Measuring, ordering and installing · Rolling Shutter Guide
How do I install a solar-powered rolling shutter?
Screw both guide rails on, drill a 1/2 in hole in the top or side of the box for the motor lead, seat the box and let the curtain down. Mount the solar panel where it gets the most sun and plug the motor lead into it. There is no house wiring, and the limits are set at the factory.
Key facts
- A Gaposa solar shutter needs no connection to house power: the motor runs on 12 V DC from a battery charged by its own panel.
- The motor lead leaves the box through a 1/2 in hole drilled in its top or side; where you drill it depends on where the panel will go. Roll-A-Shield data
- The panel is charged at the factory but can drain in transit, and it charges only once it is plugged into the motor lead. Roll-A-Shield data
- Roll-A-Shield quotes about 60 open-and-close cycles per full charge, and Gaposa a battery life of 3-5 years.
- On a Roll-A-Shield solar shutter the battery is covered by the 2-year electronics term. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Surface-mounted rolling shutters with a Gaposa Autonomo solar motor, panel and remote, as shipped by Roll-A-Shield for self-installation.
A solar shutter is the easiest motorized shutter to install, because nothing connects to the house: the motor, its battery and the solar panel come pre-wired as one package, and the whole job is done from outside. These steps follow Roll-A-Shield's 2024 install guide for solar shutters, which uses the Gaposa solar motor.
Following a published Roll-A-Shield guide does not void the warranty. Mains wiring must be done by a licensed electrician. One correction to the printed guide: its motor paragraph describes a 120 V AC motor wired into existing circuits, which is the text for wired motors. The solar motor runs on 12 V DC from its own battery and is never wired to house power.
What is in the kit?
The assembled box with the curtain on the axle, two guide rails, a U-channel if you ordered one, the solar panel, a Gaposa remote with its wall-mount kit, a bag of standard fasteners and a bag of plastic rail plugs. Exactly how the small parts are bagged can vary; check against the packing list. You supply the self-tapping screws for the rails and U-channel; see what screws to use.
Tip: The panel is charged at the factory but can drain in transit, and it only charges once it is plugged into the motor lead. A shutter that does nothing when it arrives usually just needs connecting and some sun.
The guide's tool list includes a 3/4 in bit, but the only hole the job needs is the 1/2 in hole for the motor lead.
Where should the solar panel go?
Wherever it gets the most sunlight: on top of the shutter box, on the roof or another nearby spot. It needs natural daylight; indoor or artificial light will not charge it, so a deeply shaded or north-facing opening is usually better served by a battery motor.
Decide the spot before you mount the box, because it decides where you drill the box for the motor lead. The panel and box leads together give about 3 ft of reach, and a 10 ft extension is available for a panel mounted farther away. More on placement: how solar shutters work, and where the panel goes.
| Gaposa solar kit | Panel and battery |
|---|---|
| SPB18 | 18 V / 5.5 W panel, 12 V 5000 mAh NiMH, for 20-30 Nm |
| SPB22 | 22 V / 6.5 W panel, 16.8 V 4200 mAh NiMH, for 50 Nm |
How do I mount the rails and the box?
Both rails go on first; there is no hole through the wall.
- With the box on the ground, remove the four square-drive screws holding the cover, set it aside, and peel the protective film off the front and back of the box.
- If a knob, hinge or trim sticks out past the wall, fit furring strips first, level and plumb; if you ordered a U-channel, center it under the opening and fix it perfectly level.
- Set the first rail plumb, level and flush with the end of the U-channel, flared edge up, smaller pre-drilled holes against the wall. Without a U-channel, stand it on the sill and use the outside width of the box ears to set the rail spacing.
- Mark, pre-drill and screw it on snug, not tight.
- Set the second rail the same way at the other end, check the rails are the same distance apart at the top and bottom, and screw it on snug. End-retention rails are fitted the same way; they are 1/2 in wider.
- Drill a 1/2 in hole in the top or side of the box for the motor lead, depending on where the panel will go, and thread the lead out through it.
- Lower the box ears into the rails slowly, keeping the box level. If they stick, slide the 1/4 in lip at the bottom of the box behind the rail with a flathead screwdriver, or rock the box and tap the ears gently.
- Untie the strap round the curtain, feed the bottom slat into the rails and let it unwind to closed. With end-retention rails, the ball on each slat end goes into the slot in the rail. Check it is level with no pinch points.
How do I mount and connect the panel?
Set the panel in place, mark the mounting holes at each end, and fix it with fasteners. Then plug the motor lead's male connector into the panel's female connector. That is the only connection: Gaposa's package is pre-wired, with no wiring to the electrical supply.
Do I need to set the limits?
Usually not; Roll-A-Shield sets them before the shutter ships. If the shutter stops in the wrong place, change the limits with the remote:
- Open the back of the remote. Of the two small inset buttons in the battery compartment, the left pairs remotes and the right sets limits.
- With a paper clip, hold the right inset button and Up together until the motor moves.
- Raise the shutter to the new top position with Up, then hold Stop to save it.
- Hold the right inset button and Down together until the motor moves.
- Lower the shutter to the new bottom position with Down, then hold Stop to save it.
If the shutter stops responding altogether, the solar motor has its own reset; see how to hard-reset a Gaposa solar motor. Gaposa's Autonomo solar motors also have obstacle detection. See obstacle detection.
How do I finish the installation?
Screw the box to the wall with one screw in each corner near the metal safety plates, and a third in the middle if the shutter is over 8 ft wide. Tighten the rail and U-channel screws without overtightening, run the shutter several times, refit the cover, pin a U-channel to the rails through a 9/64 in hole about 1/4 in from each outer edge, fit the rail plugs and caulk the perimeter.
How long will the battery last, and how is it charged?
Roll-A-Shield quotes about 60 open-and-close cycles on a full charge, and Gaposa states a battery life of 3-5 years. If you ever charge the battery with a charger, use only the approved Gaposa charger and charge for no more than 3.5 hours. Gaposa rates the motor for -10 to +40 C.
Keep the panel clean: dust on the panel is a common reason a solar shutter runs slow, and wiping it often restores charging. As a field reference, Roll-A-Shield's technicians expect about 20-22 V from a panel in full sun and 13.0-14.2 V from a healthy battery. How to measure them: test a solar shutter's panel and battery.
What if it does not work?
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing happens on arrival | Panel drained in transit, or not plugged in | Plug the lead into the panel and give it sun |
| Runs slowly or stops partway | Low charge: shade, a dirty panel, or the battery | Clean the panel, check its sun; see solar shutter stops halfway or runs slow |
| Stops in the wrong place | Limit drifted in shipping | Reset the limit with the remote |
| No response to the remote at all | Flat battery, or the motor needs a reset | Check the panel and charge first; then see hard-reset a Gaposa solar motor |
What next
Self-installers can call a Roll-A-Shield technician during the job on (480) 921-0200. Replacement remotes and solar parts are in the parts store, and motor options are compared on rolling shutter motors.
Frequently asked questions
Does a solar shutter need an electrician?
No. The panel plugs into the motor lead outside, and nothing connects to the house wiring.
Where is the best place for the solar panel?
Wherever it gets the most direct sun: the top of the shutter box, a roof eave or another nearby spot. Indoor or artificial light will not charge it, so a heavily shaded opening suits a battery motor better.
My new solar shutter does nothing. Is it broken?
Probably not. The panel can drain in transit and charges only once the motor lead is plugged into it, so connect it and give it sun. If it still does nothing, see the solar troubleshooting guide.
Does a solar shutter work in a power cut?
Yes. It runs from its own battery, so a power cut does not stop it. Solar shutters do not have a hand-crank override.
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.