I am using an AM486 appliance module to control my wife's holiday 
lights. The outlet into which the lights are plugged is outdoors but 
located in a well protected area on our covered porch.

My problem is that sometimes, the unit simply fails to respond to 
commands (on or off). I have found that if I unplug the AM486, bring it 
inside for a period of several hours, and return it to service, it seems 
to begin working as expected once again.

I note now that the unit is marked  "for indoor use only". Is the cold 
or moist air here in the Pacific Northwest causing the problem? If so, 
any suggested "fixes"? Is there a similar unit (it need not have local 
control) that is better for this outdoor installation?

Thanks

PS - In addition to the holiday lights, I have also plugged-in a small 
power brick as suggested elsewhere so that the unit will actually turn 
off any LED lights that are being controlled. This works just fine, it 
seems. But perhaps this is part of the problem? Cheers!

I have used modules outdoors in "protected areas" many times with no 
problems.  Right now there is one controlling my post light which is 
located at the street end of the driveway.  The module is plugged in 
at the house and connected to an underground cable to the post 
light.  Eventually, I will wire it to a module that is presently in 
the basement that controls another post light.  But for now, this 
temporary fix is working.  At Christmas, there were other lights 
plugged into the outlet at the base of the post light.  I also have 
had 2 other outdoors modules on porches for various Christmas lights 
with no problems.  I am in western NC where the lowest temp might 
get to 10 once or twice.  BTW, I have even covered a module with a 
plastic bag where it would otherwise get wet.

Also, when I lived in the suburbs of Chicago, I had 3 outlet modules 
with outside covers.  When it would get very cold, below zero, the 
relay would sometimes pulse 3 times and not latch up when given an 
on command.  I changed the module to a new one and it eliminated the 
problem.  I found an article through Google that said you can clean 
and lube the solenoid.  I did that to that module as it was doing 
the same thing indoors.  It now works properly.

On 2/4/2011 1:07 PM, David White wrote:
> I am using an AM486 appliance module to control my wife's holiday
> lights. The outlet into which the lights are plugged is outdoors but
> located in a well protected area on our covered porch.
>
> My problem is that sometimes, the unit simply fails to respond to
> commands (on or off). I have found that if I unplug the AM486, bring
> it inside for a period of several hours, and return it to service,
> it seems to begin working as expected once again.
>
> I note now that the unit is marked "for indoor use only". Is the
> cold or moist air here in the Pacific Northwest causing the problem?
> If so, any suggested "fixes"? Is there a similar unit (it need not
> have local control) that is better for this outdoor installation?
>
> Thanks
>
> PS - In addition to the holiday lights, I have also plugged-in a
> small power brick as suggested elsewhere so that the unit will
> actually turn off any LED lights that are being controlled. This
> works just fine, it seems. But perhaps this is part of the problem?
> Cheers!

Thanks for the reply and suggestion, Art. I found this site 
<http://forums.x10.com/index.php?action=printpage;topic=18964.0> that 
described how to clean and relube the thing. Just finished and have it 
back in service where it is now working again. However only time will 
tell. Cheers!

Art Todesco wrote:
> I have used modules outdoors in "protected areas" many times with no 
> problems.  Right now there is one controlling my post light which is 
> located at the street end of the driveway.  The module is plugged in at 
> the house and connected to an underground cable to the post light.  
> Eventually, I will wire it to a module that is presently in the basement 
> that controls another post light.  But for now, this temporary fix is 
> working.  At Christmas, there were other lights plugged into the outlet 
> at the base of the post light.  I also have had 2 other outdoors modules 
> on porches for various Christmas lights with no problems.  I am in 
> western NC where the lowest temp might get to 10 once or twice.  BTW, I 
> have even covered a module with a plastic bag where it would otherwise 
> get wet.
> 
> Also, when I lived in the suburbs of Chicago, I had 3 outlet modules 
> with outside covers.  When it would get very cold, below zero, the relay 
> would sometimes pulse 3 times and not latch up when given an on 
> command.  I changed the module to a new one and it eliminated the 
> problem.  I found an article through Google that said you can clean and 
> lube the solenoid.  I did that to that module as it was doing the same 
> thing indoors.  It now works properly.
> 
> On 2/4/2011 1:07 PM, David White wrote:
>> I am using an AM486 appliance module to control my wife's holiday
>> lights. The outlet into which the lights are plugged is outdoors but
>> located in a well protected area on our covered porch.
>>
>> My problem is that sometimes, the unit simply fails to respond to
>> commands (on or off). I have found that if I unplug the AM486, bring
>> it inside for a period of several hours, and return it to service,
>> it seems to begin working as expected once again.
>>
>> I note now that the unit is marked "for indoor use only". Is the
>> cold or moist air here in the Pacific Northwest causing the problem?
>> If so, any suggested "fixes"? Is there a similar unit (it need not
>> have local control) that is better for this outdoor installation?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> PS - In addition to the holiday lights, I have also plugged-in a
>> small power brick as suggested elsewhere so that the unit will
>> actually turn off any LED lights that are being controlled. This
>> works just fine, it seems. But perhaps this is part of the problem?
>> Cheers!
>