Automate Micro-B vs USB-C Charging: Which Connection Do You Have?

Automate now has products using both Micro-B and USB-C, which makes charging-cable shopping more confusing than it needs to be. The connector shape is useful for identification, but it is only part of the answer: two Automate products can both be 5V and still require completely different cables because they belong to different systems.

Quick answer: current ZERO Q 0.7Nm, 1.1Nm and 2.0Nm motors use Micro-B. The current 6Nm Li-ion motor also uses Micro-B. The Li-ion FT 15Nm outdoor motor uses a dedicated weather-resistant USB-C charging system. The 4 metre white USB-C cable sold for the Wind & Sun Sensor is not a roller blind motor charging cable.

What Does a Micro-B Connector Look Like?

Micro-B is the small, asymmetrical USB connector used on current Automate ZERO Q motors. It only inserts one way. If your motor is a current ZERO Q 0.7Nm, 1.1Nm or 2.0Nm, this is the connection you should expect to see.

Shop the 4m Automate Micro-B charging cable or the complete 5V Wall Charger Kit

Which Automate Motors Currently Use Micro-B?

The current ZERO Q 0.7Nm, 1.1Nm and 2.0Nm range uses 5V Micro-B. Automate’s current 6Nm Li-ion motor also moved to 5V Micro-B when it replaced the previous 12V 3Nm generation. The current external rechargeable battery pack we stock for compatible 12V DCRF motors is another example where the battery pack itself charges through 5V Micro-B.

What Does USB-C Look Like?

USB-C has a rounded, symmetrical plug that can be inserted either way. But seeing USB-C on an Automate product does not mean any Automate USB-C cable belongs with it. Check the product family as well as the connector.

Li-ion FT Outdoor Motor: USB-C, But a Dedicated Outdoor System

The rechargeable Li-ion FT 15Nm outdoor motor uses a 5V USB-C charging system. Automate provides weather-resistant USB-C Port Extensions specifically for this outdoor motor, in 1.5 metre and 2.5 metre lengths. The motor can also use the dedicated Outdoor Solar Panel, including a splitter arrangement where required.

Read our Automate Solar Charging Guide or view the Li-ion FT Outdoor Solar Panel

Important: The 4m White USB-C Cable Is for the Wind & Sun Sensor

Product code MT03-0301-069026 is a 4 metre USB-C cable for the Automate Solar Powered Wind & Sun Sensor and compatible 5V accessories. We deliberately label it as not for roller blind motors because a customer could reasonably see “Automate”, “5V” and “USB-C” and assume it is a Li-ion FT motor cable. It is not the dedicated weather-resistant FT port extension.

View the 4m USB-C Wind & Sun Sensor cable

Where Does the Magnetic Charger Fit In?

The magnetic system we sell for compatible ZERO motors uses a small Micro-B connector that stays in the motor. The charging cable then attaches magnetically to that connector. It is not a USB-C conversion cable; it is simply a more convenient way of connecting to a compatible Micro-B ZERO motor.

See the Automate Magnetic Charger guide

Do Not Buy a Cable from the Plug Shape Alone

Connector shape tells you what can physically plug in. It does not prove the cable is intended for that motor, is weather-resistant enough for the application or belongs to the correct charging ecosystem. Match the product family first, then the voltage and connector.

If you are unsure, use our charger finder, or the complete charging guide