PowerMax+ X-10 SH10A powerhorn problem

XRinger

Member
I installed a PowerMax+ system for my kid and now she says the X10 Powerhorns (SH10A) don't work anymore.
The SH10A horns stopped sounding, about a year after the install. (The system is about 4 years old).
They should be going off, whenever the main horn (outdoors) goes off.
 
I tested them from the PowerMax+ keypad, and they worked on the second or third press of the On key..
Took one of the X-10 Powerhorns home and tested it with a mini-controller MC10A,
same results, it turns on after 2 or 3 transmissions of the on signal. On-off-on works okay..
When I read the specs, the SH10A requires those extra signals!
 
So, it seems the PowerMax+ controller isn't transmitting repeating On signals..
 
I've looked at the programming, but do not understand what has changed (if anything has).
I don't see/reconize a function that controls the amount of X-10 signals sent to the SH10A.
 
 
Anyone here with any hints for me?
 
My last resort fix is to buy some regular X-10 modules and use them to drive some loud beepers..
 
Thanks,
Rich
 
As you discovered, the SH10A requires repeated X10 on and off commands to keep it sounding.  When the X10 commands stop, so does the SH10A.
 
The first thing I would suspect is that there is something that is causing interference with the X10 commands.  Could be a new appliance, TV, UPS, PC power supply or power brick, wall wart, LED light, cell phone charger, etc.
 
Take your MC10A to her house and see if you can make the siren sound there by pressing the on/off buttons. Best to do this with the MC10A plugged into the same outlet as the Powermax+, rather than into the same outlet as the SH10A so that the signal has to follow the same path.  If it doesn't work, then some source if interference is even more likely.  It could also be that the two devices are on different phases of the circuit breaker panel, and you need a phase coupler to get a good signal across.
 
I would then begin unplugging anything and everything in the house until (hopefully) it starts working again.  It might be easier/quicker to shut off all the circuit breakers except for the ones that that Powermax+ and SH10A are on, then turn them on again, one by one until the problem returns.   If it still doesn't work with just the 2 circuits being on, then you should start unplugging anything else that is on those circuits.
 
If you are able to make the SH10A sound using the MH10A without unplugging anything, then the cause may be something else, like a defective Powermax+.  But that doesn't rule out interference completely.  It could be just that the MH10A puts out a better signal then the Powermax+, and is able to overcome the interference.
 
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