Installers size a Simu T5 by the pull a shutter curtain needs at the tube. The Simu T5 30Nm 12rpm 120V (2000651) sits in the middle of Somfy's wired T5 range and carries 30 Nm of torque at a 12 rpm output. It runs on house power, 120V and 60Hz, through four conductors from a wall switch.
Somfy publishes this reference as T5 30Nm 12rpm 120V. The motor holds no radio receiver, so a wired switch or a relay drives it. Order it here: Somfy Simu T5 30Nm 12rpm 120V (2000651).
Torque sizing comes before every other choice
Shutter curtains gain weight fast. An aluminum curtain across a 10 ft opening asks for several times the pull of the same slat profile on a 4 ft window, and the motor carries that load at the drive wheel. Somfy builds the T5 line in torque steps so a fabricator can take the step above a calculated load rather than guessing. The 30 Nm head covers mid-size rolling shutters and cassette awnings mounted on a 70 mm octagonal tube.
Output speed shapes the job as much as pull. At 12 rpm this motor moves a curtain at a measured pace, and a tall shutter drop clears in well under a minute on a 70 mm tube. Fabricators who want a quicker cycle on a light curtain step down in torque and up in rpm, and Somfy's 18 rpm T5 heads cover that case. Match the pair, torque and rpm, to the curtain you are hanging.
Rolling shutters and awnings the T5 drives
Somfy names four applications for this reference: awnings, exterior solar screens, interior window coverings and rolling shutters. The exterior half of that list carries the most weight for a fabricator. Somfy rates the motor at IP 44, which covers splashing water inside a shutter box or an awning hood, and the Class I insulation gives an installer a ground path to bond at the head.
Retrofit work drives a large share of T5 orders. A shutter built years ago around a Simu operator takes a current T5 of matching torque on the same bracket pattern, and the crew keeps the tube, the curtain and the box. Replacement teams stock the 30 Nm head for that reason. Service calls go faster when the shop already holds the matching drive.
Verified specs for reference 2000651
| Torque / speed | 30 Nm / 12 rpm |
| Power supply | 120V / 60Hz AC |
| Rated current | 1.5 A |
| Power draw | 170 W running, 0 W standby |
| Noise level | 55 dB |
| Protection | IP 44, Class I insulation |
| Control | Wired, 4-wire, no radio receiver |
| Limit switches | Mechanical, 30 turns |
| Head type | Round with pins |
| Cable | 8.2 ft (2.5 m), 4-wire, white |
| Operating temperature | -4°F to 140°F |
| Applications | Awnings, exterior solar screens, interior window coverings, rolling shutters |
| Approval | UR |
| Warranty | 5 years |
Somfy prints the full model string for this reference as MOTOR T5-30NM/12RPM-120/60-C2,5M WHITE. The C2,5M segment names the 2.5 m lead, which measures 8.2 ft at the box. Plan the switch location around that length, since a longer run needs a junction inside the box.
Tube fit, drives and brackets
The T5 head takes a drive wheel sized to the tube profile, and the wheel decides whether the motor seats at all. Somfy builds dedicated T5 and T6 aluminum drives for the common commercial profiles. A 60 mm round tube takes the Somfy T5/T6 60mm Round Aluminum Drive (9012950). A 70 mm octagonal tube, the workhorse profile on rolling shutters, takes the Somfy T5/T6 70mm Octagonal Aluminum Drive (9011878). Shops running Simbac tube reach for the Somfy Simu T5/T6 85mm Round Simbac Drive (9420300).
Measure the tube before ordering a drive. A 70 mm octagonal profile and a 78 mm profile look close on a shop floor and will not swap. Check the flat-to-flat dimension with calipers, then order the wheel that matches.
The opposite end of the motor needs a bracket that holds the round head and its pins square to the tube.
Somfy lists the Somfy Simu T5 Operator Bracket 80mm x 80mm Square (9520049) for this head. The 80 mm square plate bolts to a shutter box side panel or a steel angle, and the pins on the motor head drop into the bracket face. Shim the bracket so the motor axis runs parallel with the tube. A bracket set out of square loads one side of the drive wheel and shortens the life of the head.
Wiring the T5 to a switch
Four conductors leave the head: line, neutral, ground and a second live leg. One live leg turns the motor up, the other turns it down, and a maintained or momentary switch picks between them. Never energize both live legs at once. Wire a mechanically interlocked switch, or a relay pair with an interlock, so the two directions cannot close together.
Somfy rates the motor for 120V at 60Hz and 1.5 A at full load, so a 15 A branch circuit carries several T5 heads. Bond the ground conductor at the head and at the panel. Electricians who run a group of shutters off one switch should confirm the switch rating against the total current of the group, then split the group across two switches if the sum runs close to the rating.
Nothing about the wired T5 blocks a radio upgrade later. An installer who wants remote control adds a Somfy RTS receiver ahead of the motor and keeps the wired head in place.
Limit setting on a mechanical head
The T5 carries mechanical limit switches with a 30-turn capacity. Two adjustment screws on the head set the upper and lower stops, and the installer turns them with the tool Somfy supplies in the box. Count the turns the curtain needs across its travel, then confirm the total sits inside 30. A tall commercial shutter on a small tube can run past that figure, and a larger tube solves it by covering the same drop in fewer rotations.
Set the limits with the curtain hung and the rails fitted. A dry run on a bare tube gives a stop position the finished shutter will not repeat, because the curtain adds roll diameter as it wraps. Run the motor down to the sill, set the lower stop, then run it up to the hood and set the upper stop. Cycle the shutter twice and check both stops again.
Frequently asked questions
What tube size does the Simu T5 30 Nm motor fit?
The motor body suits the common commercial profiles through a matched drive wheel. Somfy builds T5 and T6 drives for 60 mm round, 70 mm octagonal and 85 mm Simbac tube, plus the LT50 crown and drive sets the T5 shares. Measure the tube profile and order the matching wheel, since the wheel sets the fit at the tube.
Can I control this motor with a Somfy remote?
Not on its own. Somfy builds reference 2000651 as a wired 4-wire motor with no radio receiver inside the head. A wall switch or a relay drives it. Adding a Somfy RTS receiver in the supply line ahead of the motor brings remote and automation control to the same wired head.
How much torque does a rolling shutter need?
Curtain weight and tube diameter set the figure. A fabricator calculates the load at the tube surface, then takes the next Somfy torque step above it. The 30 Nm T5 suits mid-size aluminum rolling shutters and cassette awnings. Oversizing by one step costs little and protects the head on a cold morning when the curtain runs stiff.
Is the Simu T5 rated for outdoor shutter boxes?
Yes. Somfy rates reference 2000651 at IP 44 with Class I insulation and publishes an operating range of -4°F to 140°F. That covers a shutter box or an awning hood exposed to splashing water. Mount the head inside the box, bond the ground conductor, and keep the cable gland clear of standing water.
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