Hans Otten Personal Interests

x10 Modifying advice

Modifying X10 110V 60Hz devices for use on 220V 50Hz

Disclaimer

Beware that with X10 devices you are working with 220V or 110V and by touching the wrong wire can kill yourself��

High power X10 110V 60Hz devices on 220V

Disclaimer

Beware that with X10 devices you are working with 220V or 110V and by touching the wrong wire can kill yourself.

I have modified the following 110V devices

• The AM486 appliance module
• The LM465 lamp module
• The UM506 Universal module

for use on 220V without problems by applying the instructions found on the webpages written by Hans Attersj� (Hans Attersj� pages local copy).�
It takes a bit of shopping around fo the right components (mind the capacitor, the X2 type in Europe is allright) soldering, adapting wires etc. The result is not so pretty and compact as the 220V equivalents but a lot cheaper.

50 or 60 Hz

If you are on a threephase system 60 Hz X10 senders will cause problems.� At least you will need phase couplers to every phase and special versions of X10 controllers like the Lynx10.
But that is very rare in the Netherlands and most other parts of Europe.�

Receivers do not care about the frequency 50 or 60 Hz to read the X10 signals. They derive the moment in time to look at the X10 carrier at the zero crossing of the powerline cycle and have no idea of the powerline frequency. It might in theory have an impact on the dimmer in the lampmodule not being able to dim completely to zero. I have not noticed this.

So if you are not on a threephase system do not worry about the 50 or 60 Hz frequency.���

Testing a modified module

By Guy Lavoie from an article in HTI.

A module being tested without the dial contacts is set to code M13. So just connect your module for testing (being extra careful with an exposed line voltage circuit board) and then set your test code transmitter to code M and send 13 ON and 13 OFF commands.

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