motorized roller blinds: battery life?

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › motorized roller blinds: battery life?

kaczor47

93 posts

Master Geek

#255574 19-Aug-2019 10:17

So I am looking into putting in 5 motorized roller blinds in a rumpus room. Trying to decide if to go with the easy install of battery powered ones or going through the trouble of wiring them up. (The frustrating part is that I have just re-gypped the whole room and could have pre-wired ... hasn't been painted yet, so it would mean getting the plasterer back in... Yes, lack of foresight on my part)

Those with battery powered ones, could I ask what sort of battery life are people getting?

Thanks in advance.

davidcole

6029 posts

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#2301533 19-Aug-2019 10:35

Paging @ajobbins

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Talkiet

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#2301546 19-Aug-2019 10:43

I get 2-3 months at least... The windows are only 600 wide though with about a 1.2 drop.

I have just built some cheap solar chargers though and I suspect they may mean I never need to charge again.

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

billgates

4705 posts

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#2301604 19-Aug-2019 11:27

If you have the option of going hard wired, do it!

Do whatever you want to do man.

ajobbins

5052 posts

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#2301636 19-Aug-2019 12:51

Yeah I get about 3 months out of a Raex blind that is 600 wide and about a 1200 drop as well (from memory). Mine is on a really high window above our staircase (above the bottom of the stairs), so recharging it is a real PITA that involves me getting up on a very tall ladder, plugging in the charger (which hangs down), charging overnight and then removing the next morning. If the window was accessible, I'd be fine with the charging aspect. Thinking about getting a powered one from AliExpress and wiring it up. I should be able to just go straight up through the window frame and internal frame to the roof space, so wouldn't need to redo any plaster.

Twitter: ajobbins

chimera

506 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2301831 19-Aug-2019 18:40

Definitely hard wire - if you have roof space, then it's not hard whatsoever to do.

Get a super long auger bit (or auger and extension) and drill from the top of the window sill up into the ceiling. Run wires back to the most central point.

I bought one of these https://www.banggood.com/120W-9-Channel-8CH-CCTV-Security-Camera-Distribution-Power-Supply-Box-DC-12V-10A-p-1182727.html and mounted it in my office cupboard, then ran wires from each blind through the ceiling and back into the channels of this. Works well, is a lot tidier and saves mucking around with separate DC power supplies for each.

Batteries - yeah nah... :-)

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#2301836 19-Aug-2019 18:49

Our velux skylights have solar powered roller blinds built in. So surprised that that normal ones aren't solar charged to keep the battery topped up.

SirHumphreyAppleby

2844 posts

Uber Geek

#2301840 19-Aug-2019 18:57

Does anyone make pneumatic blinds? The Star Trek theme shouldn't just be for doors.

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kaczor47

93 posts

Master Geek

#2302396 20-Aug-2019 14:40

Thank you for all the responses. While wiring seems like the best solution, I am unable to get into the ceiling (this is a lower floor). Having scoped it out a bit more, it would require a lot of holes. (Oh how I wish I had thought of this 3 weeks ago). Not this time... sadly

I will look into solar options. For those using them - I gather they could be mounted 'behind' the roller - how big are they? Any recommendations?

Thanks again!

Talkiet

4792 posts

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#2302398 20-Aug-2019 14:43

https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=73&topicid=252839&page_no=1#2287606

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.