Motors and power · Rolling Shutter Guide
What is a manual override, and do I need one?
A manual override is a shutter motor with a built-in gear you turn by hand with a removable wand, so a motorized rolling shutter still opens when the power is out. It comes on wired and remote motors, not solar or battery ones, and it gives up remote limit-setting and, on Gaposa, obstacle detection.
Key facts
- Roll-A-Shield offers manual override on its wired (switch) and remote motors; solar and battery motors are not made with one. Roll-A-Shield data
- Manual-override (CMO) motors do not have obstacle detection. On Gaposa, it is found on the Sense motors and the Autonomo solar motors. Roll-A-Shield data
- On an override motor the travel limits are set at the motor head (adjusting screws on Gaposa, push-buttons on Somfy), not from the remote. Roll-A-Shield data
- There are two override styles: a universal joint below the box that takes a bell-ended wand, and a hex wand fished into a hole in the box. The hex style is harder to tamper with but slower to use in an emergency. Roll-A-Shield data
- Solar and battery shutters run on stored charge, so they keep working through a power outage without any crank. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Motorized rolling shutters with a tubular motor: Gaposa and Somfy wired (switch) and radio (RTS) motors in manual-override (CMO) versions. Not Gaposa solar or OZRoll battery motors, which have no override.
A manual override is a motor option, not a separate part you hang on later. The motor carries a small gear that a hand-turned wand can drive, so the shutter can be raised and lowered without electricity. Roll-A-Shield quotes and measure sheets call it a CMO (crank manual override), and motor makers label these motors "CMO" or "manual override".
How does a manual override work?
The override motor sits inside the shutter box like any other tubular motor, but it has a drive gear you can reach from outside the box. Push the wand onto that gear, turn it, and the shutter axle turns with it, so the curtain rolls up or down by hand. The wand is removable, and on Roll-A-Shield units its length is chosen from the shutter's height when it is built.
An override is also a useful clue. If the crank still raises and lowers the shutter but the switch or remote only makes the motor buzz, the curtain is free and the fault is in the motor itself; on large shutters Roll-A-Shield has seen this pattern end in a motor replacement. Stop running the motor and have it checked. The troubleshooting guide covers the other symptoms.
Which motors come with a manual override?
Wired and remote motors do; solar and battery motors do not.
| Motor type | Override available? | Works in a power outage? |
|---|---|---|
| Wired (wall switch), Gaposa or Somfy | Yes, as a CMO version | Only with the override wand |
| Radio (remote control), Gaposa or Somfy RTS | Yes, as an RTS CMO version | Only with the override wand |
| Solar (Gaposa) | No | Yes, on its own battery |
| Battery (OZRoll) | No | Yes, until the battery needs charging |
Gaposa is the standard motor on Roll-A-Shield shutters and Somfy is the alternative. Gaposa override motors come in several torque sizes, each with or without a radio receiver.
Universal joint or hex wand: what is the difference?
Both turn the same gear; they differ in how the wand connects, and that is a trade between convenience and security.
| Universal joint | Hex wand | |
|---|---|---|
| What you see | A joint hanging below the box | Only a small hole in the box |
| The wand | Bell-ended; the bell slips over the joint | Hex-tipped; the tip is fished into the hole and locks into the gear |
| In an emergency | Quick and clear-cut to engage | Slower: the tip has to be found and seated first |
| Tamper resistance | Lower: there is something to grab | Higher: nothing to grab without the matching wand |
On Roll-A-Shield units the hex wand has a 7 mm hex tip. The override can face the front or the back of the box: the front takes a two-hole universal joint or a hex hole, the back takes a four-hole universal joint, and the hex style is not used through the back. On the small 6.5 in and 7 in boxes, a universal joint fits only at the bottom of the end cap. Decide at order time which side you will be standing on when you need it.
What do I give up with a manual override?
Two features, plus some time and money.
- Obstacle detection. Motors without it include manual-override motors, mechanical-limit motors, Gaposa's 80-120 Nm motors (XQ6E/XQ6EZ series, even where a part name says Sense), and all Somfy RTS/LT motors. On Gaposa, obstacle detection is found on the Gaposa Sense motors, 10-50 Nm (model codes XQ5E wired and XQ5EZ radio), and the Gaposa Autonomo solar motors. This matters most where one "all down" button closes several shutters at once, because an override motor will not stop on its own if something is in the way.
- Setting limits from the remote. On an override motor the up and down stopping points are set at the motor head: adjusting screws marked with arrows on Gaposa, white and yellow push-buttons on Somfy. The Gaposa and Somfy RTS pages cover remote-set limits on non-override motors.
- Speed and effort. Cranking a small window shutter is quick; a full-size storefront shutter is heavy and slow by hand.
- Cost and looks. The override is a priced option on the quote, and a universal joint is visible below the box. See what rolling shutters cost for typical totals.
Do I need a manual override?
You need one when a motorized shutter must open without mains power and its motor is not solar or battery powered.
Bedroom windows. If the shutter covers a window someone may need to get out through, call (480) 921-0200 before you order so we can go over the options.
Business entry doors. A storefront shutter over the door the business opens every day should have a front-exit override, so staff can get in and open up if the power is out.
Other windows. Optional. On a window that is never a way out, leaving the override off keeps remote limit-setting and, on a motor that has it, obstacle detection.
Already have a motorized shutter without one? The override is part of the motor, so adding it means replacing the motor with an override version, plus any changes to the box needed to give the wand a way in. The motor replacement guide shows the job.
How do I open my shutter with the override in a power outage?
Get the wand, engage it, and turn it steadily; stop if anything binds.
- Find the override wand. It is removable, so it is not on the shutter.
- Universal joint: slip the bell end of the wand over the joint below the box. Hex style: fish the hex tip up into the hole in the box until it locks into the gear.
- Turn the wand steadily. If the shutter moves the wrong way, turn the other way.
- Expect a large shutter to be heavy and slow; take breaks rather than forcing the pace.
- If the wand will not turn, or the curtain bunches or leaves its track, stop. Read what to do when the shutter came down on something before trying again.
- When the power is back, run the shutter fully up and down from the switch or remote and check it stops where it should. If a stopping point has moved, adjust it at the motor head.
What are the alternatives to a manual override?
A solar or a battery motor keeps working through an outage with no crank at all, because it runs on stored charge.
- Solar (Gaposa). A panel charges the motor's battery. Roll-A-Shield quotes about 60 cycles per charge, and Gaposa states about 35 days of operation; the Autonomo solar motors include obstacle detection. The panel needs direct sun.
- Battery (OZRoll). A rechargeable battery runs the motor; the controller is recharged on a cycle rather than left on the charger.
Neither can be combined with an override, so choose one approach per shutter.
When should I stop and call?
Stop: A shutter that is off its track, jammed, back-rolled or spinning at the top must not be cranked or run again until it is inspected.
Safety: Changing a wired motor involves mains wiring.
Following a published Roll-A-Shield guide does not void the warranty. Mains wiring must be done by a licensed electrician.
What next
For replacement parts, see the Roll-A-Shield parts store; the motor page compares Gaposa and Somfy. To add an override to a new shutter, request a quote. In metro Phoenix, Roll-A-Shield services rolling shutters of any brand; call (480) 921-0200.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add a manual override to the motorized shutter I already have?
Not as a bolt-on. The override is built into the motor, so adding one means replacing the motor with an override version, plus any work on the box end to give the wand a way in. See the motor replacement guide, or call (480) 921-0200.
Can I get a manual override on a solar or battery shutter?
No. Override versions exist only for wired and remote motors. Solar and battery motors do not need one for an outage, because they run on their own stored charge.
How do I set the limits on a manual-override motor?
At the motor head, not from the remote. On a Gaposa override motor, turn the adjusting screw beside each arrow with the adjustment tool, toward plus to add travel or minus to reduce it; the screw by the up arrow sets the bottom limit, because the arrows show the drive gear's direction. A remote-operated one is woken first with the left button on the back of the remote. On a Somfy override motor, use the white and yellow push-buttons; the Somfy RTS limits page walks through them.
Where on the shutter is the manual override?
At the motor end of the box, on the front or the back face. The front takes a two-hole universal joint or a hex-wand hole; the back takes a four-hole universal joint. On 6.5 in and 7 in boxes the universal joint fits only at the bottom of the end cap.
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.