Sorry I messed up my last post, for some reason when I went to post it told me I already did and deleted the second one which had my questions below.
What I need is info on where to get a coupler/amplifier, best price model # etc. Specifics here would be good. I searched the X10 site but didn’t find exactly what I was looking for and not enough info on what I did. I guess no one wants to talk about the things that are going to go wrong when they are trying to sell you something. I have an IR543 and X10 appliance modules and currently only use X10 to control my amplifiers. I found the Appliance modules have to be plugged in on the same leg as the IR543. It did take me a long time to figure this out and I kept thinking it was the codes and not the communication in my wiring. From what I have read here (many thanks to all) I think I need a coupler so the signal can run through all wiring. I guess an amplifier would be good also. How difficult is the wiring?? I have done a fair amount of home wiring and if the directions are good I probably can handle it. I also have read a lot about noise and will try to get by without the noise stuff. My house has way more electronic stuff than anyone I know and the thought of trying to keep up with what’s on and when to cause what problem is way more than I am will to deal with. I’ll get up and turn the lights on. I am already totally out of control not to mention I would rather spend my money and time on something other than chasing noise with very costly little boxes. In any case I use the IR543 with my Pronto remote and it works great!! I am just not sure it’s worth so much effort to control the lights. I guess the engineer in me says you put in all this time money and effort and will it be worth it or will I chase the little details forever??
As a side note I think a FAQ area for this forum would be good because it probably could have answered most of my questions in one place. I have had difficulty searching this forum in that I if I don’t know the solution it won’t find what I am looking for and I hate to put up a post for the simple questions. An FAQ addressing the typical problems it sounds like most people encounter, before I spend hours trying to figure out why it doesn’t work would be real nice. The FAQ could be titled “Print this before using your X10” I guess the basic problem is the answers are scattered over many posts and a FAQ could address most without hunting and leave the forum open for more specific questions. In any case sorry to ramble and any help and guidance is appreciated.

Ralph-

Ralph,
The amplified couplers connect the phases of your electrical system and boost the X-10 signal in your home. Your home has one neutral and two hot lines that come to it from the power pole. Both of the hot lines carry 110 volts with an opposite sine wave. Where their two hot lines are used together, they provide 220 volts of power. Half of the breakers in your panel use one hot and the other half use the other. When X-10 is used on one hot, it has to travel back to the power pole, though the transformer and back to the other side of the breaker panel. This can cause problems since the X-10 signal is not strong enough to do this. You can simply couple the phases with a coupler or amplify the signals and couple them. An amplified coupler cost around $200.00 and installed in the breaker panel if there is room. Most installations require the amplified coupler to be installed outside the panel. Instructions say to use a dedicated 15-amp breaker on each phase of the power. Most of us use 2 breakers. You may be at your limit and not be able to install 2 more breakers in which case you can tap into existing ones. Before I purchased the amplified coupler, I would try a 0.1 microfarad 240 volt capacitor wired in your dryer. This can connect both phases of your power through the 240-volt dryer.

I don’t know if you read “The Basics of X-10” that I wrote but it explains some common problems with X-10.

Let us know if we can be of any help!


Chris Couture