Electric Curtain Rails

[Nad]

Hi all,

I was just wondering what people are using for their automated curtain rails? I need to get 2 bay window rails and the Silentgliss solution is a bit on the expensive side for my wallet

The total length of the rail needs to be 5m and be bent into a semi circular shape. Any ideas/ options are most welcomed

Thanks,
Nad

[Andrew Millne]

I'm busy looking at this too so I'd be grateful to hear how you get on. My dilemna is that all my windows are only approximately 1 metre wide but all rooms have at least two windows. 16 in total, for a flat!

cheapest I've found the silent gliss units for is £235 inc VAT & delivery from http://www.discountelectriccurtains....utoglide-5090/

But nearly £4k for curtain automation is a definate excess. I'm tempted just to put a pattress next to the windows and install some conduit up the walls ready for later installation if I find more affordable units. I was kind of hoping for about £70-80. For the kitchen I'm thinking blinds rather than curtains but can't find any up to now.

How are you going to power them? dedicated 24v radial or mains transformers?

[chris_j_hunter]

no experience of these guys, but they're on our list of possibles :

http://www.intelli-blinds.com/electric-blinds.html

they seem to do a good range, for curtains & blinds, 'though our interest is in roller blinds, particularly their DIY option :

http://www.intelli-blinds.com/store/...ocontrols.html

using Idratek to control them, 'though they do offer other control options ...

[Andrew Millne]

no experience of these guys, but they're on our list of possibles :

Good find, the roller blinds look perfect for my kitchen and bathroom.

using Idratek to control them...

Presumably through a relay module or din rail relays? Will you be installing a dedicated 24v supply?

[chris_j_hunter]

>presumably through a relay module or din rail relays ...

yep, not sure which just now, but local has advantages in that the relevant module comes along with the buttons - the buttons being for local input, if required, and if/how we provide those depends on local circumstances & other needs in the vicinity (that we're trying to finalise) ...

>will you be installing a dedicated 24V supply ...

in node-0, presumably you mean - quite possibly, just need to check-out current requirements & cost the options (cable vs multiple PCUs, installed) !

and complete the discussion with SWMBO on what we'll be using for the windows !

[TimH]

Another supplier here:
http://www.lukeseng.co.uk/products_curtain.htm

No personal experience but might be worth a look.

HTH,

Tim.

[MarkHarrison]

SilentGliss curtains, and Somfy blinds are the way I'd go.

We tried various "cheaper" options in the early 2000s, and found that they broke too much, so ended up with these two only.

At the time (and I've not been active as an installer for 3 years), it was the case that the SilentGliss blinds were re-badged Somfys with "price uplift technology."

Somfy's solution for blinds is nice - the thing that automaters sometimes get wrong, though, is assuming that they can use them for multiple stop points (for screens showing 16:9 or 4:3 TV), and that they can raise/lower them to the right point by controlling the timing - I've never known this to work :-( The Somfy's have "top and bottom" limit points, though, which work well.

I agree that the bay window solution is expensive, though - your only other options (which may well be rejected from an interior design perspective) are either to have separate short curtains in each part of the bay, or to "flat curtain" across the inside of the bay, so the whole of it is "outside the curtains" in the evening.

Please remember that Somfy can be cut on-site, but SilentGliss need to be made to order, and can't be shortened post-manufacture. You also need to specify "curtains open to the left, right or centre" which is as seen inside the room, looking out.

Mark
(Used to be an installer, and used to run training courses on Somfy and SilentGliss.)

[chris_j_hunter]

SFAIK / AIUI the intelli-blinds offerings are Somfy ...

so that's hopefully a good sign !

[Andrew Millne]

SFAIK / AIUI the intelli-blinds offerings are Somfy ...

Sounds promising as they are just at the right price point for me. Still not sure how to wire them and what power supply I'd need.

[chris_j_hunter]

all seems to be explained here :

http://www.intelli-blinds.com/store/...ocontrols.html

http://www.intelli-blinds.com/docs/rollerkit_basic.pdf