Both motors traverse a drapery track. That is where the similarity ends. Glydea ULTRA runs on mains power and is built to be installed once and never thought about again. Irismo 45 runs on a rechargeable battery pack and is built for the window where running power to the header was never going to happen. Picking between them is almost never a question of which motor is better. It is a question of whether there is power at the pocket.
The one question that decides it
Is there a 110V outlet, or can one be added, within reach of the track header?
If yes, Glydea ULTRA is the stronger choice on every axis that matters over a ten-year life: more weight capacity, faster travel, no battery to recharge, and three control protocols to choose from instead of one. If no, and cutting drywall to add one is off the table, Irismo 45 is the motor that exists for exactly that situation.
Everything below is the detail behind that answer.
Side by side, on Somfy's published figures
| Glydea ULTRA 35 | Glydea ULTRA 60 | Irismo 45 WireFree | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part | 1246116 (RTS) | 1246118 (RTS) | 1002353 (RTS) |
| Max drapery weight | 77 lb (35 kg) | 132 lb (60 kg) | 99 lb (45 kg) |
| Drive torque | 0.6 Nm | 1 Nm | 0.8 Nm |
| Speed | 105 rpm, adjustable | 105 rpm, adjustable | 87.5 rpm |
| Power | 100–240V AC, 30 W | 100–240V AC, 60 W | 25.9V Li-ion pack, up to 9 months per charge |
| Noise | 38 dB (silent mode) | 38 dB (silent mode) | 39 dB |
| Control options | RTS, Zigbee 3.0, DCT | RTS, Zigbee 3.0, DCT | RTS only |
| Max track length | Set by track and carrier load | Set by track and carrier load | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Warranty | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years |
Sources: Somfy's product records for 1246116, 1246118 and 1002353.
Weight capacity is the trap
At first glance Irismo 45 looks like it slots neatly between the two Glydea sizes: 99 lb against 77 lb and 132 lb. On paper it does. In practice the number behaves differently, because Irismo is spending stored energy every time it moves.
A Glydea at 80 percent of its rated load pulls the same on the thousandth cycle as it did on the first. An Irismo at 80 percent of its rated load drains the pack faster, and the published nine months per charge is a figure for typical use, not for a heavy blackout drape on a twice-daily schedule. Size an Irismo with room to spare and the recharge interval stays where you expect it. Size it to the limit and you will be on a ladder more often than you planned.
For a heavy lined drapery on a wide opening, the honest answer is usually the Glydea ULTRA 60, even if that means an electrician for an afternoon.
Speed, and why 105 rpm matters on a long track
Glydea ULTRA runs 105 rpm against Irismo's 87.5 rpm, and Glydea's speed is adjustable while Irismo's is not. On a 6 ft track nobody notices. On a 20 ft center-open track in a great room, each panel travels 10 ft and the difference is several seconds per cycle, every cycle.
The adjustability matters more than the top speed. On a bank of tracks of different widths, a fixed-speed motor means the short panels finish while the long ones are still moving. Glydea lets you slow the short runs so a whole wall of drapery lands together. That is the detail that separates an install that looks designed from one that looks assembled.
Noise: functionally a tie
38 dB against 39 dB is not a real difference. Neither motor will wake anyone. If quiet is the specification, both qualify, and the decision returns to power and control.
What does differ is the sound's character. Glydea ULTRA's silent mode is a deliberately slowed profile, so you can trade speed for quiet on a bedroom track and leave the living room track fast. Irismo runs one profile.
Control protocol: the constraint people discover too late
Irismo 45 is RTS only. That is fixed at manufacture and cannot be changed. If the property runs on Zigbee through a TaHoma hub, or on a dry-contact keypad system, Irismo does not join it without adding an RTS bridge.
Glydea ULTRA ships in three separate parts for three protocols, and you pick at order time:
- RTS — one-way radio, the simplest, works with every Somfy RTS remote. Parts 1246116 and 1246118.
- Zigbee 3.0 — two-way, so the hub knows where the drape actually is, not just what it was last told. Part 1241841.
- DCT dry contact via RJ12 — for keypad and building-control integration. Part 1246117.
Two-way Zigbee is worth more than it sounds on drapery specifically. A drape that gets caught on a carrier stops moving; with one-way RTS the hub still reports it as open. Our control systems comparison goes through all four protocols.
Installation reality
Glydea ULTRA. Needs a power feed at the header. On new construction or a renovation with the walls open, this is trivial and should always be done. On a finished wall it means an electrician, a junction box, or a visible cord drop. Once in, there is nothing to maintain.
Irismo 45. Mounts on either end of the track and conceals above, left or right. No wiring, no electrician, no wall damage — which is why it wins in rentals, historic properties, and any window where the drywall stays closed. The cost is a recharge cycle: the pack comes off and goes on the 1003080 charger, and a replacement pack (9026476) is a consumable, not a warranty item.
Both drive pinch pleat, RippleFold and Accordia, and both use the same Glydea track, carriers, master carriers and 10mm belt. If you already stock Glydea hardware, Irismo drops onto it.
Which to buy
Choose Glydea ULTRA 60 for heavy lined or blackout drapery, wide openings, commercial work, and anywhere the drape runs on a daily schedule. It is the only one of the three rated past 100 lb.
Choose Glydea ULTRA 35 for lighter sheers and medium residential panels where power is available and 77 lb is plenty. Lower power draw, same silent build, same three protocols.
Choose Irismo 45 when there is no power at the header and there is not going to be. It is the right motor for that job and a compromise for any other.
Common questions
Can I run an Irismo 45 on a Glydea track I already have?
Yes. Irismo uses the same Glydea track, drive pulley, carriers, master carrier and belt. Only the motor head and power source differ.
How long does an Irismo battery actually last per charge?
Somfy publishes up to 9 months. That is for typical use on a reasonably loaded track. A heavy drape cycled several times a day will land well short of it, which is why sizing below the 99 lb ceiling matters.
Is there a Zigbee version of Irismo 45?
No. Irismo 45 WireFree is RTS only. If the project needs Zigbee on drapery, that means a Glydea ULTRA Zigbee motor (1241841) and mains power.
Can a Glydea ULTRA still be moved by hand if the power fails?
Yes. Manual operation remains possible with no power, and Touch Motion means a gentle pull on the fabric starts the motor under normal conditions.
Which is quieter?
Effectively neither. Glydea ULTRA is rated 38 dB in silent mode and Irismo 39 dB. The gap is below what anyone perceives in a room.
Every figure above is taken from Somfy's published record for the specific part number, linked in the sources line. Browse the full range in Drapery Track & Hardware, or compare spec sheets directly on our Glydea spec sheet library.
