Cassette RF Installation Guide

This is a comprehensive install guide for our Cassette RF system. If you encounter any issues during your install process, please reach out to us at 417.533.0504

TOOLS

VERIFY SHIPMENT

   

• Wood Screws (4 per shade)
  
• Cassette Brackets
  
• Cassette Endcaps
  
• Side Channels (2 per shade, if ordered)
  
• Sill Channels (1 per shade, if ordered)
  
• Extra Wood Screws (if side channels and sill channels were ordered)
  

These accessories will be in the box with each individual shade.

Your shades will also come with the accessories you ordered. There will be a sticker indicating which box has the accessories - it is labeled "hardware enclosed."

HARDWARE INSTALLATION VIDEO

Hardware Installation

STEP 1: DRY FITTING YOUR SHADE AND INSTALLING ENDCAPS

Once your shades are unpacked and ready to be installed, it's important you dry-fit your shades. This allows you to center up your shade in your window sill or above the window!

STEP 2: CONFIRMING MEASUREMENTS

Once your shade is dry fit assembled, we need to confirm the measurements from bracket to bracket with the shade inserted. Take this measurement, use a tape measure, and center the measurement in the window sill (if inside mount) or above the window opening (if outside mount or fabric width), and mark the edges of each bracket with a pen/pencil

STEP 3: PRE-DRILLING AND INSTALLING SCREWS

According to the marks you just made from the dry fit shade, align the brackets and mark the location of the screw holes on the bracket. You can do this with a pen or pencil, but we recommend using a spring-loaded center punch to help with pre-drilling.

Using a drill (or impact) pre-drill all the holes necessary for the brackets, using a 1/8" drill bit.

Once you have pre-drilled, install the brackets and screws - fastening them with the 1/4" drive. Using a 6" extension will come in handy - it can be difficult to fasten the screws as the brackets will block your drill/impact.

STEP 4: MOUNTING THE SHADE

Once the brackets are installed, the cassette is ready to be mounted to the brackets. You'll need to rest the groove on the top of the cassette to the top lip of the bracket, then pivot the back end of the cassette up until it clicks into the bracket.

STEP 5: WIRE MANAGEMENT

It's important to have your wires managed correctly to maximize antenna range. We recommend you use zip ties and a small zip tie mount to zip tie the antenna. For the cleanest look, mount the antenna horizontally to the head jamb of the window.

Make sure the antenna is not touching any or surrounded by metal. This can drastically reduce range.

Powering Your Shades

During the quote creation process, power options were chosen. This shows the options for power with the option that was chosen.

LOW VOLTAGE LITHIUM-ION(BATTERY)

The motors will be partially charged out of the factory. They are equipped with a 12-volt battery. From a full charge, you will get roughly 500 cycles. Depending on use, this could allow for roughly 6 months of operation. Once the battery is low, the shade will begin beeping. If you've set up two-way feedback on the dashboard, you will need to charge it once they get around 10.5v.

If you are planning to use a solar panel, this is when you would want to mount it. An important thing to remember is that the amount of charge received from a solar panel can vary greatly depending on the solar panel's location and direction. To be safe, always assume the solar panel will not keep the shade permanently charged - it just extends the battery life. We always advise having a spare wall charger for your shades.

LOW-VOLTAGE HARDWIRED

Our low-voltage hardwired shades require 12V and 1.25A per shade. We recommend you order one hard-wired DC whip per shade. This connects the proprietary Molex connector on the shade to bare wire.

The black striped wire coming off the motorhead is ALWAYS negative. The whips we send will have blue dashes on the negative, and nondescript lettering on the positive.

We offer two Multi-Channel Power Supplies, 18 and 9 output. Any multi-channel power supply will suffice, given it's supplying 12V and 1.25A per motor.

HIGH-VOLTAGE HARDWIRED

These shades will need to be pre-wired by a licensed electrician. The whips needed will be included with the shades on shipping. Each high-voltage hardwired shade requires at least 0.85A per motor.

Black is hot, white is common/neutral, and green is ground.

Remote Pairing Process

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Once your shades are installed, the first thing you'll need to do is pair your remote(s). You will also need to do this if you have to factory reset your motor.

A "jog" means the motor will move up and down once.

You will need to be familiar with where and what the motor programming button is. The style of the programming button depends on which motor your shade is equipped.

The 15 / 18 mm button is easiest pressed with a paper clip or a sim tool. The 25 mm is easiest pressed with a screwdriver or ballpoint pen. The 35 mm Low-Voltage button can be pressed without any tools. The 35 mm High-Voltage button is easiest pressed with a screwdriver.

Gen. 1 REMOTE PAIRING VIDEO

Gen. 1 SINGLE CHANNEL REMOTE

STEP 1.

Hold down the programming button on the motor head for two seconds - the motor will jog once and beep once.

STEP 2.

Hold the STOP (middle button on the remote the "-") button for two seconds - the motor will jog twice and beep three times.

Gen. 1 MULTI-CHANNEL REMOTE

STEP 1.

Select the channel you want to pair to your shade using the left and right arrows

STEP 2.

Hold down the programming button on the motor head for two seconds - the motor will jog once and beep once.

STEP 3.

Hold the STOP (middle button on the remote the "-") button for two seconds - the motor will jog twice and beep three times.

LIMIT CORRECTION VIDEO

LIMIT CORRECTION INSTRUCTIONS

Limits are set during production but may need to be adjusted. With the multi-channel remote, it's important to select the channel of the shade you're trying to correct.

TOP LIMIT

STEP 1.

Hold the UP and the STOP button for five seconds - the motor will jog once and beep once. This puts the shade into limit-setting mode.

STEP 2.

Tap the UP button to move the shade to the desired top position. You can hold the button for two seconds to initiate a constant move - but it's important to hit the STOP button before reaching the top, as the shade will not stop rolling.

STEP 3.

To lock the upper limit, hold the UP and STOP button for two seconds - the motor will jog twice and beep three times.

BOTTOM LIMIT

STEP 1.

Hold the DOWN and the STOP button for five seconds - the motor will jog once and beep once. This puts the shade into limit-setting mode.

STEP 2.

Tap the DOWN button to move the shade to the desired bottom position. You can hold the button for two seconds to initiate a constant move - but it's important to hit the STOP button before reaching the top, as the shade will not stop rolling.

STEP 3.

To lock the bottom limit, hold the DOWN and STOP button for two seconds - the motor will jog twice and beep three times.

Remote FAQ

MY SHADE IS ROLLING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

Hold down the programming button on the motor until it jogs a total of three times. This will reverse the direction.

MY SHADE IS ONLY MOVING IN SMALL INCREMENTS.

The limits on the shade have not been set. You will need to follow the limit correction steps, but do NOT follow the first step for both limits.

CAN I FACTORY RESET MY SHADE?

Yes! This can be done by holding the motor button for 4 full cycles. This takes normally about 15 seconds. Once this is done, you will need to re-pair a remote and re-set the limits. Follow the limit correction steps without the first step!

I CAN'T PAIR MY SHADES.

Ensure you're waiting for the motor to finish beeping before you pair it. If you're still having issues, hold the STOP button on the remote for 30 seconds twice. If it shows L both times, proceed with these instructions:

1. Remove the back of the remote
   
2. Remove the battery out of the remote (this can be done with a flat head or small tool)
   
3. Surrounding the battery is four buttons. Looking at the back of the remote, the top right corner button will be "P2". Hold this button and reinserting the battery.
   
4. Keep ahold of the P2 button for 15 seconds after battery insertion. It is important you remain holding it during battery reinsertion.
   

CAN I PAIR MULTIPLE SHADES TO THE SAME CHANNEL?

Yes! However, it is important you pair them individually first. If you pair them all to the same channel initially and you need to correct limits, you will be controlling every shade on that channel at a time.

I AM UNABLE TO CORRECT MY SHADES LIMITS.

Your remote is more than likely locked:

If you are using a Single Channel remote, the LED should flash while you are setting limits. If it is not, your remote is locked. This can be fixed by holding the STOP button for 30 seconds - the LED should turn on briefly once the remote is unlocked/locked.

If you are using a Multi-Channel Remote, the display should show two wifi-Esque symbols to the right of the channel while you're setting limits. If not, your remote is locked. This can be fixed by holding the STOP button for 30 seconds - the remote will then indicate which mode it is in by displaying a "U" for UNLOCKED or an "L" for LOCKED.

MY SHADE IS TRACKING TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT.

Please proceed to the Shimming and You section. It will walk you through the process of how to adjust for tracking!

Shimming and You

You'll know your shade is telescoping (tracking) whenever it's not going down straight. You will also be able to see a "cone" on one side, displayed below. It may move over to the left or right during operation.

This can occur from several factors; irregularities in the fabric, irregularities in the tube, unsquare windows, unlevel brackets. Telescoping isn't covered in the warranty - it can be fixed quickly on site. We recommend you shim any shades that are tracking during installation.

STEP 1.

Roll the shade all the way down to its bottom limit. Put the shade in limit setting mode by holding the DOWN and STOP buttons at the same time for 5 seconds. This will allow you to roll the shade past its bottom limit.

STEP 2.

Roll the shade down enough to expose the aluminum tube. You may already have stickers from the factory adjusting for fabric irregularities.

STEP 3.

Shim the side that is coning. If your shade is moving over to the right, shim the left. If it moving to the left, shim the right. A sticker or tape (painters, scotch, etc.) works the best.

STEP 4.

Roll the shade up to test for tracking. This can be done by holding the up button for a few seconds. It's important you stop the shade before it reaches the top, as it will not stop rolling.

STEP 5.

Once the shade is tracking normally, move the shade to the desired bottom limit. Hold the DOWN and STOP button for two seconds to re-set the bottom limit - the motor will jog twice and beep three times.

Installing Side Channels

STEP 1.

Measure the relaxed distance of the hembar from the window and mark the measurement.

STEP 2.

Align the center of the side channel to the relaxed distance of the hembar. Mark the screw holes in the side channels to ensure the side channel is installed correctly.

STEP 3.

Using these marks, pre-drill into the window jamb using a 1/8" drill bit. Once done, fasten the side channels to the window jamb using the included screws and 1/4" drive.

STEP 4.

Run the shade up and down to verify operation. Make sure the shade is not getting caught up in the track.

RF Gateway Setup

This guide follows setup using the PowerShades Dashboard, which is the recommended way to set up your RF Gateway. You will use your login from the dealer portal in order to access your properties.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Before we start the setup, you will need to give yourself (or anyone who will need it) access to the property.

STEP 1:

Once you have logged in, you will need to navigate to the "Admin" tab at the top of the page.

STEP 2:

STEP 3:

Select the properties you would like to assign to this user by clicking the checkbox next to them.

You will need to fill out their details, such as email address and password. You will also need to select the property(s) you would like to attach them to.

RF GATEWAY SETUP VIDEO

RF GATEWAY SETUP INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1:

Plug the ethernet cable and power cable into the DC port. Wait for 30 seconds. Once the ethernet LED (far right) is solid, you are good to continue. The RF Gateway is in DHCP mode by default.

STEP 2:

Log into the PowerShades Dashboard. If you have multiple properties, make sure you have the correct one selected. You can change the property by clicking the property name under "Property", and selecting the correct property.

STEP 3:

Navigate to the "Devices" tab at the top of the page.

STEP 4:

Select the "RF Gateways" tab under the selected property.

STEP 5:

STEP 6:

Assign the shades on the property to the channels on the dialog box that opened. You have 30 channels per Gateway.

STEP 7:

Navigate back to the homepage of the dashboard by clicking  "Dashboard" at the top fo the page.

STEP 8:

STEP 9:

PAIRING THE SHADE FROM THE REMOTE

1. Slide the back of the remote off.
   
2. There will be four buttons surrounding the battery at the bottom.
   
3. The top-left button is labeled "P2."
   
4. If using a multi-channel remote, select the correct channel for this shade.
   
5. Press the P2 button on the remote. The motor will respond.
   
6. Once the motor has responded, press the P2 button on the remote again. The motor will respond.
   
7. Once the motor has responded again, click "Pair" on the PowerShades Dashboard.
   

PAIRING THE SHADE FROM THE PROGRAMMING BUTTON

1. Hold the programming button on the motor for 2 seconds, the motor will jog once and beep once.
   
2. Once the motor has responded, click "Pair" on the PowerShades Dashboard.

RF Gateway FAQ

MY SHADE'S WON'T PAIR TO MY RF GATEWAY OR THE DASHBOARD KEEPS REPORTING "FEEDBACK FAILED" WHEN LINKING FEEDBACK.

RF range can be affected by many factors. Make sure your shades are within 30 feet of the RF Gateway for the best performance. If you have any range issues during installation, make sure you orientate the antenna vertically (parallel with the vertical window jamb). Make sure the antenna is not touching any or surrounded by metal. This can drastically reduce range. If issues persist, try relocating your RF Gateway or purchasing an RF repeater(s).

HOW DO I SETUP AN RF REPEATER?

No setup required. Just plug it into a constant power source!

CAN I SET THE GATEWAY UP LOCALLY?

Yes, but it's not the recommended setup. You're able to connect to the RF Gateway IP Address and set up the channels individually. You should only do this if you're using a third-party control system with UDP control!

HOW DO I FIND MY RF GATEWAY'S IP ADDRESS?

HOW DO I TURN MY RF GATEWAY TO STATIC?

You can do this by navigating to the IP address of the RF Gateway in your web browser of choice. The settings for this will be found under the "Network" tab.

WHAT ARE THE THREE LED'S ON THE RF GATEWAY?

The  LED indicates power. It will remain solid.

The  LED indicates RF activity. This will blink during RF activity and can be used to troubleshoot the RF Gateway.

The  LED indicates Ethernet activity. It should remain solid, intermittently blinking during Ethrnet activity.

WHAT ARE THE RF ACTIVITY BLINK CODES? WHAT DO THEY MEAN?

The RF activity LED should only blink during RF activity. If the RF Gateway is having issues, you can use these blink codes to troubleshoot.

WHAT'S THE STRANGE RJ9 CABLE THAT CAME WITH MY RF GATEWAY?

This cable is used for development purposes only and can be discarded.

Dashboard Automation Setup

If you're not using a third-party driver for this property, you can use the dashboard's automation to set schedules.

STEP 1.

Navigate to the "Automate" tab on the PowerShades Dashboard.

STEP 2.

Groups have automatically been created based on the "rooms" that were entered on the Dealer Portal.

You can also edit or delete groups by clicking the correlating buttons on the right side of the page.

On the New Group dialogue box, you're able to choose "filters" based on the attributes tied to the shades (direction, floor, etc). You are able to select multiple options under an option by pressing CTRL while left-clicking (Windows) or pressing CMD ⌘ while left-clicking (Mac).

STEP 3.

Navigate to the Scenes tab. These are your "commands" for the shades to follow, but not the schedule at which they perform said command.

On the new dialogue box that opens named "New Scene," you will be able to add the scene variables. You can choose which group is affected and the percentage of light they let in. (100% is open, 0% is closed). Tilt is not currently utilized.

STEP 4.

Navigate to the Schedules tab.

A dialogue box named "New Schedule" will open, allowing for customization of the schedule. You are able to name the schedule, choose which scene you would like to trigger and when. You're also able to select the months and days of weeks that it affects.