What Motors Can You Use on A Curtain Track?
Light and mood. Ambience and atmosphere. Curtains can transform a room. Flow™ motorised curtain tracks provide everything you need to automate your curtains, giving added convenience, security, and sophistication.
Flow™ motorised curtain tracks comprise extruded aluminium track, high-quality drive belt and superior roller runners. The result is a robust track which can carry even heavy curtains effortlessly and quietly.
When it comes to choosing a motor, Flow™️ has many different types to choose from. Each motor has different features and benefits, so it’s best to look at your needs and decide which one will best meet them.
To help you choose the right motor for your Flow™️ motorised curtain track, let’s discuss the options available and what each motor does.
WT Hardwired Motors
A Somfy WT, or ‘wired technology’, motor is a mains-powered motor that is wired into its controls. This means they can be controlled using a switch or by a smart home system. This is the main advantage of using a WT motor.
The benefits of having a smart home are that it provides the occupant with convenience and cost savings compared to manual control. Sequences can be set up in advance to automatically turn off central heating when internal temperatures reach the desired point to reduce energy usage, or so that lights automatically turn off when a room is unoccupied.
Somfy offers two WT motors that are compatible with Flow™️ curtain tracks – Glydea and Movelite. The main difference between these two motors is the maximum curtain weight they can operate. The Glydea motor can operate curtains up to 60kg, whereas Movelite is limited to 35kg.
Most curtains for a standard home window will likely not exceed 35kg, unless made from a very heavy fabric. However curtains that run larger, such as those for stage, will probably need the stronger Glydea motor.
The other key difference between Glydea and Movelite WT motors is the motor noise. According to Somfy, the Movelite WT motor has a noise level of 40.6dcb, and the Glydea WT is slightly quieter at just 37.3dcb. Of course, like with any manufacturer, these noise level values should be taken with a grain of salt. There are multiple different factors that can affect how loud a motor sounds, such as what materials its fixed to, the weight of the curtains, the size of the room etc.
RTS Hardwired Motors
Somfy RTS motors are mains-powered motors that connect to their controls using the ‘RTS’ radio frequency. This means that these motors can be operated by a wireless wall switch, handheld remote or to a compatible smart home system such as TaHoma.
Somfy’s Tahoma Switch is an easy to setup smart home system that allows you to connect your blinds and curtains to it using the RTS frequency, and set up custom sequences for all of your shading. It can also connect with other devices such as Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Phillips Hue lighting so you can control your whole home with the hub. All you need to set up the TaHoma Switch is a mains plug socket and a WIFI connection.
Like the WT motors, Somfy’s RTS curtain motors have a Glydea and Movelite version. Again, the Glydea motor is stronger and quieter than the Movelite. On the RTS version, the weight capacity and noise level are the same as the WT motors.
Somfy RTS motors can also be used with an RS485 transmitter. This transmitter allows third-party control systems to operate the curtain track via commands sent over an RS485 bus or via the integrated 5 dry contact input ports. A single RS485 transmitter can be connected to up to 16 groups of 10 motors. Some of the control systems that are compatible with RS485 are Control4, Crestron, AMX, HAI and more. For more information on this RS485 transmitter, click here.
RTS motors also can use the DCT port for 0v switching – this and the RS485 control can be used at the same time as the RTS wireless control.
Flow™️ RTS motors also benefit from soft stop technology, as well as soft start, which means your curtain will begin moving and come to a stop quietly. This feature is important in areas where quietness is key, such as bedrooms or cinema rooms.
One of the key features of the RTS motors that you don’t get on the WT motors is pull-to-start technology. This special feature allows the motor to take over if you start pulling the curtains manually. This is not only super convenient and makes operation simple, but also reduces damage to the motor caused by pulling the curtain.
RTS Battery-Powered Motors
Flow™️ curtain tracks are also available with battery-powered motors that still use the RTS frequency. These motors are ideal for windows where there isn’t a power source nearby and you don’t have the budget or desire to get the additional electrical work done to add one.
There are two battery options available from Somfy, Irismo WF and Movelite WF. Irismo WF is the stronger of the two, with a maximum curtain weight of 45kg. The Movelite WF battery motor, like it’s mains powered counterparts, has a maximum curtain weight of 35kg. The Irismo WF motor is also slightly quieter, with a decibel measure of 39dcb compared to Movelite WF’s 41dcb.
The battery motors also feature soft start and soft stop, as well as pull-to-start technology. They also have the same run time (in one direction), IP index and ability to adjust the limits as the mains-powered RTS motors.
The main benefit of a battery motor is obviously the convenience. The ability to be able to fit these tracks in any window is a huge advantage when it comes to refurbishing existing properties or where new wiring isn’t an option. However, you do lose a couple of features if you choose battery power.
Battery-powered motors do not have speed control or adjustment, so you can’t increase or reduce the speed that your curtains run. These motors also can’t be controlled using a hardwired switch, and the options for connecting to a smart home system are limited to wireless RTS options only, such as TaHoma.
These motors also need to be charged every once in a while – not very often, but often enough that you’ll need to make sure you can access the motor head pretty easily to plug in the charging cable.
Of course, not every motor is going to work for every application so it’s important to look at what your main need is. Do you want the most options when it comes to automation and smart home system integration? Do you want to be able to control wirelessly from a remote? Do you want to be able to use voice activation to open or close the curtains? Do you need a solution that doesn’t require mains power?
At Umbra we are experts in motorisation and automation and can help you find a solution for every project. Want to speak to an expert? Drop us an email or book a free consultation session in our Virtual Showroom.