X-10 POWERHOUSE CP290 User manual

X10' POWERHOUSE"
Model CP290
Computer Interface Owner's Manual

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction .................................................................., 3-5
What it d oes.................................................................... 6
How it works .................................................................... 7
Interface description and installation .......................... -9
Setting up Lamps ........................................................... 10-11
Setting up Appliances .................................................. 12-13
Setting up Wall Switches . . . ........................................... 14-15
Appendix A—Local Control, Add other Controllers . . 16-17
Appendix B—This is System X-10 ................................... 1 -21
Appendix C—Some don'ts............................................22-23
Appendix D—Troubleshooting .....................................24-27

INTRODUCTION 3
The POWERHOUSE'“Computer Interface can deter intruders by making your home
look and sound lived in whether or not you are there You never have to come
home to a dark house again, or leave the outside lights on all day to get the key
in the door at night. The POWERHOUSE Computer Interface can turn the outside
lights on for you.
It can wake you up to stereo or TV news, light up your bedroom, hallway, bath
room; start the coffee, start your central heating or air conditioning, warm up the
curlers, and all before you're even out of bed; but it's smart enough not to wake
you up on weekends.
At night it can lower the heat, play music or your favorite late night TV show for
as long as you set it, and can first dim and later turn out the lights automatically.

4
The Computer Interface works with the Apple lie and lie, the Commodore 64 and
the IBM PC, A different program and data cable are necessary for each com
puter and therefore the disk and cable are sold separately as a kit.
This manual describes how to set up the Interface and the various modules (see
Appendix B for module types available) and how to manually operate the mod
ules from the Interface. It is recommended that you set up your Interface to con
trol the X-10 modules manually before connecting it to your computer.
If you already own other X-10 components, and are adding the Computer Inter
face to your system, you may wish to skip this manual and go directly to the man
ual supplied with the software.

5
A Word o Caution...
Keep in mind that your Computer Interface will always turn lamps and appliances
on or off the instant you press the rocker keys or at the times you have previously
programmed it to do so. That's obvious—but there can be some unexpected
consequences.
For example, an empty coffee pot can be remotely turned on. If that should hap
pen, your coffee pot may be damaged from overheating. If an electric heater
is turned on by remote control while clothing just happens to be draped over it,
a fire could result.
Therefore, always be aware of what appliance you are turning on or off so that
potentially dangerous situations will not occur.

6 WHAT IT DOES
The POWERHOUSE Computer Interface controls lights and appliances through
out your home from any convenient location. You plug lamps into Lamp Modules,
plug appliances into Appliance Modules and replace wall light switches with
Wall Switch Modules. You can then control virtually everything electrical in your
home using the Computer Interface with your Home Computer (see separate
manual supplied with software). You can also use the Interface to manually turn
on or off up to lamps or appliances from its rocker keys.
SYSTEM X-10®
Simply plug in the POWERHOUSE Computer Interface and SYSTEM X-10 modules (no special
wiring is needed) to control lights and appliances throughout the house.
Wall Switch Module Lamp Module Appliance Module

HOW IT WORKS 7
The Computer Interface tells the modules what to do, Command signals are sent
over your existing house wiring to the module or modules you select. The mod
ules respond to the command signals. The Lamp Module turns on and o , dims
and brightens lamps. The Appliance Module turns an appliance like a TV, win
dow fan or stereo ON and OFF. It can also be used for a lamp—but cannot dim
it, The Wall Switch Module turns on and o , dims and brightens lights which are
normally operated by a wall switch. See Appendix B for module types and ratings.
Command signals are sent over house wiring.
OB
■ '
Lamp Module
Computer Inter ace

8INTERFACE DESCRIPTION AND INSTALLATION
The POWERHOUSE Computer Interface connects to your home computer RS-232
port. It will work with the Apple lie and lie, the Commodore 64 and the IBM PC,
The data caPle and the software program, are different for each Prand of com
puter, and for this reason are sold together as a separate kit. The software comes
with its own manual so we won't go into too much detail here (see software man
ual for your particular brand of computer). You can also write your own software
with the aid of the programming guide supplied with the interface.
The software provides a graphical representation of the rooms in your house on
your monitor or TV screen. You install ICONS (pictures of lights and appliances)
in these graphical rooms to represent the lamps and appliances which are
plugged into X-10 modules. These ICONS are then selected using the joystick, and
a series of questions such as "do you want to turn the light On or Off" are answered
by selecting with the joystick and confirming with the joystick button. You can also
program lights and appliances to go on and off at specific times by simply using
the joystick to select answers to the questions given; e.g. "do you want the light
to go on TODAY, TOMORROW, EVERY DAY or SPECIFIC DAYS, etc.

9
All installed icons and programmed information are stored in the Interface which
has its own real time clock and battery back-up. After programming, the Inter
face can be disconnected from the computer and will continue to send signals
to the modules at the specified times. This allows you to use the computer for other
applications. The rocker keys on the Interface allow instant manual control of up
to modules without reconnecting to the computer,
Before connecting the Interface to your computer, it is recommended that you
first set up your modules and check that the Interface works manually from its
rocker keys. First plug 1he Interface into a 120 V outlet where you intend to leave
it. The Interface will be set to Housecode A when you first plug it in. This can be
changed later under program control but for now you should set up your mod
ules to work on Housecode A and any unit code between 1 and . Install a 9 V
Alkaline battery in the battery compartment on the Interface. The Interface will
then retain all programmed information, during a power outage of up to 100
hours, or if you wish to move the Interface to another room. The Transmit light will
pulse on, approximately once every 5 seconds when the Interface is unplugged
from the 120 V outlet and a 9 V battery is installed. This is to remind you that it
is running on battery power.

lO SETTING UP LAMPS
1 Set the red Housecode dial on the Lamp Module to “A”. You can choose a differ
ent code later when setting up the computer, for now you are just checking that
you can control the module in the desired location from the location where you
intend to place the Interface (the Interface is set to house code A when you first
plug it in).
2. Set the black Unit Code dial on the Lamp Module to a number between 1 and
. You can choose a different code later when setting up the computer (the soft
ware automatically offers you the next code available as you install ICONS but
also allows you to select a different code).
Set HOUSE CODE Set UNIT CODE
3. Check that the lamp switch is in the ON position, unplug the lamp from the recep
tacle and plug it into the Lamp Module.