Solar power for shading equipment

GEIGER SOLAR-J and SOLAR-R are powered via a compact energy unit with photovoltaics module, rechargeable battery, and control unit. The louvre or roller shutter drive is operated by hand-held transmitter.

GEIGER presented the first electronically controlled solar drives with integrated rechargeable battery for louvres, Venetian blinds, and roller shutters at R+T

The new products GEIGER presented at stand 3C22 during R+T (Stuttgart, 19-23/02/2024) are the SOLAR-J and SOLAR-R. The specialist for sun protection drives makes its modular systems with three components: The compact power and control unit, a low-noise motor, and the hand-held transmitter for comfortable operation.

“These sun protection drives work independently of the mains. Solar energy is perfectly sufficient for feeding the battery for reliable day- and nighttime operation,” says Marinus van Dam, segment head for electrical drive systems at GEIGER. “Your additional comfort will not come in return for a higher electricity bill. You’ll actually save some money. Since no power lines are needed, the autonomous solar drives are very simple and quick to install – which is an advantage when retrofitting existing buildings.”

The compact energy unit is 500 mm long, 60 mm high, and 35 mm deep. It is integrated into the louvre blind or the roller shutter box from the outside. The photovoltaics module achieves a power of up to 4.5 Wh even at low light. Solar energy feeds a long-lived nickel-metal hydride accumulator (Ni-Mh) with a capacity of 2.2 Ah/26.4 Wh. Depending on the hanging weight, that is enough for 30-60 runs. The control unit and the device for disconnecting the solar panel, electronics, and motor, for which a patent is pending, are integrated into the housing.

SOLAR-J for louvres and Venetian blinds is based on the tried and tested GEIGER GJ56-E14 Perfection series. The 12-V motor with a torque of 3 Nm achieves up to 30 rpm. SOLAR-R for roller shutters, an adaptation of the SOLIDline SoftPerfection-X01, achieves the same revolutions at a torque of 6 Nm. The electronic control unit ensures automatic referencing of the end positions of the two solar drives to protect the hanging, in particular during faults caused by freezing or obstacles.

The SOLAR-J and SOLAR-R are operated comfortably by the push of a button. GEIGER offers elegant hand-held transmitters for 1-15 channels for this.