Simply AUtomated UPB Dimmers

[kwilcox]

Nice thought, but I already tried that and it just didn't look right. Maybe it's because I secretly needed an excuse to play with the UPB lamp module.....

 

[ClearToLand]

I think I want to use the X10 enabled Dual Motion Floodlights (Dual Motion Floodlights) for outside lighting.

Those floodlights aren't even compatible with fresh air lol, they are very flaky, even with a good coupler and a clean X10 environment.  I am about to replace mine with regular ones until I can find a better solution.

E is absolutely correct about the x10 floodlights.  Total POJ.

Maybe they changed the design of the PR511, but I've had no complaints about the two that I've been using for a long time (#1 maybe 15 years?; #2 ~5 years). Before the PR511s, I had a HeathKit/X-10 Motion Floodlight - only supported 3 Housecodes (A,B,C), but the one nice feature it had was it detected motion (and thus was able to ring a chime) 24x7, and only turned on the floodlights when it was dark. [IIRC, the triac/relay controlling the lights "failed", while the motion detector still triggered the chimes. Otherwise, it would still be in service.]

Another nice feature of the PR511s that I use is the "Address plus 1-4" and "Address plus 5-8" (one is motion, the other is photocell; don't remember without looking). Anyhow, years ago Leviton came out with this ad of THEIR X-10 Motion Floodlights being able to "talk to one another". With a CM11A and some macros, mine do the same thing. Walk up the front driveway and the front house lights come on, a chime rings, and a 15W blue "Motion Detected" light comes on in the DR and the Bsmt. A few seconds later, the backyard floodlights come on. Then, after the delay, everything cycles back off.

Walk out the back door onto the deck and the backyard floodlights come on, chime, blue lamps, yada, yada. A few seconds later, the front house lights come on, yada, yada.

In addition, the photocell on the backyard PR511 controls the Sunrise/Sunset (cleanup/mood) macros in the CM11A (instead of wasting memory).

FYI, X-10 is running the PR511s in "Today's Sale" for $49.99:

• 2 PR511s
• 2 Keychain Remotes
• 1 TM751

[Just wanted to add a "Positive" review to the list of "Negatives"... ]

 

[upstatemike]

Is there a UPB switch with relay contacts or are the wall switches all triac based? The only thing I have seen that talks about relay contacts is the appliance fixture module. I am migrating more and more to cfl bulbs and so far I haven't had good luck controlling them with triac switches.

 

[bfisher]

All of the UPB switches are both dimmers and switches depending on how you configure them. I don't know if it can control cfl bulbs (if that is flourescent, then yes, they can control them). Switches are rated for 1000W.