Short answer: A Somfy awning motor replacement starts with the label on the old motor. Match its torque and its LT50 or LT60 size, then match the head: a Sunea RTS CMO if the awning has a hand crank, an Altus RTS if it has no crank. The four genuine LT50 replacements below run $448.59 to $648.62 at our October 2026 prices.
An awning motor sits inside the roller tube, so the job looks bigger than it is. Four details decide the part you order: torque, tube platform, head type and tube profile. Get those right and the new motor slides into the old roller with a fresh crown, drive and bracket, all sold in our Somfy awning and exterior motors range.
Read the label on the old motor first
Somfy prints a model code and a reference number on the motor tube, near the head. The model code carries the torque. The first digit names the platform, 5 for LT50 and 6 for LT60, and the digits after it give newton meters. A 535A2 delivers 35 Nm on the LT50 platform. A 550R2 delivers 50 Nm. A 680R2 delivers 80 Nm on LT60. The letter tracks the speed band, so a 550R2 and a 525A2 differ in speed as well as torque. Our Somfy model code guide decodes the rest of the string.
Write down four things before you order:
- The model code and the seven-digit reference number.
- Whether a crank eye sits at the motor head.
- The roller tube profile and size, measured inside.
- The supply voltage on the label, which reads 120V/60Hz on the US motors in this guide.
Many awning makers fit Somfy motors at the factory, and some fit motors from other suppliers. If the label carries a Somfy reference, match it directly. If the label is gone or names another maker, ask the awning maker for the torque rating of that frame and measure the tube. Projection loads the roller harder than width, because the folding arms push against the fabric as it rolls, so the maker's figure is the one to buy against.
Sunea, Altus or Maestria: which family fits
Somfy builds three LT50 RTS families for the outside of a house, and each one suits a different frame.
The Sunea RTS CMO is Somfy's awning motor for cassette, semi-cassette and standard awnings. It carries a CMO head, Somfy's compact manual override, which accepts a crank so an owner can retract the awning by hand. On a cassette awning the Sunea sets its own inner limit, and Somfy adds a back impulse function that tensions the fabric at full extension plus a three-level closing force setting for cassette frames.
The Altus RTS is Somfy's universal radio motor. Somfy lists it for awnings, exterior solar screens, rolling shutters, retractable insect screens, interior window coverings and projection screens. It has a star head and electronic limits, and it suits a standard lateral arm awning with no crank.
The Maestria 50 RTS is Somfy's motor for exterior vertical screens and zip screens, with obstacle detection and automatic adjustment to protect the fabric. Choose it for a drop screen, and stay with Sunea or Altus for a projecting awning.
| Motor | Torque and speed | Head | Price |
| Somfy Altus RTS 525A2 (1043423) | 25 Nm, 20 rpm | Star | $448.59 |
| Somfy Altus RTS 550R2 (1038170) | 50 Nm, 14 rpm | Star | $521.95 |
| Somfy Sunea RTS CMO 535A2 (1116321) | 35 Nm, 20 rpm | CMO | $607.11 |
| Somfy Sunea RTS CMO 550R2 (1118210) | 50 Nm, 14 rpm | CMO | $648.62 |
The four motors run on 120V/60Hz, carry an IP 44 rating, set limits electronically, and come with Somfy's five year warranty. Both Sunea motors ship with Somfy's 18 in Fast Connector cable.
LT50 or LT60: the tube decides
Somfy publishes a 1.85 in minimum tube inside diameter for the LT50 motors above. LT60 motors need 2.37 in. A residential lateral arm awning usually runs an LT50 roller, and the 25 to 50 Nm motors in the table cover that range. A heavy frame rated at 60, 80 or 100 Nm needs an LT60 motor and the larger tube, and that step changes the crown, drive and bracket too. Our LT50 vs LT60 comparison shows where the line falls.
Order the same platform the old motor used, since the tube stays.
CMO head and the bracket that holds it
The head is the end of the motor that locks into the awning's end bracket. A star head and a CMO head do not share a bracket. Swap a crank awning to a star head motor and the crank stops working. Fit a CMO motor to a star bracket and the head will not seat.
A Sunea motor takes the Somfy Motor Bracket for Sunea CMO RTS, US (9015802). An Altus RTS takes the Somfy LT50 Star Head Motor Bracket (9410651). Inside the tube, the crown and drive transfer torque to the roller and must match its profile. A 70 mm octagonal roller takes the Somfy Octagonal LT50 70mm Crown and Drive Set (9012234), which fits both families. Round and other octagonal sizes have their own sets.
Programming the new motor
A new RTS awning motor arrives unprogrammed and needs a transmitter to set direction and limits. The Somfy Telis 1 Channel RTS Patio Remote (1810643) carries an IP 44 rating for outdoor use. Somfy publishes this sequence for a Sunea RTS CMO on a standard awning:
- Connect the motor to power. If you program several motors, power one at a time.
- Press the UP and DOWN buttons together until the motor jogs.
- Press DOWN and confirm the awning extends.
- Bring the awning to the upper limit you want. Press and hold MY/STOP and DOWN until the awning begins to extend, then release. Stop at the lower limit you want and adjust with UP or DOWN.
- Press and hold UP and MY/STOP until the awning begins to retract. The motor stops at the upper limit. Adjust if needed.
- Press and hold MY/STOP until the motor jogs to confirm the limits.
- Press the PROGRAMMING button on the back of the transmitter briefly. The motor jogs and enters user mode.
In programming mode the awning moves in momentary fashion, and the motor leaves programming mode after two minutes with no input. On a cassette awning the Sunea sets its inner limit by itself, so the upper limit step changes. The Altus RTS uses its own sequence. Find the install guide for your motor in our Somfy spec library before you start.
Replacement cost, motor and parts
The motor carries most of the bill. An Altus RTS 525A2 kit with the 70 mm crown and drive, a star bracket and a Telis 1 Patio remote comes to $571.79. A Sunea RTS CMO 535A2 kit with the same crown and drive, the Sunea CMO bracket and the Telis 1 Patio comes to $734.01. If the old remote still works and the old motor was RTS, you can pair that remote to the new motor and skip the transmitter line.
Our Somfy awning motor price guide lists the LT60 and Orea options and adds wind sensor costs. Measure, read the label, and order the motor, crown, drive and bracket together so the job ships in one box.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know which Somfy awning motor I have?
Read the label on the motor tube near the head. The model code gives the platform and torque: a 535A2 is an LT50 motor at 35 Nm, and a 680R2 is an LT60 motor at 80 Nm. A crank eye at the head means a CMO motor, which points to the Sunea RTS CMO family as the match.
Can I replace a crank awning motor with an Altus RTS?
The Altus RTS has a star head, so it will not take a crank and will not seat in a CMO bracket. To keep the hand crank, replace a CMO motor with a Sunea RTS CMO of the same torque, such as the 535A2 at 35 Nm or the 550R2 at 50 Nm, plus the Sunea CMO bracket 9015802.
Does my awning need an LT50 or LT60 motor?
Match the platform the old motor used, since the roller tube stays in place. Somfy publishes a 1.85 in minimum tube inside diameter for LT50 motors and 2.37 in for LT60. LT50 covers 25 to 50 Nm in this guide, and a frame rated above 50 Nm moves to LT60 with its own crown, drive and bracket.
How much does a Somfy awning motor replacement cost?
The genuine LT50 motors in this guide run from $448.59 for an Altus RTS 525A2 to $648.62 for a Sunea RTS CMO 550R2, at October 2026 prices. A crown and drive set, a bracket and a Telis 1 Patio remote add about $123 to $127, and an existing RTS remote can pair to the new motor.
Sources: Somfy Sunea RTS CMO Visual Reference Guide (3.6.19), Somfy product pages for Sunea RTS CMO 535A2 and 550R2 and Altus RTS 525A2 on somfysystems.com and somfypro.com, and Somfy's Maestria 50 RTS release.
Shade Motors Direct is an authorized source for genuine Somfy motorized window shade, blind, and drapery parts.
