Short answer: Somfy makes two kinds of awning wind sensor. The Eolis 3D WireFree RTS clips to the awning's front bar and feels it shake, while the wired Eolis RTS 24V kit spins a cup anemometer on the wall. For sun control add a Soliris RTS or Sunis WireFree RTS sensor, and for rain add the Ondeis WireFree RTS. All of them talk to RTS motors at 433.42 MHz.
Which Somfy sensor covers wind, sun or rain?
Start with the weather you need to answer. A retractable awning fabric acts like a sail, so wind protection comes first on most jobs. Sun and rain automation layer on top once the wind side is covered.
| Sensor | Somfy part | Detects | Power | Mounts on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eolis 3D WireFree RTS | 1816081 white, 1816082 black, 1816083 off-white | Wind, by movement of the awning | 2 AAA batteries | Awning front bar |
| Eolis RTS 24V kit | 9012499 | Wind speed, by anemometer | 24V, transformer included | Wall or post |
| Soliris RTS 24V kit | 9012500 | Wind speed plus sunlight | 24V, transformer included | Wall or post |
| Sunis WireFree RTS | 9020412 | Sunlight | Battery | Outdoors |
| Ondeis WireFree RTS | 9019617 | Rain plus sunlight | Solar | Wall, pole or gutter |
Each sensor sends RTS commands straight to the motor's RTS receiver. No hub sits in the middle. Somfy rates the wired Eolis and Soliris kits and the Sunis at IP 34, the Eolis 3D at IP 44 and the Ondeis at IP 55, with a 5 year warranty on the range.
Eolis 3D or wired Eolis: two ways to read wind
The Somfy Eolis 3D WireFree RTS Wind Sensor (1816081) mounts on the awning itself. It measures how hard the front bar moves, so it reacts to the gusts that hit your fabric rather than wind at some other corner of the house. It runs on two AAA batteries, needs no wiring, and Somfy publishes a 164 ft open-field radio range. Installers set it on one of 9 sensitivity levels, with level 2 as the factory default. The black (1816082) and off-white (1816083) versions match darker or cream frames.
The Somfy Eolis RTS Wind Sensor 24V DC Kit (9012499) takes the classic route. A spinning anemometer reads wind speed on the wall, and a potentiometer sets the trip point. Somfy's instructions put each mark on that dial at 10 km/h, about 6 mph, starting from the center position. The kit ships with its own transformer, so you need an outlet within reach of the mounting spot.
Pick the Eolis 3D for a clean retrofit with no cable to run. Pick the wired Eolis where the awning sits in a sheltered corner and the wall sensor can reach open wind above the roofline. Our Eolis 3D setup and fit guide covers that sensor in full.
Adding sun control: Soliris RTS and Sunis WireFree
Sun automation extends the awning when light passes a threshold and pulls it back once shade returns. Somfy offers it two ways.
The Somfy Soliris RTS Sun and Wind Sensor 24V DC Kit (9012500) puts an anemometer and a light sensor in one housing. Wind protection and sun control come from a single mounting point and a single transformer. Somfy's instructions describe the timing: the awning extends after 2 minutes of sun above the threshold and retracts after 15 to 30 minutes without it.
The Somfy Sunis WireFree RTS Sun Sensor (9020412) is battery-operated and handles sun only. It offers eight threshold levels. Paired with an Eolis 3D on the same motor, it gives wind and sun automation with no wiring at all.
Both need a Soliris remote. Somfy states that a Situo Soliris is required to activate the sun function, because the remote carries the sun on and off switch. The Somfy Situo 5 Soliris RTS Pure II (1870579) runs five channels with that switch built in. Wind protection stays active with the sun switch off.
Rain sensing with the Ondeis WireFree RTS
Many awning fabrics should not sit wet and extended, and a rain sensor brings them in before water pools. The Somfy Ondeis WireFree RTS Rain and Sun Sensor (9019617) uses optical rain sensing plus a sun-level sensor, runs on solar power, and carries an IP 55 rating.
Somfy's Ondeis instructions list six operating modes, three for awnings and three for shutters and screens. In the default Awning Rain mode, rain over the threshold sends the awning in and locks it for 5 minutes after the last detection. Standing water, snow and frost do not trigger it. The awning sun modes need a Soliris transmitter, and Somfy names the Telis Patio Multi-Channel Soliris RTS Remote (1811243) for that job. The shutter and screen modes work without one.
What does the awning motor need first?
The sensors in this guide speak RTS. The motor has to carry an RTS receiver, either built in, as on Sunea RTS and Altus RTS awning motors, or added through an external RTS receiver on a wired motor. Zigbee motors and plain switch-wired motors will not hear an RTS sensor on their own.
You also need a remote already paired to the motor, because that remote opens the motor's programming window for the sensor. Not sure what motor sits in your roller tube? Read the label first with our guide to identifying a Somfy motor from its label. For an awning from another maker, the same rule holds: a Somfy RTS motor in the tube means a Somfy sensor can pair to it.
Pairing a Somfy sensor to an RTS motor
Somfy publishes the same two-press sequence for the Eolis, Soliris, Eolis 3D and Ondeis sensors:
- On a remote already programmed to the awning motor, press and hold PROG until the awning jogs up and down.
- Briefly press the PROG button on the sensor.
- Watch for a second jog. That movement confirms the motor has stored the sensor.
Somfy's Ondeis instructions remove a sensor by repeating the same two presses. Steps can differ by sensor generation, so keep the instruction sheet that ships in the box, and check the motor's install guide in our Somfy spec library if the motor does not jog. The same PROG move adds remotes, which our RTS remote pairing guide walks through.
Mounting and setting thresholds
Placement decides how well a sensor protects the awning. Somfy's rules differ by type:
- Wired Eolis and Soliris: mount where the wind is not sheltered, with the anemometer on top. Demo mode lets you spin the cups by hand, and the awning should retract within about 2 seconds.
- Eolis 3D: fix it to the front load bar, at an end or in the middle, arrow pointing up, and never inside an enclosed cassette.
- Ondeis: mount on a wall, a pole with zip ties, or a gutter with the included aluminum bracket, facing the same direction as the awning for the best sun reading and fully open to rain.
- Sunis: place it where it reads the same sun that hits the fabric.
Start each threshold at Somfy's default and adjust after a few days of real weather. A lower wind setting retracts sooner. Browse the motors these sensors pair with in our Somfy awning and exterior motors collection.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Somfy wind sensor work on any awning?
It works on any awning driven by a Somfy RTS motor, or by a wired motor fitted with an RTS receiver. The sensor pairs to the motor, so the awning brand matters less than the motor inside the roller tube. Check the motor label first. Zigbee and plain wired motors cannot receive an RTS sensor command without added hardware.
Do I need a Soliris remote for a Somfy sun sensor?
Yes, for sun automation. Somfy states a Situo Soliris is required to activate the sun function on the Sunis, and the Soliris RTS and Ondeis awning sun modes rely on the same sun on and off switch. Wind and rain protection work without it. The Situo 5 Soliris RTS Pure II and Telis Patio Soliris both carry that switch.
Is the Eolis 3D better than the wired Eolis wind sensor?
They suit different jobs. The Eolis 3D reads movement on the awning bar, runs on two AAA batteries and needs no wiring, which makes it the easier retrofit. The wired Eolis RTS 24V reads wind speed with an anemometer and fits sites where the wall catches open wind. Both retract the awning through RTS at 433.42 MHz.
Will snow or a puddle trigger the Somfy rain sensor?
No. Somfy's Ondeis instructions state that standing water, snow and frost do not activate the sensor. It uses optical rain sensing to measure falling rain against the threshold you set. In the default Awning Rain mode, it sends the awning in and holds it locked for 5 minutes after the last rain it detects.
Sources: Somfy product pages on somfysystems.com for 9012499, 9012500, 9019617, 9020412 and 1816081; Somfy Eolis and Soliris RTS 24V instruction leaflet 5055455; Somfy Ondeis WireFree RTS Rain Sensor Instructions (2026); Somfy Eolis 3D WireFree RTS installation manual 5050583A.
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