Understanding how to wire for DC motorized shades can be difficult to understand so we're going to make this the quick reference go to for your average everyday motorized shade installation. Let's make it simple and focus only on motorized window coverings that need power wired to operate the shade.
DC Motors
DC or Direct Current are motors that are powered by either batteries, D.C. power supplies, or A.C. to D.C converters. Here are the 3 types explained.
Battery Powered Motors
If you are purchasing battery powered shades you won't need any electrical work done to your home. The batteries are typically clipped to the back or top of the shade like the picture below. The angle was shot from underneath and in between the battery pack and the shade is an LED light strip for our showroom. The battery pack is clipped to the wall. No tools are required to unclip the shade and replace the batteries. The shades are ready to go once they are installed and programmed.
Q Motion came up with a slick design that incorporates the battery tube into the tube of the roller shade eliminating any external battery packs. It looks like this:
Plug In Motors
If you prefer not to change batteries, one way to power DC motorized shades is with a transformer. The transformer is a little white or black box that converts your homes AC power into DC power that the shade can operate with. A transformer is common on most electronics. Think about the big plug on your cell phone charger. In that big box is the transformer which keeps your phone from being fried by your home's AC power. The transformer plugs into any standard outlet in your home and looks like this:
Full Home DC Shade Wiring
Most homes do not have outlets by every window and most people don't want a cord and plug running from their automatic shades, down the wall, to an outlet. The final method to motorize a DC shade is commonly used to power multiple shades with one power source. Using low voltage wiring, you can run wire from each shade to a central power source called an MMPS or Multi Motor Power Supply that looks like this:
Notice how the blue wires come thru the wall and into the box where they are wired to the MMPS. You can also see in the picture that the MMPS is plugged into power strip below the box. The plug is taking AC power from the home and the MMPS is converting that power to DC to power the shades. This is the preferred method when wiring multiple DC shades in a house. There are limitations with low voltage wiring to consider especially regarding the length of the electrical run so you'll want to consult a professional before taking on a project like this. We recommend hiring a licensed window covering company with expertise in motorization. For more information or if you'd like to hire us to design, build, and install your motorized window coverings call 480-415-8542. We offer commercial and residential window covering services in Arizona, Utah, and the whole state of Nevada. From one motorized shade to a complicated commercial project like this one, we are the motorization experts!!
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