Prewire location for shades?

D

DJK

Member
Hello all,

Tomorrow I start drilling holes in new construction for future power shades (way, way future!)

Where is the best place to run the 18/4 wire?

Above and parallel to the top plate so that it can be pulled from the left or right side? Only one side? Drill into the window casing? Does it matter?

Thanks!
 
DJK said:
Hello all,

Tomorrow I start drilling holes in new construction for future power shades (way, way future!)

Where is the best place to run the 18/4 wire?

Above and parallel to the top plate so that it can be pulled from the left or right side? Only one side? Drill into the window casing? Does it matter?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I have the same question, and have been meaning to contact Somfy, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
 
I should know the answer to this next week. Somfy only goes thru fabricators. I thought I could just buy the motors and add whatever window covering I wanted. No go.

Anyhoot, as of last week week we are officially a Somfy dealer. Training hopefully will take place shortly. In the meantime, if no one answers your question, I will answer it next week.
 
I think I'll give these guys a call tomorrow, and will post if I get an answer. Either that or do some sort of zigzag pattern throughout all the walls around the windows :lol:
 
Well I do know you can HV or LV depending on the choice of motor. Its not an easy task as they have 100's of part numbers if not more. The LV is five wire. I will find out more next week.
 
Ranger Digital said:
Well I do know you can HV or LV depending on the choice of motor. Its not an easy task as they have 100's of part numbers if not more. The LV is five wire. I will find out more next week.
Click to expand...

5 wire..interesting. 2 for power, 2 for signal, 1 for ???.

Thanks for posting info for this next week. So, any plans on selling Somfy through mail-order? :lol: Or do the blinds need to be installed by the distributor.
 
This is the cheapest place that I can find somfy shades. They are cheaper than Worthington! Send them an email with your questions and they can tell you what you need to know. You can control the Somfy stuff with just 18/2 on either the right or the left side of the window. The right side is the traditional side so that is probably the better location.

Chris
 
there are 2 common types of motors out there.
'standard' AC motors require 4 wires - open hot, close hot, neutral, earth ground
usually an electrician will pull 14/3 with ground
most motors will require no more than 2-3 amps (very little change under load)
'standard' dc motors require 2 wires.
one polarity makes the motor go open. opposite polarity makes the motor go closed
heavy load may need as much as an amp, maybe 2
these come in 12V and 24V versions
16/2 zip cord is good, 18/2 is OK for shorter runs.

when I say 'standard' - these motors have built-in limits that are set via screwdriver or similar adjustment.

the motor is in the headrail (where all the machanics are at)
so the best place to run the wire is to the top of the window - either side.

all motorized window coverings are custom, so right hand vs. left hand is not a big deal.

HTH
 
I went with LV hardwired. Bought the blinds from AV-Outlet. Much better price than going with line voltage blinds which I think can only be purchased form a dealer. As a matter of fact it was a huge price difference. I run the wires during construction (left or right doesn't matter, the motors are reversible).
The motors are Somfy RTS battery powered and are actually home runned and hardwired to adaptors in the attic. Works like a champ. By the way my windows are pretty good size (4'x7'). The battery models have plenty of power to work the blinds.
 
sace, I was told the blinds has to be installed (on the motors) by a fabricator. I think that is ridiculous and we should be able to buy just the motors and add whatever drapes, curtains blinds we what ourselves.
 
gskinner,

Thanks for the info. I guess I place it above the window towards the right. Since it's going to end up in the top plate of the window, I'm going to get with the builder and see if I can drill or notch the header.I quick check with our existing blinds is about 4" from the top on the glass. Man, I was so busy laying down conduit, that I didn't get to the windows anyway. Next week!

Thanks.
 
d14, yup that looks right. at least for roller shade motors. interesting. i will have to ask somfy why they are forcing us thru a fabricator. thanks
 
ok, got off the phone with Somfy technical support with the following information:

The roller shades fit inside the window with the motor on the left hand side.

Left or right hand side, I get it since their reversible, but should the LV wire be placed inside the window?

If somebody's got a picture, that's worth a thousand words!
 
Thanks for the info about this guys. I was thinking about running wire for shades like this in the future as well. I figured it was too complicated a not worth it.

I'm looking over the AV Outlet site and it doesn't look that expensive. But then again I have no clue what I would need to get something like this up and running.

Is it possible someone could post up a list of things to use or whatnot?
For example, it's confusing. They have Roller Shade Motors, Battery Wands, wall plug transformers, end plugs, etc.

So to get this up and running on one window, do I buy a roller shade motor, and put it inside of a roller shade tube that I cut to fit my window? The shade itself mounts to the roller tube? The motor turns the tube, in turn lowering the shade?

If all that's correct, how do battery wands work? Is it just portable power inside the roller shade tube? Would this be used in locations that you don't have power already run for the shade?

Thanks
 
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