Repair and replacement · Rolling Shutter Guide
How do I replace a rolling shutter motor?
Rule out power, the remote battery and thermal cut-out, then size the new motor by curtain weight, not square feet. With the shutter down and power off, open the box, drill out the end-cap and T-strap rivets, slide the tube out, move the crown and drive to the new motor, reinstall, have an electrician connect it, and reset the limits.
Key facts
- Choose a replacement motor by curtain weight, not square feet: weight in lb = width in x height in x the slat's sizing weight per sq ft / 144. Roll-A-Shield data
- On a manual-override motor, if the crank still raises the shutter but the motor only buzzes, the motor itself has failed and is replaced. Roll-A-Shield data
- The tubular motor sits inside the roll tube, so drill the end-cap and T-strap rivets out with an 11/64 in bit only until the head lets go. Roll-A-Shield data
- A replacement motor supplied by Roll-A-Shield gets its own 5-year warranty term. Roll-A-Shield data
- On a Somfy RTS radio motor the antenna is in the cord: if you shorten it, leave at least 12 in.
- Roll-A-Shield sends two technicians to openings over about 9 ft wide; on a wide unit, have a second person on the idle end of the tube. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Rolling shutters driven by a 120 V AC tubular motor inside the roll tube (Gaposa, Somfy and SIMU, radio or wall-switch). The procedure is shown on a Roll-A-Shield wall-switch shutter; manual-override (CMO), solar and OZRoll battery motors differ.
On most rolling shutters the motor is a tubular motor inside the roll tube (the axle), so replacing it means taking the tube out of the box. Roll-A-Shield's service tutorial shows the whole swap on a wall-switch shutter; the written steps follow it, except for the wiring, which follows the motor maker's rule.
Following this Roll-A-Shield guide does not void your warranty; mains wiring must be done by a licensed electrician.
Is it really the motor?
Rule out the cheap causes before you buy a motor. The motor is the likely fault only when the shutter is still dead after the power, battery, thermal and re-pair checks, or when the override crank works but the motor only buzzes.
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing happens, remote light does not come on | Dead remote battery | Change the battery. |
| Nothing happens, other shutters on the circuit are dead too | No power: breaker or outlet | Check the breaker and outlet; if it trips again, call an electrician. |
| Stopped after many up-and-down cycles | Thermal cut-out | Wait about 15 minutes; it resets itself. |
| Runs the wrong way, or stops too high or too low | Programming, not the motor | Reverse the direction or reset the limits. |
| Hums or buzzes, curtain does not move | Jam, off-track curtain, or motor or gear failure | Stop running it and have it inspected. |
| Manual-override crank still works, motor only buzzes | Motor failure | Replace the motor. |
| Still dead after the power, battery, thermal and re-pair checks | Motor | Replace the motor. |
The full symptom list is on Why won't my rolling shutter go up or down?.
Which replacement motor do I need?
Match the control type first, then choose the size by the weight of the curtain, not by its square footage. In the Gaposa wiring diagrams in Roll-A-Shield's install manuals, a wall-switch motor has four conductors (two direction legs, neutral and ground) and a radio motor has three (hot, neutral and ground), so swapping one type for the other changes the wiring and the controls. Many motor model names carry a square-foot range; on Roll-A-Shield shutters that is a label, not the selection rule.
Work out the curtain weight with this formula: weight_lb = width_in x height_in x psf / 144. The "psf" is the slat's sizing weight per square foot:
| Slat | Sizing weight (lb per sq ft) |
|---|---|
| 38 mm insulated (mini foam-filled) | 0.92 |
| 55 mm insulated (standard foam-filled) | 1.11 |
| 63 mm single-wall extruded | 1.14 |
| 63 mm single-wall perforated | 0.98 |
Then pick the smallest motor whose lift capacity on your tube size covers that weight plus a margin of 5 lb or 5%, whichever is larger. These are Roll-A-Shield sizing figures, the capacities its configurator uses to choose a motor, not the motor makers' published ratings:
| Motor size | Lift on a 60 mm tube (lb) | Lift on a 70 mm tube (lb) | Brands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Nm | 33 | 30 | Gaposa, Somfy |
| 20 Nm | 70 | 65 | Gaposa, Somfy |
| 30 Nm | 100 | 90 | Gaposa, Somfy |
| 40 Nm | 135 | 125 | Gaposa, Somfy |
| 50 Nm | 175 | 150 | Gaposa, Somfy |
| 60 Nm | 225 | 215 | Somfy |
| 80 Nm | 275 | 265 | Gaposa |
| 100 Nm | 370 | 350 | Gaposa, Somfy |
| 120 Nm | — | 370 | Gaposa |
For example, a 96 in wide by 84 in tall curtain of 55 mm insulated slat weighs 96 × 84 × 1.11 / 144, about 62 lb; the margin is 5 lb (5% would be only 3 lb), so size for about 67 lb. A 20 Nm motor covers that on a 60 mm tube (70 lb) but not on a 70 mm tube (65 lb), where it takes a 30 Nm motor. Size for the tube your shutter already has. OZRoll battery motors use their own, different ladder.
The motor also has to fit your tube. Roll-A-Shield motorized shutters use a 60 mm or 70 mm tube, and the motor drives it through its crown and drive. A like-for-like motor takes your old crown and drive; for a different make or size, order the crown and drive that match your tube. Gaposa motors are in the parts store; otherwise send photos of the motor label and the box and call (480) 921-0200.
What tools do I need?
- A drill and an 11/64 in bit
- Phillips and flathead screwdrivers
- Needle-nose pliers and wire cutters
- A rivet gun and rivets, or self-tapping screws about 1/4 in long
- A ladder, a bench or sturdy table, and a helper for wide openings
How do I take the old motor out?
With the curtain fully down, you open the box from the front and slide the tube out with the motor in it.
Stop: These steps assume the curtain is fully down, as it is in the tutorial. If a dead motor has left the curtain rolled up or part way, its weight is on the tube: do not start taking the tube out. Use the manual override if the shutter has one, or call for service.
- Run the shutter fully down, then switch off its breaker.
- Remove the four cover screws, keeping a hand on the cover so it does not drop when the last screw comes out, and lift the cover off.
- Back out the Phillips screw on the entry guide and pull the guide out.
- Remove the two safety-plate screws and slide the plate aside. This exposes the motor, its cord and the motor mounting clip.
- Pull the retainer clip straight out of the motor mounting bracket with needle-nose pliers.
- Free the old motor's cord. The tutorial cuts it close to the motor and later splices the new motor to the leftover cord inside the end cap; do not copy that splice (see the stop point below).
- Drill out the rivets with an 11/64 in bit: the end-cap rivets at the top (one is at the back) and the T-strap rivets along the length of the motor, which is about 26 in. Stop as soon as each rivet head is through; the motor is inside the tube.
- Put a flathead between the motor mounting bracket and the motor head, pry and pull forward, and slide out the tube, axle insert and motor together.
Safety: On a wide opening, have a second person on the idle end of the tube. Roll-A-Shield sends two technicians to openings over about 9 ft wide.
How do I fit the new motor to the tube?
- On the bench, slide the old motor out of the tube.
- Push the two white tabs on the drive inward and lift the drive off, then slip off the crown.
- Fit the crown to the new motor so the small notch in the crown sits over the key on the motor collar, then clip the drive on.
- Slide the new motor into the tube with the crown lined up.
- Leave the new cord long enough to reach the junction box. If a radio motor's cord must be shortened, keep the maker's minimum, because the antenna is in the cord: at least 12 in on Somfy RTS and 18 in on SIMU Hz.
- Slip the safety plate onto the cord the same way round it came off. It is hard to turn once the tube is back in the box.
How do I put it back in and wire it?
Lift the tube into the box, idle end first, so the pin seats in the bearing.
Spring the motor head into the notches in the motor mounting bracket with the cord in its slot so it cannot be pinched, then refit the retainer clip in its notch.
Have a licensed electrician connect the motor (see the stop point below).
Tuck the wiring up and well clear of the slat roll, then refit the safety plate and the entry guide.
Stop: The motor runs on 120 V AC. Follow the motor maker's instructions: terminate in a listed junction box; do not run the motor cable through the wall. Mains wiring by a licensed electrician. The video shows an older practice: the new motor is spliced to the old cord with wire nuts inside the end cap, and that cord runs down the rail and through the wall. Do not copy it. A motor replacement is a good time to have the electrician bring the connection up to the maker's rule.
How do I set the limits afterwards?
Find the down position before you re-fix the T-straps, then set the up limit last.
- Restore power and check the direction. Up is the tube rolling toward you, because the curtain winds up over the front of the tube.
- Run the motor down only, until it stops at its down limit; the strap holes should then face you. If they do not, adjust with the limit screws on the motor head. This short run is the only time the motor should turn with the curtain unattached: do not run it up, or through a full cycle, until the T-straps are back on.
- Flip the T-straps up over the tube and rivet them back on, or use four screws about 1/4 in long so they cannot reach the motor housing.
- Pull the end cap tight against the back cover and rivet or screw it back.
- Set the up limit, then refit the cover: hook one corner into the top lip, press it on at about 45 degrees, and replace the screws, with a helper holding one end on a wide unit.
A new radio motor has no pairing and no limits for your remote, so pair it and set its limits: Gaposa or Somfy RTS. If the motor will not take the pairing, reset it first. On a manual-override (CMO) motor the limits are the two screws on the motor head, and the tutorial does not cover a CMO swap; call before you start one.
What does the warranty cover?
Roll-A-Shield motors carry a 5-year warranty from the date of installation, and a replacement motor Roll-A-Shield supplies gets its own 5-year term. When a motor is replaced under warranty, the new one ships with a return label and the old motor goes back within 30 days. Repair labor by Roll-A-Shield's service team is covered for 90 days.
What next
For costs see How much do rolling shutters cost?; for motor options, rolling shutter motors. In metro Phoenix, Roll-A-Shield's service team services rolling shutters of any make; elsewhere, call (480) 921-0200.
Watch it done
Service tutorial: replace a rolling shutter motor
The written steps on this page are the reference; the video shows the same job.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to replace a rolling shutter motor?
It depends on the motor size, the brand and who fits it, so see the cost guide or call (480) 921-0200. If the motor is within its 5-year warranty, the motor itself is covered; the warranty runs from the date of installation.
Can a new motor go in my old shutter, or does the whole unit need replacing?
Usually just the motor. The existing box can often be reused if the tube is compatible; the details that matter are the box height, width and depth, the guide-rail thickness, the current motor and the tube type, so send photos. Very old shutters with round axles are the exception: current axle adapters do not fit them.
Do I have to reprogram the remote after replacing the motor?
Yes. Pairing and limits are stored in the motor, not the remote, so a new radio motor must be paired to your remote and have its limits set.
Can I buy just a motor and fit it myself?
Yes. Roll-A-Shield sends the motor-change video so you can judge whether you are comfortable doing it, and following a published Roll-A-Shield guide does not void the warranty. The 120 V connection is for a licensed electrician.
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.