Installers reach for a crank-equipped motor when the awning has to move after a power cut. The Somfy 535A2 RTS CMO puts a Compact Manual Override socket on the motor head and builds Radio Technology Somfy into the same body. Somfy rates the motor at 35 Nm (310 in-lb) and 20 rpm on 120V/60Hz power. That torque lands in the middle of the LT50 CMO range, above the 25 Nm 525A2 and under the 50 Nm 550R2.
Crank backup on a radio motor
CMO stands for Compact Manual Override. Somfy machines a drive socket into the motor head and couples it to the output shaft, so a crank handle on an override rod turns the tube by hand. The awning still rolls in during an outage. Storm season gives this head its main job, because an operator can retract a lateral arm awning before wind loads build on the fabric and the arms.
Somfy keeps the radio side whole. The 535A2 RTS CMO listens on 433.420 MHz, holds 12 channels, and carries rolling-code security with 16 million combinations. Pair a Situo remote and the motor runs on radio alone. No control wire travels back to the head, which matters on a soffit-mounted awning where fishing a switch leg means cutting finished stucco.
Awnings and shutters the 535A2 drives
Somfy lists two applications for this reference: awnings and rolling shutters. The 35 Nm head handles a mid-size lateral arm awning or a folding arm unit rolling on a 70mm octagonal tube. On a rolling shutter, that same torque lifts a tall aluminum curtain carried on a 2.5 inch round tube. Shade fabricators also fit the CMO head to exterior drop screens where a tenant needs manual retraction.
Torque math starts at the roll. Weigh the fabric and the front bar, then measure the finished roll diameter. Multiply the load by the roll radius and add margin for friction in the arms and the pivots. A 35 Nm motor covers most residential awnings out to roughly 14 feet of projection on standard acrylic. A wide commercial unit with heavy fabric pushes the spec up to the 50 Nm 550R2.
Verified specs for reference 1047306
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Official Somfy name | 535A2 RTS CMO 35/20 SJTW 12 FT |
| Torque / speed | 35 Nm (310 in-lb) / 20 rpm |
| Power supply | 120V / 60Hz, AC |
| Voltage range | 108 V to 126 V |
| Current | 2.1 A |
| Consumption in operation | 250 W |
| Standby consumption | 0 W |
| Radio frequency | 433.420 MHz |
| Channels | 12 |
| Coding | Rolling code, 16 million combinations |
| Head type | CMO (Compact Manual Override) |
| Limit switch capacity | 34 turns |
| Minimum internal tube diameter | 1.85 in |
| Motor diameter | 1.77 in |
| External diameter | 1.97 in |
| Length | 30.47 in |
| Cable | SJTW, 3-wire, removable |
| IP rating | IP 44 |
| Protection class | Class I |
| Operating temperature | -13 °F to 158 °F |
| Storage temperature | -4 °F to 176 °F |
| Thermal protection | 5 min, trip at 284 °F |
| Weight | 3.24 lb |
| Applications | Awning, rolling shutter |
| Certification | UR |
| Warranty | 5 years |
Somfy publishes these figures for reference 1047306 in its product e-catalogue. Match them against the label on the motor you receive before you cut a tube.
Tube size, crown and drive
One figure governs fitment here. Somfy gives a minimum internal tube diameter of 1.85 inches, so the roller has to clear that bore along the full insertion length. A 2.5 inch round tube clears it. A 70mm octagonal tube clears it. Anything tighter will bind on the motor body and load the gearbox the moment the limits run.
A crown and drive set adapts the LT50 body to the tube profile. The LT50 2.5 inch round crown and drive set (9012231) suits round roller stock on awnings and drop screens. For octagonal shutter tube, the octagonal LT50 70mm crown and drive set (9012234) indexes the drive into the tube flats and stops the roller slipping under load. Order the set that matches the tube already on the awning, since the crown carries the motor and the drive transmits the torque.
The motor measures 30.47 inches from head to tip. Lay that against the inside clear width of the awning before ordering, then add the bracket depth on the head side and the idler end on the other.
The override shaft and the bracket side
A CMO head needs a shaft to carry the crank. The CMO awning override shaft, 100mm with Geiger eye (9707287) couples to the socket in the head and presents a loop for a crank handle or a pole hook. The 100mm length suits a shallow fascia. A deeper hood or a recessed install calls for a longer shaft, so measure from the motor head to the point where the operator will stand.
Bracket choice follows the head profile. The CMO head carries its own mounting pattern, and a star-head plate will not seat it. Pick a bracket cut for the CMO head and sized to the awning's mounting face, whether that face is a wall plate or a soffit plate.
RTS pairing and limit setting
Pairing takes a Somfy RTS transmitter. The Situo 1 Channel RTS Pure remote (1870571) drives one awning and gives the installer a clean handset for the limit routine. Larger properties move to a 5-channel Situo or a Telis, and the motor accepts transmitters up to its 12-channel memory. Each new handset enters through the programming button on a paired remote.
Limit capacity on this motor runs to 34 turns of the tube. Count the turns your roll needs at the finished diameter and stay inside that number. Somfy's 5-minute thermal protection stops the motor after a long continuous run, and the head cools before it accepts the next command. Builders who cycle a bank of awnings during commissioning should pace the runs.
Power comes through a removable SJTW 3-wire pigtail at the head. Removability helps on a retrofit, because an electrician can land the whip in a weatherproof box and the next service call pulls the motor without cutting conductors. Keep the connection inside an enclosure rated for the location.
The Somfy 535A2 RTS CMO 120V 3-wire motor (1047306) ships as the motor and its pigtail. Add the crown and drive set for your tube profile, a CMO-pattern bracket, the override shaft, and one RTS transmitter, and the awning runs on radio with a hand crank behind it. Somfy backs the motor for 5 years.
Frequently asked questions
What tube does the Somfy 535A2 RTS CMO fit?
Somfy publishes a minimum internal tube diameter of 1.85 inches for reference 1047306. A 2.5 inch round tube and a 70mm octagonal tube both clear that bore. The motor needs a crown and drive set matched to the tube profile, since the crown locates the motor and the drive carries torque into the roller.
How many RTS remotes can this motor hold?
The motor carries a 12-channel radio memory on 433.420 MHz with rolling-code security. An installer adds each handset through the programming button on a remote already paired to the motor. A Situo 1 Channel handles a single awning, and a 5-channel Situo or a Telis covers a group of openings from one transmitter.
Does the crank work while the motor has power?
The Compact Manual Override gives a mechanical path to the tube, and its purpose is operation during a power loss. Use the radio control while power is present, then switch to the crank on the override shaft when the circuit goes dead. Turn the crank at a steady pace and stop at the fabric limits.
What cable does reference 1047306 carry?
Somfy supplies this motor with a removable SJTW 3-wire pigtail at the head. The removable connection lets an electrician land the whip in a weatherproof enclosure and pull the motor later without cutting conductors. Confirm the connector against the motor you receive, then wire the whip inside an enclosure rated for the installed location.
Shade Motors Direct is an authorized source for genuine Somfy motorized window shade, blind, and drapery parts.
