64 June 2017
This sounds like interference that
is coming from some other device
that you probably placed nearby
the radio, like a cell phone charger
or dock. Sometimes, LED lamps can
create nasty interference. So can
flat screen TV sets and computer
monitors. (Even when they are OFF!)
Try unplugging various devices
and eventually you should be able to
find the culprit. The other option is to
use a transistor radio and walk around
to see where the noise gets worse.
This is how I found interference in the
past.
William Barnett
West Haven, CT
[#2174 - February 2017]
LED Compatibility?
I replaced some outside
60W bulbs with CREE dimmable
LED replacements. The lamps are
controlled and dimmed using X10
switches. When switched off, the
lamps still glow at about 20% and
will not shut off completely unless I
use the disable feature of the switch.
However, this prevents the timer from
automatically controlling the lights.
What causes this and is there a fix, or
are LED replacements not compatible
with X10?
#1 Conventional X10 switches
require a small current to run through
the load (i.e., an incandescent light)
in order to work correctly. For nonincandescent loads such as CFL or
LED lights, you need an X10 switch
specifically made for them. I currently
use a WS13A X10 wall switch and
also an XPFM X10 fixture module to
X10 switches are not dimmable
though. In general, LED lights need
a dimmer specifically made for LED
lights. I have had good success
with the Lutron CL digital dimmer
(e.g., MACL-153MH) as a manual
dimmer, but I do not know of an X10
compatible dimmer designed for LED
lights. Perhaps someone else knows
of one that will work.
Dan Koellen
Roseville, CA
#2 They’re compatible; what
you’re seeing is the leakage current
on the output of the X10, which is
still enough to cause the LEDs to light
up barely (and which isn’t visible on
incandescents.) If you truly want the
LEDs to go out, though, you’ll have to
look for something better than the old
X10 designs.
Ralph Phillips
Shreveport, LA
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