I’m looking for a source for motorized curtain opener/closers. I need them for clerestory windows 13′ up. I’ve found sources for plug in models with remote controls and I guess I could make them work. But I’m worried about losing the remote or just not being able to find it when I need it. Anyone know of a model with a hardwired control?
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Replies
Smarthome.com has those kind of things.
Don't know if they are hardwired or not.
But get some brands/models and then do some google on that brand and see if also make hardwired.
Or you can make somekind of holder to keep the remote on the wall near the window.
Thanks Bill, I'll give them a call at their help number. Couldn't find anything on their website. Actually, the ones I've found with remotes do have pockets to hang the remote in. But that doesn't mean it'll get put back all the time. So I'll keep looking.
Is there a problem with hard-wiring the motor to a switch located where you can reach it?PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
I could try bypassing the remote controls if that is the only style I can get. Don't know how hard that might be. And I won't know until I get one and take it apart. Set hoping to get a set that comes with a hard wired switch though.
Makita (yuppp, that Makita) makes a high end line of motorized curtain equipment.
If the switch turns out to be low voltage (common with remote control), a nice looking solution is to use an alarm contact hidden in some trim. Passing a magnet over the unseen (or minimally visible) switch will activate it.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
My ceiling fans have 'remote' controls that just mount in the junction box. Can't lose 'em, and I can get hand held ones if I want.
Now if the $&%##@ electricians hadn't left all of them on their default settings, I wouldn't be turning everyone of them on and off at the same time. Now I gotta climb up there and change the settings of 5 outta 6...
grumble, grumble, grumble
Hey, while you're up there changing the settings can you take a look at the brand name and let me know.
The fans are Monte Carlo, the model we picked is Big Sur. Got them from an online place called ceilingfans4you.
Thanks Bryan. It doesn't look like they carry curtain opener/closers or drapery controls. Surprisingly few models out there. I think I've seen them all. The Mikita looks good and is a direct drive, but one nine foot system sells for around $450 per unit. I'll need two units. It can be hardwired but the double wall switch is another $85. One of the suppliers is Smarthome http://www.smarthome.com/3151.htmlAt this time we're not ready to put that much money into the project. So we may go with this simple chain/cord drive model for $100/unit.
http://www.smarthome.com/3142.html
The product description looks like we should be able to hard wire it. And with AC wiring run to the locations where the drives will be, we can upgrade later.
Thanks all for your help.
I've got Hunter Douglas motorized shades on two vertical 4'x6' windows, the lower sills of which are 13 feet up.
I don't recall if there was a wired option. We got the remotes (2) and still have both of them, despite having a messy, kid-occupied house.
I was impressed by the price. Functionally equivalent to a low-power garage-door opener ($139) attached to a window shade ($150?). So why did they cost $2000? Admittedly, their's look vastly better than anything I would have cobbled together.
Ideally, spec them before the sheetrock goes up. So you can run the wires inside the walls. These had lamp cord going to each unit to provide both power and contral, I assume the control signal is high-freq added to the power.
Dave,
Always good to see your posts. You probably don't recall but you've given us some pointers over the years on this hobby house we've been building since 1996. And we still don't have the drywall up yet! But you should see all the neat stuff we've found to put in between the studs. We were looking to drywall this area and suddenly realized we'd like curtains up there and, ...OMG, how were we going to operate them? Plan is now to run #14 wire up to the obvious locations from one wall box which should handle either low voltage or AC. Then we'll eiher cobble something together or pay the big bucks.I found several opener/closers and figured out that I was putting in the wrong name for this item in my searches. Seems they are more commonly called "drapery controls" not curtains. Hometech.com and Smarthome.com cover them including the Mikita brand.
"this hobby house we've been building since 1996."Arvid,Something else happened the week we poured the concrete for our place in 1999. Suddenly, I had to have the house finished in 9 months. Her project weighed 9 pounds, mine weighed 90,000. I got done first. A whole 4 days before Drake arrived. Don't know why she was ever concerned.Both projects are documented (and never updated since) at http://www.alaska.net/~dthomas
David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska