Need recommendations - motorized top down bottom up to integrate with Elk M1

[tadr]

I want to install top-down, bottom-up blinds/shades in our master bedroom, with the top-down portion motorized. I would also consider motorized top-down only (no bottom-up), if necessary. Unfortunately, I did not pre-wire for blinds. I did, however, pre-wire the top window pane with 22/2 awg wire which I'm not using (so, I have a potential way to send the signal from the M1). I assume 22/2 will not be enough for power, so I'll have to go with battery power (correct me if I'm wrong)

Any suggestions where to start here? Anything people have used with success, that they can recommend?

Thanks in advance.

 

[tadr]

Anyone?

 

[Del91574]

Depends on distance and current the units draw as well as if a straight power trip would cause the blinds to move or if there's more logic involved with the controller, such as an up/down/stop control wiring.

 

[Deane Johnson]

I'm assuming you'll be using Hunter Douglas motorized top down/bottom up. I don't know of anyone else that makes such a creature.

The Hunter stuff is low voltage DC. I should think the 22/2 would be heavy enough to power them with 12v if the run isn't too long. They don't draw a lot of current since they are designed to run on batteries with the batteries projected to last up to 18 months.

I don't believe Hunter specifies wire size since their wall cubes already have wire on them, some up to 25 feet.

I guess if you used the 22/2 for power, you'd have to think another way for control. Since these would be the new Platinum Technology, you could probably control them with RF. The application of motorized top down/bottom up is new to Hunter so I don't know much about them yet.

 

[tadr]

Depends on distance and current the units draw as well as if a straight power trip would cause the blinds to move or if there's more logic involved with the controller, such as an up/down/stop control wiring.

Any recommendations for either 1) top-down blind manufacturers that can be motorized and/or 2) motorization options?

I'm assuming you'll be using Hunter Douglas motorized top down/bottom up. I don't know of anyone else that makes such a creature.

The Hunter stuff is low voltage DC. I should think the 22/2 would be heavy enough to power them with 12v if the run isn't too long. They don't draw a lot of current since they are designed to run on batteries with the batteries projected to last up to 18 months.

I don't believe Hunter specifies wire size since their wall cubes already have wire on them, some up to 25 feet.

I guess if you used the 22/2 for power, you'd have to think another way for control. Since these would be the new Platinum Technology, you could probably control them with RF. The application of motorized top down/bottom up is new to Hunter so I don't know much about them yet.

Thanks, I'll look into Hunter Douglas - I haven't looked at them yet. RF would be fine as long as there is some RF-contact closure interface I can attach to the Elk.

 

[Deane Johnson]

Hunter has a small RF transmitter that gives an UP command when the power is removed and a DOWN command when power is applied. It's intended to be inserted into an appliance module. That means it can be triggered by a cheap timer, X-10, Z-Wave, UPB, Insteon or a wall switch. I have one in operation and it's very reliable, assuming the distance is within specs.

It can be operated on any one of 4 channels. This way, you can have all the shades on one channel, or you can have up to 4 different groups of shades. You would need one of these little RF transmitters for each channel you wanted to use.

I don't have any experience with Elk, so someone else would need to help you there.

In terms of how it would perform with top down/bottom up, I don't yet have enough knowledge on the product to know. Since you would probably want the shades to go down part way, there might have to be some timing considered.

Hunter is not available on-line, only through local retailers. It would probably be to your advantage to figure out who the most knowledgeable local dealer is and get them involved. I'll caution you that many of these dealers are decorators and motorized stuff terrifies them. You need to find someone at the opposite end of the spectrum.

There's a thread running on this stuff on the AVS Forum. Post #37 in the thread has some pictures of the unit.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=21002798#post21002798

Deane