US - NEW! iblinds Kit v3

[Hal3]

All my blinds opened as scheduled this morning!

Curiously, my Z-Wave firmware updater app disappeared. I did a repair. Un-installed. Re-installed. Reset. It's gone.

I'm going to take that as an omen.

[danabw]

LOL...I had that happen as well. Didn't spend a lot of time trying to figure it out, as one of my processes when it first released was to manually remove it and re-install it, so I was used to it going away.

[eibyer]

Grrr, I ran down my battery and now the blind is not responding! Hopefully it's not that much trouble to get it back in the network.

[Hal3]

I have been using this app with Hubitat and it works great!

[eibyer]

It would be useful if it reported battery. I think I have the stock HE driver installed.

[danabw]

Been using the driver from @bertabcd1234 and it works great - I recommend you try that one.

[RELEASE] Unofficial iBlinds driver - v2 and v3

If you are having problems with your blinds (and don't believe they are driver-related) or general questions about them, please post about that in another thread. I would like to keep this thread focused on discussion related to the driver. Device/driver history note: This driver/post was originally written for v2 of the iBlinds unit. This driver still appears below. I have also written a new driver for v3, also below. Check your model (v3 was released in fall 2020). Hubitat now also has a bu…

[eibyer]

As soon as I get it back to responsive state, I'll give that one a try.

[Hal3]

All my blinds (four) just opened up exactly as intended.

iBlinds are one of my favorite home automations!

[danabw]

Your blinds automations are some of my favorites as well.

I'm sad though...wife has decided (she is "The Decider!") no blinds in new addition...she's using curtains (both sheer and light blocking) instead. And I was all set to automate blinds on all the windows.

So now I have to switch gears and see what I can do for curtains instead. It'll be hours and hours of additional research and planning, followed by a lengthy and very bureaucratic WAF approval process. Kind of like building a new supersonic jet w/the government, only a little more complicated.

[embrito]

@mluck

LOL yeah, it's dremel and grease for me. Just for fun, look how close it is.

I didn't by iBlinds because according to their website my blinds are not compatible:

"The manual tilt mechanism cut out should be on the botton surface of the headrail only, not in the corner of the readrail."

https://support.myiblinds.com/ufaqs/is-iblinds-compatible-with-my-cordless-lift-blinds/

But that is exactly what your picture looks like.
Any ideas why they recommend against it and what impact it had on your setup?

[wecoyote5]

It all depends on your comfort/skill level. I got the iBlinds anyway even though my rod was dead center and with a corner cutout. You can see how it came out on post 340. A little bit of drilling and cutting but you can make it work and still look decent.

[danabw]

My cut-out is in the corner as well, partly on the bottom of the rail, and partly on one side.

My only adjustment was to use some of the double-sided tape to hold the edge of the small unit that has the USB charging port and the activation button in place.

Others had issues where their opening wasn't the right size and used tape to make adjustments:

@wecoyote5

In my model the existing adjustment rod hole was too large to support the charge adapter assembly and bezel. Some low profile double side tape (3M VHB worked well) is very helpful in securing it to the header so it doesn't slide out of place.

Some pics from one of my blinds where having the opening on both the front and bottom saved me on one blind where the control unit fit was too tight in it's normal (USB port and button facing down) orientation...

US - NEW! iblinds Kit v3

Had an interesting problem tonight installing a motor in one of my blinds. There was not enough room between the blind rod and the corner of the chager/button unit. Just would not fit. [image] Luckily, my blinds have an opening on the bottom and front of the blinds in that location, so I rotated the charge/button unit on its side so the button and USB port point out the front of the blinds, rather than down. In some ways better, as the blinds don't get too close or even touch the button as th…

And a pic of one of my "normal" installs where the unit is installed pointing downwards, and I use some of the included double-sided tape across the opening on the front to help hold the control/charging unit in position.

So I don't see any reason why you couldn't do something the same/similar.

[Hal3]

I purchased this tool to make a new opening for my iBlinds charging port and it is absolutely perfect. Drill a hole to get started.

Parts Express Nickel Plated Nibbling Tool Parts Express Nickel Plated Nibbling Tool - Nibbler - Amazon.com

[Hal3]

I had two blinds mounted on a door. They were very short and there was no room on the ends for the charging port. Since the top was open I just left the port inside and take it out for charging or fiddling.

[danabw]

@Hal3 - But did you get permission from my wife to make additional holes in your blind rail?! My understanding is that her OK is required to make any permanent adjustments to any blind rails in the US.

[embrito]

Thanks guys. And... I'm shocked this is the whole reason they say it is incompatible while in reality it is not.

I bet they loose a ton of sales due to this.
Not long ago I was about to put an order for 15 units, I saw that chart on their website, contacted support, explained my blinds fit in that category (angled wand) and... I got a straight no from support. Unbelievable.

It is hard to understand how people with the engineering skills to put together such a great device cannot think of a very simple solution:

• Make the little charger thingy nice looking (a little nice white box)
• Use some UV materials for its construction so it is not damaged by sun light when exposed.
• Provide a longer cable (also nice looking, UV resistant) and...
• Done.

Now, for those use cases where you can't properly fit it you can have it mounted externally, on the side of the window, behind the valance... your choice.
You increase the cost per unit by a couple of dollars but at the same time you increase you sales by several thousand units.

There, and I'm not going to even charge for such a great idea

Anyway... I'm going to order one and see if it fits my Lowes/Levolor blinds Trim+Go.

[mluck]

I don't know why they say that. Other than for aesthetics. My blinds have a valence that cover it up anyway, so I didn't care. Works fine.

[mebejedi]

I'm very happy with my new iBlinds shades.

iBlinds Smartshades

I added a "Peekaboo" mode that turned the door shades to 25% so I could peek at the door, but no one could peek in. I also had to use the 3M tape to hold the control unit in place.

One problem I had is that these are Levolor Easy-Lift blinds like @embrito mentioned, and there are lines that run across the top that must be able to run free in order to work. After placing the iBlind unit in the top, I was able to squeeze toothpicks underneath so it wouldn't press against the lines. The retracting unit also increased the distance between the largest gap and the cut-out, so I added a USB extension (an unused power-switch model for a Raspberry Pie).

[danabw]

Clever adaptions to make things fit/work, nicely done! I also had some issues w/the lines running under the motor in one of my blinds, I was able to resolve it by ensuring the lines were in a center channel at the bottom of the motor, but your toothpick idea would have made it a little eaier.

Love the idea/naming of the "Peekaboo" option, very good addition to normal open/close and doesn't require anyone to rememer/say a percentage, etc., and should be very easy to remember.

[mebejedi]

@danabw

I was able to resolve it by ensuring the lines were in a center channel at the bottom of the motor,

Yeah, I saw that, but I thought the lines were under too much tension to reach it. I can only imagine how hard it must have been for you to get them in there, lol