Ahhh just vented my spleen on a manufacturers web site. I took some solace knowing I’m not the only person having problems with their product.
I feel sorry for the original poster on the product forum. They have 8 blinds, I only have 7.
I posted this bit of bitching in hopes that someone considering purchase of the product might be forewarned and not have to deal with the craziness I have.
Re: Worst product I have encountered
on March 8th, 2013, 3:26 pm
I wholeheartedly agree with the original poster.
I have 7 blinds equipped with the somfy motors I hate the product! I’m sick and tired of the blinds breaking and crashing to the bottom of the windows sill or the floor. After the blinds are restrung I get the “JOY” of fighting to reprogram them.
Who had the bright idea to put the reset plug on the end of the blind motor enclosure? This means that when a blind blows its programming, you have to fight to get the blind up.
Then you have to take the blind OFF the mounting brackets, put the blind on a table or the floor. Then you plug in the little button attachment, press and hold the little button until the light tells you the blind is cleared. Then you have to put the blind back up in the window and try to reprogram it again.
You get to repeat this process at least twice perhaps three times, if you’ve been very good and your Karma is clean you only have to reprogram the blind that had the problem.
More often than not, you get to reprogram ALL the blinds on a particular control because the reprogramming of the one blind screws up the programming of all the others.
Which means that you get to spend at least an hour, usually 2 to 4 hours taking blinds down, resetting them, putting blinds back up, attempting to reprogram them, then taking them down again, resetting them, reprogramming them and all the while you’re praying that the three blinds you’ve been successful in reprogramming aren’t screwed up when you’re trying to reprogram the last blind.
Inevitably, though you end up reprogramming all of the blinds on a four blind controller at least twice.
I suppose this has “Enhanced my lifestyle” in that I don’t have to go to the Gym on days when I get to play “Reprogram the blinds“
As often as the blinds need to be reprogrammed, they should have a reset button right on the front of the enclosure. Make it a big red button so that you can’t miss it.
Why was it decided not to give the reset button and cord to the customer with each and every purchase? I was quoted $25 for a wire with a tiny plug at one end and a button with a light at the other.
I didn’t actually have to pay for the device because I pitched a fit and pointed out that the blinds were still under warranty.
The vendor could either send me the button thing, OR they could drive 50 miles to my house every time one of these blinds needed reprogramming…
I got the button next day Federal Express. I should have taken that as a clue.
You absolutely MUST have this device in order to regain control over a blind once it’s decided to flush it’s programming, which happens too often to keep track of.
In addition to the programming issues with the product. These blinds eat the nice expensive lithium batteries like candy. The motors “sing” to themselves all the time. By this I mean sitting idle doing nothing, you can hear the motors making high pitched whining noises.
That kind of sound is really irritating, and sure doesn’t “Enhance my lifestyle“. Having to listen to these blinds “Sing” while you’re trying to go to sleep has forced me to wear earplugs in my bedroom. (Pulling the batteries over night flushes the programming)
These are without doubt the worst products EVER, with the possible exception of perhaps a Ford Pinto. At least the Pintos had the decency to burst into flames and self destruct.
I’ve gotten so tired of dealing with these blinds I’ve decided that the next time they break down they’re going in the recycle bin. Enhanced my lifestyle???? Are you kidding?
I’m ready to just mount a roll-up shade in place of these horrible things. Heck, tacking a bedsheet across the windows would almost be preferable
I’d actually be happy if I could put them in “STUPID” mode and make them go up and down for as long as I held the button on the control. Especially if that would silence the motor noises.
The blinds are a pain in the behind because they’re “Smart”. The major issue with programming the dang things is that the motor has a concept of Top and Bottom. If I could… I’d lobotomize the darn things.
NEVER again!
I won’t ever purchase another motorized blind.
Simple is best. Save yourself the expense and aggravation stick with a good old fashioned pull cord to operate your window coverings. Better yet go with tab curtains and avoid all that mucking about with pulleys, gears, and strings.