Hunter Douglas already had one of the smartest power options for motorized smart shades, with its rechargeable and removable battery wands. Now the company has an even more convenient option: a Solar Charger Kit that harvests the power of the sun to keep those batteries topped off, even if the solar panels aren’t in direct sunlight.
The company says its new panels work even in north-facing installations that are never exposed to direct sunlight in many locations, eliminating the need to periodically remove and swap batteries for recharging.
The panels will need some exposure to sunlight, but the manufacturer says they are adept at harvesting energy even in low-light conditions. The kit should be a boon to homeowners with Hunter Douglas PowerView shades installed in hard-to-reach windows or in vacation homes that aren’t lived in full time.
This news is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart window shades.
A Hunter Douglas solar panel with a charging cable and a Pebble remote control.
Hunter Douglas
The kit is compatible with the company’s PowerView Automation battery wands, but an adapter kit is available for internal batteries that get recharged with a USB cable and power adapter.
Each panel measures 2-3/4 x 14 x 5/8-inches (HxWxD) and is available in either a matte black or white finish on the back side facing into the room (the solar panel facing the window is black). The panels can be mounted at the top of the window, on the jamb, or directly to the glass with the provided double-sided tape. A 15-inch cable is provided to connect the panel to the battery. Each shade requires its own panel.
These solar panels bring “waste-free and hassle-free solar charging to PowerView shades—even in spaces with limited sunlight,” said Scott Stephenson, Hunter Douglas’ senior director of product, global motorization. “The charger will enhance the performance and longevity of our shades while significantly reducing maintenance requirements.”
The new solar charger kits are available now from Hunter Douglas dealers. I have received kits for the Duette shades with PowerView Gen 3 automation I reviewed in October 2023 and will publish a hands-on review detailing my experience with them soon.
Updated shortly after publication to add prices for the solar panel kit ($150) and the adapter cable for motorized shades with internal batteries ($15).
Author: Michael Brown, Executive Editor, TechHive
Michael is TechHive's lead editor, with 30+ years of experience covering smart homes, home networking, and home audio/home theater. He holds a BA in Multimedia Journalism, authored the book Desktop Video Production, and was awarded Best Online Review by the Computer Press Association. Michael built a smart home in 2007 and used it as a real-world product-testing lab. Now living in the Pacific Northwest, he is converting his 1890 Victorian bungalow into a modern smart home. Michael has worked at CNET, PCWorld, Electronic Musician, and Maximum PC. As a freelancer, he contributed to New Media, Camcorder, MacWeek, and more.