Electric motors are invaluable for controlling SHY Zip electric blinds individually or together – and particularly useful where an installation comprises a number of matching blinds (see the Sheffield Winter Garden installation illustrated). There are numerous control options available. ZIip electric blinds can be operated by a radio-control handset or a hard-wired wall switch, alternatively they can be managed via home automation, BMS (Building Management System) or relay. A single handset can be used to control 1, 4 or 16 groups of blinds for larger installations and additional functionality also allows automation - e.g. 'open in am, close in pm' - to be programmed in. See our Controlling SHY® ZIP® electric blinds section for more detailed information. Obstacle Detection - the ultimate in safe, reliable and trouble free operation A problem with all blinds that use a zipper in the side channels, if the blind is prevented from travelling for whatever reason, the motor continues to rotate, with the cloth unravelling inside the top box. When the blind is next raised, a tuck of cloth is often taken up in the roll, shortening the effective length of cloth, so when the hem bar (bottom weight bar) reaches the top, the motor continues to run having not reached its top limit position and will continue to run until it overheats, cools, runs, overheats etc. or something breaks. These Obstacle detection motors, which have an extensive and proven pedigree detect an obstruction, automatically stopping to prevent damage to the blind or the obstruction, so providing the ultimate in safe, reliable and trouble-free operation. To prevent the motor stopping inadvertently it makes three attempts to pass the obstruction with a clever mix of mechanical and electrical technology ensuring the motors accurately detect real obstacles. These motors are designed for internal and also external blinds, where the odd gust of wind will not engage the obstacle detection when not required and there are other clever features which make them ideal for ZIP® blinds of almost any size. Limit setting is very simple as there is no need to access the motor at any time as this can be achieved using the test lead, handset (with radio operation) or automatically where the motor senses the top and bottom of the blind travel and memorises these two positions.