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Topic:
Hard wiring for Hunter Douglas Automated Blinds
This thread has 16 replies. Displaying posts 1 through 15.
Post 1 made on Wednesday July 11, 2018 at 15:39
Gman
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So we have a customer that has asked us to wire for Hunter Douglas low voltage motors. Which side do we wire to? Left or right ? I’m getting conflicting information from Manufacturer and an installer. One says left and the other says right. Manufacturer is saying not all blinds have left hand motors. So wire to the right. Customer has not chosen blinds yet.
Post 2 made on Wednesday July 11, 2018 at 16:07
Ernie Gilman
Yes, That Ernie!
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The best you can do is wire to both sides. This has to be done, and blinds chosen, such that the power location on both sides is hidden by the exact blinds you're going to use.

That said, have you pinned down the actual models you'll use? That will let you get the information that you need to wire to only one side.

Might they change the blinds in five years, so both sides should be wired anyway?

You might want to do what I do when available product models are rapidly changing: Insist to the client that this product be purchased right now, designed around, and stored. When the Sony VPH-G90 (3 tube, $35,000 projector) came out a long time ago, I insisted on having it and doing a mock setup before construction. Good thing, too: the manual was still in Jinglish and the lens-to-screen distance called out in the manual was wrong! The number they gave was from the mount center to screen... we would have been screwed had we just gone with the manual!

Ya can't beat getting the info from the actual product.
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything.
"The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
Post 3 made on Wednesday July 11, 2018 at 16:30
SWOInstaller
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The last house we did with HD shades all connections were on the Right when looking at the window from inside the house.

The last house I wired we provided wires on both sides as there was no answer as to who was supplying the shades and what type of shade was to be installed. Also the last time we did HD shades the motors were crazy loud and their limits seem to never stay set.
Other issue we had was since they were the Silhouette shades integrating them into Crestron to be down and open was a pain as each shade had to be set to a specific percentage of Open and they ranged from 92%-97%. This was with the old BTX control integration so hopefully their new powerview integration works better.
You can't fix stupid
Post 4 made on Wednesday July 11, 2018 at 18:16
ShaferCustoms
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Please delete
Post 5 made on Wednesday July 11, 2018 at 18:19
iform
Advanced Member
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Wire to the right side.
Post 6 made on Wednesday July 11, 2018 at 19:45
oprahthehutt.
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Lutron or GTFO.
Post 7 made on Wednesday July 11, 2018 at 20:32
Brad Humphrey
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On July 11, 2018 at 19:45, oprahthehutt. said...
Lutron or GTFO.

Because that helps.

Not like there are not as good or better shades from Draper, Somfy, Q Motion, Crestron, and others I'm not even thinking of.
Post 8 made on Thursday July 12, 2018 at 08:37
Dawn Gordon Luks
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I'm a Hunter Douglas dealer and I just checked the specs. The power connection is on the right when looking at the front side of the shade.
Post 9 made on Thursday July 12, 2018 at 11:51
Cmshapiro
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On July 11, 2018 at 20:32, Brad Humphrey said...
Because that helps.

Not like there are not as good or better shades from Draper, Somfy, Q Motion, Crestron, and others I'm not even thinking of.

Crestron maybe but the rest better than Lutron? Not a chance.
Post 10 made on Thursday July 12, 2018 at 13:47
Brad Humphrey
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On July 12, 2018 at 11:51, Cmshapiro said...
Crestron maybe but the rest better than Lutron? Not a chance.

Well I did say 'as good as' and 'or'...

You don't think Draper (been doing shades since 1902) has something for Lutron?
Post 11 made on Thursday July 12, 2018 at 14:29
Cmshapiro
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On July 12, 2018 at 13:47, Brad Humphrey said...
Well I did say 'as good as' and 'or'...

You don't think Draper (been doing shades since 1902) has something for Lutron?

No. They are not making their own motors, they do not have the same level control and integration as Lutron. Not even close. Draper is a shade asselmbler not a motor and shade unit manufacturer. No different than any other Somfy based shade offering.

And sorry but all those others are not good as Lutron and Crestron.

Do they have Intelligent hem bar alignment?

Rock solid wired control of the motors (not relay control but solid rs485 or like high resolution direct control)?

Clear connect wireless (the only wireless that never ever has an issue and extremely easy to cover a large space with)

Battery powered options (with long life, been there and done that with Qmotion, never again!) to help in a pinch?

A dozen different design categories to allow for any form of window?

I could go on and on.
Post 12 made on Friday July 13, 2018 at 08:30
Dawn Gordon Luks
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No one has better motors than Lutron - period.

That said, HD does have Lutron beat in their breadth of product offerings. I have about 25 books of HD products -- all of which offer motorization - even shutters.

One of my favorite products is Silhouette Duolite (similar to Lutron's Horizontal Sheers). HD takes it up a notich because Silhouette Duolite is actually two shades in one, providing all the benefits of a traditional Silhouette shade but with an independently operated room-darkening roller shade nestled behind it. You can position the roller shade at any height for increased light control and privacy. Cool concept.

Duolite is available in several of Hunter Douglas' products.
Post 13 made on Friday July 13, 2018 at 12:26
Brad Humphrey
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Wow, someone has really drank the Lutron koolaid hard :)

By the way, at least 1/2 of what you said about Draper is wrong.
I think their battery powered option is better than Lutron - rechargeable & solar options.
Clear Connect is nothing special. It works in the 400MHz range just like everyone elses. Draper's work just fine as well.
I haven't checked lately but Draper used to have so many fabric options, I lost count - several books.
Not the same level of control & integration. Not even close? They have every way to control a shade you can do (expect for maybe voice control - haven't checked on that). IR, RF, RS485, IP, contact closure, etc.... They have line powered, low voltage, and battery. They have single roller, dual roller, coupled roller, skylight, etc.

They are not a real shade company because they don't make their own motors? They custom make every part of the shade except the motor - which they use Somfy, some of the best motors in the industry. How about Lutron then isn't a real shade company because they can't 'custom' anything for a customer. Hmmm...

Well, that really turned into a Draper ad didn't it. Don't get me wrong, I think the Lutron shades are great. But I hate the company, Lutron is the devil's spawn. And as great as their shades are, they certainly don't own the market; at least not with the non-koolaid drinkers.
Post 14 made on Saturday July 14, 2018 at 04:56
Nick-ISI
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I’m sorry but I don’t think you can compare lutron and Somy from a control perspective. You might be able to “interface” to somfy with all manner of control protocols, but what you can actually tell the blinds to do is not in the same ballpark.

I am not a Somfy dealer so I admit I may not be aware of all of their offerings, but all the Somfy motors I have ever dealt with just go up or down when power applied or stop when it’s removed.

With Lutron I can tell the motor to go to a preset position and it will drive to that point and stop. This means I can provide buttons that send Roman shades to midway points that stop in the right position for the folds to look their best. I can do this with a whole wall of shades and know that they will line up every time. AFAIK this is not doable with Somfy motors.

I replaced some worn out Somfy motors recently and I would still say they are noticeablylouder than the lutron ones.

This isn’t drinking Kool-aid,it’s providing a superior experience!
What do you mean you wanted it on the other wall - couldn't you have mentioned this when we prewired?
Post 15 made on Saturday July 14, 2018 at 09:08
Dawn Gordon Luks
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+1
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