Applications · Rolling Shutter Guide
What rolling shutters work for a cabin or seasonal home with no power?
A manual shutter or a solar motor. Spring-loaded shutters you push up and pull down need no power, and a manual shutter can take a lock at the bottom on the side you choose, so you can lock up from outside. Solar motors need no wiring but need direct sun; Gaposa rates its solar motor down to 14 F.
Key facts
- With no power on site, a spring-loaded shutter you lift and pull down by hand works without wiring; a strap or crank also works, up to a curtain of about 50 lb. Roll-A-Shield data
- Spring shutters are built up to 192 in wide, 120 in tall and 144 sq ft, and need at least 31 in of overall width. Roll-A-Shield data
- Roll-A-Shield's order sheet asks which side of the shutter the lock goes on (box side or back side), so the side you lock from is set when the shutter is ordered. Roll-A-Shield data
- For its Autonomo solar system Gaposa states up to 35 days of running on a full battery in extreme weather at two cycles a day, a battery life of 3-5 years, and a working range of -10 to +40 C.
- Roll-A-Shield does not offer a manual shutter now with a motor added later as a kit; converting a manual shutter to a motor is a service. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Rolling shutters on cabins, vacation and seasonal homes, including sites with no mains power; Roll-A-Shield spring, strap and crank shutters and Gaposa Autonomo solar motors.
A cabin, lake house or winter home sits empty for weeks or months at a time, and often has no power, or no power at the windows. That narrows the choice to shutters that run without house wiring and can be locked when you leave. Roll-A-Shield makes manual shutters for exactly this: at a cabin with no power, manual operation is an easy installation.
Which shutter works with no power?
A manual shutter, or a solar motor.
| Option | How you work it | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Spring-loaded | Push it up and pull it down by hand | Up to 192 in wide, 120 in tall, 144 sq ft; at least 31 in overall |
| Pull strap or crank | A strap or a crank turns the axle | Curtain up to about 50 lb |
| Solar motor | Remote control; a small panel charges a battery | Needs direct sun on the panel |
Asked about manual options with no power, staff on one recorded call called the pull-up, pull-down spring shutter probably ideal, because it is easier than cranking. See Spring-loaded shutters and How big can a manual shutter be?.
Can I lock the shutters from outside when I leave?
Yes, on a manual shutter. Spring and manual shutters lock at the bottom, securing the shutter into the guide rails: a slide lock on the 38 mm insulated slat, a key or thumb-turn lock on the 63 mm single-wall slat, or a heavy-duty locking bottom bar. The side the lock goes on (box side or back side) is chosen when the shutter is ordered, so tell the rep you want to lock up from outside. See How do rolling shutters lock?.
A motorized shutter has no bottom-bar lock as standard and is held down by its motor. A plain wired motor cannot be opened at all while the power is off, which matters if the power fails while you are there. A manual override (CMO) lets you crank it by hand with a rod; on one recorded call, staff described putting the rod into the face of the box from below, without a ladder.
Will a solar shutter work at a winter cabin?
Often, with the right site. Roll-A-Shield's advice is to put the panel where it gets direct sun, and the panel can be moved off the box on an extension if the box itself is shaded. Gaposa's figures for its Autonomo solar system:
| Gaposa states | Figure |
|---|---|
| Running time in extreme weather, full battery, two cycles a day | Up to 35 days |
| Battery life | 3-5 years |
| Working temperature | -10 to +40 C (14 to 104 F) |
Roll-A-Shield quotes about 60 open-close cycles on a full charge. The battery falls under Roll-A-Shield's 2-year electronics warranty term. See How do solar shutters work?.
What about snow and freezing weather?
Watch for ice. A manual shutter has no motor or electronics to rate; motors are rated by their makers, for example Somfy's Altus RTS to -4 F and Gaposa's XQ5 tubular motors to 14 F; Roll-A-Shield has no cold-weather test data of its own. Ice that builds up between closed slats can jam a shutter.
Stop: Never force a shutter that will not move in freezing weather. See Can rolling shutters handle snow and ice? and call (480) 921-0200 before trying to free a frozen one.
Can I buy manual now and add a motor later?
Not as a kit: Roll-A-Shield does not sell motor-less shutters for later motorizing. Converting a manual shutter to a motor is done as a service. If power may reach the cabin in a few years, weigh that before choosing; see Converting a manual shutter to motorized.
What should I do before closing up for the season?
- Clean the shutters with mild soap and water, not a pressure washer; twice a year is the routine.
- Spray the guide rails with dry silicone; never oil the motor or crank box.
- On remote-controlled shutters, keep spare remote batteries, so a dead one does not stop you closing up.
Snowbirds closing up a winter home in the desert often enclose the patio or carport too, and leave furniture and carts locked inside for the summer; see Enclosing a patio, lanai or carport.
Safety: On bedroom windows, check your local egress rules. An override, solar or battery motor keeps a motorized shutter operable in an outage. See Rolling shutters on bedroom windows.
What next
Send the window and door sizes, photos of the walls, and whether there is power or sun at each opening. Outside metro Phoenix, shutters ship for self-installation with install guides or are fitted through a dealer. For pricing, see How much do rolling shutters cost?; for a quote, call (480) 921-0200 or request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Can I open a motorized shutter at the cabin if the power is off?
Only with a manual override or a solar or battery motor. A plain wired motor stays where it stopped until power returns; with an override, you crank the shutter by hand with a rod.
Should I start with a few windows?
You can. Some owners shutter one or two windows first; many then order the rest.
Can you install at a remote cabin?
Roll-A-Shield's own installers serve metro Phoenix. Elsewhere it works through a dealer network or ships the shutters for self-installation with install guides, often fitted by a local contractor.
Parts and next step
Need a part or a hand?
Replacement motors, remotes, straps, slats and hardware ship from our Tempe, Arizona factory. Phoenix-area owners can book a service visit; everywhere else, our technicians help by phone. Call (480) 921-0200; the factory answers technical questions for any rolling shutter, not only ours.