Programming and controls · Rolling Shutter Guide
How do I adjust the limits on a Gaposa manual-override (CMO) shutter motor?
A Gaposa manual-override motor sets its limits with two screws on the motor head, not from the remote. The screw beside the up-pointing arrow sets the bottom limit and the one beside the down-pointing arrow sets the top. Turn toward plus for more travel, minus for less, then test.
Key facts
- The arrows on the motor head show which way the drive turns, not which way the shutter moves, so the up-arrow screw sets the DOWN limit and the down-arrow screw sets the UP limit. Roll-A-Shield data
- Turning a screw toward plus adds travel to that limit; toward minus takes travel away.
- Choosing a manual override gives up remote limit setting and, on Gaposa, obstacle detection. Roll-A-Shield data
- Roll-A-Shield's ideal bottom stop: fully down, rivets facing straight out, and the back slat flush with the top of the box at the rear. Roll-A-Shield data
- Many back-and-forth runs while adjusting can trip the motor's thermal protection, which resets itself in about 15 minutes. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Gaposa manual-override (CMO) tubular motors, wired and radio, on remote- and switch-operated shutters. Somfy override motors use white and yellow push-buttons instead; Gaposa radio motors without an override are set from the remote.
Why can't I set the limits from the remote?
Because the motor has a manual override. Roll-A-Shield offers the override on its remote and wired motors (not on solar or battery motors), and the trade-off is that limits are set with screws on the motor head instead of from the remote, and a Gaposa motor loses obstacle detection. What the override is for, and how to crank the shutter in a power cut, is on What is a manual override?
If your shutter has no crank point for a manual-override wand, its motor has no override; if it runs from a Gaposa remote, adjust it from the remote instead, as on Adjust the top or bottom limit on a Gaposa motor.
Which screw sets which limit?
The screw beside the arrow pointing up sets the bottom (down) limit; the screw beside the arrow pointing down sets the top (up) limit.
That looks backward until you know what the arrows mean. They show the direction the drive gear and axle turn, not the direction the shutter moves, and the arrow pointing up is the way the axle turns to drop the slats down into the track. The motor can be mounted either way up, which changes where the arrows sit, but each arrow still controls the same limit.
| Mark on the motor head | Sets | Turn toward plus | Turn toward minus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrow pointing up | Bottom (down) limit | Shutter goes further down | Shutter stops higher |
| Arrow pointing down | Top (up) limit | Shutter goes further up | Shutter stops lower |
Turn the screws with the adjustment tool made for the motor. Whether plus is clockwise depends on which side of the shutter the motor is on, so follow the plus and minus marks beside each screw.
How do I adjust a limit that goes too far?
Start at the other end, turn toward minus while the shutter runs until it stops short on its own, then turn toward plus to creep it into place.
- On a radio override motor, select the shutter's channel and hold the remote's left-hand back button until the motor jogs to wake it. If it jogs the opposite way to the one you want, press UP or DOWN to correct the direction. On a switch-operated override motor, run the shutter from its wall switch.
- Run the shutter to the end opposite the bad limit, so you have the whole travel to work with. For a bottom limit that goes too low, start at the top.
- Run the shutter toward the bad limit and, while it runs, turn that limit's screw toward minus, many turns.
- If it is about to go too far, stop it and run it back the other way, still turning toward minus; it may take a few tries.
- When the shutter stops short by itself, turn the screw toward plus. The shutter creeps toward the limit a little at a time; stop turning when it reaches the stop you want.
- Run a full cycle and check both limits.
For a limit that stops short (the shutter does not go far enough), simply turn that limit's screw toward plus a little at a time and test.
Stop: Keep a hand on the control the whole time and watch the curtain. Stop at once if the shutter goes up so far that the bottom slat is about to leave the guide rails, or if at the bottom the curtain starts rolling back up the wrong way around the axle. If it already happened, see Shutter ran past its limit and bent the top slats.
Roll-A-Shield's installation guide uses two people for the first limit test: one at the control, one outside watching the shutter with the box cover off.
Where should the shutter stop?
| Limit | Target |
|---|---|
| Top | About half of the first slat still showing at the top of the rail; the bottom slat stays in the guide rails |
| Bottom | Fully down, rivets facing straight out, and the back slat flush with the top of the box at the rear; the whole curtain is off the axle and the hanging straps have pushed the top slat toward the box |
If the motor goes quiet after a lot of runs, its thermal protection has tripped. Wait about 15 minutes for it to reset itself; this is normal.
Safety: Gaposa override motors have no obstacle detection, so the curtain will not stop by itself for something in the way. Keep hands, pets and furniture out of the opening while you test.
What about a Somfy override motor, or a switch motor?
A Somfy manual-override motor has two spring-loaded push-buttons on the motor head, one white and one yellow, instead of screws; see Somfy override motor: push-button limits. A switch-operated motor without an override uses limit screws much like these; see Switch-operated motor: adjust the mechanical limit screws.
Roll-A-Shield's printed guides send Gaposa override owners to the limit video and to a technician by phone. If the limit will not hold after adjustment, call (480) 921-0200.
Watch it done
Gaposa RTS CMO limit adjustment
The written steps on this page are the reference; the video shows the same job.
Frequently asked questions
Which screw is the top and which is the bottom?
Go by the arrows, not by which screw is higher. The screw marked with the up-pointing arrow sets the bottom limit, because that is the way the axle turns to lower the curtain; the down-pointing arrow sets the top.
Can I set an override motor's limits from the remote?
No. A manual override gives up remote limit setting; the remote on a radio override motor still pairs, wakes the motor and runs the shutter, but the limits are the screws.
Does my motor turn the screws the opposite way because it is on the left side?
The turn direction changes with the side the motor is on, so follow the plus and minus marks printed beside each screw rather than a clockwise rule. Arrows keep their meaning however the motor is mounted.
Will the shutter stop if something is underneath it?
No. Gaposa manual-override motors do not have obstacle detection, so the curtain will not stop by itself for something in the way. Keep the opening clear whenever you run it.
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.