Which Motors Can You Daisy-Chain?
For large buildings with multiple windows, daisy-chained motors are commonplace.
A daisy-chain is a wiring scheme in which multiple motors are wired together in a sequence.
Daisy-chaining is usually done to make wiring simpler. For motors that can be linked, you can connect a row of motors to a single switch.
This means you only need to get power to one switch which will then subsequently power the chain of motors.
Mechanical Motor Connected Through a Relay
Electronic Motor Daisy-chained
So which motors can be daisy-chained?
Typically, you would only want to daisy chain hardwired motors with electronic limits. These motors are perfect for the above scenario, where you want to connect to a single switch.
To daisy-chain, electronic limit motors makes wiring much simpler, as you can loop the cable from one motor to the next, without each motor needing a ‘home run’.
Motors with mechanical limits are not so simple. These motors can only be connected directly to a switch singly. To connect multiple motors to a single switch requires a relay where each motor has its own wire back to the relay.
Radio control motors are different again. The wiring for these motors simply provides power and the switching is done wirelessly. It is possible to daisy-chain the wiring for radio-control motors, but we do not recommend it.
Our recommendation is for each motor to be connected individually to a switched fused spur unit. This allows motors to be powered on or off separately, which is important when commissioning the radio controls and for future maintenance.
If you are interested in daisy-chaining motors, here are some examples of which of our most used motors are suitable and some that are not:
| Daisy Chain ✅ | Don’t Daisy Chain ❌ |
| Vestamatic 35 ME | Somfy Sonesse 40 RTS |
| Nice Action | Vestamatic 35 MM |
| Elero RolTop M | Somfy Sonesse 40 WT |
Not sure if daisy-chaining is best for your project? There are pros for doing it and not. The main thing to consider is which motor is going to best meet your needs.
If your goal is simple switch control to a row of blinds, daisy-chaining could save you a lot of wiring work. However, if you’re looking for wireless radio control or connection to a BMS, you might be better off with radio motor or mechanical limit motors connected to a relay.
If you’re still not sure, why not speak to us? We are experts in motorisation and automation and can give you unbiased advice on which motor is best for you.