SAIWENNA / CONTROL ENGINEERING

Dry-Contact Shade Control Modes: Hold-to-Run, Pulse and Stop

A dry-contact input name does not define what the shade does after the contact opens. Before selecting a relay panel or controller, record the command behavior supported by the exact motor and the configured mode. The useful deliverable is a command-and-response record, not a guessed terminal diagram.

Held-contact and pulse timelines showing different behavior when a contact opens. — Original explanatory schematic. Open the image to enlarge; it is not a fabrication or wiring drawing.

Read the command sequence

The following behavior descriptions come from the CM-50-E-R section of Saiwenna’s RC-MB10 v1.0 technical reference, page 3. They describe that reference, not every dry-contact motor. The current motor revision, manufacturer instructions and configured mode still need to match.

Reference mode	Input behavior	Expected response in that reference	Question for the integrator
Hold-to-run (documented default)	Direction contact remains held, then releases	Movement while held; stop on release	Does the output remain asserted for the required period?
Pulse	A short press, followed by another during travel	First press operates; another press during travel stops	Is the pulse duration accepted, and which repeat command stops?
Pulse with Stop	Directional pulse and a separate Stop input	Pulse operation with a separate stopping command	Is the separate Stop command available and mapped?
Single button	Successive commands on one button	Sequence cycles through open, stop and close	Can the controller track the required sequence and recover predictably?

A controller configured to send only a brief pulse may produce unexpected behavior when the motor expects a held input. Conversely, a maintained output is not a substitute for a documented pulse or Stop sequence. Confirm the supported timing from the selected equipment; this guide does not prescribe a universal pulse width.

Use this acceptance record before releasing the controls scope

Print or copy the following fields. A qualified installer or integrator performs any powered testing using the manufacturer’s complete instructions and a safe test setup.

Identity: Motor model ______ Hardware/firmware ______ Manual/revision ______
Interface: Controller and output model ______ Input ratings/source document ______
Configuration: Mode selected ______ How verified ______ Date/person ______
Command 1: Input action and duration ______ Expected movement ______ Observed ______
Release: Expected behavior when contact opens ______ Observed ______
Stop: Documented stopping action ______ Observed ______
Repeat or reverse: Permitted sequence/interlock ______ Expected ______ Observed ______
Interruption and recovery: Approved power/communication recovery test ______ Result ______
Decision: Accepted configuration ______ Unresolved items ______ Release owner ______

A successful local switch test establishes only that tested path. Repeat the agreed command sequence through the actual automation path before accepting an end-to-end integration. Keep command success separate from verified shade-position feedback.

Send the missing interface facts, not a protocol label alone

For a technical review, include the model/revision, controller, intended commands, required feedback, selected mode and unresolved acceptance fields. State who owns electrical design, interface configuration and commissioning. If a behavior is undocumented, leave it unresolved until the relevant supplier confirms it.

Use the motor and control matrix

Sources and scope

Technical reference reviewed 20 October 2026. Manufacturer examples retain their own product scope. Final supply, pricing, lead time and project suitability require configuration-specific confirmation.