Aptiva C66
(250-0458) Troubleshooting Hints Faxback Doc. # 34388
In general, Home Director products are extremely easy to install and use.
Like other electronic equipment, it does require proper setup for correct
operation.
NOTE: Home Director Automated events will NOT occur if your Windows
Operating System is not running. If you temporarily exit Windows, to run a
DOS Mode game for example, no events can take place until you return to
Windows. Home Director is a Windows ONLY application. The handheld
controller will still work even if the computer is off. Routines will also
still execute if the system was put into SUSPEND mode. Suspend mode puts
the computer in a low power consumption mode. It doesn't actually turn
itself completely off. This is what allows the Routines to power up the
machine at the specified time and in conjunction with the Rapid Resume to
perform its assigned commands.
Things to check if nothing works.......
Is the Serial Interface (or hand controller) plugged into a working outlet?
Is the outlet controlled by a wall switch? Is it turned on?
Is the Home Director Serial Interface plugged into a "surge protector"?
A surge protector will block any signals from your computer to your power
lines. Do NOT plug your Serial Interface or modules into a surge protector
or a surge protected outlet strip. X-10 communicates with its modules by
sending RF signal bursts through the power lines. A surge suppressor will
literally absorb the signal before it reaches the modules.
Is the House Code set correctly in the Home Director software or on your
hand controller?
NOTE: Each module or routine is assigned a specific House/Unit code. The
House code is the Alpha character and the Unit code is the numeric value
assigned to a device. The House codes can be assigned anywhere from A to
P. The Unit code can range from 1 to 16. The software will automatically
assign House/Unit codes in order beginning from A1 up. Home Director will
begin assigning House/Unit codes increasing with the Unit number to 16 and
then begin on 1 with the next available Alpha character for the House code.
Is your Serial Interface configured on the correct COM Port? The default
is Com 2, which will be COM Port A on the Aptivas(Com1 being assigned to
the modem). IBM is going to change the addresses of the COM ports in the
CMOS setup to accomplish this. COM A will be set to the address of 2F8H
which is the address for Com 2. Some of the new Aptivas will only have one
9 pin serial port. The other being a new Universal Serial Bus Port.
If your COM port settings are correct and the serial interface is plugged
into the corresponding serial port, the next step would be to test the COM
port settings from within the software. To do this first select Tools from
the menu bar at the top of the screen then Test Communications. From the
Interface Test menu you can select which com port you wish to test. This
menu will default to the com port that has been selected from the
Preferences menu. If after testing a COM port the status indicates
Transmission Failed, try a different COM Port on the Interface Test screen
and test again. If none of the COM Ports test successful, your Serial
Interface is probably connected incorrectly or scrambled. Select Tools
from the menu Bar and then View Connections. Home Director will display a
pictorial explanation of how to connect the serial interface box and the
modules. Also, unplug the serial interface from the power outlet and allow
it to reset itself.
Note: The serial interface box does store information within itself (i.e.
Fast Routines and the Lifestyle mode settings). This box can become
confused and literally locks up. Unplugging the box from the wall socket
will flush its memory and reset it. NEXT TO INCORRECT WIRING THIS WAS THE
CAUSE FOR THE MOST PROBLEMS I'VE ENCOUNTERED.
If your COM Port tests correctly and you still cannot control any modules,
unplug your Home Director 2-Way Serial Interface from the wall outlet for
about two minutes. Plug the Home Director Serial Interface back into the
wall outlet and try running the Home Director program again.
ATTENTION: NEVER HAVE A CUSTOMER UNPLUG ANYTHING WHILE THE COMPUTER IS
ON.
If you still can not control any modules, but the serial interface does
pass the communication test plug the 2-Way Serial Interface and a Module
into the same outlet (using a non surge protected outlet strip, if
necessary). Can you control this module? If not ask if they have a
handheld X-10 controller. (Note: these are not being shipped with the
systems. They are an optional piece of equipment. Any X-10 compatible
hand controller should work.) If they do, try the hand controller to
operate the modules. The hand controller doesn't need to have correct COM
port settings. All a controller requires is to be set for the correct
House code, and the user be pressing the correct unit number for the
module. If it still doesn't work there is some type of hardware problem
going on. Either the module is faulty, in which case try a different
module or there is a problem with the wiring within the home.
If it does work , try plugging the module in where you originally had it.
If it doesn't work when you plug the Module in somewhere else in your home
(try several different locations and several modules of the same type) If
the module will only work in certain parts of the house and there are no
other "noisy" devices being operated at the same time there most likely is
a wiring problem within the home. At this point the best thing for the
customer to do is consult an electrician.
Remember X-10 sends its signal through the power lines. Noise on the power
lines will interfere with X-10. This could cause a module to not work at
all or only work intermittently. A noisy power line will literally drown
out the X-10 signal. The following is a list appliances and what not that
can cause noise on power lines. Check to see if you have any of these
things are operating when you are having problems:
Wireless intercoms in transmit (talk) mode
Baby Monitors that transmit over the power line
Wireless Doorbells that use the power line
Laser Printers
Electric Motors
Electric hair dryers
Electric Shavers
Vacuum cleaners
Floor scrubbers
Electric Carving Knives
Garbage Disposals
Food Processors
Blenders
Mixers
To determine if you have an interference (noise) problem, unplug anything
that you suspect may be causing your noise problem and try controlling your
Home Director device again. Noisy devices could be anywhere in your house,
but start looking around the area that you are having a problem.
There is a device called a "Noise Filter" that will reduce the noise
interjected on the power line from a noisy device. The noisy device is
plugged into the filter and the filter is then plugged into a wall outlet.
A typical device of this type is sold by Leviton 1-800-824-3005 as part
number 6288 or our 61-6288 Plug-in Noise Filter RSU#10037794.
Having trouble with just one device ............
Does the Serial Interface (or hand controller) work with other modules?
If it does not, refer back to " Things to check if nothing works"
Is the module you are trying to control completely plugged into the wall
outlet.
Is the switch for the appliance or light you are trying to control turned
on? Does the appliance or light work if you plug it directly into an
outlet?
Is the module plugged into a "surge protector"?
A surge protector will block any signals from your power lines to your
module. Do NOT plug your module into a surge protector or a surge
protected outlet strip.
Is the House Code/Unit Code set correctly in the Home Director software (or
hand controller) and on the module?
Another possible problem is noise on your power lines. This could cause a
module to not work at all or only work intermittently. Check to see if you
have any of these things are operating when you are having problems:
Wireless intercoms in transmit (talk) mode
Baby Monitors that transmit over the power line
Wireless Doorbells that use the power line
Laser Printers
Electric Motors
Electric hair dryers
Electric Shavers
Vacuum cleaners
Floor scrubbers
Electric Carving Knives
Food Processors
Garbage Disposals
Blenders
Mixers
To determine if you have an interference (noise) problem, unplug anything
that you suspect may be causing your noise problem and try controlling your
Home Director device again. Noisy devices could be anywhere in your house,
but start looking around the area that you are having a problem.
There is a device called a "Noise Filter" that will reduce the noise
interjected on the power line from a noisy device. The noisy device is
plugged into the filter and the filter is then plugged into a wall outlet.
A typical device of this type is sold by Leviton 1-800-824-3005 as part
number 6288 or our 61-6288 Plug-in Noise Filter RSU#10037794.
If you can not locate any things that are interfering with your Home
Director, try using a different module of the same type at this same
location in your house. Remember to set the correct House Code/Unit Code
on the new module.
If a different module works, you may have a bad module. Try the "bad"
module in several different locations in your house with different devices
hooked to it, just to be sure.
If it did not, you may have a problem with the wall outlet or a problem
with you house wiring. More than likely, you have a distance problem even
if the Serial Interface and the device module are relatively close
together.
To understand why this may be a problem you need to understand a little
about how the Home Director signals travel around your house wiring.
Most all homes are wired with 220 volt power (like your electric dryer or
stove uses) from the power company. Your breaker, or fuse panel splits
this into two separate 110 volt power lines for use inside your house.
This is called Sinlge phase wiring.(Home Director will not work on Three
phase) Some of your house wiring is on the first 110 volt line and the
rest is on the second 110 volt line. When your Serial Interface, or any
controller, sends a command to a device module, the signal must travel from
the controller to your breaker panel on one of your 110 volt lines. To get
to the other 110 volt line (the other part of your house wiring), the
signal must travel out of your house, back to the power transformer
(normally the big gray thing on a telephone pole close to your house), and
then back to your breaker panel. From there it travels on the other 110
volt line to the remaining part of your house wiring.
As you can see, the Home Director signal has a long way to travel if your
controller was on one 110 volt line and your device module was on the other
110 volt line. Depending on how your house was originally wired, you may
have some outlets in the same room on different 110 volt lines. Normally
this is not a problem, but if you have a very large house or your power
transformer is a long distance away, you could experience occasional
problems with certain outlets.
Try a different outlet in the same room, if it still doesn't work or only
works some of the time, you may need the help of an electrician.
There is an Internet World Wide Web site (http://www.x10.com) which is
maintained by X-10 (USA) which will also provide general information about
X-10 and X-10 products.
There are many other web sites that are dedicated to X-10 products. Many
of them have a "frequently asked questions" (FAQ) section that can be very
helpful if you are having a problem. Several of these sites are referenced
in the X-10 site, be sure to check them out!
(DD/BKL-08/13/96)
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