X10 PHC01 Owner's Manual

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Mini Controller

Owner's Guide

Mini Controller PHC01

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Introduction

The X-10 PRO Mini Controller lets you remotely control lights and appliances from
anywhere in your home. You can keep it by the bedside and turn off the TV without
getting out of bed. You can turn off your child’s radio or night light from your bedroom.
You can turn on ALL lights connected to Lamp Modules and Wall Switch Modules with
the push of a button if you hear a suspicious noise at night. You can even turn off
everything in the system with one button to save energy. How many times have you
gone to bed and left the downstairs light on because you didn’t want to get out of bed to
turn it off? Now you don’t have to.

Keeping in mind that your X-10 PRO Mini Controller will always turn lamps and
appliances on or off the instant you press the buttons. That’s obvious - but there can be
some unexpected consequences if not used with care. For example, an empty coffee
pot can be remotely turned on. If that should happen, your coffee pot may be damaged
from overheating. If an electric heater is turned on by remote control while clothing is
draped over it, a fire could result. Do not use the system for the control of high power
heating appliances such as portable heaters.

The X-10 PRO Mini Controller activates lights and appliances throughout your home
from any convenient location. The Mini Controller transmits signals to the Modules over
your existing house wiring. 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. You can also dim and brighten
lamps.

How it works

The Mini Controller tells the Modules what to do. Command signals are sent over your
existing house wiring to the Module or Modules of your choice. The Modules respond to
the command signals. The Lamp Module turns on and off, dims and brightens any
incandescent lamp up to 300 watts. The Appliances Module turns on and off appliances
such as a TV (not “instant on” Tvs), window fan or stereo. It can also be used for a lamp ­but cannot dim it. The Wall Switch Module turns on and off, dims and brightens and
incandescent light up to 500 watts, which is normally operated by a wall switch.

Setting up the Mini Controller

1 To install your Mini controller, simply plug the power cord into any functioning 120V

outlet.

2 Using a small screwdriver, choose one the 16 letters on the Mini Controller’s Housecode

dial. All X-10 Modules have a similar red Housecode dial. Set the Mini Controller and all
the Modules to be controlled by it to the same Housecode letter.

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Using the Mini Controller

Having 16 choices for the Housecode enables you to set up several independent systems
in one home without interaction among them. Also, you can avoid interference with, or
from, a neighbour’s system by choosing a different Housecode letter.

Install and set up the Modules (sold separately)

1 Install and set up all of your X-10 Modules referring to the instructions included with

them. Be sure to turn off the power at the circuit breaker panel when installing Wall

Switch Modules.
2 Set all of your Modules to the same Housecode as you set on the Mini Controller.
3 Set each Module to a Unit Code between 1 and 4 (or between 5 and 8 if you set the

Selector Switch on the Mini Controller to 5-8).

To turn ON a light or appliance

Press and release the TOP of one of the 4 number keys corresponding to the Unit Code set
on the Module to be controlled.

To turn OFF a light of appliance

Press and release the BOTTOM of one of the 4 number keys corresponding to the Unit
Code set on the Module to be controlled.

The “Selector Switch” selects whether keys 1 thru 4 control Modules set to 1 thru 4 or 5 thru

8.

To Dim or Bright lights

Press and release the TOP of the number key for the Lamp Module or Wall Switch Module
you wish to Dim or Brighten (you can’t Dim or Brighten Appliance Modules). Then press
the TOP of the Dim/Bright key to Brighten or the BOTTOM of the Dim/Bright key to Dim the
light. Hold the key pressed until the desired brightness level is reached.

To Turn All Lights On

Press the TOP of the All Lights On/ALL Units Off key to instantly turn on ALL lights connected
to Lamp Modules and Wall Switch Modules (which are set to the same Housecode as the
Mini Controller). This key does not affect Appliance Modules.

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Using the Mini Controller

To turn All Lights and appliances Off

Press the BOTTOM of the All Lights On/All Units Off key to instantly turn off ALL Modules
(which are set the same Housecode as the Mini Controller), including Appliance Modules.

The Finder Label is a convenient place to indicate the locations of lights and appliances
controller by your system. There is one box for each unit key.

Problem Solving

If a particular Module won’t go on or off from the buttons on the Mini Controller:

Check that you have power to the outlet controlling the Module and the switch on the light
or appliance is ON.

Check that the Unit Code on the Module is set to the correct number. Check that the
Housecode on the Module is set correctly. The Housecode on the Module and the Mini
Controller must be set to the same letter.

Try plugging the Module and the Mini Controller into the same outlet. If the Module doesn’t
work in ANY outlet, not even with the Module and the Mini Controller in the same duplex
receptacle (top and bottom) the Module may be damaged or faulty.

If you can’t control ANY Modules from the Mini Controller

Check that you have power to the outlet for the Mini Controller.
Check that the Housecode on the Mini Controller is set correctly.
Try plugging the Module and the Mini Controller into the same outlet. If NONE of your

Modules work in ANY outlet, not even with the Module and the Mini Controller in the same
duplex receptacle (top and bottom) the Mini Controller may be damaged or faulty.

INTERCOM SYSTEMS

Intercom systems which send voice signals over existing electrical wiring may interfere
with the operation of the Mini Controller when the intercom is in use. If the Intercom system
has it’s own separate wiring it will not cause a problem.

POWER INTERRUPTIONS

When the power is restored after an outage, Lamp Modules and Wall Switch Modules will
normally be OFF. Appliance Modules will stay as they were before the interruption.

MANUAL CONTROL

Lights and appliance connected to plug-in Modules can be turned ON with their own
power switch. Simply turn the switch OFF then ON again once or twice. For lamps with
three-way bulbs, you will have to rotate the power switch up to 4 times before the light
comes on.

The Wall Switch Module can be turned ON or OFF locally using it’s push button. The power
On-Off switch on the Wall Switch Module is used to completely turn off the power. For
example, when changing a light bulb.

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