ESP Prime Alarm X10 Problems

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  • sooty7
    Automated Home Jr Member
    • Oct 2007
    • 20

    ESP Prime Alarm X10 Problems

    I just wondered if anyone has any experience with the ESP Prime alarm panel.

    I have the optional X10 module installed. The panel can send an X10 signal on Arm / Disarm / Triggered etc, so I have a few events set in Homeseer, triggered by the alarm panel.

    My problem is: At seemingly random times, Homeseer is receiving a series of X10 transmissions on the alarm panel house code.

    Here is an extract from the Homeseer log:

    15/11/2007 06:37:40 X10 Received C1 (?) C All Units Off
    15/11/2007 06:37:42 X10 Received C1 (?) C On
    15/11/2007 06:37:43 X10 Received C2 (?) C On
    15/11/2007 06:37:44 X10 Received C3 (?) C Off
    15/11/2007 06:37:45 X10 Received C4 (?) C On
    15/11/2007 06:37:46 X10 Received C5 (?) C On
    15/11/2007 06:37:47 X10 Received C6 (?) C Off
    15/11/2007 06:37:48 X10 Received C7 (?) C Off
    15/11/2007 06:37:50 X10 Received C8 (?) C Off
    15/11/2007 06:37:51 X10 Received C9 (?) C Off
    15/11/2007 06:37:52 X10 Received C10 ( Virtual Alarm Status) C Off
    15/11/2007 06:37:52 Info Event Trigger "Alarm Disarmed"
    15/11/2007 06:37:52 Info Running script in background: Status_AlarmOff
    15/11/2007 06:37:52 Info Email successfully sent to XXX@gmail.com
    15/11/2007 06:37:53 X10 Received C11 ( Virtual Alarm Trigger) C On
    15/11/2007 06:37:53 Info Event Trigger "Alarm Triggered"
    15/11/2007 06:37:53 Info Running script in background: Alarm_TriggerOn
    15/11/2007 06:37:54 Info Email successfully sent to XXX@orange.net
    15/11/2007 06:37:54 X10 Received C12 (?) C Off
    15/11/2007 06:37:55 X10 Received C13 (?) C Off
    15/11/2007 06:37:56 X10 Received C14 (?) C Off
    15/11/2007 06:37:57 X10 Received C15 (?) C Off
    15/11/2007 06:37:58 X10 Received C16 (?) C Off

    It would appear that these transmissions are coming from the alarm panel, because if I change the house code at the panel then the same thing happens on the new house code. The sequence is always the same, 1 All Off, 1 On, 2 On, 3 Off etc..

    There are no physical devives set to the same house code as the panel. Strange!

    Thanks
    Sooty
  • toscal
    Moderator
    • Oct 2005
    • 2061

    #2
    Do you have any thing set up when say your sensors are triggered. As it could be when you move about the house the alarm panel is seeing this and sending out X10 commands.
    Its just a thought. I have no experience with the ESP alarm panel. Do you know if anyone else in your street has the same or similar Alarm system.
    IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
    Renovation Spain Blog

    Comment

    • sooty7
      Automated Home Jr Member
      • Oct 2007
      • 20

      #3
      Thanks for the reply toscal.

      I have checked the panel and the only events that it should transmit over X10 are ARM / DISARM / ALARM TRIGGERED / BELL TIMEOUT. No triggering from sensors as the problem occurs even when there is no one at home.

      My nearest neighbours are at least 50 meters away and none of them have any X10 stuff. I also have an FD10 filter installed at the main fuse board, so I'm pretty sure its not anything coming from outside.

      It’s almost certainly the panel that’s causing the problem, as if I disconnect it the problem disappears. The Prime version of the ESP panel is relatively new to the market I think. I spoke with an ESP technical person today who has apparently not come across this problem before and his initial thoughts were that it was a fault with the panel rather than the X10 module.

      I had a play around with X10 a few years ago but gave up because I found it too unreliable. I live in an old farmhouse (built around 1850), which despite being completely re-wired a few years ago, still seems to have major problems with X10. In hindsight, I should have put in a hard-wired automation system when we re-wired but there you go.

      When my old alarm panel finally expired I went for the ESP as it offered exactly what I was looking for and had the X10 option. I got myself a few of the new X10-2 modules and thought I would have another try at the X10 thing.

      For the most part everything works just fine, the new modules do seem much more reliable than the old ones and much quieter too. However the whole X10 thing seems far too much hassle for me. I thought HA was supposed to make life easier! I have a 4 zone / 20 radiator Honeywell CM wireless heating system and it just works with no hassle at all. X10 aside the ESP alarm has been faultless to date and can be controlled by SMS or phone with 100% reliability.

      Sooty.

      Comment

      • toscal
        Moderator
        • Oct 2005
        • 2061

        #4
        Rather than disconnecting the panel is it possible to disconnect just the X10 interface. How does the Panel get the X10 signals into the mains. Is it via an XM10 or CM11 module. If its a CM11 module, unplug it and take out the batteries, then leave it for a while then plug back in. If its an XM10 module then it may be faulty.
        Good luck.
        IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
        Renovation Spain Blog

        Comment

        • sooty7
          Automated Home Jr Member
          • Oct 2007
          • 20

          #5
          I did just disconnect the X10 interface and not the whole panel. The ESP panel has its own X10 module, which is a plug in option. The standard phone, GSM and the X10 modules are all inside the main panel enclosure. That’s one of the reasons I went for the ESP panel, it's very neat and tidy.

          The tech chap from ESP seemed convinced that it was a fault with the panel sending rogue info to the X10 module, rather than a fault with the X10 module itself. I got the impression when speaking to him that there are not many people out there using this panel with the X10 option. As the panel is only a couple of months old, he said they would exchange it and the X10 module, FOC. The new one should be here next week, so I’ll see how it goes.

          The panel works fine in every other respect. I don’t know why I’m spending so much time messing with the X10 option. It’s handy being able to send arm / disarm etc to Homeseer, but the main reason I went for the X10 option is because the X10 can be controlled by SMS. I can do this in Homeseer via email but if I just want to open or close my gates remotely a text from the mobile is much quicker than an email.

          Sooty.

          Comment

          • sooty7
            Automated Home Jr Member
            • Oct 2007
            • 20

            #6
            Update.

            Received a replacement panel and X10 module from ESP which has been working without any problem for the last 2 weeks.

            Sooty.

            Comment

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