Somfy Motorized Blinds (Z-Wave)

Devices & Integrations Connected Things
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I’m installing Somfy motorized blinds and wanted to make sure that they are (or will be soon) SmartThings compatible.

Here’s the Z-wave bridge: http://www.automatedshadestore.com/shop/product-info.php?Somfy_Z-Wave_to_RTS_Interface_NEW-pid561.html

Has anyone used motorized blinds with SmartThings yet?

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Hey Lake,

Did you end up installing these? I’m very interested in Somfy motorized blinds as well but installing them a little farther down the road for me. Curious how they’re working out for you with ST?

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The blinds are working great - but as of now haven’t got the Somfy Z-wave interface to function in SmartThings. I can add the node fine, but it doesn’t recognize it or provide any functions.

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I’d contact support @srlake.

You probably need a different device type for this. It might even be something that they have to create.

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@Lake, let us know if you end up getting them to work with SmartThings… Very interested in a similar setup over here!

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Hey guys – has anyone made any progress on getting the Somfy Zwave bridge to work with SmartThings? I am unable to even get it to pair with the hub, let alone work. I invested nearly $300 the bridge so would very much appreciate some success stories!!

Best

ben

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Any updates here? I’d be interested!

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I am very interested in this as well. Many of ST competitors are integrating Somfy support as they are by far the most widely implemented automated shade manufacturer. Can we please get some input from ST?

Thank you.

Jeremy

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Ditto. Somfy is integration would be nice.

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I also want to second this request. PLEASE have a look at the ZRTSI from Somfy. As was indicated earlier in this thread, Somfy is by far the most cost-effective, quiet and quality alternative to Lutron for shades, and since Somfy has developed a zwave interface for their RTS RF blinds, and since Vera and HomeSeer both support it, I really hope Smartthings takes this on soon.

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I switched to using a Crestron controller as it interfaces easily with the Somfy RTS system using serial. It also adds more robust keypad and lighting controls.

Never quite worked correctly with ST and the ZRTSI

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I am also wanting to use Somfy motorized blinds with SmartThings. Can someone from SmartThings please respond to this thread? It started 8 months ago with no response as of yet.

Thank you!

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I just pinged support on this over the weekend. Here is the response:

Thanks for getting in touch.

We don’t officially support automated blinds right now, but there seem to be a few options (including that of the MIMOlite you mentioned).

Check this out:
GitHub - alexking/blinds: SmartThings Mini Blinds

I’d also recommend you post on our forums at http://community.smartthings.com and see what other users are doing.

Thanks!

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+1 for motorized blinds. Not necessarily somfy but any one.

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FWIW, I did a bunch of searching and it seems Somfy is still the easiest cohesive clean wife approvable (yet overpriced) solution out there. A lot of guidance is available for retrofitting somfy motors and such.

The part, which works on Vera already, we need a device type for in ST is the NEW Somfy Z-Wave to RTS Interface ZRTSI - New part #1811265. http://www.automatedshadestore.com/shop/product-info.php?Somfy_Z-Wave_to_RTS_Interface_NEW-pid561.html

Apparently that Z-wave to RTS controller has rather flaky range at 25 feet and you still need another handheld controller to calibrate your start/stop and setpoints on the blinds, shades or drapes etc.

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What other blind options are in consideration?

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Here are some steps that we’ve used to connect our office Somfy blinds to SmartThings.

Requirements:

  1. ZRTSI Z-Wave bridge for Somfy
  2. Somfy Telis remote (we have the 4, the 1 may work too)

Step 1: Adding the Somfy Controller

  1. In the SmartThings app, tap the “(+)” tile to enter pairing mode, to add the new device.
  2. As you plug in the Somfy Controller, hold down the S-button. Keep it
    pressed for about 6 seconds until it turns solid yellow.
  3. Press and release the Z-Button. The Z-LED will flash rapidly.

When the process completes, the Z-LED will turn solid red. The SmartThings app should have identified and added a “Z-Wave” controller device.

Step 2: Adding Channels as Individual Devices in SmartThings

The Somfy controller has up to 16 channels. Each can be added individually to SmartThings as a device. The steps to add any individual channel begin with the same first step as adding the controller.

Enter pairing mode in the SmartThings app. Unplug your Somfy Controller again.

  1. As you plug in the Somfy Controller, hold down the S-button. Keep it
    pressed for about 6 seconds until it turns solid yellow.
  2. Use the Rotary Selector to choose an RTS channel to add.
  3. Press the S-Button for 1 Second.

Repeat this process to add additional channels. Each time a new device will be added in your SmartThings app.

Step 3: Programming blinds to recognize a Channel

  1. Use the Rotary Selector to choose the Channel to program (1 to 16).
  2. Press and hold the S-Button until the S-LED turns green. This may
    take several seconds.
  3. Put your RTS motor or control in Programming Mode. For us, this meant holding the button on the back of our Telis remote until the motor jogged.
  4. Press and hold the S-button until the S-LED flashes and the blinds
    respond (motor will jog). This indicates that the channel has been
    memorized.

You can then verify that the device is controllable by sending commands from the SmartThings app. For now, on and off correspond to up and down. Depending on the functionality of your motor, the slider may adjust the level of your blinds too.

ZRTSI Manual
CloudApp

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Do you have a video of this working with ST?

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Let me take a poorly filmed video of our blinds real quick.

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