Yeah, I’ve run into those annoying power blips too—drives me up the wall when the glass resets. Good on you for trying a UPS; I went with a surge protector at first, but honestly, it didn’t do much for the quick flickers. The UPS is definitely more reliable in my experience, just wish the batteries lasted longer during actual outages. Still, anything that means less time wrestling with dusty blinds is a win in my book.
Yeah, I tried a surge protector too at first—didn’t really help much with the quick flickers, like you said. UPS is definitely better, but I wish the batteries held out longer. I’m curious though, have you noticed if one brand of smart glass resets faster than the other after a power blip? That’s been my biggest headache with these things.
That’s funny, I actually had the opposite experience—my View panels seem to take forever to get back online after even a quick blip, while a buddy with SageGlass swears his reset faster. Not sure if it’s just my setup or what. Honestly, I’ve started to wonder if the extra cost for “smart” is worth the hassle, especially with our power being so unpredictable out here. At this point, I almost miss my old blackout curtains... less drama when the lights flicker.
Power issues really do mess with these systems more than folks expect. I’ve seen View panels drag their feet after a surge, while SageGlass sometimes bounces back quicker—but then again, it can vary by install. Smart glass is great when everything’s working, but you’re right, it’s not as “set and forget” as blackout curtains. The cost stings too if you’re not getting reliability. Sometimes low-tech just works better, especially if your power’s spotty.
Seen this a few times on jobs, and I gotta say, smart glass is cool but not always practical. Did a retrofit on a mid-century place last fall—owner went with View panels. Looked great, but after a storm tripped their breaker, half the windows stayed tinted for hours until everything reset. Not exactly what you want when you’re trying to get some sunlight back in.
SageGlass was a bit more forgiving in another install I did for an office, but even then, if the power’s inconsistent, you’re rolling the dice. Both brands work fine when your wiring’s solid and you’ve got backup power or at least good surge protection. But if your area gets brownouts or surges, prepare for some weird behavior. Sometimes the panels just refuse to respond, or they get stuck halfway between states. Not fun if you’re on a schedule.
Honestly, regular blackout curtains or shades are boring but reliable. Not a tech solution, but they don’t care if the grid goes down. Smart glass is a conversation piece, sure—but for the price, it ought to be more bulletproof than it is right now.
If you’re dead set on it, I’d say invest in backup power—at least for the circuits running the glass. Otherwise, be ready for some hiccups. That’s just my two cents from being in and out of these installs.
That’s wild about the windows getting stuck tinted. Makes me wonder—if the power goes out, is there any manual override at all? Or are you just at the mercy of the system rebooting? I love gadgets, but not sure I’d want to risk being trapped in the dark like that. Is there any way to wire these so they default to clear if they lose power, or is it just how the tech works right now?
- That’s a legit concern. I’ve worked on a few installs with both View and SageGlass, and yeah, if the power cuts out, most of these smart windows just freeze in whatever state they’re in. No manual override, at least not on the models I’ve seen so far.
- The tech is basically set up so that the glass holds its tint until it gets a new signal. So if you lose power while they’re dark, you’re stuck looking at your own reflection until the juice comes back. Not ideal if you’re hoping for a clear view or need more daylight.
- There’s no simple way to wire them to default to clear—most of these systems use electrochromic materials, which means they need power to change state, not to maintain it. Once they’re tinted, they stay that way until told otherwise. I haven’t seen any “failsafe” feature that resets them to clear on power loss.
- I get the appeal of the tech—less heat in summer, cool factor, all that—but honestly, I always recommend folks think about backup power or at least some way to open a regular window if things go sideways. Had a client last year who got stuck with half the house tinted for a weekend after a breaker tripped. Not the end of the world, but a pain.
- If you’re really worried about being “trapped in the dark,” maybe look at hybrid options—smart films you can peel off, or traditional shades as a backup. Or just make sure you’ve got a generator or battery backup on the system.
- One more thing: these windows aren’t cheap, and repairs can be slow if something goes wrong. If you love gadgets and don’t mind the occasional hiccup, go for it. But if you like things simple and reliable, maybe wait a few years for the tech to mature a bit.
Hope that helps. Smart windows are cool, but they’re not quite foolproof yet.
Had a client last year who got stuck with half the house tinted for a weekend after a breaker tripped. Not the end of the world, but a pain.
Yeah, I’ve seen this too—when the power goes, you’re just out of luck. I actually tried to rig up a manual override on a SageGlass install at my place (just for fun), but there’s no easy workaround. The electrochromic tech is cool in theory, but it’s not like flipping a switch on a regular blind.
One thing I’d add: if you’re in an area with frequent outages or unreliable power, it’s not just an inconvenience—it can really mess with your lighting and mood, especially in winter. I ended up keeping some old-school blackout curtains around just in case. Not pretty, but they work when tech doesn’t.
Cost is another kicker. Repairs aren’t just slow—they’re expensive, and not every glass shop wants to touch these. If you’re handy, you might get away with some basic troubleshooting, but anything major? You’re waiting for a specialist.
Bottom line, the tech’s got potential, but it’s not “set it and forget it.” Backup plans are a must.
Repairs aren’t just slow—they’re expensive, and not every glass shop wants to touch these.
Yeah, this is what made me pause before pulling the trigger. I mean, the idea of windows that tint themselves sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, but then reality hits when you get a quote for a replacement panel—or worse, realize your local glass guy just stares at it like it’s an alien artifact. I’ll admit, I still love showing off the tech to friends, but I keep a cheap roller shade in the closet just in case things go sideways. Sometimes low-tech wins.
- I get the hesitation, but I think the repair issue is a bit overblown—at least in newer systems. I put in SageGlass panels about three years ago (midwest climate, lots of temp swings), and their support was actually decent when I had a minor controller glitch. Didn’t need to swap glass, just a firmware update.
- On the cost: yeah, initial install isn’t cheap, but I compared it to what I’d spend on custom shades + UV film over 10 years. Came out pretty close, especially factoring in the energy savings. My summer AC bills dropped more than I expected.
- Local glass shops do look at these like they’re from Mars, but the manufacturers seem to have their own service networks now. Not ideal, but not totally unfixable either.
- Low-tech backup is smart, but I haven’t needed mine yet. Wouldn’t call it bulletproof, but it’s not as dicey as some make it sound... at least not with the newer gen stuff.
- If you’re in a spot with a lot of direct sun, I’d say the convenience outweighs the hassle. For less sun, maybe not worth the premium.