Thankfully there is a range of products on offer that provide motorization for various window coverings you can install yourself, and for much less up front. There are, however, quite a few different approaches here, and you’ll need to consider blind size, smart home integration options, and how visible you want the ultimate solution to be. Types of Smart Motorized Blind Controllers The app also gives you a wealth of integration options with other SwitchBot gadgets and allows for the creation of rules and schedules across them all. You could tie your blinds into one of the temperature sensors, or a remote button for manual control as just a couple of basic ideas. Potential Concerns Smart home standouts are offerings from Soma and Switchbot, which have easily the best integration support in their respective categories. Other brands tend to lean on Chinese IoT platform Tuya, which has much more limited support, and requires a sign up with their cloud service. The internal battery can be manually charged, but the included slimline window mount solar panel is the best way to go for trouble free operation. Potential Concerns I’ve been looking at a few smart blind motor options; from motors connected directly in the blind tube & other external blind chain motors. This blind motor seemed the best and most flexible option available. I bought one blind motor at fist, but have ended up buying 6 so far… But this was after sorting out a few ‘user manual’ niggles (the instructions should say ‘Set Up the Chain Motor First’ including the ‘OPEN & CLOSE’ settings. ONLY set up the SMART APP and CONNECT the Blind Motor after you have set up the Chain Motor to work through the buttons on the motor unit. Apart from that niggle everything has been fine setting up the Smart Blind Motor. The only thing to be aware of is that you will most likely have to ‘cut’ and re-join the blind chain, as the Chain Motor needs the blind chain to be ‘tight’ to work. But the ‘connectors’ to reconnect the chain together doesn’t go through the chain motor ‘cog’ (or the main Cog of the blind, might be different with the blind you have)- I have tried various chain ‘connectors’. So to get over this problem, I MELT the blind chain beads; joining one to another. This works fine. If a little fiddly. BLIND MOTOR POSITION: I tried various positions for the motor. on the wall I found straight down 3-4cn from top of windowsill the best place. My blinds are inside the window space. SMART/WIIFI – Every easy, and works well, I use the ‘automation’ so blinds close at sunset and open at sunrise and the blinds work well with ALEXA and Google Home. Plus the remotes you can buy separately work easily.

Electric Blinds | Smart Blinds | Battery Powered Blinds | Somfy

The device itself uses Bluetooth for control, and this can connect to their smart phone app directly with no other hardware, but for integration you’ll need their Soma Connect bridge. This small USB powered device provides a bridge between the device’s Bluetooth and your Wifi network to allow other platforms to communicate with it. Each model is available with and without built-in remote control. Units without remote control are typically used in situations where there is already a home automation system in place (see our home automation controllers for more info about this). you may already own a Somfy RTS remote control that is compatible with the Somfy powered blind system. For wider shades we would recommend that you use 1 1/4" EMT steel pipe instead, if you have any concerns about sag. Let’s start with looking at the methods available to automate your shades yourself. There is some variance here depending on if you have curtains, roller blinds, or some other type like Venetian or vertical blinds. Roller Motors

Control Option

Our high quality DIY remote control RollerTrol™ DC tubular motors are perfect for making custom remote control window blinds and shades, skylight shades, projector screens, awnings, banners, conveyers or any application where you need a rotating tube. The cord types, as well, are widely supported with different drive wheels to suit various sizes of beaded and metal chains, as well as string type cords. Single channel remote control handset in white with grey trim. Ideal for controlling an individual powered blind. In the picture above, the crown adapter has been partially slid onto the motor, but not right to the end (left side) where it fits into one end of the tube. You must slide this part on, before you attach the drive adapter to the drive shaft with the provided washer and C clip (there is a retention channel machined into the drive shaft that accepts the clip using finger pressure).

Blinds: The Best Products To Use - LinkdHOME DIY Motorized Blinds: The Best Products To Use - LinkdHOME

The internal battery should last about 6 months of typical usage, and is recharged via USB. Potential ConcernsThe Powered Headrail is perfect for creating a motorised roman blind from an existing manual blind or with your own choice of roman blind fabric. This is a very quiet motor, and despite the tremendous lift capacity, it only uses 1.5 A of current @ 12v DC (very efficient too).