A rolling shutter that weighs 70 pounds on a 60mm octagonal tube needs more motor than a 40 pound interior screen on a 2 inch round tube. Installers answer that weight question first, then pick the torque rating. The Somfy Simu T5 15Nm 18rpm 120V (2000646) sits at the light end of the T5 wired range, and it earns that slot on mid-size shutters and awnings where a heavier motor would cost more and gain nothing.
Torque sizing decides this motor
Somfy rates this motor at 15 Nm, which converts to roughly 133 inch-pounds of lifting torque at the tube. Divide the finished weight of the shutter curtain or awning fabric by the radius of the tube to get the torque the motor has to produce. A larger tube multiplies the load the motor sees, so the same 15 Nm reaches less weight on an 85mm drive than on a 60mm one. Installers who skip that step either stall a motor on the first cycle or pay for torque the shutter never asks for.
The 18 rpm speed matters on tall openings. At 18 rpm a 60mm tube moves the curtain about 11 feet per minute, so a 7 foot shutter closes in well under a minute. Somfy builds slower 12 rpm motors in the same T5 line for heavier curtains that need the extra torque, and faster motors for light screens. The 15 Nm at 18 rpm pairing suits shutters where the owner wants a quick cycle without a jolt at the end stops.
Shutters, awnings and screens a 15 Nm T5 drives
Somfy lists four applications for this reference. Rolling shutters are the first, and they make up most of the installs. Retractable awnings are the second, where the T5 drives the roller bar through a 60mm or 70mm tube. Exterior solar screens take the same motor on zip tracks and open roller frames. Interior window coverings round out the list, though a wired T5 in a living room needs a switch location planned before the drywall closes.
The T5 carries IP 44 protection and Class I insulation, which covers a shutter box exposed to splashing water and wind-driven rain. Somfy publishes a 50 dB noise level, quiet enough for a shutter box above a bedroom window and far below the sound of the shutter slats themselves landing in the guide rails. Operating range runs from -4°F to 140°F, so the motor holds up in an unheated shutter box through a northern winter.
Verified specs for the Simu T5 2000646
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Torque / Speed | 15 Nm / 18 rpm |
| Power supply | 120V / 60Hz AC |
| Rated current | 1.1 A |
| Power consumption | 145 W running, 0 W standby |
| Control | Wired, 4-wire |
| Limit switches | Mechanical, 30 turns |
| Head type | Round with pins |
| Cable | 8.2 ft, 4-wire VVF, white |
| Protection | IP 44, Class I insulation |
| Overall diameter | 1.97 in |
| Noise level | 50 dB |
| Operating temperature | -4°F to 140°F |
| Warranty | 5 years |
| Part number | 2000646 |
Somfy prints the product code for this reference as MOTOR T5-15NM/18RPM-120/60-C2,5M WHITE. The C2,5M segment names the 2.5 metre cable, which measures 8.2 feet.
Tube, crown and drive fit
The motor body measures 1.97 inches across, so the tube has to clear that diameter plus the crown. Somfy builds the T5 crown and drive range around the tube profiles North American fabricators use. For a 60mm round tube, order the Somfy T5/T6 60mm Round Aluminum Drive (9012950). For a 70mm octagonal tube, the Somfy T5/T6 70mm Octagonal Aluminum Drive (9011878) seats the same head.
Somfy also lists the LT50-profile crowns and drives for this motor, which opens up 2 inch and 2.5 inch round tubes, 60mm and 70mm octagonal tubes, the SM65 profile and the DS78 profile. Order the crown and the drive as a pair for any octagonal or round aluminum tube. The drive transmits the torque to the tube wall and the crown centres the motor head inside it, and a mismatched pair will chew the tube wall on the first few cycles.
Bracket, head and cable
This motor carries a round head with pins, the standard T5 operator head. The Somfy Simu T5 Operator Bracket 80mm x 80mm Square (9520049) accepts that head and bolts to a shutter box side panel or a face-mount plate. Measure the pocket depth before you order, since the bracket plus the head adds about an inch behind the tube end.
At the idler end, support the tube on a bearing that matches the tube profile. Add the Somfy Drive Stop and Screw (9910004) to lock the drive to the tube so the tube cannot creep off the drive under load. Installers who leave the stop out find the tube walking a quarter inch per month until the drive loses its grip.
The motor ships with 8.2 feet of 4-wire VVF cable in white. Four conductors carry line, neutral, up and down. Plan the switch run from the shutter box and allow slack at the head, because the cable exits the motor head and a tight bend at that exit will fatigue the jacket.
Limit setup on a mechanical T5
Somfy builds mechanical limit switches into this motor with a 30-turn capacity, which covers the travel of a tall shutter on a 60mm tube. Installers set the limits with the adjustment screws on the motor head before the tube goes into the brackets, then refine them with the shutter hung. Count the turns the curtain needs between full open and full closed and confirm the total sits under 30.
Drive the motor to the closed position first and set the lower limit so the bottom bar meets the sill without pressing into it. Then run the shutter up and set the upper limit a quarter turn before the top slat reaches the box. Mechanical limits hold their setting through a power cut, which keeps a wired shutter honest on a site where the breaker trips.
Wire the motor to a momentary or maintained wall switch rated for the 1.1 A draw. Never parallel two T5 motors on one switch without a relay, since the shared neutral path lets one motor back-feed the other. Somfy publishes a 5-year warranty on this reference, and clean wiring keeps that warranty intact.
Frequently asked questions
What tube size fits the Simu T5 15 Nm motor?
The motor body measures 1.97 inches across, so any tube with an inside diameter above that clears it once the crown and drive go on. Somfy supplies crowns and drives for 2 inch and 2.5 inch round tubes, 60mm and 70mm octagonal tubes, the 85mm Simbac round profile, SM65 and DS78. Order the crown and drive as a matched pair for your tube.
How much weight will 15 Nm lift?
Divide 15 Nm by the tube radius in metres to get the lifting force. On a 60mm tube the radius is 0.03 m, which yields about 500 newtons, or 110 pounds of curtain weight at the tube surface. A larger tube reduces that figure. Weigh the finished curtain and leave margin for friction in the guide rails.
Does this motor work with a Somfy RTS remote?
The 2000646 carries no radio receiver, so a remote cannot reach it on its own. Wire it to a switch, or add an external RTS receiver between the switch supply and the motor to bring it onto a remote. Somfy builds the T5Hz line with a radio receiver inside the motor head for installs that start out wireless.
Which Simu T5 motor replaces a worn 15 Nm operator?
Order the same reference. The 2000646 keeps the round head with pins, the 1.97 inch body and the 4-wire cable of the earlier 15 Nm T5 operators, so the existing bracket, crown and drive carry over. Match the rpm as well as the torque, since an 18 rpm motor and a 12 rpm motor change how the shutter feels on the switch.
Order the Somfy Simu T5 15Nm 18rpm 120V (2000646) with the bracket and the crown and drive set your tube calls for, and the shutter runs on the first cycle. Shade Motors Direct is an authorized source for genuine Somfy motorized window shade, blind, and drapery parts.
