Open to automate my horizontal blinds?

[edokid]

Hi everyone,

 

In my living room we have a large front window with horizontal blinds in them made of wood or the faux wood like 2" slats.  To tilt them up or down to close them and open them, there's 2 strings hanging on the left side with plastic balls on the bottom, so pretty common, pull one down and the other raises with the slats closing one direction, then pull the other cord down and the slats close the other way.

 

I'm just wondering the easiest option to be able to control them from my ISY994 with Z-Wave in terms of just having them move from closed to open, so very little movement so that it can be on a timer and what not, if that's even possible?  I don't need manual control as I'd most likely put the blinds control into a KPL right beside them, just wondering if there's any easy(ish) way to accomplish this or if most people just get new blinds with this capability built in?

[stusviews]

How do you do tilt (two operations) and open/close (two operations) with only "two strings...with,,,balls on the bottom?" Any slat window covering I've come across had either four strings (or two loops) or two strings (or one loop) and a rotator rod.

[edokid]

Oops should say option to automate in the subject.  To clarify by open I don't mean pulled open to the top, I mean tilted so the slats are horizontal, or basically as open as they can be while still covering the whole window.  The photos below give an idea, not the best since was bright but it's just 2 strings on the left (the one to pull it completely open is on the right).  So can easily extend the strings or even make them into a loop if necessary, just wondering if there's anything that would go on the floor or something to control them.  The middle photo is what I mean by open.  The first and last shows them in both closed positions.

 

 

 

[MustangChris04]

You'll need a Somfy WireFree RTS Tilt Motor for 2" Blinds and a ZRTSI zwave bridge.

 

I am not sure if the ISY supports multichannels on the ZRTSI. I've asked this question in another thread.

 

I'm running into an issue with the wirefree tilt motor not fitting in the header of my blinds. You need at least 90mm of length from the end of the frame to the first drum and all my blinds only have 70mm. Here is the directions so you can see if this is compatible: http://www.automatedshadeinc.com/files/controls-somfy/new_tilt_wirefree_fabrication_instructions-8-2008.pdf

[edokid]

Great thanks I'll check mine.  I was looking at Somfy but wasn't sure where to buy them as their site was like saying you need professional installation which I can imagine the cost of, since I don't really need it that badly.  Sun doesn't come in directly, just thought be nice at night to auto close them and what not.  I don't think the ISY does multi channel from what I've seen on Z-Wave but hopefully in version 5.  I have a Vera as well I could use as a gateway if not.  

 

Will measure tomorrow when I'm home, thanks!

 

Would this not work with the Somfy motor you mentioned?  https://www.aartech.ca/318276i-insteon-somfy-control-kit.html

 

That Z-Wave one is expensive!  Not sure how bad I want to control the blinds lol.

[stusviews]

edokid,

 

You are correct. Installing a Somfy motor is usually not a DIY project. (Installing a window covering that has a Somfy motor is not difficult.)

 

And, yes, the control kit you linked to can control a Somfy motor. Either way, it's a costly undertaking.

 

I used an Add-A-Motor for some time before we converted to motorized window coverings. But, you do need a loop in the pull cord.

[MustangChris04]

I don't think it is anymore difficult than changing out a door lock. Here is a video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fyUWbaUvv8I

 

automatedshadestore.com is a reliable place to purchase the motor. I emailed them a while back because I needed 10 motors and they had a small discount for multiple quantities.

[edokid]

Thanks I'll check to see the options, most these sites are US only so with the crappy exchange right now and the chance of getting hit with customs (plus some of these sites are brutal in that the shipping to Canada is completely unrealistic like $50 or something for a single small item, looking at you smarthome.com lol) so makes it a pain.  I had looked at that add a motor thing, as I could easily make mine a loop, would just need to get more string and just tie it to the ends of both of these, but I wasn't sure how that add a motor worked with Insteon?

[stusviews]

edokid, I plugged the Add-A-Motor into an ApplianceLinc (now called an On/Off Module). Then I wrote a program that cut power to the motor after x seconds. The exact time doesn't matter because the Add-A-Motor can be adjusted for end-of-travel in each direction as long as the duration, x seconds, is more than the total travel time.

 

Each time power is cut and restored the motor runs in the opposite direction.

[edokid]

Oh great that sounds helpful.  When you say the power gets cut it reverses, does that cause issues if the power ever goes out and then comes back on, do the blinds start to move?

[stusviews]

If power is lost while the blinds are moving and the On/Off Module retains its state when it loses power, then yes, that may happen.

[edokid]

Oh okay but only if it loses power while they are moving?  That's fine then, I just didn't want the power to go out and then come back on and the blinds open or something, since I guess it's harder to tell what state they are in from the ISY open or closed etc.  Just comparing options but that could be one way to go, otherwise probably more worth it to do the Somfy bridge if it supports multiple windows once the ISY supports multi channel z-wave.

[stusviews]

Oh okay but only if it loses power while they are moving?  That's fine then, I just didn't want the power to go out and then come back on and the blinds open or something, since I guess it's harder to tell what state they are in from the ISY open or closed etc.  Just comparing options but that could be one way to go, otherwise probably more worth it to do the Somfy bridge if it supports multiple windows once the ISY supports multi channel z-wave.

 

I'm controlling 13 14 window coverings using Somfy RTS motors. A 16 channel Somfy Universal RST Interface is needed. So is an interface between the router and the Somfy URTSI and also an ISY network module.

[MustangChris04]

Hi Guys, 

 

I'm trying to Install the Somfy RTS wirefree tilt motor in my horizontal blinds and I am running into an issue. My blinds are 51 1/8 wide, and I only have 2.5 inches on each end in the headrail where the motor goes. The motor sticks out another inch or so because I need around 4 inches of space before the first tilt drum. The blinds are mounted inside the window sill, so they must be flush. My blinds were custom cut to the windows from a blinds manufacturer a few years ago. I called them and they wouldn't customize the spacing of the route holes if I made a new run. I went to my local Home Depot and Lowes to see what they had and if I were to use their out of the box blinds and cut them down to fit, I wouldn't have enough room either. If I only cut one side of the blind to fit, it would work, but look rather unusual.

 

My blinds look very much like the ones in the picture edokid posted, with not much room on the end where the first set of route holes are. 

 

Does anybody know of a custom manufacturer that could cut blinds to fit inside my window 51 1/8" wide window while giving enough room to fit the motor? I think I need the route holes 6" on centers.