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Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!brl-adm!brl-smoke!smoke!Dale_E._Yocum.osbunorth@Xerox.COM
From: Dale_E._Yocum.osbunorth@Xerox.COM
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: BSR X-10 Problems
Message-ID: <3393@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 28-Aug-86 18:13:13 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-smok.3393
Posted: Thu Aug 28 18:13:13 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 29-Aug-86 18:46:09 EDT
Sender: news@brl-smoke.ARPA
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Rick,
I also have been bitten by the X-10 bug and have spent the last few
months getting mine to work reliably.  Here's some ideas:

1) Capacitors can indeed be installed which will make the system more
likely to hear it's OWN signals.  The biggest loss seems to come the
transformer up on the pole.  Since most houses divide the 240 VAC from
the pole into two different 120VAC circuits, a capacitor can help couple
these two circuits together at the frequencies used by the X-10 system
(around 200KHz) while keeping them separate at the lower 60Hz.  I
installed a .1mf, 600V capacitor across the two circuits in the circuit
breaker box.  It helped a lot.  But I wouldn't recommend you do it
yourself if you're not comfortable with electrical work.

2)  The capacitors will NOT help filter out the noise from your Unix
system, though.  (If anything, it might make it's signals travel
better!) For that, you need to filter out the noise before it gets into
your homes power grid.  A surge protector will NOT do this.  What you
need is a power line filter (also called a noise suppressor), not just a
surge protector.  The gound going to this outlet must also be good.  I
know SPC Technology makes such things, but I'm sure there are others as
well.

3)  It's hard for me to imagine, though, that your system could be
spraying out noise in the same digital packet format as the X-10.
Anything is possible, but don't be surprised if this doesn't solve the
problem.  I would tend to look at the Radio Shack controller if the
filter doesn't seem to help.  It's microprocessor may be going
temporarily insane.  

Free advice is worth everything you pay for it.
Dale