Power cuts park a motorized awning wherever it stopped. The Somfy 525A2 CMO answers that case with a Compact Manual Override built into the motor head. An installer couples a crank eye to the override, and the owner winds the awning back in with no power reaching the motor. Somfy builds this one on the LT50 platform at 25 Nm and 20 rpm, and wires it for a switch or a relay.
Awnings and rolling shutters that must move without power
Somfy lists two applications for reference 1043010: awnings and rolling shutters. Both hang outside. Both cost the owner money when a storm cuts the power and the fabric stays extended across the patio. The CMO head gives a way back. Crank the awning in by hand, and the arms and fabric ride out the weather folded against the wall.
Exterior retractable awnings inside the torque rating suit this motor. Rolling shutters on a 2 in octagonal or round tube suit it as well. Interior roller shades belong on a Somfy Sonesse motor, which Somfy engineers for quiet running inside a living space.
Torque, speed and the verified specifications
Somfy rates this motor at 25 Nm, or 221 in-lb, at 20 rpm. Sizing starts from the finished assembly. Weigh the fabric, the front bar and the arms, multiply that load by the radius of the loaded tube, then add the drag the arm springs contribute. Keep the result under the rating with headroom, because an awning gains weight once rain soaks the acrylic.
Somfy builds the same CMO head at higher ratings, so a wider awning steps up the range instead of leaning on a 25 Nm motor. The 20 rpm output turns a 2 in tube at a pace the owner reads as steady rather than abrupt. Shutters run on the same figure.
| Somfy reference | 1043010 |
| Somfy product name | 525A2 25/20 CMO VVF 2M |
| Torque / speed | 25 Nm (221 in-lb) / 20 rpm |
| Power supply | 120V AC, 60 Hz |
| Current | 1.6 A |
| Power, running | 180 W |
| Power, standby | 0 W |
| Head | CMO (Compact Manual Override) |
| Limit switches | Mechanical, 34 turns |
| Minimum tube inner diameter | 1.85 in |
| External diameter | 1.97 in |
| Length | 30.98 in |
| Cable | VVF, 6.56 ft |
| Ingress protection | IP 44 |
| Insulation class | Class I |
| Operating temperature | -13 to 158 F |
| Storage temperature | -4 to 176 F |
| Thermal protection | 5 min, trip at 284 F |
| Weight | 6.6 lb |
| Applications | Awnings, rolling shutters |
| Approval | UR |
| Warranty | 5 years |
Figures above come from Somfy's published data for reference 1043010 on somfypro.com and somfysystems.com.
Tube, crown and drive fit
The motor needs a tube with a 1.85 in minimum inner diameter, and the body measures 1.97 in across at its widest point. Order a crown and drive set that matches the tube profile. The crown locates the motor head inside the tube, and the drive hands torque from the motor shaft to the tube wall, so a mismatched pair either refuses to seat or slips under load.
A 2.5 in round tube takes the Somfy LT50 2.5" Round Crown and Drive Set (9012231). A 70 mm octagonal tube takes the Somfy Octagonal LT50 70mm Crown and Drive Set (9012234). Measure the tube inside and out before you order, since a round and an octagonal tube of the same nominal size call for different crowns.
Mounting hardware follows the head. A CMO head carries the override gearbox and the crank eye port, which rules out the flat star plate that fits a plain LT50 star head. Pick a bracket rated for a CMO head, and leave clearance behind the motor for the override shaft to exit at the angle the crank needs.
Wiring the four-conductor cable
Somfy fits a VVF cable 6.56 ft long at the head. The conductors carry line, neutral, ground and the second direction leg, which puts control in the hands of a wall switch, a relay, or a dry-contact output from a building system. The motor draws 1.6 A and 180 W while it runs, and sits at 0 W between moves. Class I insulation tells the installer to bond the ground conductor.
Radio remotes will not reach this motor, because the 525A2 CMO carries no receiver. Somfy covers that path with the RTS version of the same motor, where a radio board sits in the head and a Situo remote pairs to it. Choose the wired 525A2 CMO where a switch or a control system already runs to the opening, and the RTS motor where no wire does.
Mechanical limits and the override shaft
Somfy gives this motor mechanical limit switches with 34 turns of travel capacity. An installer sets the upper and lower stop with a limit key at the two adjustment screws on the head, drives the shade to each end, and trims the setting until the front bar lands where the owner wants it. Mechanical limits hold their position through a power loss, which matches a motor bought for outage duty.
The override needs a shaft to reach the crank. The Somfy CMO Awning Override Shaft, 100mm with Geiger eye (9707287) screws into the CMO gearbox and ends in an eye that accepts a standard crank hook. Confirm the thread and the length against the installed geometry of your awning before ordering, since the shaft has to clear the hood and the mounting bracket.
Hand-cranking takes many turns at the eye to move an awning end to end, because the override gears down to keep the load at the handle light. Tell the owner that up front. Treat the crank as the storm answer, not the daily control.
Order the 525A2 CMO and the parts around it
The Somfy 525A2 CMO 120V 4-Wire Motor (1043010) ships as the motor unit with its VVF pigtail. A working awning also needs the crown and drive set for your tube, a bracket rated for the CMO head, and the override shaft with an eye. Add those in the same order and the install goes in one visit.
Shade Motors Direct ships genuine Somfy motors and parts with the 5-year Somfy warranty behind them. Call or email with the tube profile, the finished awning width and the fabric weight, and we will confirm the torque and the crown set before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Somfy 525A2 CMO work with an RTS remote?
No. The 525A2 CMO is a wired motor with no radio receiver in the head, and it takes its commands from a switch, a relay or a dry contact. Somfy offers the same 25 Nm CMO motor in an RTS version for remote control, so pick that reference when the opening has no control wire.
What tube does the 525A2 CMO fit?
Somfy publishes a 1.85 in minimum inner diameter for reference 1043010, and the motor body measures 1.97 in at its widest. Pair it with a crown and drive set cut for your tube profile, round or octagonal. A 2.5 in round tube and a 70 mm octagonal tube both have matching Somfy sets.
How many turns do the mechanical limits allow?
Somfy rates the limit switches at 34 turns of travel. That covers the drop of a typical awning or rolling shutter on a 2 in tube. An installer sets the stops with a limit key at the head, and the setting survives a power cut because the limits are mechanical rather than electronic.
Which override shaft fits this motor?
The CMO Awning Override Shaft, 100mm with Geiger eye (9707287) threads into the CMO gearbox and ends in an eye for a crank hook. Check the clearance behind the motor head and the exit angle the crank needs before you order, because the shaft must pass the hood and the bracket.
Shade Motors Direct is an authorized source for genuine Somfy motorized window shade, blind, and drapery parts.
