X-10
 

Decided to automate so that we can at some point go on vacation and not worry about it except for feedings which can be easily arranged.

Well I finally got the puter I wanted to run the X-10 up and running ... just a P-200MMX / 64MB Ram / 3.5GB HD and W2K OS

been running the last few days ... turns on the 4 MH's one at a time with 5 minute intervals between them ( fan turns on with first MH and shuts off with the last one to shut off ) ... then shuts it all down again with 5 minute intervals at night

need 2 more 466 appliance modules for the flourescents ... next will be to get the closed loops on a macro for feeding time

Also going to load a logging proggy ( maybe Reefcon 2K ) to keep track of the system and log changes

Work in progress ...


Anyone else try any kind of automation ?

Cheers

hey there Steve
why dont you have the flouresants on timmers and left it to run as the same time with the computer set the timers along with the clock on the computer. man i just repeated myself again ..AUUUUUGH :lol: :lol:
Mike

Hey Mike ... thanks for the suggestion but the reason I went to X-10 was to get away from timers ... I have a bunch of them and they dont work right ... kept losing time and eventually had to reset them all the time ... besides the X-10 is a timer so to speak ... I have a couple of the light modules but they wont work for the WH7 ballasts so need the 466 appliance modules ... if there is anyone in the Calgary area that wants to get rid of some 466 appliance modules let me know :smile:

Cheers

I had everything running on X-10 untill my remote unit caught on fire.
now I have nothing running on X-10 :rolleyes:

Steve

Were you not using " activehome " ? ... you were manually turning it on and off with remote ?

Cheers

I was using my computer to controle it.. it has a sender unit on the back of the computer then a reciver that looks like a modual with a atena.. that part is what caught on fire. if you search on here you will see the pics

Steve

Was it the firecracker unit or the activehome ? ... I have both but find that the activehome works better ... sounds like you got a defectice unit :eek:

Cheers

firecracker.. it worked for 1 year befor it decided to pack it in.

Steve

Bummer :sad:

I have been using X10 for my tank for quite sometime (just for my lights) works great.. In my fish room I used the module with the antenna which has a pump hooked to it and when I was refilling my FW tanks I could be at the tank, used the remote and the fill started.

Have not had any problems with X10 here at at all. Only draw back is it is not very secure. if someone had X10 in your area or had the remote they could easily find your settings and turn on and off your lights :) I have never had it happen, but technically it could happen.


Jim

So, what's the X 10, a module that is run off your computer?

Doug

You plug your lights/pumps etc into the X-10 modules and then program each module individually as a timer on the computer ... the signal to turn on or off is sent through your existing electrial wires in the house from the base unit connected to the computer.

Cheers

I looked at X10 stuff, but shied away after the costs were totalled up!

That depends on how valuable reliable automation is to you :smile: ... I tried the mechanical timers and found that they were very unreliable ( sometimes they would just not turn on or they kept losing/gaining time :rolleyes: ) ... then I looked at the electronic timers and they were as much as or more than the X-10 modules ( X-10 modules run around $14US ) ... so far I am really happy with it and dont have to worry anymore about the lights being on/off.

Cheers

only $14 US?

I went to RP (a local electronics and supplies store) and totalled up what I need to run lights and pumps etc, and it came out to nearly $600 cad...

can you share your full setup and costs pls? I would love to automate the tank some, but I hate paying so much for such a simple thing.

Goto www.x10.com ... they have specials constantly on all their stuff ... Look for the " Activehome " controller and use a bunch of 466 appliance modules ... my costs are irrelevant as it all depends what you get on sale from them ... when you phone in your order ask for multiple module discounts. ( I think if you buy 3 the 4th is free )

Cheers

I looked at their site and it looks interesting, I can't see running pumps off of it, unless I was going to use it as a wave maker, (that just occured to me), but for lights it would sure be useful. I'll keep thinking of it, I see Rona Revy has some digital timers now, I'll price them out and compare them to the cost of the X 10.

The thing you need to watch with X10 is that it's not guaranteed delivery.

A command can get "lost" in the natural background noise of your house electrical system sometimes (fairly often in fact). Just make sure you send multiple "turn on light 1" commands in a row to make sure it actually gets received.

I have never had a command get lost, and I have been using X10 for my lights for 2 years. If you have "noisey" wiring that may be the cause, but I have never had a single problem. Now I have had the computer crash (my 3 year old son likes to turn computes off when he was younger. Now he just uses them :))