Cord-lift shades carry their motor inside the headrail, which puts headrail clearance ahead of torque on the list of things to measure. The Somfy Cord Lift 25 WireFree Zigbee 12V Motor (1241780) needs a headrail of at least 25 x 25 mm, and Somfy publishes a minimum internal diameter of 0.98 in for the motor body. A narrower headrail rules the motor out before fabric weight enters the conversation.
Somfy's own catalog name for this part is Cord Lift WireFree TLW25 Zigbee (External Battery). The phrase in parentheses changes what you put in the cart, and the section below covers it.
The shades this motor lifts
Cord lift covers shades that raise on a lift cord instead of winding onto a tube. Somfy documents the TL25 Cord Lift platform for cellular, pleated, Roman and woven shades. The motor sits in the headrail, takes up the lift cords, and stacks the fabric the way a manual cord would.
Motorizing a cord-lift shade also retires the operating cord. The lift cords stay enclosed in the headrail once the motor takes them up, and the room loses the hanging pull that a manual shade needs. Installers retrofitting an occupied house tend to raise that point before they raise the app.
A roller shade is a different job. Roller fabric winds onto a tube, and that calls for a tubular motor from the Sonesse or Roll Up families. Buyers sometimes land on the Cord Lift 25 while shopping for a compact roller motor. The two families do not substitute for each other.
Verified Somfy specifications
| Torque | 0.8 Nm |
| Speed | 30 rpm |
| Power supply | 12V DC, range 10.5V to 16.5V |
| Consumption, operating | 10.2 W |
| Consumption, standby | 0.094 W |
| Noise level | 46 dB |
| Control protocol | Zigbee 3.0, 2.450 GHz |
| Range, open field | 492.15 ft |
| Headrail minimum | 25 x 25 mm |
| Minimum internal diameter | 0.98 in (25 mm) |
| Working temperature | 32 to 140 °F |
| Ingress protection | IP 20 |
| Warranty | 5 years |
Somfy publishes these figures for reference 1241780 on its professional catalog. The torque reads low against a tubular motor because cord lift works through the lift-cord geometry rather than a tube. Somfy positions the platform for interior blinds and shades, and the IP 20 rating keeps it indoors.
The external battery is a separate line on the order
Somfy ends the product name with "(External Battery)" because the cell does not live inside this motor. The motor takes 12V DC and runs between 10.5V and 16.5V. Power arrives from a pack you order alongside it.
The Somfy Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery Pack (9021217) is the part Somfy pairs with its external-battery WireFree motors. It holds 2600 mAh at 12V DC and mounts behind the shade or inside the cassette.
On a window that sees daylight, the Somfy 12V DC WireFree V2 Solar Pack (9027294) tops the pack up through the glass and takes the recharge visit off the calendar. Somfy lists the solar kit as compatible with its Li-ion WireFree motors and with the 9021217 pack. The kit ships with the panel, mounting brackets, and glass-mount adhesive.
Zigbee control, with the hub optional
The motor speaks Zigbee 3.0 at 2.450 GHz, and Somfy publishes an open-field range of 492.15 ft. Two control paths work.
A Somfy Ysia 1 Channel Zigbee Remote (1871153) pairs to the motor with no hub in the middle. That suits a single shade or one small room.
The Somfy TaHoma Switch Zigbee Interface (1871037) adds the app, schedules, scenes, and voice control through Amazon Alexa and Google Home. The TaHoma switch also carries RTS, which lets a house with a decade of older Somfy shades run new Zigbee cord-lift shades from one app.
Zigbee reports position back to the app, so the display shows where the shade sits rather than where it was last sent. An RTS remote will not drive this motor. Match the control to the protocol before ordering.
Install notes worth checking before you order
Somfy's TL25 documentation states that the motor lead must not be cut or lengthened. Plan the battery position around the lead length you receive, and confirm it against the headrail run during the site measure.
Draw is 10.2 W while the motor runs and 0.094 W at rest. The low standby figure is what stretches a single battery pack between charges on a shade cycled once a day.
Somfy publishes headrail adaptors for several shade systems, and the correct adaptor depends on the headrail brand. Confirm which adaptor your system takes before the order goes in, because the adaptor decides whether the motor seats in the rail.
Mount the battery pack where a person can reach it without taking the shade down. Somfy sizes the pack at 2600 mAh, and a shade cycled once a day runs a long stretch between charges on that capacity. A pack buried behind a fixed valance turns a five-minute recharge into a service call, and the solar kit removes the question by keeping the pack fed through the glass.
Noise measures 46 dB. For a bedroom, that sits in the same band as a quiet conversation and below a standard tubular roller motor.
Ordering the working set
A complete cord-lift job on this motor takes four parts: the motor, a power source, a control, and the headrail adaptor for your shade system. Start with the Somfy Cord Lift 25 WireFree Zigbee 12V Motor (1241780), then add the Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery Pack (9021217). Choose the Ysia 1 Channel Zigbee Remote for direct control, or the TaHoma Switch when the shade joins a wider system. The WireFree V2 Solar Pack turns an annual recharge into none at all.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Cord Lift 25 WireFree Zigbee include a battery?
No. Somfy names this reference "External Battery" because the cell mounts outside the motor. Order the Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery Pack (9021217) with it, or pair the pack with the WireFree V2 Solar Pack (9027294) for continuous daylight charging.
What shade types does a cord-lift motor suit?
Somfy documents the TL25 Cord Lift platform for cellular, pleated, Roman and woven shades. These raise on lift cords rather than winding onto a tube. A roller shade needs a tubular motor from the Sonesse or Roll Up families instead.
Can an RTS remote control this motor?
No. This reference runs Zigbee 3.0 at 2.450 GHz, and RTS runs at 433.42 MHz. The two protocols do not pair. Use a Ysia Zigbee remote for direct control, or a TaHoma switch for app and voice control across both protocols.
Will it fit my headrail?
Somfy publishes a headrail minimum of 25 x 25 mm and a minimum internal diameter of 0.98 in. Measure the rail before ordering. A headrail below either figure will not take the motor, and the correct headrail adaptor depends on your shade system.
Shade Motors Direct is an authorized source for genuine Somfy motorized window shade, blind, and drapery parts.
