze functions.
The CM-11A ActiveHome Computer Interface is a device that connects to your computer (currently, only PC software is provided) and allows you to control your X-10 system in real-time, or you can program macros into the CM-11A which will execute even if your computer is not turned on. A macro is a series of steps that are performed in response to some event, such as an X-10 keypress. For example, you could set up a macro such that when you press a button on your remote control, your den lights dim until off, the overhead den lights turn off immediately, and your stereo system turns on. The triggering event can also be a particular time of day.
Tips and Tricks
You can solve some otherwise ugly wiring issues by setting multiple modules to the same address (house and unit code). Modules set this way will respond simultaneously to commands sent from a controller. In our case, we have two lamps on opposite sides of the bedroom that we use to light the room. Without this feature, we would have to run a long extension cord from one side of the room to the other. By setting the modules to the same address, we can use the bedside mini-controllers to simultaneously turn the lamps on and off and to dim/brighten them.
The "house code" is really not necessarily house-specific. The original intent was to allow you to set your X-10 system to a different set of addresses from your next door neighbor so your two systems would not interfere with each other (this can happen if both your houses are run off the same utility company transformer). In our setup, we are using different house codes for different rooms - that way, when an "all lights off" command is sent from the controller in the bedroom, only the bedroom lights are affected. The Omni is a bit of a limitation here - it can only control 32 devices on two adjacent house codes.
All the controllers mentioned can only handle units on a single house code - one trick that was mentioned in a newsgroup was to glue a dime into the house code selector slot on the controllers to allow you to easily shift between house codes. I have not tried this out, but it sounds like a good idea. Be aware that it will not work on the remote controls unless you have a receiver for each house code (i.e., you set the house code on both the remote control and the receiver).
The automation page mentions problems and associates solutions that can result if the two phases of your house wiring are not reasonably well-connected. We ran into this problem in our previous home.
As the X-10 system sends its commands over your house wiring, it can be affected by devices that cause noise on the power lines (i.e., "wireless" intercoms that also use the house's wiring, noisy electrical motors, some surge suppressors, and computer power supplies). Most of these problems are solvable with appropriate hardware, and will generally only prevent X-10 commands from being sent to modules - I've not heard of any instances of modules being "accidentally" triggered by these events.
One nice macro to program into the CM-11A is one which turns off all your various X-10 light modules in response to a single keypress. This can be used at night after going to bed - simply touch that key and rest assured that all your lights are off without having to walk around flipping switches.
Other controllers are available such as motion-sensing floodlights, light sensors (i.e., turn on outside lights when it gets dark), and contact-closure controls (send X-10 signals in response to contact closures - can be used to sense if a garage door is open and light a light in the house, for example).
Most X-10 modules come with a feature called "local control." This allows you to have some control over the device plugged into an interface without using X-10. For example, if you want to turn on a lamp that is connected to an X-10 lamp module, simply turn the lamp's switch off and back on -- the module will sense this and turn the light on. This feature can cause problems for some devices (electric blankets, coffee pots, and crock pots, to name a few) - what happens is that the module is always sending a small amount of current to the device to sense the state of its power switch. A device like a crock pot can "fool" the module into thinking that the device has been turned off and on, and it will then turn it back on. This feature can be disabled, but it takes some warranty-voiding modifications.
X-10 can be used to control otherwise unreachable lights. For example, we have a plant shelf about twelve feet off the floor in our den. There is an outlet on the plant shelf. We can plug a lamp into an appliance module and place it up on the plant shelf and easily control it from the ground.
As lamp modules just need an outlet to plug into, they can easily be relocated throughout your house. Think that lamp would look better on the other side of the sofa? As long as there's an outlet there, you can move it and still control it from the same switch. Without X-10, you'd need an extension cord or an electrician to make that move.
An HTML version of the X-10 FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) is available at http://www.x10.com/support/support_x10faq.htm. There is a more updated version periodically posted on the comp.home.automation newsgroup. These documents provide a wealth of information on X-10, and also talk about the modifications.
You can look at some on-line catalogs of X-10 products at Advanced Services, Inc., Worthington Distribution, and Smarthome. You can also get a hands-on look by dropping by your local Radio Shack store (most of our modules were purchased there).
