SunSetter Awning Motor Replacement and How to Check a Somfy Fit

Short answer: A SunSetter awning motor replacement starts with the label on the old motor, a tape measure and the end bracket. SunSetter told Somfy its motorized awnings run on Somfy motors, but the exact part depends on the torque, tube size and head type of your unit. Read the reference number, measure the roller tube inside, and match the head before you order.

SunSetter builds a popular line of retractable lateral arm awnings, and many owners reach the day the motor stops pulling. Somfy's own Expert Spotlight on SunSetter quotes the company: its customer favorite "is our motorized SunSetter that is powered by a Somfy motor." That gives you a Somfy starting point. It does not name a model, so the part on your roller decides the match. This guide walks through the four checks, the remote and wind sensor questions, and the point where a phone call saves a wrong order.

Does SunSetter use Somfy motors?

Somfy published that quote from SunSetter, along with the line that "the Somfy motorization used in our electric powered awnings" ranks among the finest awning motors. SunSetter also told Somfy that its motorized awnings include a manual override crank for power outages, and that it offers a wireless wind sensor.

Those two details matter for replacement. A crank points to a manual override head on the motor. A wind sensor points to a radio motor. Neither one tells you torque or tube size, and the spotlight names no Somfy reference for any frame. Treat the old motor as the record. Its label carries the facts you need, and the steps below show how to read it.

Read the label on the old motor

Lower the awning arms to a safe rest, cut power at the outlet or breaker, and slide the motor far enough out of the roller to see the tube. Somfy prints a model code and a seven-digit reference number on the motor body near the head. Our guide to reading a Somfy motor label shows where each figure sits, including the "74300" line.

Write down these details:

• The seven-digit Somfy reference number, if the label shows one.
• The model code, such as 535A2 or 550R2.
• The voltage line, which reads 120V/60Hz on the US motors in this guide.
• Any radio marking, such as RTS, and the rpm figure.
• Whether a crank eye sits at the motor head.

The model code carries the torque. The first digit names the platform, 5 for LT50 and 6 for LT60, and the next two digits give newton meters. A 535A2 delivers 35 Nm on LT50. A 550R2 delivers 50 Nm. Order the same torque or the next step up that Somfy builds on the same platform, and keep the speed close so the awning extends at the pace the frame expects.

A faded or missing label changes the plan. Photograph the motor head and the end bracket, measure the tube, and call us at 859-414-6872 before ordering.

Measure the tube and match the platform

The roller tube stays on the awning, so the new motor has to fit inside it. Somfy publishes a 1.85 in minimum tube inside diameter for its LT50 motors and 2.37 in for LT60. Measure the inside of the tube at the motor end, and note the profile: round, octagonal, or a grooved shape with a key.

The crown and drive transfer torque from the motor to the tube, and they must match its profile. Our full guide to replacing a Somfy awning motor lists crown and drive sets by tube shape and covers the LT50 to LT60 step.

Match the head: crank override or star head

The motor head locks into the awning's end bracket. A crank eye at the head means a manual override motor. Somfy's awning motor with that head is the Sunea RTS CMO, where CMO stands for compact manual override. It accepts a crank so you can retract the awning by hand during a power cut. A plain star head with no crank eye points to Somfy's Altus RTS family.

The two heads do not share a bracket. A Sunea CMO motor takes the Somfy Motor Bracket for Sunea CMO RTS, US (9015802). If your awning's end bracket came from the awning maker, compare it against the Somfy bracket before you remove it, and keep it until the new motor seats.

Four genuine Somfy LT50 radio motors cover the torque range most residential lateral arm awnings use. Prices are our live store prices in October 2026.

The four run on 120V/60Hz, carry an IP 44 rating and come with Somfy's five year warranty. Pick the row that matches your label torque and your head type. If two rows could work, the label decides, and we can confirm it with you by phone.

SunSetter remote and wind sensor questions

SunSetter told Somfy its remote can run several awnings, lights and screens. Before you replace that remote, read the radio marking on the motor label. Somfy RTS motors pair with Somfy RTS transmitters. If the label reads RTS, the Somfy Telis 4 RTS Multi-Channel Patio Remote (1810645) runs up to four awnings or zones from one four-channel patio handset. A new RTS motor arrives unprogrammed and takes its first transmitter during setup, so you program it with the remote you plan to keep.

To add a second Somfy RTS remote to an RTS motor that already responds to a working remote, Somfy publishes this sequence:

1. On the remote that already controls the motor, press and hold the PROG button on the back until the awning jogs.
2. On the new remote, press its PROG button briefly.
3. Watch for the awning to jog again. The new remote now controls the motor.

Steps differ by motor generation and remote model, so check the install guide for your motor in our Somfy spec library first. Our RTS pairing guide covers deleting a lost remote as well.

Wind protection follows the same rule. The Somfy Eolis 3D WireFree RTS Wind Sensor (1816081) mounts on the awning's front bar, runs on two LR3 batteries, carries an IP 44 rating and talks to RTS motors on 433.420 MHz. It senses the bar shaking and retracts the awning. Our wind, sun and rain sensor guide compares it with the rain and sun options.

Calls worth making before you order

Order with confidence once the label torque, tube measurement and head type line up with one row in the table. Call first in these cases:

• The label is missing, faded or names a maker other than Somfy.
• The tube measures under 1.85 in inside, or between the LT50 and LT60 figures.
• The label shows a torque above 50 Nm, which moves the job to LT60.
• The end bracket does not look like either Somfy head style.

Our support line, 859-414-6872, runs 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM ET. Have the label photo and the tube measurement ready. Browse the full range of Somfy awning and exterior motors once the numbers match.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Somfy motor fit my SunSetter awning?

SunSetter told Somfy its motorized awnings are powered by Somfy motors, but Somfy's spotlight names no part number for a given SunSetter frame. Read the reference number and model code on the old motor, measure the roller tube inside, and check the head type. Matching torque, tube size, head type and radio marking confirms the replacement.

Can I keep the hand crank on my SunSetter awning?

If a crank eye sits at the old motor head, choose a Somfy Sunea RTS CMO motor of the same torque, such as the 535A2 at 35 Nm or the 550R2 at 50 Nm. The compact manual override head accepts a crank. Pair it with the Sunea CMO bracket 9015802 so the head seats in the frame.

Will a Somfy remote work with my SunSetter awning?

Check the radio marking on the motor label. A motor marked RTS pairs with Somfy RTS transmitters such as the Telis 4 RTS Patio remote. Pair a new remote through a working one by holding PROG on the old remote until the awning jogs, then pressing PROG briefly on the new remote.

Does the Eolis 3D wind sensor work on a SunSetter awning?

The Eolis 3D WireFree RTS sensor pairs with Somfy RTS motors, so the motor label decides. On an RTS awning motor it mounts on the front bar, reads bar movement, and retracts the awning when wind shakes the frame. It runs on two LR3 batteries and carries an IP 44 rating.

Sources: Somfy Expert Spotlight: SunSetter (somfysystems.com blog), Somfy RTS Pocket Guide (8-2022), Somfy product pages for Sunea RTS CMO 535A2 and 550R2, Altus RTS 525A2 and 550R2, and Eolis 3D WireFree RTS on somfysystems.com and somfypro.com. SunSetter is a trademark of its owner, used here to identify the product.

Shade Motors Direct is an authorized source for genuine Somfy motorized window shade, blind, and drapery parts.