An awning open in the wind is a sail. The arms lever against the anchors and what breaks usually isn't the fabric: it's the facade, the shaft or the arm itself. And it almost always happens when you're not home to retract it.
This setup solves exactly that: a weather station that measures the real wind on your terrace, and a relay that folds the awning on its own when it goes over the threshold. No generic forecasts or guesswork.
The four pieces
The chain is short but leaves no gaps: the Ecowitt WS90 measures, a gateway picks up the data, the Shelly 2PM Gen4 gives the order and the motor folds the awning.
The point most often overlooked is the gateway. The WS90 doesn't connect to Wi-Fi: it broadcasts over Bluetooth and Zigbee at the same time. For its readings to reach the app you need a Shelly BLU Gateway or any Shelly Plus, Pro, Gen3 or Gen4 device that isn't a sensor. If you already have a Shelly plugged in near the terrace, it's probably already acting as a gateway without you knowing. If not, add it to the budget: it's the classic surprise of this project.
Watch the range too. The WS90's Bluetooth reaches about 30 meters outdoors, and a load-bearing wall in between eats those up. The station goes outside, on a mast; the gateway, as close as possible.
What threshold to set: your awning already has the figure
This is where almost everyone makes up a number. There's no need: the UNE-EN 13561 standard requires the manufacturer to declare a wind-resistance class, and it's in the awning's documentation.
- Class 1 — up to 28 km/h (force 4 Beaufort). It's the usual for folding-arm awnings without a cassette.
- Class 2 — up to 38 km/h (force 5). Cassette awnings, straight-drop, vertical.
On folding-arm awnings only those two classes are allowed. If someone offers you a "class 3" folding-arm awning, something doesn't add up.
And a rule that saves grief: the threshold goes below the limit, not at the limit. Between the sensor detecting the gust, the order traveling and the awning finishing folding, several seconds pass, and in those seconds the wind doesn't wait. Leave 5-10 km/h of margin: for a class 2 awning, trigger at around 28-30 km/h.
Two practical details when configuring it:
- The app shows wind in m/s, not km/h. Divide by 3.6: 28 km/h is 7.8 m/s and 38 km/h is 10.6 m/s.
- Use the gust, not the average. The WS90 publishes the gust as the maximum of the last 28 seconds, and it's the gust that breaks things. An average of 20 km/h can hide a blow of 45.
The 2PM in cover mode
The 2PM has two outputs and, when you enable cover mode in the app, it stops treating them as two loose relays: it interlocks them so they never activate at once and learns the travel with a calibration. From then on you can ask it to "retract" or "go to 40%" instead of "turn for two seconds".
That calibration is what makes the awning know where it is. Skip it and you'll have approximate positions and a fold that sometimes stops halfway.
The important warning: Shelly's cover mode drives two-way 230 V AC motors. It's no good for DC motors, which need a different relay topology. Check your motor's rating plate before buying anything; this confusion is what generates the most returns in this kind of setup.
If your panel is DIN rail or you have several awnings, the Shelly Pro Dual Cover PM does the same with two independent motors. And if you prefer the previous generation, the Shelly 2PM Gen3 has the same cover mode without Zigbee or Matter.
The automation, step by step
- Install the 2PM behind the awning switch or in a protected box, with the motor's two control wires on O1 and O2.
- In the app, enable cover mode and run the full calibration.
- Mount the WS90 on a Ø25 mm mast, clear and with the north indicator aligned. A sensor in the lee of the wall measures anything but the real wind.
- Add the WS90 to the app through the gateway.
- Create the scene: if the wind gust exceeds X m/s, retract the awning.
- Add a second rain scene if your awning doesn't have enough tilt to drain water: pooling snaps arms just like wind.
- Test it with a ridiculously low threshold — 2 m/s — and check the awning really retracts. Then raise it to the proper value.
What can go wrong
This is what almost no tutorial tells you, and we'd rather tell you before you buy.
A wireless automation is not the same as a wired wind sensor. It has three failure points a wired sensor doesn't:
- The batteries. The WS90 is powered by a solar panel with a backup of two lithium AA batteries, which last about six months. After a gray winter with the batteries spent, it stops reporting. The app warns of low battery: heed it.
- The range. If you move the gateway or relocate the router, you can lose the link and not notice until the windy day.
- The cloud. If the scene runs in Shelly's cloud and the internet goes down, the order doesn't go out. And with no power there's neither motor nor relay.
Our honest recommendation: if the awning is large, expensive or on a very exposed facade, the manufacturer's own wired wind sensor is still the primary protection, because it acts even if everything else is down. The WS90 adds everything else: rain, solar radiation, barometric trend, phone alerts and history. On a small terrace awning, the WS90 alone is enough of a solution for most people.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the WS90 without buying the BLU Gateway?
Yes, if you already have at home any Shelly Plus, Pro, Gen3 or Gen4 that isn't a sensor: those devices act as a Bluetooth gateway. What doesn't work is the WS90 alone, with nothing to pick up its broadcasts.
Does it work with Home Assistant?
Yes, but not by the route people expect. The BLU Gateway sends the data to Shelly's cloud and doesn't expose it in the local API, so the WS90 doesn't show up on its own in Home Assistant. The two routes that do work are capturing its BTHome broadcasts with a Bluetooth adapter or a BLE proxy, or integrating it directly over Zigbee. It's the point that generates the most questions on the forums.
What happens if the awning is retracted and the wind picks up?
Nothing: a retract order on an already-retracted awning does no harm. What's worth doing is adding a blocking condition so that no other scene — the sun one, for example — extends it while the wind is still high.
Does it also work for blinds?
Yes, and the setup is identical. On blinds the wind matters less, but the same station can lower them by solar radiation in summer.
Does the WS90 need its own Wi-Fi?
No. It has no Wi-Fi. It broadcasts over Bluetooth and Zigbee, and it's the gateway that connects to your network.
What batteries does it use?
Two lithium 1.5 V AA, and this is no minor detail: with the internal heater active, alkalines can overheat and leak in cold or humidity. It also doesn't accept rechargeable NiMH or NiCd. Batteries aren't included.
How accurate is it measuring wind?
Below 10 m/s, ±1 m/s; above, ±10%. To decide whether to retract an awning it's more than enough. For fine meteorology, bear that margin in mind when setting the threshold.
Summary
- The station that measures → Ecowitt WS90
- The relay that moves the awning → Shelly 2PM Gen4
- Cheaper alternative without Zigbee → Shelly 2PM Gen3
- Several awnings or a DIN-rail panel → Shelly Pro Dual Cover PM
- The gateway, if you have no Shelly → Shelly BLU Gateway
- Retract also when leaving the terrace → Shelly BLU Door/Window
Before you start
Cut the power at the panel and verify the absence of voltage before touching the motor. The 230 V connection must be carried out by a qualified installer. And always respect the wind, rain and temperature limits set by the awning manufacturer: the automation doesn't replace the standard, it applies it.
Questions about your awning? Send us the EN 13561 class shown in its documentation and the motor's plate, and we'll confirm the threshold and the right equipment for you. Technical support in English and shipping from Spain.
