X10 is a system designed by BSR to transmit information over household wiring to control devices in your house.
Folks, the 21st century is here...ANYBODY can have a "smart" home
For you newbies, I'll explain a little about how to set up an X10 system and some of the devices you can add to your system. The most basic system is a remote, and a reciever. The reciever is a small box about the size of an AC power adapter. It has a plug on one end, and has two knobs on it. Turn the knobs to set the codes. The letter sets the house code, while the number sets the device code. For instance you can set a reciever for A1, and plug a lamp into it. The remote has a similar knob on it to set the house code, but has buttons for each device code. Just simply push the button of the device number, number one in this case, and WOW the light comes on!
An X10 system can have up to 256 devices on various house
and device codes. There's motion sensors, wireless keychain remotes,
timers, computer interfaces and all kinds of other cool stuff to turn things
on and off. X10 systems can be something to show off to guests too.
I have always seemed to get an "oooh" out of someone when they see me turn
the lights on and off with the TV remote!
SECURITY
An X10 system works best as a security system, especially if you have a few motion sensors. Set a motion sensor to send a house and device code when tripped, and you have a simple security system.
To secure your garage or outbuilding, place a motion sensor inside it. Inside your house, you may want to set a lamp in your bedroom. Also set a siren to activate whenever the sensor is tripped to scare away the crook. The lamp will come on in your room to alert you of the trouble.
You can make your house really look "lived in" when you
leave on a trip by simply using one of the many timers. Instead of
just simply turning one light on and off, turn variouse lights on and off
around the house. This will make it look like there's activity inside
the house.
CONVENIENCE
The whole purpose of home automation is to make our life easier, and X10 has many ways to do this!
Enjoy coming home to a lighted house, but don't want to burn electricity all day? Just set a timer to turn a light on for you!
Turn your christmas lights on and off when it gets dark out with either and ordinary timer, or a light sensor. This will end running around the house plugging things in, and flipping a zillion switches
X10 inductive dimmers work great for remote-controlling your ceiling fan, and are about 1/2 the cost of those Hunter ceiling fan remotes. You can even set your fan too come on at a specific time with your timer!
BUG FIXES
X10 is not perfect, but here's some tips on helping your system work smoother.
You need to run X10 appliance modules on your flourescent lamps, but the ballasts in them sometimes don't like them too much. The reason is because a small amount of current flows through the device when it is off so the device can sense when to turn on. This will make a floruescent light strobe and flicker occasionally when it's off. I use compact flourescent bulbs in some of my lamps. I connect up an extension cord with a 3 way end. I plug both the lamp, and a little 4 watt nite light into the extension cord. The trickle of current will run through the nitelight instead of the flourescent ballast