Motorized blind control problem

[rcxyz]

I have external venetian blinds from Omega by Draper. Last October, through support of members in this forum, I installed two Micro On/Off switches, one to control motor UP and one to control motor DOWN. I set up programs and schedules, and things have been running successfully until yesterday. I have two sets of blinds, one is installed in the office and one in the dining room.

 

Currently, the dining room blind is stuck in the UP position, and the office blind is stuck in the DOWN position. If I try to lower the dining room, the blind lowers very slowly, and it sounds like both UP and DOWN are activated at the same time. As soon as I turn the DOWN module off, the blind returns to the fully raised position. The same thing happens for the office blind (except that it is lowered and returns to the fully lowered position after I turn the UP module off.

 

When I look at the devices using the Admin Console, the current state for all Micro On/Off modules are OFF.

 

I am completely at a loss on how to trouble shoot this problem. Can anyone give me some advice?

 

Thanks in advance,

Ruth

[Xathros]

Are you able to query all of the micro modules?

 

-Xathros

[rcxyz]

Yes, I can. And that seems to have fixed the Office blind. I can now raise and lower it from the admin console.

 

The Dining Room blind is still in the UP position. When I query the Motor UP module, it goes momentarily busy, then shows Off. But when I turn the Motor DOWN module on, it makes disturbing noises and operates slowly, and as soon as I turn the Motor DOWN module off, the blind goes back to the fully raised position.

 

Thanks again,

Ruth

[Xathros]

Hi Ruth,

 

Sounds to me like either a bad micro module on the UP side or a wiring issue on that set of blinds.  Can you remove/restore power to that area (Flip breaker) and see if that resolves things?  I'm assuming the UP module is stuck On even though it reports to be off.  The ugly sound is from the up and down motors fighting each other and possibly stripping gears.  Down appears to be the stronger motor (Gravity assistance probably gives it an advantage).  Once the down module turns off, the up motor takes over and returns the blinds to the top limit.

 

Given the possibility of both Up and Down being powered at the same time, it may be a good idea to change how you have this configured.  I'm assuming the motors are AC 110v powered and not low voltage.  If you have room in the JBox where the modules are located to add an SPDT relay, you could eliminate this possibility.  Use one module to control Power to the system and the other to control power to the relay coil.  Wire the motors to the relay such that one gets power when the relay is not energized and tho other when it is.  That module will be the direction control.  The other module is the Run control - turning it on makes the blind move in the selected direction.  The relay will prevent both motors from being simultaneously powered.  Just a thought.

 

 

-Xathros

[rcxyz]

I'll try that! Thanks.

[rcxyz]

I turned the breaker off for a minute (and queried the module again to verify that it wasn't responding), then turned it back on.

 

Sadly, I still have the same problem. 

[Xathros]

Hi Ruth,

 

Bummer.  I suspect a stuck relay in the up micro module or a wiring problem at that location.  Can you hear the up module click when cycling it on/off from the console?

 

-Xathros

[rcxyz]

I'll have to test that when I have a second person available. I'll let you know then. Thanks for the help!

 

Ruth

[Xathros]

Anytime.  Always happy to help.

 

Good luck!

 

-Xathros

[rcxyz]

Yes, we can hear a click when the UP module is turned Off and On. What does that tell you?

[stusviews]

How did you wire the Micro Modules? Also, paste a copy of the programs.

[Xathros]

Yes, we can hear a click when the UP module is turned Off and On. What does that tell you?

that tells me that the module is at least attempting to switch on and off. Still could be a relay contact welded closed or a wiring problem.

 

 

-Xathros

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rcxyz]

Before taking everything completely apart, I decided to try the easy stuff again.

 

I reset the breaker again, and turned the module on and off a couple of times, and everything has started to work properly! 

 

What a nice surprise. Thanks for your help! 

[kohai]

Before taking everything completely apart, I decided to try the easy stuff again.

 

I reset the breaker again, and turned the module on and off a couple of times, and everything has started to work properly! 

 

What a nice surprise. Thanks for your help! 

 

You waved the rubber chicken in your voodoo ritual and all is now well.

[Xathros]

Before taking everything completely apart, I decided to try the easy stuff again.

 

I reset the breaker again, and turned the module on and off a couple of times, and everything has started to work properly! 

 

What a nice surprise. Thanks for your help! 

This is consistent with a stuck/welded relay contact as the culprit.  Glad it's working again.  Still, you may want to consider my suggestion a ways back in this thread to add a relay to isolate the up/down motors and prevent that kind of condition in the future.

 

-Xathros

[rcxyz]

Great suggestion, Xanthros. Our junction box is totally crammed, but if the problem reoccurs or persists, then we might need to have a double box put in. That would give us enough room to expand.