The Ropener

Ships in 1-2 weeks. Sorry for the delay!

The Ropener is a smart curtain opener that retrofits onto your existing curtain rod to make it smart and easy to open remotely. Please watch the video in the gallery to learn more.

Works for everyone

The firmware has been updated! The device now ships with ESPHome already installed, it does not require Home Assistant or any uploading or flashing of firmware. Once powered on, it creates a Wi-Fi hotspot which you connect to with your phone or laptop. Then you add the device to your network and can access the settings from any browser on the same network. It will be discoverable in Home Assistant for automation, but it can also function without it. 

100% Open Source

Everything is open source. The plastics are 3D printed and STEP files are available. The firmware is written in ESPHome with the YAML available here:

https://github.com/Valar-Systems/Ropener

Building it

Build guide is here.

Installation guide is here.

ESPHome

ESPHome YAML is available here. If you use Matterbridge, you can even control this device with Apple Home, Google Home, and Alexa.

What To Purchase

This kit includes everything you need to build this.

Please read ALL of the notes below.

Note 1: The power adapter is for North America only. If ordering in Europe, do not purchase it and supply your own 24V/1.5A adapter.

Note 2: If you are using grommet curtains, we highly recommend using this curtain glide tape. Without it, most grommet curtains get stuck half way when closing.

Note 3: You may optionally 3D print your own parts. Everything is on one platter and takes about 12 hours to print. The files are on the GitHub page.

Note 4: It comes with a 30 foot rope. The rope needs to be at least twice as long as the distance it needs to travel. Plus add some distance for it to attach to the wall, below the curtains. For example, if your curtain rod is 10 feet wide, you need at least 20 feet of rope. Additionally, we recommend placing it 2 feet below the curtain, which will require an additional 4 feet of rope. So a 10 foot curtain needs at least 24 feet of rope.

How it works

This is a diagram of how the rope works and how it moves the curtain. This is an older design, but the concept is still the same. 

The motor is attached below #4, and a pulley spins the rope. On the opposite end is the end pulley #1. In the center are the two carriages #2 and #3 that are attached to the rope. These are attached to the front of each curtain panel and move it back and forth of the rod.