How to Install Premium Exterior Outdoor Solar Shades

Hardware and enclosure screws are included; mounting screws are not, since the type and size depend on your mounting surface.

1. 1

   Attach the left and right end plates to the back cover with six of the eight end plate screws. Save the other two to secure the front cover at the end.

2. 2

   Mark the back cover mounting points on the inside of the back cover, about 6" in from each end plate. If the back cover is longer than 6', add intermediate points 4' to 6' apart.

3. 3

   Put the marks on the top of the back cover for a ceiling mount, or on the back for a wall mount, and pre-drill them with a 3/16" drill bit.

4. 4

   Place the operator and idler brackets in the back cover channels, mark their mounting holes (top for ceiling mount, back for wall mount) and pre-drill with a 3/16" drill bit.

Whichever option you choose, keep the power wire clear of the shade's operation and leave a drip loop inside the head box, just off the motor head, so condensation can't run into the motor.

1. 1

   Option 1: let the motor wire exit through the bottom opening of the head box. This is the easiest option and needs no drilling.

2. 2

   Option 2: drill a 1 1/4" hole in the top or back of the head box and pass the plug through it. This hides the cable better but needs a large bit or hole saw and leaves a large opening around the wire.

3. 3

   Option 3: cut off the molded plug, drill a 3/8" hole in the top or back of the head box, feed the wire through it with the provided grommet, and attach a new plug or hardwire it to a junction box (requires an electrician).

• Cutting off the molded plug does not void the warranty, but never cut the power cable shorter than 2 feet: the antenna is built into it, and the shade may not work.

1. 1

   Mount the head box through the pre-drilled holes, using a level to make sure it is completely level. Pan head screws are recommended; avoid deck screws.

2. 2

   Install the upper cable retainers with their screws, oriented to match your mount (ceiling or wall) and operator (spring idler, Somfy motor or manual crank).

3. 3

   Feed the un-crimped end of each stainless steel cable through its retainer and pull until the crimped end sits against the retainer.

4. 4

   Mount the operator and idler brackets through their pre-drilled holes.

1. 1

   Carefully insert the idler pin into the plastic ball on the idler bracket and compress the idler so the operator end clears the operator bracket.

2. 2

   Motorized: leave the round motor retaining clip in place, align the motor head with the motor mount and press it firmly until the retaining ring snaps and the motor is fully seated.

3. 3

   Motorized: route the motor cable using the option you chose, then run the wire to the power source.

4. 4

   Manual crank: align the square pin on the shade with the square hole in the crank bracket and insert it.

1. 1

   Slide the hem bar through the hem bar pocket of the shade and center it.

2. 2

   Guide the cable through the nylon cable guide pin on the operator side, then repeat on the idler side.

3. 3

   Use the cables to locate the lower brackets (deck mount or wall mount). With a tape measure and level, make sure the cables run parallel to each other and completely vertical.

4. 4

   Mount the lower cable brackets in that location with fasteners suited to the surface.

1. 1

   Insert the tension bolt assembly into the mounted lower bracket with the crimping screw accessible, and screw on the upper nut to hold it in place.

2. 2

   Thread the lower nut onto the lower part of the tension bolt.

3. 3

   With 12-gauge wire strippers, remove the cable sheathing starting about 1/2" below the top threads of the tension bolt. Don't twist the bare cable, or it may fray.

4. 4

   Remove the metal sleeve, place it through the hole in the head of the tension bolt and hand-tighten the crimping screw just enough to hold it.

5. 5

   Feed the cable through the top of the tension bolt, pull it taut and tighten the crimping screw with a flat head screwdriver or 5/16" socket, without over-tightening.

1. 1

   Loosen the upper nut with a 1/2" wrench.

2. 2

   Tighten the lower nut to pull the tension bolt down through the bracket until the cable is taut, checking that it doesn't get too tight.

3. 3

   Tighten the upper nut back down to lock the setting.

4. 4

   Cut the excess cable with sharp cable cutters, leaving at least 1" for future adjustments.

1. 1

   Crank the shade down to the lowest position you want.

2. 2

   Compress the shade toward the idler side and pull the square crank drive pin completely out of the gear.

3. 3

   With the pin out, keep cranking the gear downward until it won't go further.

4. 4

   Reinsert the square crank drive pin. The shade now stops at this position and won't crank lower.

• Manual crank operators have no upper limit.

Motorized shades ship with pre-set limits. Check they are correct and adjust them below if needed. Hand-held remotes have the PROGRAM button on the back.

1. 1

   Plug the motor power wire into the outlet. The shade should jog up and down once.

2. 2

   Press and hold UP and DOWN together on the remote or switch until the shade jogs once.

3. 3

   With a small paper clip, press and hold the PROGRAM button on the back of the remote or switch until the motor jogs.

1. 1

   Briefly press UP; the shade moves to the current upper limit. If it moves the wrong way, do a factory reset instead.

2. 2

   When it stops, press and hold UP and DOWN together until the shade jogs once.

3. 3

   Use UP and DOWN to move the shade to the new upper limit, then press and hold MY until the shade jogs once.

4. 4

   Briefly press DOWN; the shade moves to the current lower limit.

5. 5

   When it stops, press and hold UP and DOWN together until the shade jogs once.

6. 6

   Use UP and DOWN to move the shade to the new lower limit, then press and hold MY until the shade jogs once.

1. 1

   Use UP and DOWN to move the shade, and briefly press MY to stop it at your favorite position.

2. 2

   With the shade stopped, press and hold MY until the shade jogs once to save it. Repeat to replace it with a new position.

3. 3

   To delete it, briefly press MY so the shade travels all the way to the favorite position, then press and hold MY until the shade jogs once.

A factory reset clears the motor completely, and you will need to program it from scratch.

1. 1

   Unplug the motor for 4 seconds, plug it in for 8 seconds, unplug it for 4 seconds, then plug it back in. The motor runs about 3 seconds and stops.

2. 2

   Pick up the programmed remote and press and hold PROGRAM for more than 5 seconds until the motor jogs twice. If it doesn't jog twice, repeat from the start.

3. 3

   Press and hold DOWN for 2 seconds. If the shade moves down, the direction is correct. If it moves up, press and hold MY until the shade jogs once, then check again with DOWN.

4. 4

   Use UP and DOWN to move the shade to the upper limit you want, then briefly press MY and DOWN together. The upper limit is set and the shade starts moving down.

5. 5

   Briefly press MY to stop near the lower limit, and use UP and DOWN to fine-tune it.

6. 6

   Briefly press MY and UP together. The lower limit is set and the shade travels to the upper limit and stops on its own; don't press any buttons meanwhile.

7. 7

   Press and hold MY until the motor jogs once to confirm the limits.

8. 8

   Press the PROGRAM button on the back of the remote with a paper clip; the shade jogs once to confirm.

1. 1

   Hold the front cover perpendicular and insert its tongue into the groove of the back cover; it stays engaged as you swing it closed.

2. 2

   Outside mount: secure the end plates to the front cover with the two saved end plate screws.

3. 3

   Inside mount: if you can't reach the end plate screw holes, pre-drill through the bottom of the front cover and the end plate tab with a 1/8" drill bit and secure the cover with the provided 3/8" painted screw.

Telescoping is the fabric drifting sideways as it rolls onto the tube. It is adjusted at the factory, but your installation may need fine-tuning.

1. 1

   Roll the shade all the way down so the tube is exposed. On motorized shades this means temporarily adjusting the lower limit.

2. 2

   Place a 2" to 4" piece of duct tape near the edge of the tube, on the side opposite the direction the fabric is moving.

3. 3

   Run the shade up and down a few times. If it still telescopes, add tape and repeat; the right amount is found by trial and error.

4. 4

   Reset the lower limit when you are done.

1. 1

   Remove the motor retaining ring.

2. 2

   Push the shade toward the idler until the operator clears the operator bracket.

3. 3

   Take the idler pin out of the idler bracket.