Porch light by remote question.

[Scout Lady]

I don't know anything about this x10 stuff. What I want is to be able to
turn on the porch light with a keychain remote. Do I have to buy a whole
system or is there something I can buy to just hook up to the porch light?

[Robert Bonomi]

In article <3dlhufF6qi04kU1@individual.net>,
Scout Lady <scoutlady@nospam.net> wrote:
>I don't know anything about this x10 stuff. What I want is to be able to
>turn on the porch light with a keychain remote. Do I have to buy a whole
>system or is there something I can buy to just hook up to the porch light?
>
>

Using X-10, you would need to buy three pieces.
1) an X-10 switch for the porch light.
2) the key-chain remote
3) the 'receiver' that goes with the remote.

Anything else is going to be equally "complex", and almost undoubtedly more
expensive.

[Scout Lady]

"Robert Bonomi" <bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com> wrote in message
news:117c4t7hbbu2988@corp.supernews.com...
> In article <3dlhufF6qi04kU1@individual.net>,
> Scout Lady <scoutlady@nospam.net> wrote:
>>I don't know anything about this x10 stuff. What I want is to be able to
>>turn on the porch light with a keychain remote. Do I have to buy a whole
>>system or is there something I can buy to just hook up to the porch light?
>>
>>
>
> Using X-10, you would need to buy three pieces.
> 1) an X-10 switch for the porch light.
> 2) the key-chain remote
> 3) the 'receiver' that goes with the remote.
>
> Anything else is going to be equally "complex", and almost undoubtedly
> more
> expensive.
>
Thankyou for the help.

[Brian]

ANother Option look at black & decker FreeWire. Smarthome.com or I sell them
also.

More reliable then X10 and great for this instance.

--

---------------------------------------
Brian A. Dye
brian@tech-home.com
http://tech-home.com
---------------------------------------


"Scout Lady" <scoutlady@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:3dlhufF6qi04kU1@individual.net...
>I don't know anything about this x10 stuff. What I want is to be able to
>turn on the porch light with a keychain remote. Do I have to buy a whole
>system or is there something I can buy to just hook up to the porch light?
>

[Dave Houston]

How can something which uses X-10's PLC methodology be more reliable than
X10?

"Brian" <brian@tech-home.com> wrote:

>ANother Option look at black & decker FreeWire. Smarthome.com or I sell them
>also.
>
>More reliable then X10 and great for this instance.

[Robert L. Bass]

> How can something which uses X-10's PLC
> methodology be more reliable than X10?

X10 doesn't only fail due to the inherent weakness of the medium. Poor
quality hardware is the other culprit. If the B&D unit happens to be better
built then it should be more reliable than X10 brand hardware.

Whether B&D is in fact better built is another matter. I haven't used
FreeWire so I can't say. However, I have used X10 brand components and they
are definitely low end.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
2291 Pine View Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34231
877-722-8900 Sales & Tech Support
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>

[Brian]

Black and Decker is a bit better then X10 products.

Can you put Lightolier PLC switches in the same category with X10 branded
products?
I think even you would agree how much more realiable every other product is
compared to X10 manufactured modules.

Granted the Pro line is better but I would never install any of these
switches during a customer install considering the other options.

I would also argue that FreeWire products look much better then X10.


--

---------------------------------------
Brian A. Dye
brian@tech-home.com
http://tech-home.com
---------------------------------------


"Dave Houston" <nobody@whocares.com> wrote in message
news:4278c88c.56674171@nntp.fuse.net...
> How can something which uses X-10's PLC methodology be more reliable than
> X10?
>
> "Brian" <brian@tech-home.com> wrote:
>
>>ANother Option look at black & decker FreeWire. Smarthome.com or I sell
>>them
>>also.
>>
>>More reliable then X10 and great for this instance.
>

[Dave Houston]

"Brian" <brian@tech-home.com> wrote:

>Black and Decker is a bit better then X10 products.

Where's the evidence for this?

>Can you put Lightolier PLC switches in the same category with X10 branded
>products?

Are you saying that the inexpensive B&D stuff is on a par with the much more
costly Lightolier switches?

I would also argue that the Lightolier X-10 stuff is no more immune to noise
and signal suckers than any other X-10 device. Why else would they use their
"firewall"?

>I think even you would agree how much more realiable every other product is
>compared to X10 manufactured modules.

No, I would not. My experience with several *Linc products is that they are
total crap when compared to X-10.

>Granted the Pro line is better but I would never install any of these
>switches during a customer install considering the other options.

Much of the X-10 Pro line is identical to the standard X-10 line. The only
difference is the case (in some instances) and warranty.

>I would also argue that FreeWire products look much better then X10.

Then you must be looking at something other than the keychain remote which
is identical to the X-10 keychain remote.

What are the FCC ID numbers on the B&D products? That will tell us who
manufactures them.

>---------------------------------------
>Brian A. Dye
>b...@tech-home.com
>http://tech-home.com
>---------------------------------------

[Dave Houston]

"Scout Lady" <scoutlady@nospam.net> wrote:

>I don't know anything about this x10 stuff. What I want is to be able to
>turn on the porch light with a keychain remote. Do I have to buy a whole
>system or is there something I can buy to just hook up to the porch light?

If all you are interested in is a single porch light then X-10 may not be
the best choice. X-10 has no way to do this directly but, as someone already
noted, requires replacing the wall switch with an X-10 capable switch which
can receive commands over the powerline from a "receiver" that will
translate the wireless remote commands into powerline commands. I would only
recommend X-10 if you think you might want to automate other devices at some
later date.

There are some non-X-10 ways to do this more directly but it depends on the
details of the porch light itself as they require a rather bulky receiver
that goes between the porch light socket and the light bulb. Look at the
"Socket Adapter" about half-way down this page...

http://www.geconsumerproducts.com/smarthome/prod_1_1.htm

[Dave Houston]

bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi) wrote:

>In article <3dlhufF6qi04kU1@individual.net>,
>Scout Lady <scoutlady@nospam.net> wrote:
>>I don't know anything about this x10 stuff. What I want is to be able to
>>turn on the porch light with a keychain remote. Do I have to buy a whole
>>system or is there something I can buy to just hook up to the porch light?
>>
>>
>
>Using X-10, you would need to buy three pieces.
> 1) an X-10 switch for the porch light.
> 2) the key-chain remote
> 3) the 'receiver' that goes with the remote.
>
>Anything else is going to be equally "complex", and almost undoubtedly more
>expensive.

It's possible to do this using X-10 but without the need for an X-10 wall
switch. The X-10 "socket rocket" fits between the existing socket and light
bulb and gets it's signals over the powerline from the "receiver".

However, you need to make sure there is room for the "socket rocket" and I
do not recommend using it with an overhead light as the heat can melt the
adhesive used in the socket - bulb & socket can fall out.

http://www.x10.com/automation/lm15a_s.html

[Robert Bonomi]

In article <4279cc4e.10188925@nntp.fuse.net>,
Dave Houston <nobody@whocares.com> wrote:
>bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi) wrote:
>
>>In article <3dlhufF6qi04kU1@individual.net>,
>>Scout Lady <scoutlady@nospam.net> wrote:
>>>I don't know anything about this x10 stuff. What I want is to be able to
>>>turn on the porch light with a keychain remote. Do I have to buy a whole
>>>system or is there something I can buy to just hook up to the porch light?
>>>
>>>
>>
>>Using X-10, you would need to buy three pieces.
>> 1) an X-10 switch for the porch light.
>> 2) the key-chain remote
>> 3) the 'receiver' that goes with the remote.
>>
>>Anything else is going to be equally "complex", and almost undoubtedly more
>>expensive.
>
>It's possible to do this using X-10 but without the need for an X-10 wall
>switch. The X-10 "socket rocket" fits between the existing socket and light
>bulb and gets it's signals over the powerline from the "receiver".
>
>However, you need to make sure there is room for the "socket rocket" and I
>do not recommend using it with an overhead light as the heat can melt the
>adhesive used in the socket - bulb & socket can fall out.
>

With the *limited* space available in most porch-lights...
*AND* the fact that you cannot turn the 'socket rocket' *on*, unless
the wall-switch is already on...

It didn't seem worth mentioning.

[Dave Houston]

bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi) wrote:

>In article <4279cc4e.10188925@nntp.fuse.net>,
>Dave Houston <nobody@whocares.com> wrote:
>>bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi) wrote:
>>
>>>In article <3dlhufF6qi04kU1@individual.net>,
>>>Scout Lady <scoutlady@nospam.net> wrote:
>>>>I don't know anything about this x10 stuff. What I want is to be able to
>>>>turn on the porch light with a keychain remote. Do I have to buy a whole
>>>>system or is there something I can buy to just hook up to the porch light?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>Using X-10, you would need to buy three pieces.
>>> 1) an X-10 switch for the porch light.
>>> 2) the key-chain remote
>>> 3) the 'receiver' that goes with the remote.
>>>
>>>Anything else is going to be equally "complex", and almost undoubtedly more
>>>expensive.
>>
>>It's possible to do this using X-10 but without the need for an X-10 wall
>>switch. The X-10 "socket rocket" fits between the existing socket and light
>>bulb and gets it's signals over the powerline from the "receiver".
>>
>>However, you need to make sure there is room for the "socket rocket" and I
>>do not recommend using it with an overhead light as the heat can melt the
>>adhesive used in the socket - bulb & socket can fall out.
>>
>
>With the *limited* space available in most porch-lights...
>*AND* the fact that you cannot turn the 'socket rocket' *on*, unless
>the wall-switch is already on...
>
>It didn't seem worth mentioning.

I got the impression that the need to leave the switch on may be less of a
problem than replacing it for the OP. You can find plates that screw on over
the existing switch that will lock it on or off.

[Robert L. Bass]

> It's possible to do this using X-10 but
> without the need for an X-10 wall
> switch....

This can be done very simply using an ELK Magic Module. Program the
HomeLink to send any unneeded X10-ON command. Program the MM440 so that
each time it receives that X10 signal it checks a flag. If the flag is set,
unset it and send an X10-OFF command to the porch light's X10 module. If
the flag is unset, set it and send an X10-ON command to the module.

Also, if the X10-ON command for the module is received (i.e., something else
turned it on), set the flag and do no more. If an X10-OFF command for the
module is received, unset the flag and do no more.

This will allow the MM440 to track the porch light status accurately with
only one exception. If the light is turned on or off manually the MM440
won't know it. In that event the next time someone presses the HomeLink
button it will *appear* not to work. They can then push the button again
and the lamp will change states and the system will be in synch.

I'm sure the same can be accomplished using the Applied Digital module. I
sell ELK Products online so I'm inclined to mention them first. Here's a
link (my website) to the MM440 in case anyone's interested:
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com/product_1485_detailed.htm

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
2291 Pine View Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34231
877-722-8900 Sales & Tech Support
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>