X10 Lamp Module vs Applicance Module

[daviddoria]

What is the difference between these? They told me since I have the compact florescent bulbs in my lamps that I'd need an appliance module. I was under the impression that the modules simply toggled the power to the device - how is that done in two separate products?

Thanks,

Dave

 

[WayneW]

Typically "lamp" modules use a dimmer circuit for incandescent bulbs. "appliance" modules use a relay to try snap the power on & off. CFLs are kind of in the middle gray zone. An appliance module is perfect and safe for a CFL, but doesn't let you dim it. On the other hand, lamp modules and CFLs are very much YMMV in how they work together... some are pretty ugly and some work pretty smoothly together (but never as nice/smooth a ramp as incandescent). Some CFLs are rated for dimming, but most are not.

 

[jlehnert]

Some CFLs are rated for dimming, but most are not.

And for the CFLs that are dimmable, the dimming rate is COMPLETELY different from incandescents.

 

[Photon]

I replaced my four garage incandescent bulbs (controlled by an X10 dimmer) with "dimmable" CFLs and discovered there was no control. I returned one of the incandescents, and I could turn them on and off, and I even had very poor dimmer functionality. Then the heat of the summer set in, and they became 90% unreliable. I repurposed the CFLs and returned to incandescent bulbs. The X10 dimmer switch is in the garage, and everything works reliably up past 100 degrees and down to the zero degrees I woke to this morning.

 

[BLH]

I have tried the new CCFL Cold Cathode Lamps with both old and the new soft start X10 Lamp Modules. They work very reasonable with both. The two wire X10 wall switches steal power through the load and I have not seen anyone successful with a CCFL or CFL dim able or not with the two wire switches.
Older X10 appliance modules had a tendency to go back on when a CFL was being controlled. The Local Sensing Circuit frequently turned it back on. X10 has redesigned the appliance module for better CFL use and they do seem better. No model number changes for the old versus new for both the lamp or appliance modules.