The above images show an example for installing the bot on ring top curtains. The method is similar for any kind of curtains, the side hooks are spring loaded so all you have to do is pull them down and clip them onto the rod. My curtain rod is fairly thin (around 18mm), but the Curtain 3 was able to grip it firmly. Now go and create a Script using the below YAML code. This script calls the REST command with the requested curtain position. It then loops around waiting for 30 seconds each time and updating the curtain position sensor. It does that a few times because it takes so long for the curtains to move using QuietDrift. alias: Curtains Set Position Quiet Curtains operate in performance mode by default, closing and opening at the maximum speed. There’s a quiet mode that reduces noise at the expense of speed. To be honest, the SwitchBot Curtain is so quiet anyway that most will find that there isn’t a need to change modes.

The SwitchBot Curtain 3 is the quietest curtain motor out there, without a doubt. The trademarked QuietDrift mode produces virtually no noise at the expense of battery life and speed. Depending on your windows, you can simply get the solar panel combo and not worry about battery ever again. Provided you have the SwitchBot Curtain installed correctly, and it isn’t too tight, it works brilliantly. There’s a pitched whine to the motors as they power your curtains open or closed, but the system worked flawlessly for me over a period of weeks. Another interesting feature that you can turn on/off in the app is the Touch & Go setting which is basically a manual switch. As soon as the Curtain 3 senses you’ve pulled the drapes for over 5cm, it will automatically open or close them depending on the current position. Home Assistant Integration Next find your rest sensor configuration, the section where you created your ‘all devices’ sensor. Add the following new position sensor configuration to it making sure that you change the DEVICE_ID to match again. rest: To house the batteries and a motor powerful enough to move a set of curtains, SwitchBot Curtain is rather large (116 x 65 x 51mm). Its clip slides up and then you squeeze the top to ratchet the motor into place. It’s important that you only clip the SwitchBot Curtain into place to the point it feels secure; squeeze it too hard and it won’t move.

SwitchBot Curtain 3

There are some interesting settings in the app for configuring the SwitchBot Curtain 3. For example, the device can operate in two operation modes producing different noise levels and consuming battery: Most smart curtains require to you replace the curtain rail with a new one, but the SwitchBot Curtain is different. Here, you get a robot that clips onto your existing curtain rail, moving side-to-side to open or close your curtains automatically. The SwitchBot Curtain 3 is powered by a encoder motor operating at 3V, labelled PR-520SV. SwitchBot claims a life span of over 10 years on the motor, tested at standard room temperature and humidity conditions. It’s suppose to greatly exceed the lifespan of the rubber roller. If you want remote control, you need to install the SwitchBot Hub Mini, which can also act as an IR transmitter if you want to control practically any device, from a TV to air-con. With the Hub installed, your SwitchBot Curtain will automatically communicate with this device (provided it’s within Bluetooth range). That gives you remote control over your curtains, including scheduling. The new SwitchBot Curtain 3 is much quieter than the Curtain 2 model, as it has a QuietDrift mode to keep the noise level at only 25 dB. This mode is slower, but it makes for a quiet, less distracting experience.

SwitchBot is running a sale currently in various online stores, here’s how to get the most of it depending on your location.After the pathetic first attempt at opening my curtains, I tried refitting the SwitchBot. I placed one on the right curtain and one on the left. There's a kind of ratcheting arm that goes over the curtain rod, with little wheels on the inside, and you clamp it on the rod between the first and second curtain rings. (You can also get SwitchBots that work with U Rail and I Rail curtains.) Still, even the new batch is far from perfect. For example, SwitchBots don’t always open the curtains as wide as I would by hand. They also tend to leave a gap between the curtains when they close. And I can't imagine them faring well with heavy curtains after seeing them struggle to fully open my small bedroom set. As smart as our homes have become, most of us still have to get up to close (or open) our curtains, since motorised rails are expensive and can be difficult to fit. However, the SwitchBot Curtain provides a simple upgrade that turns your dumb curtains into smart ones in a matter of minutes. The app isn't the most intuitive software I’ve ever used, but I eventually discovered a Silent option in the Motion Mode settings. “Silent” is an exaggeration, but it does run much quieter. It's a trade-off, because it runs much slower and opens the curtains only about halfway. Still, it does encourage me to get out of bed rather than doomscroll for half an hour. Before the SwitchBot Curtain 3 can be used, it needs to be added to the app and calibrated. The app guides you through the process step by step, everything is visually explained to you and instructions are easy to follow. Once the device is added, you can slide the curtain in the app to open/close.

I like the convenience of automatic closing curtains. It's handy! I set it to close the curtains at dusk; it helps keep in the heat and saves me a chore, something I've often forgotten before bed. But it's hard to look past the aforementioned issues. App control was slightly less reliable through the Hub Mini, however. Quite a few times, I’d have the app saying that it couldn’t communicate with the SwitchBot Curtain and would have to retry; it would always work at the second attempt, though. Conclusion Like other SwitchBot products I’ve tested, the Curtain 3 is built really well and feels like a premium device. It’s certainly a significant improvement over the Curtain 2, but if you already own the previous generation of SwitchBot curtain motors I do not feel it’s necessary to upgrade. The app provides fine control over your curtains, with a slider enabling you to set the percentage open, if you just want partial closure. For dual curtains, the default mode is to control both sides with the slider, but you can have individual control if you prefer.These modules are capable of creating a BLE mesh within the SwitchBot ecosystem and are found across their range of smart devices such as the Blind Tilt and Meter Plus. If you have grommet-style curtains, that is the type with holes punched into it like I have, then you need the special “plastic clips on a bead chain” that comes with it. The clips attach over the top of the curtain through the grommets, and if you set the bead spacing just right it keeps each grommet at the correct angle to prevent the curtain from jamming as it is pulled along. It’s really quite a clever bit of engineering. SwitchBot also offers Scenes, which let you control your curtains automatically. You can set a manual action – say, setting curtains to a default position, such as part-closed – or you can automate by using a schedule. The QuietDrift mode is extremely quiet at the price of battery life and speed. It’s hard to actually put a noise level to it, you basically hear nothing! The drape rings moving and creating noise is what you will hear, not the SwitchBot Curtain 3. This mode is great for opening the curtains in the morning when you are asleep.