Radio motors for roller shutters compared: RS 100, Oximo, Altus and CAME
Four radio motor families cover almost every roller shutter we build. They are not interchangeable, and the choice is decided by the weight of the curtain first, then by the protocol you want to live with. Here is what actually separates them, from the manufacturer that fits them.
Torque before anything else
Torque, in newton metres, is what lifts the curtain. Get it wrong and no feature list will save the installation.
- RS 100 — 6, 10 and 20 Nm. Small to medium windows.
- Oximo — 30, 40 and 50 Nm. Larger openings and heavier aluminium curtains.
- Altus — the RTS workhorse across a similar range.
- CAME — an alternative radio family we also fit.
io-homecontrol: the protocol that answers back
io-homecontrol is a radio protocol shared by several manufacturers committed to home automation. Its defining feature is feedback: the shutter can report its exact position, the temperature at its control point, or the battery charge if it is solar. Communication is two-way — the handset sends the order, the shutter replies.
io runs at 868.95 MHz. That band is far less crowded than 433 MHz, so it is less exposed to radio interference, and the protocol sends several command pulses per button press to make sure the motor receives the order.
The protections that save the curtain
More than half of all call-outs on roller shutters are caused by something left underneath the curtain. Very often that ends in a replaced curtain.
- Obstacle detection. io motors detect the obstruction and stop before the hardware breaks.
- Frost protection. If the curtain is frozen, or the motor is dangerously outside its operating temperature range, it goes into a protective mode rather than forcing.
- Anti-intrusion braking. Reinforced brakes stop the motor being back-driven by lifting the curtain. Combined with anti-lift locks, that is a real additional barrier.
Noise: where the RS 100 stands apart
The RS 100 is quiet for two structural reasons rather than one marketing reason.
First, it is a brushless motor: there are no brushes rubbing on the rotor, and brushes are what generate most of the noise in a conventional motor. Second, it slows as it reaches its end limits — which is precisely where the slats stacking up make the most noise.
That two-speed behaviour applies even when you are not using the quiet mode, and it protects the mechanical parts as well as your ears. With compatible control points the RS 100 also offers a feather mode: a slow-running mode that makes opening and closing all but inaudible, which matters if the rest of the household is already asleep.
So which one
Give us the width and height of the opening and the material of the curtain, and the torque decides itself. The protocol is your call: io if you want feedback and a path towards a fully automated house, RTS or CAME if you want a simpler, less expensive radio link and no feedback.
See how these motors are specified on our made-to-measure roller shutters, or send your dimensions through the quote form.
