Main faults and errors in roller shutter motors

You will already know the many benefits that the motors and automatisms for roller blinds can bring you. However, when they give us failures? We don't know where to start to fix them. That's why today we present the problems with motorised blinds and how to solve them. That way, they can continue to make your life easier.

Problems during the installation of a roller shutter motor

There are certain problems with motorised roller shutters which, in particular, occur at the time of installation. The most common are as follows:

• When you press the up button and the blind goes down (or vice versa). Check that the cables are in the right place.
• The shutter does not move. You must have plugged it in at a lower wattage than stated. Check how much power it needs. It may also be due to excess weight if it does not lift. In that case, a more powerful motor is needed.
• The motor only rotates in one direction. The travel limit is locked, so turn the crown counterclockwise to the side it will not turn.
• The engine used to run, but has stopped running. It is very hot. Don't panic, it's normal. Let it stand for a quarter of an hour (even half an hour) to cool down.
• Limit switches cannot be adjusted. Make sure that the crown wheel is engaged on the spindle and that it rotates at the same time as the spindle. Then set the correct bore, either by removing or giving travel.

You will now be able to finish installing the electric roller shutter without inconvenience.

Electric motor with insufficient capacity for your roller shutters

Before we go any further, we would like to go into this question in more detail. Our advice is to take the dimensions and weight of your roller shutter into account. If you don't, your motor might not be able to lift it. Or maybe it will, but it will cost too much. It is therefore essential that you get advice from your supplier. This is the best way to ensure that your product is strong enough.

Breakdowns of an installed roller shutter motor

Here are the problems that motorised blinds most frequently suffer from. Don't worry, as you will see, most of them are easily solved. However, the first thing to do is to identify what is causing the malfunction. Logically, you have to detect the "disease" in order to find its "cure". Pay attention:

The engine was working but has stopped working

Let's look at different scenarios that can lead to this undesirable situation:

• The engine has been running for a while, but now it does nothing. Let the engine cool down for 15-30 minutes, until it returns to normal temperature. Keep in mind that these devices are designed to run for about 4 minutes at a time.
• The differential jumps. If every time you plug in the motor or drive it, the differential jumps, take a look at the electrical wiring. It looks like it is damaged and is making contact.
• The end of the stroke varies by centimetres depending on the occasion. The explanation is quite simple, the motor at some point rotates inside the shaft, instead of moving the shaft. The solution? Fix the shutter shaft and the drive wheel with a screw. This way, every time you start the engine, the shaft will also move.
• Engine does not run or runs very slowlyHow old is your engine? It may be that it has reached the end of its service life, although this is unusual. As a rule, it will serve 15 to 20 years. However, many things can reduce its durability. Usually, poor installation or too much weight to lift are to blame.

Bear in mind that the motors will not be able to fix the problems that your roller shutters already had before. What do we mean? For example, broken slats or guides. However, by eliminating mechanical parts, the faults they caused will be reduced. This is the case of the blinds tape (or its drum), which tends to break often.

The shutter gets too hot

In case you didn't know, the roller blinds motorised vehicles have a thermal fuse. What happens is that if they are constantly raised and lowered, they will heat up. So you should let them rest. This will allow them to cool down.

Factory or supplier defective engine

If your model is faulty, there is not much you can do. The only thing left to do is contact the manufacturer and ask him to replace the unusable engine with a new, functional one.

The first thing you have to do, before buying an electric motor, is to test it. And, if this is not possible, read the product reviews (in case it is not possible).

Blind straps in poor condition

If strapping is the problem with your motorised blinds, it will be enough to change them to resolve the fault. It's as easy and simple as that. In our shop, you will find shutter braces for spare parts.

Bad positioning in the roller or roller shutter tube

Fixing this defect is not complicated at all. All you need is put the roller back in place correct. When you do this, your roller shutter should operate normally.

The tube must be supported at both ends by its corresponding parts. This is the way it should be.

After repositioning it, check that the shutter raises and lowers smoothly.

Shutter does not go up or does not go down completely

We won't dwell too long here because we already have a post that explains how to do this. how to raise an electric blind manually and how to lower an electric blind manually. In short, the cause is often a incorrect positioning of the adjusting screws. Tighten them if they are loose.

Poor installation

A common problem with motorised blinds is poor installation. To remedy this, compare how your cables are positioned and how they should be positioned, taking into consideration their instruction manual.

Wires of the electric motor or installation in bad condition

Check that the cables are in good conditionOtherwise, the motor cannot be operated properly. To do this, access the shutter register. This is where you will be able to see whether there is any anomaly or not.

Malfunctioning of the up or down limit switch of the electric motor

It is often the case that, on occasion, the end of the route is unadjusted The shutter is raised or lowered. This does not mean that you can ignore it - on the contrary! If you don't do something about it, this household accessory will start to open and close without interruption, which is very serious. We'll tell you why: because the motor will not stop running, the roller shutter will eventually break down (or even break).

If you want to regulate this travel, you must have a plastic piece for engines. You have to insert it into the holes in the motor. At one end, you can adjust its rise and fall.

There are models with push buttons that you have to press.

Blade or blind slats or strips defective or out of their guides

Yes, when driving the electric motor, you see that the shutter has a hard time coming down (or not at all), open the drawer and look for what interrupts its enclosure. Perhaps the shutter slats or the strips are damaged. Or they may be bumping into the shutter guides.

What can you do then? Remove defective slats or rectify the guide funnel.

Other types of malfunctions in automatic roller shutters

For fixing an electric roller shutter you must distinguish where the fault lies, as it may also be due to an external cause:

Switch or push buttons inoperative

In the case of mechanical motors for pushbuttonsCheck that the cables are not loose or incorrectly positioned so that they can operate normally.

Remote control without batteries

We have already told you why a shutter control does not work. In short, the main cause is usually behind the batteries of the device. Check that they have battery life left. The fault could also be solved by pairing the controller with the motor.

Shutter jam

It is essential to maintenance and cleaning of all the parts of the shutter (guides, slats, tapes...) to prevent and remedy blockages.

Correct repair of electric roller shutters

When there are problems with motorised roller shutters, don't rule out the use a professional. Bear in mind that we are talking about devices whose mechanism needs to be carefully checked, so why not leave it in the hands of experts if the fault is too big for you? In this way, you will prevent accidents and get a proper job done.

Electric blinds: are they really a good idea?

The problems with motorised blinds do not overshadow its benefits. In theory, the product you buy should come in good condition. So most breakdowns are not as such or are easily solved. The motorised blinds with home automation will make your life easier at home, you just have to know how to use them. So don't be discouraged, follow the steps we have outlined in this post and everything should be fine.

We hope that we have helped you with the fault in question. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need any further advice, we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.