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I_am_entangled
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| Posted: October 30 2010 at 14:47 | IP Logged
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This is so basic I hate to ask it but I'm frustrated. I have an old RD110 inline (hidden) dimming control from Advanced Control Technologies. I have the manual for the RD110 - it is supposed to repond to All On, All Off, On, Off, Dim and Bright. I didn't find such a device so, as in a previous Post, I created one with all of those capabilities (except Bright was not an option). I can turn the lights on and off but the dimming is really useless - often no dimming, or a dim level not commensurate with the dim setting. I had previous SW (CyberHouse - not supported anymore) and it worked fine using the same CM11A controller.
I have a virtually identical problem with an RD161 wall plate dimmer. It also worked under CyberHouse/CM11A, but not under PowerHome. What can I do?
I notice that a typical Event Log entry contains
... Cmommand: Dim, Dim/Bright 20
What does Dim/Bright mean? Why not just Dim 20?
As a further question - what do the options PresetDim, Memory, etc do? Where can I learn about their details. Probably too many questions in one issue, but a link to some technical background on X10 (I know the really basic hex codes and waveforms etc but beyond that) would be helpful.
Edited by I_am_entangled - October 30 2010 at 14:55
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BeachBum
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| Posted: October 30 2010 at 15:37 | IP Logged
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Isn’t the RD110 an in-line dimmer light switch like the plug in modules? If so just use the 3 prong plug in dimmer module and it should work. Preset dim and the others you mentioned are advanced X10 features that most X10 devices don’t use. I have a bunch of X10 devices but none of them utilize those features. Now you can buy new modules that do but the caveat is the device has to support the features to use them. PH has the ability to use them if the device supports the feature.
Dim 20 will probably come out to 80% from top. Can’t ever remember until I play. I don’t know where your getting DIM/BRIGHT from…
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I_am_entangled
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| Posted: October 31 2010 at 12:41 | IP Logged
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Thanks Pete:
But isn't X10 just X10? It doesn't seem like it should matter which X10 device I slect as long as it uses the commands my device is capable of accepting. But I simply created an RD110 device and chose all on, all of, on, off and standard dim as its capabilities. But it doesn't dim properly.
Your comment about Dim 20 coming out as 80% is weird; other controller SW I have used assumes 20% is just that - 20% of full on.
By the way - I downloaded another automation SW pkg to evaluate, set it up in a few minutes to control a dimmable X10 light and it worked perfectly. This shows the device is working - I knew it from my previous SW - but PH2 is rather confusing on this issue for me. So I am, as usual, further "entangled" by this.
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BeachBum
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| Posted: October 31 2010 at 13:04 | IP Logged
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Yes, X10 is basically X10 unless the devices support advanced function like some of the Leviton do.
Dim percentages can be a little confusing in PH but once you get use too it then it becomes second nature.
Now to your dimming problem. Am I correct you are using the Device Status screen to control this device? You are limited here to what you can do. In the Admin window is the amount of diming you want with 100 being the most. To really control the light you would construct a macro that could do all the functions you’ll need. Just create a macro and do a simple thing like under Command select X10, under ID select your device by name and in Value select the Command you wish to send to the light. Another more cumbersome way is to use Palm Pad. Good for testing the device but not every day user friendly.
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I_am_entangled
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| Posted: October 31 2010 at 13:23 | IP Logged
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Yes, I was using the Device Status screen and inserting in the Admin window the Dimmed Value I wanted. From what you imply - I should read that as the amount to dim from 100% (or from the current level) rather than the level of lighting I want. I find that strange because I want to come from 0 light up to a level of 20%, not from 100% and dim down 80% to get to 20%. So if you are right that would explain my confusion. Also - it would explain why sending the same command multiple times gave strange (to me) results. So if I send in Adim 20, and then 20 again, I would get - on the first one down to a level of 80% (from 100%), and the second time I would get down to 64% (a 20% reduction from 80%). Is that correct?
At the very least it would be nice to see some explanation in the manual or somewhere about how this works. As I have said before - in other Automation SW I have used, one puts in the level of light one wants (20% if I want 20% of full power) and that's what I get.
Thanks for your clarification. I can't get at it right now but I will later and will confirm when I get a chance.
Thanks again -
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BeachBum
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| Posted: October 31 2010 at 13:42 | IP Logged
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Understand the manual situation. You are not the first but until someone steps up to the platter and writes one we are stuck with old documentation. The best manual is the forum as there is always plenty of help available here. PowerHome (PH) is a programmable platform with which to achieve automation. In its simplest form it can also control devices like you are testing with. I use PH to automate the whole house and as most of us have done have moved more to Insteon and away from X-10. The sky is the limit when it comes to the possibilities with PH. The learning curve in the beginning is steep but as time rolls on it starts to all make sense and all of a sudden you’ll be an expert…
There is some help. Go to this site and Tony will walk you through some beginning steps.
http://tonyno.ods.org/ph/PHTutorial1-AddingDevicesandMakingT hemDoSomething.htm
Edited by BeachBum - October 31 2010 at 13:43
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Topic: Basic X10 Dimming problem
