Low-voltage motorized shade distribution panel with 24V DC power supplies from one of our projects
Smart Home Pre-Wire

Pre-Wire for Somfy PoE & Low-Voltage Shades

Motorized shades work best when they are planned before the drywall goes up. We map every window, specify the right wire, set up the head-end, and hand your automation specialist a system that is ready to program.

✓ Plan Before Drywall ✓ Somfy PoE & 24V DC ✓ Integrator-Ready Handoff
Low-voltage panel · Our install
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New Construction & Remodels

The Wire Has to Go In Before the Walls Close

Hardwired shades are quieter, never need charging, and connect cleanly to whole-home automation, but only if the wire is in the right place at the right time. Here is how we fit into your build.

  1. Design

    Plan the Windows

    We review the plans with you, your builder, and your integrator, and choose PoE or low-voltage for each room.

  2. Rough-In

    Run the Wire

    Before insulation and drywall, a dedicated home run goes from every shade location back to the head-end.

    Call us before drywall
  3. Trim-Out

    Build the Head-End

    The low-voltage distribution panel or the PoE network rack is mounted, powered, and labeled.

  4. Install

    Hang & Commission

    Shades go up, limits are set, firmware is updated, and every motor is named and grouped by room.

  5. Handoff

    Ready to Program

    Your automation specialist gets an organized packet so integration is a plug-in job, not a scavenger hunt.

Two Ways to Hardwire

PoE or Low-Voltage?

Both are quiet Somfy motors with no batteries to charge. The difference is how they are powered and how they talk to your home. We help you choose room by room.

Power over Ethernet

Somfy PoE Motors

Each motor gets power and data over a single network cable, its own IP address, and two-way communication with your automation system.

Power
PoE+ network switchIEEE 802.3at Type 2 (30W) per Sonesse® 30 PoE motor; larger Sonesse® 40 PoE motors use 802.3bt (45–60W)
Cable
Cat-5e or better, one per motorMotor connects with a shielded RJ45 pigtail
Max Run
Up to 328 ft (100 m)From the PoE switch to the motor
Head-End
Network rack with PoE switch
Control
IP control with native driversControl4, Crestron, Crestron Home, ELAN, and Josh.ai
Feedback
Two-way, with motor position and status
Best for: whole-home automation projects, large window counts, and homes already planning a structured network rack.
24V DC Low-Voltage

Somfy Low-Voltage Motors

Quiet 24V DC motors powered from a central distribution panel, with wireless RTS or Zigbee control that connects to Bond and your smart home.

Power
24V DC power supply in a distribution panelSomfy panel kits for 5, 10, 15, or 20 motors
Cable
2-conductor stranded, one home run per motor16 AWG stranded is Somfy’s standard for panel runs
Max Run
14 AWG: 240 ft · 16 AWG: 150 ft · 18 AWG: 100 ftSomfy maximums to guarantee motor performance
Head-End
Low-voltage distribution panel and transformer
Control
Somfy RTS radio or ZigbeeBond Bridge Pro, TaHoma®, remotes, and RTS interfaces for automation systems
Feedback
Depends on the control technology chosen
Best for: most new homes, simpler networks, and owners who want hardwired power with flexible wireless control.
The Finished Install

What the Head‑End Looks Like

Every hardwired shade runs back to one organized place. This is what you, your builder, and your integrator will see when the job is done.

LOW-VOLTAGE PANEL 24V DC POWER SUPPLY 120V AC IN → 24V DC OUT DISTRIBUTION BOARD M1M2M3M4M5M6M7M8M9M10 KIT 1KIT 2LIV 1LIV 2LIV 3BED 1BED 2BTHOFCMEDIA DEDICATED 120V OUTLET KIT 1LIV 1BED 1OFCMEDIA HOME RUN TO EACH SHADE

Low-Voltage Distribution Panel

A wall-mounted enclosure, usually in a mechanical room, closet, or garage, that turns household power into clean 24V DC for every shade.

  • 24V DC power supply sized to the number of motors. Somfy panel kits pair a 10 or 20 amp supply with 5, 10, 15, or 20 motor outputs.
  • Distribution board with one labeled terminal per shade, so any window can be found and serviced in seconds.
  • Dedicated 120V outlet at the panel location, provided by your electrician.
  • Home runs from the panel to every shade, sized to the distance so each motor gets full performance.
From One of Our Projects
Low-voltage motorized shade distribution panel with 24V DC power supplies from one of our projects
Finished & powered
Low-voltage shade panel during trim-out
During trim-out
Where the Wire Comes Out

One Spot That Works for Every Treatment

Put the wire here and it works for roller shades, Romans, cellular, wovens, layered shades, and drapery, inside or outside mount, so you never have to choose your window treatment before the drywall goes up.

WALL WINDOW OPENING SHADE HEADRAIL WIRE IN THE WALL 2–4 in. Motor side of the shade Front view
Front View · 2–4″ In From the Side
OUTSIDE ROOM HEADER WINDOW TOP OF OPENING INSIDEMOUNT OUTSIDEMOUNT DRAPERY AS CLOSE TO THE WINDOW AS POSSIBLE Side view
Side View · Tight to the Window
  • Top

    Through the Top of the Opening

    The wire drops straight down out of the header into the top of the window opening, never out of the wall face or the side jamb.

  • 2–4″

    In From the Side

    It exits about 2 to 4 inches in from the side of the opening, on the motor side, right where the shade motor sits.

  • Back

    Tight to the Window

    It sits as close to the window frame as possible, so the wire stays hidden behind inside-mount shades, outside-mount shades, and drapery alike.

Rough-In Checklist

Getting the Pre-Wire Right

The checklist we walk through with builders and electricians on every hardwired shade project.

01At Every Window

  • Mark the motor side of each shade on the plans and at the framing.
  • Wire exits the top of the opening, 2 to 4 inches in from the side and as close to the window frame as possible.
  • Blocking or a recessed pocket framed in where shades will mount or hide.
  • Leave a coiled, protected service loop so the cable reaches the motor after drywall.

02Along the Run

  • One home run per shade back to the head-end. No daisy-chaining.
  • The right cable: Cat-5e or better for PoE, or 2-conductor stranded low-voltage wire sized to the run length.
  • Keep within distance limits: 328 ft for PoE, and 100 to 240 ft for low-voltage depending on wire gauge.
  • Separate from line-voltage wiring and follow local electrical code.

03At the Head-End

  • Label both ends of every cable with the room and window name.
  • Photograph every wall before insulation so cable paths are on record.
  • Power and space: a dedicated 120V outlet for the panel, or rack space, switch ports, and backup power for PoE.
  • Room and window names agreed with your integrator so labels match the automation system.
For Your Automation Specialist

Connected First, So the Handoff Is Easy

We don’t leave your integrator a pile of motors and loose wires. Everything is connected, tested, and documented before they arrive.

  1. Everything Installed & Tested

    Shades are hung, every motor is powered from the head-end, and each one is run through its full travel.

  2. Commissioned the Somfy Way

    Limits are set, firmware is updated, and motors are named and grouped by room before your integrator ever logs in. Somfy’s integration guides require a fully operational shade system before automation programming starts.

  3. Documented for Integration

    For PoE, we generate the integration report with every motor’s IP address and keep the PIN code labels that ship with each motor. For low-voltage, we record the RTS channels or Zigbee setup for each room.

  4. A Clean Handoff

    Your automation specialist adds the shades with the manufacturer driver, matches our room names, and builds scenes. No guessing which wire goes to which window.

What Your Integrator Gets

The Handoff Packet

  • Floor plan with every shade numbered and named by room
  • Wire map showing which panel terminal or switch port feeds each window
  • PoE integration report with motor IP addresses and the PIN code labels
  • Groups and scenes already set up, such as “All Living Room” or “Morning”
  • Low-voltage control list: RTS channels, Bond Bridge Pro, or Zigbee setup by room
  • Wall photos taken before drywall
Works With
  • Control4
  • Crestron
  • Crestron Home
  • ELAN
  • Josh.ai
  • Savant
  • URC
  • Bond Bridge Pro

Somfy publishes PoE integration guides for Control4, Crestron, Crestron Home, ELAN, and Josh.ai.

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FAQ

Pre-Wire Questions

When do I need to call you for a shade pre-wire?

Before insulation and drywall, ideally while the home is still in the design or framing stage. Once the walls are closed, hardwired shades usually mean cutting and patching, or switching to battery motors.

Should I choose PoE or low-voltage shades?

PoE is a great fit for whole-home automation projects with a network rack, because each motor connects to the network with two-way feedback. Low-voltage 24V DC is simpler and works well for most homes, with wireless RTS or Zigbee control through Bond and your smart home. Many projects can mix both, and we help you decide room by room.

What cable do PoE shade motors need?

Somfy recommends Cat-5e cable or better, with one run per motor from a PoE+ switch up to 328 feet away. Each Sonesse 30 PoE motor needs an IEEE 802.3at Type 2 (30W) port.

What wire do low-voltage shade motors need?

Each 24V DC motor gets its own 2-conductor stranded home run to the distribution panel. Somfy lists maximum runs of 240 feet on 14 AWG, 150 feet on 16 AWG, and 100 feet on 18 AWG to guarantee motor performance.

Will my automation company be able to control the shades?

Yes. Somfy publishes PoE integration guides for Control4, Crestron, Crestron Home, ELAN, and Josh.ai, and low-voltage shades connect through RTS or Zigbee interfaces and Bond. We commission and document everything first so the handoff is simple.

Do you work with my builder, electrician, and integrator?

Yes. We coordinate the window plan, wire specs, and head-end location with your builder and electrician, then hand off a documented system to your automation specialist.