How much space do electric motors on blinds need?
Electric blinds are becoming increasingly popular, especially in offices and high-end residential projects. Within this post, we will cover where the electric motors for blinds are mounted so you can allow sufficient space for them when specifying electric blinds on your projects.
Electric roller blinds and dimout blinds are the most commonly used automated blind system. The motor for an electric roller blind is concealed inside the roller tube which means no additional space is required for the motor. Most roller blind motors are 230V and require a 13amp fused spur within 1m of where the blind will be mounted.
There are various brands of electric roller blinds available. At the top end of the market, Lutron and Silent Gliss are used widely by interior designers and AV companies. Lutron is famous for its silent motor and the ease with which it can be connected to Lutron lighting control and home automation systems. Silent Gliss has a wide range of electric roller blinds with a blind and a fabric to suit every situation.
Electric vertical louvre blinds are usually powered by a low voltage motor which is fixed to the outside of the headrail. If the window is top-fixed inside a window reveal then the motor will be position behind the headrail so an approximate 150mm space between the glazing and the back of the headrail will be required. If the blind is face fixed outside the window reveal the motor will usually be mounted to the underside of the headrail and be concealed by the fabric louvres.
Electric Venetian blinds, pleated blinds and roman blinds typically have their motors concealed inside the headrail which means no additional space is required for motors. Most of these motors will be low voltage except large 50mm slat Venetian blinds and roman blind systems suited to heavy fabrics will be powered by 230V motors.