One cable does both jobs. The Somfy Sonesse 40 PoE Type 2 Motor (1241426) takes power and data down a single Cat5e or Cat6 run, which removes the electrician from the shade pocket on a building that is already wired for structured Ethernet. On a commercial floor with a hundred openings, that changes the trade sequence more than any spec on the sheet.
Somfy designates this motor PoE at, meaning IEEE 802.3at. A network engineer sizing a switch reads that as Type 2 with a 30 W port budget.
The buildings where PoE shades earn their place
Somfy lists the Sonesse 40 range for interior window coverings and projection screens. PoE narrows that further to buildings where the network already reaches the perimeter: corporate floors, healthcare, higher education, and hospitality back of house.
The value shows up in the schedule rather than the motor. A conventional install needs a licensed electrician pulling line voltage to every pocket, on a trade that has to be sequenced against drywall and ceiling. A PoE install rides the same low voltage contractor and the same cable tray as the access points and the cameras. One trade, one cable type, one termination standard.
Somfy measures the motor at 39 dB. In an open plan office where shades track the sun on a schedule, the room hears the blinds move and stops noticing by the second week.
Sizing the switch, not the motor
Port budget is the number that trips PoE shade projects. The motor draws 25 W while running and 1 W in standby on a 48 V feed, and it sits on a Type 2 port rated for 30 W.
Multiply by the number of shades on a switch and check the switch's total PoE budget, not the per port rating. A 24 port switch advertising 30 W per port rarely delivers 720 W across all of them at once. Shades on a sun schedule move together, which is the worst case for a shared budget, so size against every motor running rather than an average.
Somfy builds higher power siblings on the same platform for heavier fabric. The 4 Nm and 6 Nm versions move to 802.3bt, so a mixed floor needs the switch checked against the largest motor on it.
Verified specifications
| Torque | 2 Nm |
| Speed | 10 to 25 rpm, adjustable |
| Power and data | Power over Ethernet, IEEE 802.3at Type 2 |
| Supply | 48 V, 30 W port budget |
| Consumption | 25 W running, 1 W standby |
| Noise | 39 dB |
| Minimum tube inside diameter | 38 mm (1.46 in) |
| Connector | RJ45, shielded coupler 9028957 included |
| Head colors | White standard, black and grey available |
| Approvals | UL, FCC |
| Warranty | 5 years |
Figures come from Somfy's published product record for 1241426.
Integration without a control box
Somfy exposes the motor over the Synergy API, so a control system talks to the shade across the same network that powers it. Control4, Savant, Crestron, URC, Clare, ELAN, RTI, and Josh.ai all reach it that way, and none of them need an added interface in the rack.
That removes a failure point most shade projects carry. A conventional integration puts a bridge between the control system and the shade radio, and the bridge becomes the thing that needs a firmware update at the worst moment. Here the motor is an addressable node with an IP address.
Position feedback rides the same connection. A control system reads where each shade sits rather than tracking what it last commanded, which is what lets a facilities dashboard show a floor at a glance.
Tube fit and the mechanical assembly
The motor needs a tube with an inside diameter of 38 mm or larger. Somfy's own 40mm Octagonal Tube (1781154) ships by the foot in 20 foot increments, and it pairs with the Somfy LS40 Octagonal Rubberized Crown and Drive Set (9016655). On round tube, the Somfy LS40 Rubberized Crown and Drive Set (9016654) does the same job.
The rubberized version damps the small mechanical noise that transfers from the drive into the tube wall. On a 39 dB motor that damping is the difference between the published figure and what the room hears, so a commercial job chasing an acoustic spec should carry the rubberized set.
At the bracket, the Somfy RollEase 2 in SkyLine Universal Motor Bracket and Idler Bracket (9016325) carries the motor end and the idler end as a matched pair.
Cable practice at the pocket
Somfy ships a shielded RJ45 female coupler with the motor, reference 9028957. Use it. Dual roll and zebra shades build static as the fabric passes over itself, and a shielded coupler is what keeps that discharge out of the switch port.
Terminate to the same standard as the rest of the building and leave service slack at the pocket. A shade replaced in year eight needs a few inches to work with, and a tight termination at the head is the one that fails when a technician pulls the assembly down.
Label the port at the switch with the opening it serves. On a floor with sixty shades, the difference between a labeled patch panel and an unlabeled one is a day of commissioning.
Ordering
Order the Sonesse 40 PoE Type 2 motor (1241426), a crown and drive set matched to the tube profile, brackets, and tube cut to the opening. Confirm the switch budget before the order goes in, since that is the item with a lead time on a commercial job.
Questions we get on this motor
What PoE standard does the Sonesse 40 Type 2 need?
IEEE 802.3at, which Somfy writes as PoE at. That is a Type 2 port with a 30 W budget on a 48 V feed. The motor draws 25 W while running and 1 W in standby. Higher torque Sonesse 40 PoE motors move to 802.3bt, so verify the standard against the exact reference before specifying a switch.
Can Control4 or Crestron drive a Somfy PoE shade?
Yes, through the Somfy Synergy API over the same Ethernet connection that powers the motor. Control4, Savant, Crestron, URC, Clare, ELAN, RTI, and Josh.ai all integrate that way with no added interface hardware in the rack. Position feedback travels the same path, so the control system reads actual shade position.
What tube does the Sonesse 40 PoE fit?
Any tube with an inside diameter of 38 mm, or 1.46 inches, and larger. Somfy's 40mm octagonal tube is the common pairing and takes the LS40 octagonal crown and drive set. Round tube takes the standard LS40 set. Measure the inside diameter rather than the outside.
Why does the motor ship with a shielded RJ45 coupler?
Dual roll and zebra shades generate static as the fabric passes over itself, and that discharge can reach the switch port through the data pair. The shielded coupler, reference 9028957, gives it a path to ground instead. Somfy includes it with the motor for high ESD applications.
Shade Motors Direct is an authorized source for genuine Somfy motorized window shade, blind, and drapery parts.
