X-10 Receptacle

[TheCodeMan]

I would like to find an X-10 receptacle that responds to dim and bright commands. All the receptacles I have seen only respond to on and off commands.

 

[WayneW]

I doubt you will find one as I suspect that most vendors feel the risk of somebody accidentally plugging a non-dimmable device into a dimmable receptacle is too great. Does NEC allow you to use a wall mounted non automated dimmer to control a receptacle?

 

[upstatemike]

I don't think so. Much safer to use a "no load" dimmer on the wall to control dimmer modules plugged into ordinary receptacles.

 

[TheCodeMan]

I was afraid that no would be the answer. I installed some under cabinet halogen lights in the kitchen and I wanted to improve the WAF by eliminating the boxy X-10 modules. Oh well, 10 points for automating the under cabinet lights with X-10 including dimming, +5 points for removing the X-10 modules and replacing with X-10 receptacles, -5 points for losing the dimming capability.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

TheCodeMan;

I'm betting you could do something like this if you want, though extra work is involved.

I'm betting your outlets under the cabinets are like the ones I show in the picture below (bottom red circled). I just drilled a hole through the wall on the inside of my cabinets, mounted a metal two ganged electrical box on the back wood of the cabinet. I then fished the wire to the bottom outlet. I then mounted outlets on the metal box and wired them into the bottom outlet's power source (top red circled).

You can even clamp the wire to the back of the metal box so everything meets "code".

Then just drill a small hole underneath your cabinets for the lighting (corners will "hide" the hole better) and plug them into those outlets via a lamp module.

Make sure you use the same wire that is used for the original outlets (usually 12 gauge romex).

Good luck,

BSr

 

[electron]

I did something similar. My cabinets have space in bewteen (eventho the trim is all nicely connected), so I ran wire to the top of the cabinets, then went a few feet to the right where there is another cabinet with an outlet inside (meant to be used for a microwave above the stove etc). I can now dim my lights without anyone seeing how they are controlled.

 

[AutomatedOutlet]

Yep, or have a dimmer switch control the power going to the outlet.