Alternative control unit for Somfy SGS actuators

ETM control unit for Somfy SGS actuators? Of course!

After drinking my morning coffee and another phone call from a customer asking if we had a swing gate control panel that could replace the Somfy actuator control unit, I decided to write this article.

We get such calls from customers who are looking for a replacement for the original Somfy control unit quite often. Practice has shown that our ETM control units are perfect for controlling Somfy actuators.

I will try to describe in a few words why that’s the case :)

Somfy SGS actuators – a few words about their construction

SGS actuators are open-ended, i.e. the propeller is accessible from the outside, specifically from the bottom of the actuator. From the top it is covered with a cover along its entire length. A “trolley” (which is attached to the gate wing ) with a protruding pin moves along the bolt to open or close the wing.

The SGS family of actuators are actuators designed to work with control units equipped with the overload function. They do not have built-in limit switches that will turn off the motor after reaching the set position of the actuator. There are versions of SGS actuators with built-in mechanical stops, but there are also versions without stops (then the gate must have bumpers mounted to the ground). After the “trolley” reaches the limiters (in the version with limiters) or after the wings rest on the bumper mounted to the ground, the current consumed by the actuator increases rapidly. This must be immediately “sensed” by the control unit which turns off the motor.

The power of the SGS family actuators ranges from 40W to 120W, they are supplied with 24VDC.

Why ETM control units?

The ETM controlle has everything you need to handle Somfy actuators from the SGS family, but also any actuator from another manufacturer – if, of course, it is based on an overload system, it is powered by 24VDC and does not consume too much power.

The latest software that this control panel is equipped with is very flexible and allows you to configure its operation almost freely, assign functions to inputs and some outputs, and define functions performed by buttons on the remote control.

The strength of this control unit – apart from many configuration options – is its power supply, which was built based on a strong and durable toroidal transformer, characterized by very high energy efficiency. Such a transformer will also withstand considerable overloads, and because it is not a pulse converter composed of a multitude of elements – it is also very reliable. It is true that this is paid for with a slightly larger weight of the entire device, but after all, no one carries such a control unit with them, e.g. for shopping or a walk in the park, so that it would have any significant meaning ?

Adjustment of all parameters of the control unit is made with the use of four buttons on the controller board, and the two-digit display on it also enables control and facilitates the programming of settings. In addition to the display on the board, there are also LEDs informing about the device status.

Functions of the ETM control unit

Of course, this controller also performs functions such as soft start and slowing down before stopping. You can open one wing instead of both (wicket option), you can connect photocells to protect the area around the gate, and you can control the control unit with the home alarm system or other controllers (e.g. GSM) or in the basic version with the bell button (or many) – the control unit has all the necessary inputs. It also has touch sensors on the housing, which are used to control the gate without remote controls. It is possible to lock the gate with an electric lock if it is necessary for some reason, as well as to open the electric lock in the gate with the gate remote control.

But what predestines our ETM control unit to control Somfy actuators from the SGS family (and not only) is a very sensitive and precise overload system. This is the strongest point. The overload in the ETM control unit has a separately adjustable sensitivity for fast and slow gears of the actuators – and for each one separately! So, there are no such surprises as the gate stopping immediately after opening just a bit, or even the lack of any reaction of the actuators or the failure to turn off the motors after the wing reaches the bumper. In each gear, the sensitivity level of the overload can be adjusted to the current conditions and loads with which the actuators work.

Summary

Everything mentioned above, combined with the reliability achieved in this control unit, has made it so popular among Somfy SGS users. It seems that the Somfy control units have a solid replacement, and maybe a successor…

And as a bonus, I am posting a video from a satisfied user :)