Trying to wrap my head around motorized shades, of which I have no prior experience. The point of this post is partly to post what I think I’ve figured-out, and also to ask for corrections and clarifications. Since the original version of this post, I've learned a few things so I've edited accordingly.
Manufactucters for shade motors that I've studied include Somfy, Lutron and Hunter-Douglas. There other manufucatures of course, but I think between the three I've covered the hardwired options. Recommendations on this board are to decide early what manufacturer's system you want to use. If instead you prefer to pre-wire, posts on this board suggest 16/2 & 22/4.
One of my major objectives is to avoid lock-in and attempt to future proof. I think there are two sides to future proofing: 1) what new technology may become available 2) what current technology may be depreciated and no longer available. My current thought is to wire 14/3 NMB (2 hots, neutral & gnd) and STP Cat5e (sheilded overall) to each window group. If 120VAC motors are not needed, you could instead use just Lutron 46L**.
Lutron appears to be an RS485 based system. Recommended cabling is Lutron 46L, which is a combo cable with 12/2, 18/1 & 22/2 STP + drain. 12/2 is used for 24vac power, 18/1 for DC, 22/2 + drain for data. Online prices for 46L are about $1.25/ft. The other end of the cable is connected to a power supply (EDU) and a dry contact interface module (CIC) is available. Using 14/3 + Cat5 instead: 24vac over the black & white conductors, DC power over the red conductor, and data over a Cat5 pair.
Initially, I was told by the Hunter Douglas rep that they no longer support hardwired solutions, but they eventually provided me with details for hardwiring using a 14/2 for DC power and a 2 conductor + common control wire. This system uses dry contacts to control the motor, not RS485. I was told this system is being depreciated in favor of their wireless solution. Using 14/3 + Cat5: DC power over black and red, control signals over Cat5 pair
Somfy has two hardwire options, the WT (dry contact) and the SDN (RS485 Somfy Digital Network), along with 120vac and 24vdc motor options. The primary advantages of the AC motors are 1) no power supplies required 2) voltage drop is less of an issue 3) AC motors can be more powerful.
120vac powered WT requires 4 to 5 120vac conductors. I'm still not sure what the 5 conductor is for, but I don't think its necessary for most installations. Thus, a single 14/3 NMB can power and control the 4 conductor motors.
24vdc motors use 2 power conductors (reverse the polarity to reverse the motor.) Red and Black of the 14/3 would suffice.
For DC motors using SDN (RS485), Somfy has a low-voltage Motor Power and Data Cable similar to the Lutron 46L with Somfy cable consisting of 14/2 for DC power, 22/2 STP and 24/1 for data. Its missing the 18awg conductor of the 46L. Using 14/3 + Cat5 instead: 24vdc over the black & red conductors, and data over a Cat5 pair. Similar to Lutron, at the other end of the cable can be a SDN Power Panel to supply DC power and data. However, they do not appear to have a SDN dry contact interface *.
For AC motors using SDN, you would wire 14/2 NMB and Cat5 (the motor uses an RJ9 for data.) Somfy recommends the Cat5 cable from the motor be run to their Data Hub. Officially, the Data Hub only supports cable lengths up to 30'. The Data Hub+, which supported longer runs, is no longer available.
* You can integrate RTS (somfy wireless) into the SDN system, and there is a RTS dry contact interface. The UAI+ device is a SDN to IP bridge with a JSon API. The ILT varation of SDN is depreciated.
** While the 46L should work with the Somfy SDN motors, but the motors have a RJ9 port for the data. I'm not sure if you can sucessfully terminate the 22 awg conductor into a RJ9 plug as the plubs I've seen are rated for smaller gauge. That said, the SDN cable also has 22 awg conductor for data so there most be a solution for it.
Disclaimer: This is my understanding as of the last time I edited this post. Don't assume this is all correct.
Manufactucters for shade motors that I've studied include Somfy, Lutron and Hunter-Douglas. There other manufucatures of course, but I think between the three I've covered the hardwired options. Recommendations on this board are to decide early what manufacturer's system you want to use. If instead you prefer to pre-wire, posts on this board suggest 16/2 & 22/4.
One of my major objectives is to avoid lock-in and attempt to future proof. I think there are two sides to future proofing: 1) what new technology may become available 2) what current technology may be depreciated and no longer available. My current thought is to wire 14/3 NMB (2 hots, neutral & gnd) and STP Cat5e (sheilded overall) to each window group. If 120VAC motors are not needed, you could instead use just Lutron 46L**.
Lutron appears to be an RS485 based system. Recommended cabling is Lutron 46L, which is a combo cable with 12/2, 18/1 & 22/2 STP + drain. 12/2 is used for 24vac power, 18/1 for DC, 22/2 + drain for data. Online prices for 46L are about $1.25/ft. The other end of the cable is connected to a power supply (EDU) and a dry contact interface module (CIC) is available. Using 14/3 + Cat5 instead: 24vac over the black & white conductors, DC power over the red conductor, and data over a Cat5 pair.
Initially, I was told by the Hunter Douglas rep that they no longer support hardwired solutions, but they eventually provided me with details for hardwiring using a 14/2 for DC power and a 2 conductor + common control wire. This system uses dry contacts to control the motor, not RS485. I was told this system is being depreciated in favor of their wireless solution. Using 14/3 + Cat5: DC power over black and red, control signals over Cat5 pair
Somfy has two hardwire options, the WT (dry contact) and the SDN (RS485 Somfy Digital Network), along with 120vac and 24vdc motor options. The primary advantages of the AC motors are 1) no power supplies required 2) voltage drop is less of an issue 3) AC motors can be more powerful.
120vac powered WT requires 4 to 5 120vac conductors. I'm still not sure what the 5 conductor is for, but I don't think its necessary for most installations. Thus, a single 14/3 NMB can power and control the 4 conductor motors.
24vdc motors use 2 power conductors (reverse the polarity to reverse the motor.) Red and Black of the 14/3 would suffice.
For DC motors using SDN (RS485), Somfy has a low-voltage Motor Power and Data Cable similar to the Lutron 46L with Somfy cable consisting of 14/2 for DC power, 22/2 STP and 24/1 for data. Its missing the 18awg conductor of the 46L. Using 14/3 + Cat5 instead: 24vdc over the black & red conductors, and data over a Cat5 pair. Similar to Lutron, at the other end of the cable can be a SDN Power Panel to supply DC power and data. However, they do not appear to have a SDN dry contact interface *.
For AC motors using SDN, you would wire 14/2 NMB and Cat5 (the motor uses an RJ9 for data.) Somfy recommends the Cat5 cable from the motor be run to their Data Hub. Officially, the Data Hub only supports cable lengths up to 30'. The Data Hub+, which supported longer runs, is no longer available.
* You can integrate RTS (somfy wireless) into the SDN system, and there is a RTS dry contact interface. The UAI+ device is a SDN to IP bridge with a JSon API. The ILT varation of SDN is depreciated.
** While the 46L should work with the Somfy SDN motors, but the motors have a RJ9 port for the data. I'm not sure if you can sucessfully terminate the 22 awg conductor into a RJ9 plug as the plubs I've seen are rated for smaller gauge. That said, the SDN cable also has 22 awg conductor for data so there most be a solution for it.
Disclaimer: This is my understanding as of the last time I edited this post. Don't assume this is all correct.