I would pose this question to the manufacturer. Have you looked at reviews online on Google and Yelp?

Thanks! I've combed online reviews and messaged Bali but not sure I'll get a reply before the online sales end in a couple days. Appreciate your help. :)

We purchased a home with existing motorized (battery) shades. Replaced batteries as needed. Several had strings break and we found a shade repair shop to fix them. Not able to move manually.

We also purchased a home with existing motorized shades. The shade could never be raised or lowered manually, only with the remote, or button on the shade header. Also, our shades ran on 8 AA batteries that needed constant (every few months) replacement. Finally, on the Southern side of the home, that received the most sunlight, the sun hitting the shade header seemed to corrode the batteries. Whenever we replaced batteries on that side (which was often) the batteries were covered in residue of some kind. Personally, after that experience I will never do motorized shades unless in a situation where a completely out of reach shade needs to be raised/lowered daily.

Thank you maggieq and chocolatesnap! Your info is so helpful, really appreciate it!

EVERYTHING BREAKS. Eventually : )

Battery packs are the least desirable. In a kids room? Plantation shutter is perfect, needs no other treatment. Same with over a bed. A finished look, and done. smooth faux wood is great.

With all else, the pieces and parts come from China, price is not a guarantee, and the only way I would do motorized is a hard wire.

Plenty of shades can be had cordless, but even those can fail. Best are Hunter Douglas from a reliable dealer, there is vast selection, including shutters. They will last YEARS

SHADES?? ONE year warranties. One year is all you get from anywhere , and anyone. You can fix.......and pay to do it. : )

I have installed solar shades motorized on very large tall windows but i see really no point in regular sized windows where it is easy to do manually . I get mine from Steves blinds and other than changing batteries have had no big issues. I hate plantation shutters so those would be my last choice for heat and UV control.

JAN MOYER I love those shutters thanks for the pics! I'm also not a fan of cellular shades aesthetically but they do seem to help with insulation and price makes my husband happy. :). Someday I'll get my dream shutters in the family room. :)

Patricia Colwell Consulting thanks so much for the feedback and Steve's blinds tip. Yes, the windows aren't high, but daughter and I are very short! :0

FYI anyone following this thread -- I heard today from Springs Window Fashions which manufactures Bali blinds and they confirmed if the motor fails, the blinds cannot be moved up/down manually.

Thanks again everyone!

We have quite a few different window treatments, and cord loop Balis in our bedroom and cordless in the bathroom. To be honest they are on the chopping block to be replaced eventually. The cord pull doesn’t move very smoothly and the cordless is very sticky. I am very much not impressed with the brand and wouldn’t invest in their motorized solution based on this. We also have Norman, Vista and Comfortex and I would pick one of those over Bali if you are looking for something less expensive than Hunter Douglas.

You are wise to ask this question. We installed motorized shades in our passive solar home 8 years ago. They worked really well for about a year, then started having problems with programming, hours of headache, jury-rigging, shipping costs, reinstalling. Like you said, the motor system is convenient when it works. When it doesn't, if there isn't a manual option, the shades are useless. We are ready to replace the system. I am looking for motorized shades with a manual option, and if they don't exist, we're going manual this time.