UPB first impressions
- Thread starter DeLicious
- Start date
AutomatedOutlet
Senior Member
Wireguy, Have you tried putting a filter on the microwave? The ACT 15 amp filters will normally fix this issue if it happens.
Check your breaker box to make sure that all the breaker contacts are in good shape. Some of my Challenger brand breakers were overheating and corroding themselves, so they started to fail. A the time that I discovered the problem I had no UPB yet, but I think the signal would be badly degraded.
thewireguy
Active Member
no i haven't done anything yet just bought the house 2 weeks ago and i still have about 5 or 6 more switchs to install..... to be honest it doesn't bother me right now..... and if it was up to me i would throw the microwave away to solve the problem... but the soon to be wife will not like that idea.AutomatedOutlet said:
AutomatedOutlet
Senior Member
Tell her that you expect more home cooking
I just found a major UPB noise generator in my house. It turned out to be a compact fluorescent lamp plugged into an X-10 filter. This was a carry over from when I had a Sharper Image air cleaner that needed an X-10 filter. Anyway, I removed the X-10 filter, and my severe noise is no more.
AutomatedOutlet
Senior Member
No, and X10 filter won't cause noise but any electronic device that goes bad could cause noise.
upstatemike
Senior Member
These filters are LRC circuits that are electrically coupled to the device plugged into them. I imagine the resulting combination could interact in unexpected ways sometimes.DeLicious said:
I'm finding many wierd things with UPB. Listen to this one. I have no noise now, and one switch that has a low signal level as reported by the switch and as reported by the PIM. About 5 or 6 signal. So I started unplugging possible signal suckers on that branch. One plug had a termial strip with an LCD TV, Mac computer, and cordless phone plugged into it.
So listen to this. When I UNPLUG this terminal strip and retest the signal, I get ZERO signal and can't communicate to the switch. When I plug the terminal strip back in, I at least get my low signal.
Pretty strange, and NO, the switch in question is not plugged into the termial strip. Its a regular wall switch.
So listen to this. When I UNPLUG this terminal strip and retest the signal, I get ZERO signal and can't communicate to the switch. When I plug the terminal strip back in, I at least get my low signal.
Pretty strange, and NO, the switch in question is not plugged into the termial strip. Its a regular wall switch.
Edenlights
Member
Several people have reported low signal strength or noise in this thread, how many of you are having these problems with a phase coupler installed? I been faced with alot of crazy problems in several installs in the past and they all where related to not having a coupler installed. I now install a coupler on every job no matter how small the home or switch count.
I am currently working on a 10,000sqft home with most of the house on x-10. The home is about 4 years old. I did a survey testing UPB strength around the house and found excellent strength (20 and 30+) on the same phase. and 2s and 3s or 0 on the other phase.
We started by adding 2 couplers and it only helped a little. Then we added more couplers, 1 in every panel and still had week areas.
Then.... we started going to each panel and tightening the screws on every breaker and the neutral bar. We also tightened the large feeder lines to each panel. We found nearly all connections loose some as much as a full turn. Before we were half done with that I started getting 20s across the phases. Now I get 20s and 30s across the phase nearly everywhere. We suspect that there may be loose wire nuts in the switch boxes. Think of all the added resistance on those loose connections.
We also noticed a vast improvement in the x-10 response. I also suspect that we no longer need all the couplers. I have thought about removing some of the couplers to see what would happen.
From now on I am going to check this first on any weak signal issue.
We started by adding 2 couplers and it only helped a little. Then we added more couplers, 1 in every panel and still had week areas.
Then.... we started going to each panel and tightening the screws on every breaker and the neutral bar. We also tightened the large feeder lines to each panel. We found nearly all connections loose some as much as a full turn. Before we were half done with that I started getting 20s across the phases. Now I get 20s and 30s across the phase nearly everywhere. We suspect that there may be loose wire nuts in the switch boxes. Think of all the added resistance on those loose connections.
We also noticed a vast improvement in the x-10 response. I also suspect that we no longer need all the couplers. I have thought about removing some of the couplers to see what would happen.
From now on I am going to check this first on any weak signal issue.
BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
You may have larger problems. If that "quality" of work was consistent, then all your switches and outlets would probably be suspect.Event5 said:
I would get that electrician back in there and go through a few in each room just to make sure your safe. Loose connections can arc and build up heat.
