Troubleshooting by symptom · Rolling Shutter Guide
Why won’t my rolling shutter go up or down?
Most stuck rolling shutters are not broken. On a manual shutter, the cause is usually cranking the wrong way or a strap off its spool. On a motorized one: a dead remote battery, a tripped breaker, or an overheated motor that resets after about 15 minutes. A motor that hums without moving signals a jam or a failed motor.
Key facts
- About 40% of Roll-A-Shield service calls are for broken straps; when a manual shutter's strap is not broken, about 90% of the time the handle is being cranked in the wrong direction. Roll-A-Shield data
- A Gaposa motor (and comparable Somfy models) that stops after many up-down cycles has usually tripped its thermal protection; it resets on its own in about 15 minutes. Roll-A-Shield data
- If the remote's light does not come on when you press a button, the remote battery is probably dead.
- A shutter that closed onto an object must not be raised with the motor, and one that is off its track, back-rolled, jammed or spinning at the top should not be operated until it is inspected. Roll-A-Shield data
- Guide rails are lubricated with dry silicone spray only; never oil or WD-40, and never oil the motor or crank box. Roll-A-Shield data
- Shutters over 9 ft wide need two technicians on a service visit. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Any brand of rolling shutter (roll-down security shutter) with a strap, crank, spring or tubular motor; motor brands Gaposa and Somfy, and OZRoll battery units.
Start with two questions. First: is it a shutter or a screen? If it were down and you could see through it, it is a rolling screen, which this page does not cover. Second: is it manual (strap, crank or spring) or motorized (switch, remote, solar or battery)? The two branches below have almost nothing in common.
Symptom, likely cause, what to do
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Manual: crank clicks, shutter does not rise | Handle turned the wrong way | Turn toward the arrow on the crank box; clockwise raises. |
| Manual: strap pulls freely, nothing moves | Strap broken, or off its spool inside the box | Inspect the strap. Frayed or snapped: replace the strap. Intact: re-spool it in the box. |
| Manual: shutter stuck open | Curtain hung up at the top | Loosen the inside strap and gently pull the bottom slat down inside the rails. |
| Manual or motor: sticks or binds at one spot | Dirt in the guide rails, or dry rails | Hose out the rails, let them dry, spray dry silicone. Never WD-40 or oil. |
| Spring: sags or is hard to lift | Spring under-tensioned | Add tension (or have a technician do it). |
| Spring: flies up or will not stay closed | Spring over-tensioned | Reduce tension (or have a technician do it). |
| Motor: nothing at all, remote light off | Dead remote battery | Change the battery. |
| Motor: nothing at all, remote light on, no sound | Thermal cut-out, tripped breaker or GFCI, or no power | Wait about 15 minutes, then check the breaker and the outlet. |
| Motor: stopped after many up-down cycles (often while setting limits) | Thermal protection | Wait about 15 minutes; it resets itself. |
| Motor: hums or buzzes, curtain does not move, override crank still works | Motor failure | Replace the motor. |
| Motor: hums or buzzes, curtain does not move, no override | Jam, off-track curtain or motor failure | Stop running it and have it inspected. |
| Motor: stops too high or too low, or runs past the end | Travel limits need setting | Gaposa limits, Somfy limits. |
| Motor: limits were fine, now wrong after a service | Slack in the roll made it wind egg-shaped | Run the curtain fully down so it picks up evenly, then re-set the limits. |
| Motor: stopped on something, curtain bunched or slack | Shutter closed on an object (backroll) | Stop. Do not run it up. Follow the backroll recovery steps. |
| Solar: sluggish or dead | Panel not charging | Confirm the panel gets direct sun and wipe it clean; then try the solar reset. |
| Battery (OZRoll) controller keeps dying | Left on the charger permanently | Keep the controller seated in its wall port and charge it on a cycle; the battery is not designed to stay on the charger all the time. |
| Any: off track, back-rolled, jammed or spinning at the top | Mechanical damage | Stop operating it and have it inspected. |
Why won't my manual shutter go up?
If the strap is not broken, nine times out of ten the handle is being turned the wrong way. Roll-A-Shield's service desk works from the same numbers: about 40% of service calls are for broken straps, and when the strap is intact, about 90% of the time the customer is cranking the handle in the wrong direction. Work through it in this order:
- Look at the strap where it enters the wall and the box. If it is frayed or snapped, it needs replacing; see How to replace a broken shutter strap.
- If the strap is intact, turn the crank slowly the other way. On a crank box, clockwise raises the shutter and counter-clockwise lowers it.
- If it still will not roll, the strap has probably slipped off the spool inside the crank box and needs re-spooling.
- A pull-strap shutter raises when you pull the strap straight down, and lowers when you pull the strap toward your waist.
Tip: Never slam a manual shutter up. Let the strap or crank do the work.
Why won't my motorized shutter respond to the remote?
Check the cheapest thing first: the remote battery. Press any button and watch for the small light. No light usually means a dead battery, which is a quick swap on a Gaposa or Somfy remote. With a new battery and still no response, confirm the shutter has power: the breaker is on and, if the motor is wired to an outlet, that outlet (or its GFCI) has not tripped.
If it worked a moment ago and has gone dead after a lot of up-and-down use, the motor's thermal protection has tripped. This is normal, not a fault. On Gaposa motors (and comparable Somfy models) it resets by itself in about 15 minutes, and it is especially common while someone is setting limits.
If the remote works but only this one shutter is dead, wait about 15 minutes for the thermal cut-out and try re-pairing the remote. If that changes nothing and the motor makes no sound, the motor is the likely cause: book a technician or, for the confident, see the motor replacement guide.
Why does my shutter stop half way or only move a few inches?
A shutter that stops short in the same place every time has a limit problem, not a motor problem. On remote motors the limits are set from the remote; on switch-operated and manual-override motors they are set at the motor head (push-buttons on some motors, adjusting screws on others). Limits set in the shop can also drift after installation if the slat roll had slack and wound up egg-shaped; run the curtain fully down so it picks up evenly, then re-set the limits. The two brand pages cover the procedure: Gaposa and Somfy RTS.
A shutter that stops in a different place each time, with a bang or a slack curtain, has usually come down on something. Stop, and go to What to do when the shutter came down on an object.
The motor hums but nothing moves
If the shutter has a manual override and the crank still raises and lowers it while the remote only produces a buzz, the curtain is free and the fault is in the motor. Roll-A-Shield has seen this as a recurring failure on large shutters, and the fix is a motor replacement. If there is no override, a hum can also mean a jam or an off-track curtain: do not keep pressing the button, and have it inspected.
Does the motor have a thermal cut-off?
Yes. Gaposa motors, and comparable Somfy models, carry thermal protection; excessive cycling triggers a shutdown of about 15 minutes, after which the motor works again without any reset. Roll-A-Shield's wired motors run on 120 V AC and draw 0.7-5.5 A, and can be wired into an existing circuit. A breaker that trips repeatedly is therefore not normal and should be checked by a licensed electrician.
When to stop and call
Stop: Do not operate a shutter that is off its track, back-rolled, jammed, or spinning at the top. Each cycle does more damage.
Stop: Problems that started right after window replacement, painting or other contractor work are a known pattern. Have the shutter inspected rather than running it, and never run a motor while the slat curtain is disconnected, which can burn out the motor and damage the entry guides.
Safety: Mains wiring, including a breaker or GFCI that keeps tripping, is a job for a licensed electrician.
Shutters over 9 ft wide need two technicians, which affects how a service visit is scheduled.
What next
Replacement straps, remotes and Gaposa motors are in the Roll-A-Shield parts store. In metro Phoenix, Roll-A-Shield repairs rolling shutters of any brand; call (480) 921-0200. Outside Phoenix, call the same number for parts and phone support.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my crank just click and the shutter won't go up?
The clicking means the handle is being turned the wrong way. Turn it in the direction of the arrow on the crank box; clockwise raises the shutter.
The motor hums or buzzes but the shutter doesn't move. Is the motor dead?
If the manual override crank still moves the shutter normally but the switch or remote only produces a buzz, the curtain is free and the fault is in the motor; Roll-A-Shield's fix for this is a motor replacement. Without an override, a hum can also mean a jam or an off-track curtain, so stop running it and have it checked.
My shutter trips the breaker or GFCI outlet. What should I do?
Reset it once and test. If it trips again, stop and have the circuit checked by a licensed electrician; do not keep resetting it.
Is it the shutter or the screen that is stuck?
If it were down, could you see through it? Yes means a rolling screen, no means a rolling shutter. This page covers shutters only.
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.