A shade on a stone wall, a retrofit above a finished ceiling, a historic sash with no cavity behind the trim, a rental where the landlord says no to conduit: those are the jobs that go to a battery motor. The Somfy Sonesse 40 WireFree RTS Li-ion Motor (1240485) runs 3 Nm on a 12V rechargeable lithium-ion pack, pairs to an RTS remote, and asks for a recharge about once a year.
Cordless shades where running power is not an option
The Sonesse 40 WireFree drives interior roller shades and blinds. Somfy rates it IP 20, which is an indoor rating with no protection against water, so it belongs behind glass rather than under an eave. Within that boundary it removes the largest cost line on a motorization retrofit, since nobody has to open a wall, pull a circuit, or schedule an electrician around a finished room.
3 Nm sets the working envelope. That torque suits residential roller shades in standard window widths and light solar screen fabric. A wide commercial screen, a heavy blackout with a metal hembar, or a shade running in tight side channels wants a wired motor with more torque behind it. Somfy's Sonesse 50 range covers those jobs on 120V. For the window that a homeowner points at on a Saturday morning, the Somfy Sonesse 40 WireFree RTS Li-ion Motor (1240485) is the shorter path.
Somfy backs it with the same 5 year warranty carried by the wired Sonesse line.
Tubes, crowns, and brackets the Sonesse 40 WireFree fits
Somfy publishes a minimum tube inside diameter of 1.46 inches (37 mm) for 1240485. That figure opens the motor to the 40 mm tube family and to 2 inch profiled tube, which is where interior roller shade fabrication sits.
Tube profile drives the crown and drive choice. The Somfy 40mm Octagonal Tube (1781154) ships by the foot in 20 foot lengths and pairs with the Somfy LS40 Octagonal Rubberized Crown and Drive Set (9016655). The rubberized version damps the metal-on-metal contact between motor and tube, which is worth having on a motor Somfy rates at 49 dB. On round 40 mm tube, the LS40 Crown and Drive Set (9012224) is the matching part instead.
At the head, the Somfy RollEase 2 inch SkyLine Universal Motor Bracket and Idler Bracket (9016325) covers the shade systems that already use RollEase SkyLine hardware, and it ships with the idler side so both ends of the tube come from one part number. Check the bracket family the shade system uses before ordering, because a Somfy motor plate and a RollEase bracket are not interchangeable across systems.
One point catches installers on a first WireFree job: the charging port sits in the motor head, so the head end needs enough clearance in the pocket for a cable to reach it. Plan that gap during fabrication rather than after the fascia is on.
Battery life and charging between seasons
Somfy publishes a 4600 mAh lithium-ion pack at 12V and a recharge frequency of roughly once per year under typical residential cycling. Two shades on the same window will drift apart in charge state if one gets driven twice a day and the other sits, so treat the once-a-year figure as a planning number rather than a calendar entry.
An LED low battery indicator on the motor gives warning before the shade stops answering. Somfy offers a magnetic charging cable for the V2 motor head and a solar panel kit that trickle charges the pack from the window itself, which suits a high shade or a hard-to-reach clerestory where climbing a ladder twice a year is the real cost. Confirm the charger part against the motor head revision, since Somfy revised the WireFree head and the charging accessories follow that revision.
Verified specs for 1240485
| Torque | 3 Nm (27 in-lb) |
| Speed | 20 rpm nominal, adjustable 10 to 28 rpm |
| Power supply | 12V DC rechargeable lithium-ion, 4600 mAh |
| Recharge frequency | About once per year |
| Sound level | 49 dB |
| Radio frequency | 433.420 MHz (RTS) |
| Open field range | 656.2 ft |
| Minimum tube inside diameter | 1.46 in (37 mm) |
| Power draw | 20.4 W running, 0.01 W standby |
| Protection index | IP 20, interior |
| Warranty | 5 years |
Figures above come from Somfy's product record for 1240485 and Somfy's Li-ion motor range poster.
RTS control, TaHoma, and adjustable speed
The RTS receiver sits inside the motor head at 433.420 MHz with a 656.2 foot open field range, so a handheld works from another room without a repeater. A four or five shade room runs from the Somfy Situo 5 Channel RTS Pure Remote (1870575), with four channels on individual shades and the fifth held for a group command.
Adjustable speed is the feature that separates this motor from an older battery unit. Slowing the motor cuts current draw and stretches the interval between charges, and it also softens the arrival at the limits on a light fabric that would otherwise bounce. Somfy supports tilt control through the Situo Variation RTS on compatible products, and TaHoma adds phone control, schedules, and voice on top of the local remote.
Programming follows the standard RTS sequence from a paired transmitter: set direction first, then the upper and lower stops. Nothing in the pocket needs wiring, which is the point of the motor.
Frequently asked questions
How often does the Sonesse 40 WireFree need charging?
Somfy publishes a recharge frequency of about once per year for the 4600 mAh lithium-ion pack under typical residential use. A shade cycled several times a day draws that interval shorter. The motor carries an LED low battery indicator, and a Somfy solar panel kit trickle charges the pack for shades that sit out of easy reach.
What tube fits a Sonesse 40 WireFree RTS motor?
Somfy publishes a minimum tube inside diameter of 1.46 inches, or 37 mm, for 1240485. That covers 40 mm round and octagonal tube plus 2 inch profiled tube. The tube needs a crown and drive set matched to its own profile, since an octagonal tube and a round tube take different parts.
Does a battery motor work with TaHoma and voice control?
Yes. The Sonesse 40 WireFree uses Somfy RTS at 433.420 MHz, the same protocol the wired RTS motors use, so TaHoma bridges it to app control, schedules, sensors, and voice assistants. The motor keeps answering its Situo or Telis handheld remote alongside the hub.
Can this motor go on an exterior screen?
Somfy rates 1240485 at IP 20, an indoor rating with no water protection, so it suits interior blinds and roller shades. Exterior screens call for a weather-rated motor such as Somfy's Maestria or Sunea range, which carry an IP 44 rating and the torque an outdoor screen needs against wind load.
Shade Motors Direct is an authorized source for genuine Somfy motorized window shade, blind, and drapery parts.
