Troubleshooting by symptom · Rolling Shutter Guide
Why does my rolling shutter stop too high, too low, or leave a gap?
A motorized shutter that stops in the wrong place has a travel limit set wrong. The top limit should leave the bottom slat in the guide rails, about half of it showing; the bottom limit stops once the curtain is off the axle. Reset them from the remote on radio motors, or with the screws on switch and override motors.
Key facts
- Roll-A-Shield's target top limit leaves the bottom slat inside the guide rails, with about half of that first slat still showing at the top of the rails. Roll-A-Shield data
- The bottom limit is right when the whole curtain is off the axle and the hanging straps have pushed the top slat toward the box; if the curtain starts to roll up the wrong way round the axle, the lower limit is set too low. Roll-A-Shield data
- On Gaposa switch and manual-override motors the limit screw whose arrow points up sets the DOWN limit, and the one pointing down sets the UP limit; turning toward + adds travel and toward – removes it. Roll-A-Shield data
- In rare cases factory-set limits drift or zero themselves in shipping, and slack in the slat roll can make it wind egg-shaped and throw them off after installation. Roll-A-Shield data
- Gaposa motors have thermal protection: after many up-down cycles, which is common while limits are being set, the motor stops for about 15 minutes and then resets itself.
Applies to: Motorized rolling shutters (roll-down security shutters) of any brand with a tubular motor: Gaposa radio and Sense motors, Somfy RTS, manual-override (CMO) motors from Gaposa and Somfy, wired switch motors and OZRoll battery motors.
Every motorized shutter has two travel limits: where the motor stops at the top and where it stops at the bottom. When a shutter stops short, runs too far, or leaves a gap, one of those limits is set wrong, and resetting it fixes the shutter. A shutter that came down on an object and now hangs slack is a different problem; see the table.
Symptom, likely cause, what to do
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Stops short of the sill, gap at the bottom | Down limit set too high | Add travel to the down limit |
| Closes fully but light shows at the top | Curtain not fully settled, or vented slats | See light gaps at the top |
| Keeps going at the bottom, curtain starts to roll up the wrong way round the axle | Down limit set too low | Stop at once; take travel off the down limit |
| Bottom slat pulls out of the guide rails at the top | Up limit set too high | Stop at once; take travel off the up limit |
| Stops well below the top of the opening | Up limit set too low | Add travel to the up limit |
| Limits were fine, now wrong after delivery or a service | Limits drifted, or an egg-shaped slat roll | Run it fully down so the roll picks up evenly, then reset |
| Came down on an object and now hangs slack or looks wound wrong | Backroll, not a limit | Stop running it; see the backroll page |
| Motor goes quiet while you are setting limits | Thermal cut-out | Wait about 15 minutes and carry on |
Where should the shutter stop?
At the top, the bottom slat should still be in the guide rails; at the bottom, the curtain should be fully off the axle.
- Top: Roll-A-Shield technicians set the up limit so about half of the first (bottom) slat is still showing at the top of the guide rails. If the bottom slat leaves the rails, the up limit is too high.
- Bottom: the shutter should stop when the entire roll of slats is off the axle and the hanging straps have pushed the top slat toward the box. With the box open, the rivets that hold the hanging straps face straight out and the top slat sits flush with the top of the box.
Stop: If the curtain starts rolling up the wrong way round the axle at the bottom, or the bottom slat is about to leave the rails at the top, stop the shutter immediately with the switch or remote. Running past either point is how top slats and hanging straps get bent; see Shutter ran past its limit and bent the top slats.
Why did my limits change?
On Roll-A-Shield shutters the limits are set at the factory, and in rare cases they drift or "zero" themselves during shipping. After installation, slack in the slat roll can make it wind up egg-shaped, which throws off limits that were right in the shop; run the curtain all the way down so it picks up correctly, then reset. Limits also have to be set again after some programming changes, such as reversing the direction on a Gaposa Sense motor.
How do I reset the limits?
It depends on the motor: radio motors are set from the remote, switch and manual-override motors at the motor head. Find yours below and follow the linked page for the full steps.
Gaposa radio motor (remote). Select only this shutter's channel. Hold the right-hand button on the back of the remote together with UP (for the top limit) or DOWN (for the bottom) until the motor jogs, move the curtain to the new stop in small steps, then hold STOP until it jogs again. Test by running past the limit, stopping, and coming back. Full steps: adjust a Gaposa limit.
Somfy RTS motor (remote). Run the curtain to the limit you want to change and let it stop on its own; you must be at the limit to change it. Hold UP and DOWN together until the motor moves, move to the new position, then hold STOP (the MY button) until it moves again. Full steps: Somfy RTS limits.
Gaposa switch motor or radio motor with manual override (limit screws). Two adjusting screws on the motor head each carry an arrow and a + and – mark. The arrow pointing up controls the DOWN limit, and the arrow pointing down controls the UP limit, because the arrows show the turn of the drive gear, not the curtain. Turn toward + to add travel and toward – to remove it, using the motor's adjustment tool. Go by the + and – marks on the motor head rather than assuming clockwise or counter-clockwise, because the turning direction changes with which end of the shutter the motor is on. Full steps: switch-motor limit screws and Gaposa override motor.
Somfy switch or manual-override motor (push-buttons). A white and a yellow spring-loaded button on the motor head; you find which is which by testing. Full steps: Somfy override motor.
OZRoll battery motor. Check the limits the same way, stopping with the E-Port controller; Roll-A-Shield's guide covers the adjustment by video only. Call (480) 921-0200.
A technique for a limit that overshoots
Start with the curtain away from the limit you are changing, so you have room to stop it. On a screw-limit motor, turn well toward – so the motor stops short of the bad position, then turn back toward + and bring it up to the right spot a little at a time. On a remote, the adjust mode is momentary, so nudge the curtain rather than holding the button.
Test each limit by moving slightly off it and back, then run a full cycle and check that nothing catches.
When to stop and call
Safety: Obstacle detection is only on Gaposa Sense motors, 10-50 Nm (model codes XQ5E wired and XQ5EZ radio), and the Gaposa Autonomo solar motors; go by the model code on the motor label. On every other motor, including 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, nothing stops the curtain except the limit you set, so keep the opening clear while you test.
Setting limits needs no wiring. If the motor will not enter adjust mode at all, see Why won't my rolling shutter go up or down? or call (480) 921-0200. In metro Phoenix, Roll-A-Shield repairs rolling shutters of any brand.
Watch it done
Gaposa – Initial Set Up, Pairing the Remote, and Setting the Limits
The written steps on this page are the reference; the video shows the same job.
Frequently asked questions
My shutter goes too far down. Which way do I turn the limit screw?
On a Gaposa switch or override motor, use the screw whose arrow points up (it controls the down limit) and turn it toward minus to take travel away. Start with the curtain away from that limit, and be ready to stop it while you test.
Do limits drift on their own?
Limits are usually stable. Roll-A-Shield's installation guide says factory-set limits can drift or zero themselves during shipping in rare cases, and limits can also read wrong after slack in the slat roll makes it wind egg-shaped. Either way the fix is to set them again.
Do I need to take the box cover off to adjust the limits?
Not on a radio motor: Gaposa and Somfy RTS limits are set from the remote. Switch and manual-override motors are adjusted at the motor head inside the box, and Roll-A-Shield's guide has two people test the travel with the box cover off.
Can I adjust the limits on just one shutter of a multi-channel remote?
Yes. Select only that shutter's channel first. If several channels are selected, every shutter on them changes together.
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.