A cord lift motor has to fit inside a headrail that was sized for a cord lock and a tilt rod. The Somfy Cord Lift WireFree TLW25 RTS (External Battery), part 1003294, answers that constraint with a slim dual-shaft body and an external power source, so nothing bulky rides inside the rail beside it. Somfy builds it for cellular, pleated, Roman and woven shades, and it carries an RTS receiver inside the motor, which means a remote talks to it with no separate radio box.
Somfy publishes the TLW25 at 7.76 in long with a 0.98 in diameter and a 0.94 in square section across the body. The motor weighs 0.42 lb. Measure the clear run inside your headrail before you order, because the cord spools sit on the shafts at each end and they need room to turn. Fabricators working with common cellular and pleated headrail extrusions fit this motor without cutting a new rail.
The dual-shaft design is the part that separates the TLW25 from older single-shaft cord lifts. Two shafts split the load across two lift cords, which raises what the motor can pull and keeps the shade hanging level as it climbs. Somfy rates the motor at 0.8 Nm, or 7.08 in-lb, turning at 30 rpm.
Shades the TLW25 RTS drives
Somfy lists one application for this reference: interior window coverings. Within that, the cord lift platform suits cellular and honeycomb shades, pleated shades, Roman shades and woven wood shades. Each of those lifts on cords rather than a tube, which is the distinction that sends you to a cord lift instead of a tubular motor like the Sonesse 28.
Shade weight and cord drop set the ceiling here. Somfy publishes torque and speed for the TLW25 but does not publish a lift capacity in pounds on either its product page or its e-catalog entry, so size the shade against the Somfy WireFree Databook or ask your Somfy rep to confirm the fabric and drop you have in hand. The 30 rpm figure holds the shade to a calm travel speed that reads well in a bedroom or a living room.
Verified specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Somfy reference | 1003294 |
| Official name | Cord Lift WireFree TLW25 RTS (External Battery) |
| Torque | 0.8 Nm (7.08 in-lb) |
| Speed | 30 rpm |
| Control | RTS, receiver built into the motor |
| Radio frequency | 433.420 MHz |
| Radio range, open field | 656.2 ft |
| Channels | 12 |
| Power supply | 12V DC, 9 V to 16.5 V window |
| Rated current | 0.85 A |
| Power in operation | 10.2 W |
| Standby power | 0.096 W |
| Noise level | 50 dB |
| Protection index | IP 20 |
| Insulation class | Class III |
| Limit switch | Electronic, 100 turn capacity, repeatability +/- 5 |
| Dimensions | 7.76 in long, 0.98 in diameter, 0.94 x 0.94 in body |
| Weight | 0.42 lb |
| Operating temperature | 32 F to 140 F |
| Storage temperature | -4 F to 176 F |
| Application | Interior window coverings |
| Warranty | 5 years |
Figures come from Somfy's published record for reference 1003294 on somfypro.com and somfysystems.com.
Power sits outside the motor
The word "external" in the product name carries weight at the order stage. Somfy ships the TLW25 RTS with a power cable and no cell inside the body, so you choose the power source and you order it as a separate line. A buyer who orders the motor alone gets a motor that will not move until power arrives.
The Somfy Reloadable 12V DC Battery Wand, part 9018685, is the common answer for a retrofit where no outlet sits near the window. The wand holds replaceable cells in a slim tube that mounts behind or beside the headrail, and it keeps the install free of visible cord. Somfy also lists a rechargeable Li-ion pack and a plug-in 12V supply for this platform. Connector styles have changed across cord lift generations, so confirm the plug against the motor you receive before you commit to a power part.
Somfy publishes 0.85 A rated current, 10.2 W in operation and 0.096 W in standby. That standby number is the one that sets how long a battery source lasts between charges, and at 0.096 W the motor draws close to nothing while the shade sits still.
RTS control and the remotes that pair to it
RTS puts the receiver inside the motor at 433.420 MHz, with 12 channels of memory and 656.2 ft of open field range. Pairing runs from the motor's own programming button and then from the remote, with no hub in the path. Somfy built RTS as a one-way protocol, and the Somfy RTS pocket programming guide carries the full limit and channel sequence.
For a single shade on a single button, the Situo 1 Channel RTS Pure Remote, part 1870571, handles open, stop and close from the wall or a table. Rooms with several shades move to the Situo 5 Channel RTS Pure Remote, part 1870575, which holds four individual shades plus a group channel. Clients who want the shades to run on a clock without touching anything add the Telis 1 Chronis RTS Timer, part 1805237, which sends a timed open and close at the hours you set.
Adding a Somfy TaHoma hub brings the same motor onto a phone app and into scenes alongside lighting and other Somfy products. The motor itself needs no change for that step.
Setup notes an installer asks about
Limits on the TLW25 are electronic, with a 100 turn capacity and repeatability of plus or minus 5. Set the up and down stops from the remote after pairing, and the motor returns to those stops on every cycle. Somfy rates the noise level at 50 dB, quiet enough that a shade cycling at night stays in the background.
Two ratings mark this as an interior motor and nothing else. Somfy publishes IP 20, which covers no water ingress, and Class III insulation for the 12V DC supply. Operating range runs 32 F to 140 F, with storage tolerated from -4 F to 176 F. Keep it out of a sunroom that swings past those limits and out of any exterior application.
Ordering the TLW25 RTS
The motor ships as reference 1003294 with a 5 year Somfy warranty behind it. Order the Cord Lift WireFree TLW25 RTS together with a power source, and add the remote or timer that matches how the room will run. Somfy's cord lift line gives fabricators a path to motorize cellular and Roman shades that have no tube to hide a motor inside, and the TLW25 is the current RTS reference in that line.
Frequently asked questions
Does the TLW25 RTS include a battery?
No. Somfy names this reference "External Battery" because the cell sits outside the motor body. Order a power source with it, such as the Reloadable 12V DC Battery Wand 9018685, a rechargeable Li-ion pack, or a plug-in 12V DC supply. Confirm the connector style against the motor you receive.
What shades does this motor lift?
Somfy lists interior window coverings as the application. In practice that covers cellular and honeycomb shades, pleated shades, Roman shades and woven wood shades. Any shade that raises on lift cords rather than a roller tube fits the cord lift platform.
How far will the remote reach?
Somfy publishes 656.2 ft of range in open field at 433.420 MHz. Walls, metal studs and appliances cut that figure in real rooms. A single-family install stays inside that figure, and a Somfy RTS repeater covers a long run or a shade behind heavy construction.
Can this motor join a TaHoma system?
Yes. TaHoma speaks RTS, so a TLW25 RTS shade pairs into the hub and then runs from the app, from scenes and from schedules. The motor needs no added receiver or module for that, since the RTS receiver already sits inside it.
Shade Motors Direct is an authorized source for genuine Somfy motorized window shade, blind, and drapery parts.
