Should I choose chain operated or motorised roller blinds?
A chain operated roller blind is simple, needs no power and suits most windows you can reach. A motorised blind has a motor inside the tube, runs from a remote, a wall switch or an app, has no chain loop, and suits high, wide or hard to reach windows. It needs charging or wiring.
Chain operated
A loop of chain turns a control at one end of the tube, and the blind stays where you leave it. There is nothing to charge. The chain is a loop, so Australia's installation standard requires an installer to fit it so the chain cannot form a loose loop of 220mm or longer below 1,600mm above the floor, which usually means a tension device fixed to the wall or frame. On a very wide or heavy blind the chain takes more effort.
Motorised
A tubular motor sits inside the roller. It is run from a handheld remote or a wall control, and some systems add a phone app, timers and smart home links. There are two ways to power it.
- Battery motors have a rechargeable battery and need no wiring, so they suit finished homes. They need recharging from time to time. How often depends on the size of the blind and how much it is used.
- Wired motors run from a power supply. There is nothing to recharge, but the cabling has to be planned, usually during a build or renovation, and mains wiring is a job for a licensed electrician.
Trade offs
- Cost. A motor adds to the price of each blind.
- Safety. No chain means no loop.
- Convenience. Several blinds can move together from one button.
- Setting up. A motor is programmed with limits so the blind stops in the right place, and may need resetting after a change.
Speedy Blinds publishes step by step programming guides for roller blind motors from Rollease Acmeda, Somfy, TBS and Louvolite, linked under this answer. They are written for installers, but they show what setting up a motor involves.
A blind retailer can tell you which motors suit your windows, show you the controls and quote chain and motor side by side. Speedy Blinds makes for retailers and does not quote or install for homeowners.
Other ways people ask this
Are motorised blinds worth it?
They earn their keep on high, wide or many windows, and where a chain is a worry. On a small window you can reach, a chain does the job.
Do motorised blinds need an electrician?
Battery motors do not. A wired motor does when it needs fixed wiring, such as a hardwired connection or a new power point, which in Australia must be done by a licensed electrician.
Can a chain blind be changed to a motor later?
Sometimes. It depends on the tube and the brackets, so ask a retailer to check.
How long does a blind battery last between charges?
It varies with the size of the blind and how often it moves.
Useful on this site
This answer is general information. For your own windows, your retailer's advice and your order with them come first.
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