When you want to close your shutter like every night, it does not react? The roller shutter being a complex system, it is not always easy to repair the breakdown, or even to diagnose its origin. Especially when we know that several causes can be responsible for it. So to help you, in this article we have put together a troubleshooting guide to help you identify the fault as efficiently as possible; and so to repair your roller shutter that no longer goes down.
The causes of a roller shutter that no longer closes
First of all, do not try to force the roller shutter apron to try to bring it down. You risk making the situation worse because a safety mechanism is triggered when manual force intervenes.
Whether it is an electric or manual shutter, several factors can explain why your roller shutter no longer closes :
- The apron (all the slats) is damaged or out of its axis
- The apron is blocked on the winding axis
- The crank or the strap is incorrectly positioned or its mechanism is faulty (manual roller shutter)
- The motorization is faulty: power supply, capacitor, fuse or motor itself (electric roller shutter)
- The switch or the remote control no longer works (electric roller shutter)
If your shutter starts to lower but stops, read our article about it here: Roller shutter sticking when lowering, what to do?
In most cases, the problem on an electric shutter comes from the motorization and on a manual shutter from the crank or the strap. But before imagining the worst, perform a few basic checks that can sometimes easily repair your shutter:
If your roller shutter which no longer lowers is electric and operates with a remote control, replace the old batteries with new batteries.
Also check that the current works in your accommodation. Make sure the circuit breaker has not tripped and therefore the roller shutter fuse has not blown on the electrical panel. Be careful, a blown fuse is not trivial. This means that there is an overcurrent or a short circuit. You can then try to turn off the devices connected to the circuit, then replace the fuse. If it jumps when you operate the shutter, the problem comes from a short circuit in the latter's connectors. In this case, it will be necessary to check that the connectors of the shutter and its motor are in good condition and well insulated. If you are not competent for the manipulations, call a professional.
What to do when your roller shutter no longer lowers?
Once you have carried out the basic checks, you will then have to move on to more advanced operations to identify why your roller shutter no longer lowers and thus repair it effectively. For some of the manipulations that will follow, electrical and mechanical skills will be necessary to both avoid more serious damage to your shutter; but also to avoid the risk of electric shock. If you are not able to carry out the manipulations, call on a professional in the sector.
Important : If your roller shutter, which no longer lowers, is under guarantee, immediately contact the assistance of the manufacturer or the installer of your shutter. Caution, do not carry out the operations described below as this may cause you to lose your warranty rights! If you are able to carry out the manipulations, never forget to cut off the power of your electric shutter when you work on it. Remember to adjust the limit switches after the power cut, referring to the user manual. Finally, if you are tenant, do not carry out the manipulations and contact your owner who must take care of the repairs himself.
Check the crank or the strap of the manual roller shutter which no longer closes
If you have a manual roller shutter that no longer goes down, then check its opening and closing mechanism. There are two types of mechanism: strap or to crank. Obviously, this manipulation does not concern you if you have an electric shutter.
To check the entire mechanism, you will need access the box (also called trunk). This is the part in which the roller shutter rolls up. The procedure for opening the box depends on the model and brand of your shutter, but generally you will have to unclip or unscrew the front or lower part of the box. On the other hand, if the box is integrated into the wall, handling is reserved for a professional. You will then have to contact the assistance of the manufacturer or a carpenter.
Read also: Squeaky roller shutter, what to do?
1 – Check the mechanism of the strap of a manual roller shutter
Si your roller shutter which no longer closes consists of a strap (or strap), check first if it seems damaged (cut, damaged or any other visible damage). If you find that it is too damaged, it will have to be replaced. Then check in the box if it is correctly placed in the winding mechanism. If not, replace it.
Take the opportunity to manually operate the reel to check if the rotation system works well. If you notice abnormal resistance, the winding support may be deformed and this is preventing your roller shutter from lowering. In this case, the strap mechanism will have to be replaced.
2 – Check the crank mechanism of a manual shutter
If your rolling shutter which no longer goes down is equipped with a crank, check, after opening the box, that it is not not separated from the winding axis. If so, reposition it in the hook. When you activate it, it should be able to rotate the axis and therefore lower the shutter.
If the crank is well placed and rotates normally but fails to engage the system, there are several reasons for this:
- the winch is broken
- the crank shaft is broken
- the drive rod (or attack rod) for the crank winch transmission is defective
First of all, check the condition of the winch as well as the guide flange (located in the box, on the side of the winding axis). If the winch or guide flange is broken, you need to replace the part. If the winch or the guide flange are not responsible for the problem, then the crank is probably defective. In this case, you can choose and according to your level of skills:
- check that the drive rod is correctly positioned and in good condition by disassembling the handle. If it is broken, replace it.
- check if the crank universal joint is defective and in this case replace it
- ou completely replace the crank
Check the condition of the winding mechanism in the box
That your roller shutter that no longer descends either electric or manual, you will then need to check that the winding device used to actuate the apron is not defective. Indeed, it may quite simply be that the apron is stuck in the winding axis of the box for various reasons. Note that if you have an electric roller shutter, and you hear a engine noise but the shutter does not react, there is a good chance that the problem comes from a blockage and not from an electrical problem.
Here too you will have to open the box to be able to carry out the checks. As indicated above, the operation to open the box depends on the model and brand of your shutter. Do not hesitate to consult online tutorials. If the box is built into the wall, handling is reserved for a professional.
Here are the checks to be carried out for determine if your shutter no longer closes due to a blockage in the winding mechanism :
- First, make sure thatno component or parasitic object present in the boot interferes with the lowering of the shutter.
- Be sure that the apron is well fitted in the guide tulip (allows the slats to engage correctly in the slides at the start of the shutter's descent). Check that the part is not broken.
- Check that the slides are clear and clean. If they are clogged with a lot of dirt or debris, clean them.
- Check the condition of the winch as well as the guide flange (located in the box, on the side of the winding axis). If the winch and/or the guide flange are broken, the defective part must be replaced.
- Try manually rolling down the pane if it does not have an automatic blocking system (often present on electric shutters). If you detect a very strong resistance, the winding axis may be deformed or damaged. Be careful not to force too much at the risk of breaking it. In this case, it will have to be replaced.
- Check the shutter, slats or winding shaft for visible damage (blows, cracks, deformation, expansion, rust, depression, etc.). If so, you will need to replace the apron or the entire winding mechanism.
Note: Remember to adjust the limit switches on an electric roller shutter after replacing a component. The procedure can be found in the user guide.
Check the electrical faults of a motorized roller shutter
When your electric roller shutter no longer lowers, it is also possible that the problem comes from the switch or the motorization.
The switch no longer works
If your electric roller shutter no longer closes and makes no noise when you press the switch, the switch may be defective or that the connections have not been correctly made if the failure occurs during the first uses. In this case, contact the company that installed the shutters for a technician to come and check and redo the connections at no cost to you.
Si your roller shutter which does not lower is controlled via a remote control, try replacing the batteries first. If that doesn't work, you'll need to test the remote. Most remotes have an LED light that indicates when it is emitting a signal. If the light comes on, the remote control is probably working normally and the problem is then with the motorization or the receiver. If the light does not come on, the remote control is probably faulty and will need to be replaced.
If your shutter is equipped with a wall switch, testing and repairing it is much more complex. Indeed, it is necessary to dismantle the switch, to carry out a continuity test using a multimeter and, if the fault is confirmed, replace the connectors and connect them to the electrical network. These manipulations must therefore be carried out by a professional in the sector or an electrician.
Motorization no longer works
When the apron of your shutter no longer descends, the motorization may also be responsible. This is also the failure that affects most electric shutters. Several components of the engine can be affected: faulty connectors, capacitor out of order, deprogrammed limit switches, Or engine itself that burned out.
Here then how to try to solve a motorization problem on an electric roller shutter that no longer lowers :
1 – Adjust the limit switches
The limit switches prevent the curtain from winding up too much or, on the contrary, from unwinding too much. If the limit switches are not correctly programmed, the shutter cannot know where it is. As a safety measure, the shutter does not open and close.
The stops are always programmed when mounting the shutter. But they may have deprogrammed following a power outage or simply following a bug. To reprogram them, you will then have to reset the motor (if the function exists on your model) and set the limit switches again. You can find the handling on the user manual corresponding to your shutter model.
2 – Check the engine
Finally, it may be that your roller shutter no longer lowers because its motor has broken down. If when you press the switch your shutter does not make noise, an abnormal noise, jerky or jammed, then this is probably to blame. The motor of a shutter is located in the winding axis. To access it, you will therefore have to dismantle the box, remove the apron, dismantle the axis and remove the motor which is located inside. It will then be necessary to mechanically and electrically test the motor.
In a large number of cases, the failure comes from the capacitor of the motor. If you have electrical clearances, you can replace it for a few tens of euros by dismantling the motor and replacing it with an identical one (μF). You can find video tutorials on the internet for more details on how to test and change an electric shutter capacitor.
A particularly complete video on this subject: How to Recognize a Failing Capacitor in a Roller Shutter Motor.
If you do not have electrical authorizations to open and test the various parts of the motor or if after the test you conclude that the capacitor is not responsible for the failure, then you will have to replace the fully motor. Obviously, test it electrically upstream to be certain that it is responsible for the breakdown. Indeed, you will have to pay between 100 euros and 250 euros for a new motor (unless it is still under warranty! In this case contact the after-sales service of the shutter). Be sure to replace the old motor with an identical one. Once again, do not hesitate to consult video tutorials on the internet to help you disassemble, reassemble and adjust the new engine. Finally, note that electric shutter motors are not often available for sale to individuals.
What if, despite everything, your shutter no longer lowers at all?
Guarantee, professional, tenant: what to do and who to contact?
As you will have understood, many causes can prevent the shutter apron from lowering. Making a diagnosis and then repairing it requires relatively advanced skills. So, if you are not able to carry out the checks and manipulations, the safest thing is to call on a professional in the sector.
First of all, don't forget to check if your shutter, which no longer lowers, still has the right to guarantee. This can range from 1 year and up to 10 years! If this is the case, you can then contact the after-sales service of the manufacturer or the professional who installed the shutter for you to obtain a repair free of charge, or at least at a lower cost.
If, unfortunately, your warranty has expired, you can, at your option, call on the manufacturer's after-sales service, the technician who installed the roller shutter for you or a carpenter self-employed entrepreneur.
Note: If you are tenant, the repair is at the owner's expense if the breakdown is related to wear and not to misuse on your part (shock, poor maintenance, etc.). Do not carry out the repairs yourself because, in the event of a problem, all costs may be yours.
How to unlock a roller shutter that no longer goes down?
If you have a manual shutter, unfortunately you will not be able to lower your shutter while waiting for it to be repaired. In contrast, if your shutter which no longer closes is electric, you can probably use a emergency hand crank (or also called emergency maneuver). This crank is fixed to an emergency attachment point present in the box.
Most electric shutters have this function precisely to avoid getting stuck with an open shutter or fermer the time of the intervention. Some brands provide you with this crank at the time of installation. If this is not the case, you will unfortunately have to buy it for around thirty euros, having obviously checked beforehand that your electric shutter has this function.
