How to repair a Rolladen

[Snickers 18]

This post is a general repair guide to replace the wall mounted Belt-Winder or Aufschraubwickler.

 

The belt-winder is the mechanism that takes up the slack in the Strap and has the locking cam used to hold the strap in place. The belt-winder comes in two versions; an external model "Aufschraubwickler" which is usually mounted to the window frame, or an internal version called an "Einlasswickler" which is built into the wall. In either case, the other end of the strap comes out of the belt-winder and connects to the Belt Wheel "Gurtscheibe" inside the Rolladen housing above the window.

 

For reference to the parts and names in English, check out this link: http://www.schellenberg.de/engl/indexe.htm

 

There are several versions of the Aufschraubwickler available depending on the length and width of the Strap you need. Also note the color of the housing and the Strap as these are available in different colors too. The Aufschraubwickler includes the rewinding mechanism and has the Strap built in so you don’t need to buy a separate Strap.

 

To repair a broken Strap you have two options; either buy a new one or buy a repair kit. If you elect to repair it, then you will need a Strap repair kit called a "Gurtfix". I won't go into detail here as the pictures on the package are pretty straight forward as to how the repair is done. If you want to replace it, just buy the Strap (check the width, length and color) and make the replacement using the instructions below. Frankly, I found it was just easier to replace the entire Aufschraubwickler.

 

If the spring in the Aufschraubwickler has broken and it won't automatically take up the slack, you'll have to replace the entire unit since the internal parts are not available seperately. These parts can be purchased at your local hardware store (Baumarkt, Obi, etc) and are not expensive. The Strap repair kit is around 5-10 Euro and a new Aufschraubwickler runs around 10-15 Euro. In either case, you’ll want to take the old Strap and/or Aufschraubwickler with you to make sure you get an exact replacement.

 

Tools you’ll need:

 

(1) Philips and/or flat tip screwdriver

(2) Permanent marker

(3) Drill (if new mounting holes are required)

 

Here's how to do it –

 

Although this can be done by one person, I suggest you get a friend to help. A second pair of hands will come in handy in holding the Rolladen in place or taking up the Strap slack while you’re making the repairs. The term "Rolladen" referes to the entire unit, a "shutter" is one of the indiviudal panels which makes up the Rolladen.

 

1) Remove the Rolladen Cover: How this panel is held in place will vary depending on the model you have. Typically the front panel above the window frame on the inside will just snap off, however check for screws. Be aware there may be some sort of insulation material (Styrofoam) behind the panel so be sure to note how it was installed so you can put it back exactly the same way. The covers are often very soft plastic, so use care when you attempt to pry it off with a screwdriver as you may mar the plastic.

 

2) Remove the Shutter Brackets: The Rolladen should be all the way DOWN. If it's not, CAREFULLY let it all the way down (get someone to take the weight off if necessary). Once it's down, and depending on the width of your Rolladen, there will be several Shutter Brackets that connect the end of the last shutter to the axel. These need to be removed so you can rotate the axel without the shutters attached to it. There should be a screw at the end of each Bracket that's screwed into the Axel. Use the permanent marker to mark on the axel where each of the Brackets are located and then remove the screws and set them aside. Note: Do NOT remove the Shutter Brackets from the shutter.

 

3) Remove the Old Strap: Now that the Rolladen is free from the axel, you can rotate the axel to access the end of the Strap connected to the Take-Up Wheel. Note how the end of the Strap was connected to the wheel; there's a small hole through the last 5-10mm at the end of the Strap that is either screwed to the wheel or fitted over a retaining stud or possibly fed through a slot in the wheel. You will probably have to "unwind" the axel to get to the end of the Strap if the Strap is rolled over itself.

 

4) Replace the Belt-Winder: Remove the old Aufshraubwickler/Einlasswickler and install the new one. Depending on the model you have, the holes may or may not match, so install accordingly.

 

5) Connecting the Strap: Now that the new Belt-Winder is in place you need to connect the end of the Strap up into the Rolladen housing and on to the Take-Up Wheel. Feed the Strap up through the slot in the housing and make sure not to twist it. (Note; you may want to have someone hold the Strap so it doesn't keep trying to rewind itself). Feed the Strap over the top of the Take-Up Wheel, around the back, and bring it towards you under the bottom of the Take-Up Wheel. Now connect the end of the Strap to the take-up wheel stud or re-screw it in place. Grasp the axel and rotate it to wind up the Strap as far as it will go and hold it in place.

 

NOTE: When you wind up the axel, pay attention to WHICH DIRECTION you rotate it. The Strap should wind OVER THE TOP of the Take-Up wheel, NOT under it.

 

6) Reconnect the Shutter Brackets: Rotate the axel just enough to reconnect the Shutter Brackets to the axel. Line them up with the marks you made and re-attach them to the axel.

 

7) Roll up the Rolladen: Now that the Strap and Shutter Brackets are re-connected, you can pull up the Rolladen by the cord as you normally would. The individual shutters may bind a little, so go slow and ease it back up. Let it back down and roll it up a couple of times to make sure the shutters don't bind and that the Strap is in the right position within the housing. If everything looks good, you’re almost done.

 

8) Reinstall the Cover: If there was any insulation, replace it and then put the cover back on. That’s it!

 

Key Words:

Rolladen Strap = Rollladengurt

Strap Repair Kit = Gurtfix

Strap Rewind Mechanism = External; Aufshraubwickler. Internal; Einlasswickler

Take-Up Wheel = Gurtscheibe

Shutter Bracket = Rollladen-Aufhängungen

Shutter = Rollladen

[Thelonious Monk 1,582]

hey, thanks!

am about to replace two of them and had no clue on how to do it.

will let you know if there is anything to add

[emkay 10,320]

I hope that someone might have an idea of how to fix this problem as we cant seem to find anyone who can come anytime soon...We've managed to break our electric rolladen. We stupidly left a broom against the window and it broke! I guess the motor has some kind of time cycle so it thinks its closed which it is after the whole panzer part fell closed. The motor Does still seem to function. It's one of the putz integrated ones so hard to take apart. We can see from the outside that the topmost horizontal aluminum bar that connects to the topmost panzer part has come away completely though not bent or damaged looking. My husband spoke to the original installer and he says by the sound of things he would have to order a new top aluminum bar. That doesn't sound the most logical to us at the moment as the new part would also have to be reattached like the existing one. Does anyone know about his kind of problem and might it be something that we could fix ourselves - we are relatively good at DIY matters.

 

Many thanks in anticipation

[nichick 2]

This is a really helpful thread.

 

I have one question here.

 

I would like to install Rolladen in my windows. Since there are no existing Rolladen from outside can you recommend me how to do it?

 

Or there should be some provision in windows if one wants to install Rolladen??

[emkay 10,320]

I’d really appreciate a bit of advice regarding fixing an electric rollladen. We’ve only managed to get one repairer to have a look at the problem. Unfortunately, he said he didn’t have experience of the kind of problem so I’d really appreciate any advice on whether the rollladen motor is likely to be repairable or does it need replacement. The motor still works though doesn’t have enough power to lift the rollladen. We have to manually lift it too.  The repair chap said the motor is probably too small for the window though there’s no problem with any others if that size….nor in any of the other same houses.

 

Is a motor fixable with this kind of fault? Many thanks in anticipation

[catjones 1,702]

are you sure nothing is binding and causing the motor to strain?

[emkay 10,320]

5 minutes ago, catjones said:

are you sure nothing is binding and causing the motor to strain?

The chap that came to look at it reckoned no, it’s just the motor.  If we lift it half way, it carries on on its own.

[HEM 11,163]

7 hours ago, emkay said:

I’d really appreciate a bit of advice regarding fixing an electric rollladen.

 

If you would live in Kreis Pinneberg I could recommend the folks who fixed our Rolladen.

[trybefore 6]

The motors are not repairable. They are not that expensive. The job is fiddly. Ask me how i know!

[emkay 10,320]

Thank you all. Are there any brands of motor that are recommendable? The chap who came to have look and said he didn’t know much about such problems, suggested he could fix for around 500€. The window is about 2 metres wide though I think that price is really high?

[El Jeffo 42,135]

The motor itself can be had for around €60 if you forgo the bells and whistles (like wireless remote control). I'm sure most of that bill will be for labor, not parts.

 

Now that you know what needs to be done (Rollladenmotor ersetzen), you could try calling other local firms for some comparison shopping.

[Fietsrad 427]

Perhaps it could be converted to manual operation, if it is adjusted right you do not need to pull hard, and it would be less likely to go wrong again.

[emkay 10,320]

Please can anyone advise on ways to lift or let down electric Rollladen in case of an emergency….fire, power outage etc? Ours were installed in 2007 so don’t seem to have any such manual safety features. I can’t seem to find anything much in Google. The manufacturer of the Rollladen, HOCO, seems to no longer exist. There’s just a simple electric up/down switch. The motors are built-in outside the windows. Maybe a stupid idea, though is there such thing as a replacement indoor switch with an emergency battery backup?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[Krieg 15,074]

@emkay you seem to be stuck with this problem for long time already, have you asked a Rolladen shop instead of asking a general handyman?   So far we've hired the same Rolladen company three times in the past 14 years and their prices were always reasonable, from 100€ to 250€.  

[emkay 10,320]

34 minutes ago, Krieg said:

@emkay you seem to be stuck with this problem for long time already, have you asked a Rolladen shop instead of asking a general handyman?   So far we've hired the same Rolladen company three times in the past 14 years and their prices were always reasonable, from 100€ to 250€.  

All previous problems on this thread have long been resolved by local repairers. This is a new general question re electric Rollladen. None are defective, just a question re functionality in case of emergency/power outage. The repairers we’ve used before say that they can only suggest to replace the electric rollladen with manual ones. 

[pappnase 2,653]

I'm working from a machine translation, but if I understand this page properly..

https://www.automatische-rollladen.de/rolladenantrieb-elektrisch-manuell/

 

It's possible to have an electric system that can be also operated by hand.

Alternatively there is this page:-

https://www.fensterversand.com/rollladen/elektrisch/kurbel-auf-elektrisch-umruesten.php

 

Which seems to offer solar powered electric shutters so I guess that might meet your requirement too.

 

[Krieg 15,074]

4 minutes ago, pappnase said:

I'm working from a machine translation, but if I understand this page properly..

https://www.automatische-rollladen.de/rolladenantrieb-elektrisch-manuell/

 

 

 

This is talking about EXTERNAL motors.   They are meant to convert a manual one into electric, so since the manual strap is still there you can use it.  We had one like this in our guest toilet and it stopped working and we operated it manually for years until we just went back to pure manual because it looked neater.

 

@emkay is talking about the ones that are purely electric, the motor is hidden somewhere inside the wall or frame and there is no way to operate them manually, as far as I know.

[fraufruit 42,496]

Photos perhaps?

[emkay 10,320]

2 hours ago, fraufruit said:

Photos perhaps?

Just to show…Rollladen motor box is outside the window under the upper white panel. I’m sure that in the event of a quick escape being necessary, a heavy object might suffice to break the Rollladen from inside…if we would manage that? If the Rollladen need to be closed in an emergency/no electricity, I’ve no idea how. Also shown, the simple up/down internal electric switch.

[fraufruit 42,496]

What floor are you on? 

 

We are on the 7th. Don't think we could escape thru a window. We do have smoke alarms and 2 fire extinguishers.

 

I get that you would need to open / close the Rolladen in case of a power outage, though.