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My date and time is always off. It might have something to do with the fact that I switch off my power strip when I'm done with TV for the evening. Ever since I found out that my Home Theater system was wasting almost 40 watts when everything is standby I decided to switch everything off from the power strip.

TRG said:

My date and time is always off. It might have something to do with the fact that I switch off my power strip when I'm done with TV for the evening. Ever since I found out that my Home Theater system was wasting almost 40 watts when everything is standby I decided to switch everything off from the power strip.

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Doesn't everybody turn off the equipment wheen done with the TV? But I do have a separate circut with its own inverter for the DVR. But I am going to get a smaller one. this one draws too much power almost, 5 amps at 12v, for 14 watts ac.
POP

rv1pop said:

Doesn't everybody turn off the equipment wheen done with the TV? ...

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No.
Someone did a survey a while back over on satforums, asking people how many KWHs they used every month, and the answers were everywhere from about 40 through 2000 if I remember right. I think I'm closer to the top of the range. I have about a dozen or more receivers, and a few computers and a half dozen other devices that are on 24/7 eating up power. I have a couple devices on X10 switches, but some devices won't work on X10 switches, apparently because they sense that the device is switched on or off, and some of my devices will switch the X10 switch back on after I've switched it off, which is annoying. One such device is my Coolsat 8100. I WANTED to be able to switch it off remotely, because it often locks up, requirring me to unplug it, or switch it off from the switch in the rear, and I thought that I'd put it on an X-10 switch. I can switch it OFF, but about 10-20 seconds later, it comes back on. I'm such a remote addict that I can't force myself to go the route of switching everything off via a mechanical switch, because I don't want to have to get up from my recliner to turn things on.

B.J. said:

I have a couple devices on X10 switches, but some devices won't work on X10 switches, apparently because they sense that the device is switched on or off, and some of my devices will switch the X10 switch back on after I've switched it off, which is annoying. One such device is my Coolsat 8100. I WANTED to be able to switch it off remotely, because it often locks up, requirring me to unplug it, or switch it off from the switch in the rear, and I thought that I'd put it on an X-10 switch. I can switch it OFF, but about 10-20 seconds later, it comes back on.

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Maybe there are gremlins in the wiring. :yikes

I don't understand how devices could possibly turn themselves back on. You should be using an X-10 appliance module to turn the receiver on/off. This eliminates power from the power cord.

When you switch it off, it goes CLUNK. A relay opens and the Coolsat 8100 is dead to the world.

What switches it back on? Could your neighbors be using X-10 and you have the same house code? (A - B - C - etc.)

edit,

IIRC, Lamp modules will sense if the lamp is turned on/off at the device and apply power... But you shouldn't use Lamp modules on a STB. Lamp modules are like dimmers. (Only for resistive loads)

All the appliance modules I have also come back on with a double click. I boxed them up about 2 years ago as they do not like generators / inverters.

guapoharry said:

Maybe there are gremlins in the wiring. :yikes

I don't understand how devices could possibly turn themselves back on. You should be using an X-10 appliance module to turn the receiver on/off. This eliminates power from the power cord.

When you switch it off, it goes CLUNK. A relay opens and the Coolsat 8100 is dead to the world.

What switches it back on? Could your neighbors be using X-10 and you have the same house code? (A - B - C - etc.)

edit,

IIRC, Lamp modules will sense if the lamp is turned on/off at the device and apply power... But you shouldn't use Lamp modules on a STB. Lamp modules are like dimmers. (Only for resistive loads)

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No, I never use lamp modules, except for lamps that I want to dim. And no, it's not neighbors, I don't have any neighbors within a half mile.
Like the other responder said, even the appliance modules I have, will turn on if you turn the device off and then back on, and that's what seems to be doing this, ie when the X10 module turns the Coolsat off, apparently the coolsat must be trying to reboot or something with whatever residual power it has, and turns itself off then back on, which then triggers the X10 module to turn back on. It's really weird... you hit the button to turn the thing off, and hear the loud click of the appliance module, then a few seconds later, another loud click, as it turns back on.
One thing that just occurred to me, is that there are two types of those modules, older "dumb" modules, and the newer ones that report their state back over the power lines. Ie I have a program I wrote that will pop up a message on my computer say if house code A, unit 5 turns on or off, and this will happen if you turn a device off and on by it's own switch when the module is off (if I remember right). So maybe the newer modules are sensing the state of the device, and I should try one of the older non-reporting modules.... if I have any. I usually buy the reporting type so that when I use the monitoring program it will work right. It's been a long time since I've done the X10 monitoring, so I may be remembering wrong. This may get me back into that to try to diagnose this Coolsat thing.

B.J. said:

So maybe the newer modules are sensing the state of the device, and I should try one of the older non-reporting modules.... if I have any. I usually buy the reporting type so that when I use the monitoring program it will work right. It's been a long time since I've done the X10 monitoring, so I may be remembering wrong. This may get me back into that to try to diagnose this Coolsat thing.

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It sounds like this module is defective to me, but I guess it might have the "local control" (mis-)feature. From searching it seems like the only way to disable it is to mod the hardware which might not be completely safe. Another post I found suggested putting an additional load on with the appliance. A load that is always in circuit (a nightlight was suggested) would bypass the local control feature allegedly.

I need to test my X10 module out with my FTA receiver. I don't like leaving it on all the time either.