New construction, about to prewire 14/3 (24V power) and CAT5E (control) from media closet to each window. I'd really like to have the motorized shades mount inside the window frames (as opposed to above the windows) so I'm looking for recommendations and/or tips for the best location to have the wire exit the window frame/jamb in relation to the end bracket of the motor (likely using Somfy Sonesse Ultra 50 DC motors). I know the exit point should obviously be very close to the bracket but before I drill holes in our wood clad windows I really want to be sure I'm having the wire exit at the most suitable location as well as in as clean a manner as possible. And to this last point, some of the motorized shades will be a follow on project so I'm basically looking for any tips for how to cleanly terminate the exit points within the window frames. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance...
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Where to Expose Wire for Inside-Mount Motorized Shades?
- Thread starter MauiMana
- Start date
I have Somfy and mine were professionally installed. There are different types of blinds, for sure, but mine were mounted about 0.25" or more from the window frame outward, because you don't want them to hit alarm contacts, window latches, etc. because you don't want them to hit when opening/closing. Mine connect on the right, but they probably can set them up on either side. Mine are also all wireless, (RTS) so I just had to worry about power. I myself would never put in wired, but to each-his-own.
MauiMana said:New construction, about to prewire 14/3 (24V power) and CAT5E (control) from media closet to each window. I'd really like to have the motorized shades mount inside the window frames (as opposed to above the windows) so I'm looking for recommendations and/or tips for the best location to have the wire exit the window frame/jamb in relation to the end bracket of the motor (likely using Somfy Sonesse Ultra 50 DC motors). I know the exit point should obviously be very close to the bracket but before I drill holes in our wood clad windows I really want to be sure I'm having the wire exit at the most suitable location as well as in as clean a manner as possible. And to this last point, some of the motorized shades will be a follow on project so I'm basically looking for any tips for how to cleanly terminate the exit points within the window frames. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance...
You do not need 14/3 for a DC motor unless the run is over 250 ft. And cat5 is a bulky wire. For inside mount consider 16/2 or 18/2 for power and 22/4 for signal. I have a variety of mounts, both inside and outside, and the best way I found is to have a valance over the window to really hide the wires (and the shade). If the window is stained wood, it will require some precision to make the wire exit out of the frame without being visible. I recommend purchasing the mounting brackets and use them to visualize the wire position. Another option is to run a string to a low voltage box nearby. Then it could be possible to pull the motor wires into the box later and terminate there.
The 14/3 came from trying to push off the AC / DC decision, but your point about wire bulk is well taken. And to the AC / DC decision, I'd normally favor the 24V DC route across the board except that I've got some wide openings I'll be covering (longest is about 17'W x 10'H, which I'd like to multi-band two shades on a single motor. In any case, our windows are wood-clad and it sounds like it would be difficult to cleanly expose the wire for an inside-mount motor. I might be better off doing an outside mount where I shouldn't need to be nearly as precise (i.e., simply expose the wires just above or to the side of the motor connection point and cover everything up with the shades valance), correct?picta said:You do not need 14/3 for a DC motor unless the run is over 250 ft. And cat5 is a bulky wire. For inside mount consider 16/2 or 18/2 for power and 22/4 for signal. I have a variety of mounts, both inside and outside, and the best way I found is to have a valance over the window to really hide the wires (and the shade). If the window is stained wood, it will require some precision to make the wire exit out of the frame without being visible. I recommend purchasing the mounting brackets and use them to visualize the wire position. Another option is to run a string to a low voltage box nearby. Then it could be possible to pull the motor wires into the box later and terminate there.
Not sure what you mean by "multi-band on a single motor", If you have such wide opening, you'll need 2 motors, and depending on the shade, they may have to be AC powered. We have some big windows about 10x12' that are wood clad with inside mounted AC Somfy shades. The AC wire is very thick, so it required to run the wire to a junction box, but the connection point is barely visible as the motor wires were just pulled through the frame into the box. If you don' want to do that, your best bet would be to do an outside mount with a valance. The issue is not so much the precision of the wire coming out of the frame, as it is the difficulty to make motor wires connection in the window as you have to terminate at least 4 wires. With the valance you can hide that connection. Another issue with the inside mount is the gaps, so you wont be able to get full blackout, but this is mostly an issue for the bedrooms.
picta said:Not sure what you mean by "multi-band on a single motor", If you have such wide opening, you'll need 2 motors, and depending on the shade, they may have to be AC powered. We have some big windows about 10x12' that are wood clad with inside mounted AC Somfy shades. The AC wire is very thick, so it required to run the wire to a junction box, but the connection point is barely visible as the motor wires were just pulled through the frame into the box. If you don' want to do that, your best bet would be to do an outside mount with a valance. The issue is not so much the precision of the wire coming out of the frame, as it is the difficulty to make motor wires connection in the window as you have to terminate at least 4 wires. With the valance you can hide that connection. Another issue with the inside mount is the gaps, so you wont be able to get full blackout, but this is mostly an issue for the bedrooms.
I think I'm getting a clearer picture of the inside-mount wiring, thanks. Makes a lot of sense to me now to not try and run the wires all the way to the motor but rather run them to a junction box just outside the window and then connect to the motor's pigtail there. As far as the junction box, where did you end up placing it in relation to the window unit (i.e., in the wall just to the side of the window, or ???(. Also, how is the junction box visually concealed? Can it still be accessed in case it needs some attention or is it sealed under drywall? And finally, for routing the motor's pigtail through the window's frame to the junction box, did you go out through the top of the window frame or its side?
And for the multi-banding I mentioned, this is the method Somfy has for running two or more shades off of the same motor using intermediate brackets that transfer the torque from one shade to another. You have to obviously make sure you're motor has enough torque to drive the sequence of shades but in my case the shade weight calculations of multi-banding two shades spanning 17' come out below the DC motor's 4nm limit, let alone the 6nm limit of the AC version. But all that said, I'll likely wire for two motors if for nothing else just because it's an easy insurance policy while the walls are still open... might as well.
I ran all wires through the side of the window and the boxes are placed down near the floor, at the height of AC outlets. For the outside mounts with the valance, the wire comes out of the wall right above the top of the valance. I would run wire to both sides of your 17' opening...just in case.
