Fulham Co., Inc., a supplier of lighting components and electronics for commercial and specialty applications, announced availability of a new Bluetooth Bridge 0-10V LED controller, the first in a series of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) components designed to connect luminaires into a Bluetooth mesh ecosystem. The new Bluetooth Bridge can be installed in any electrical box or LED fixture to provide wireless 0-10 dimming control and monitoring.
The Bluetooth mesh standard was approved in July 2017 by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) and offers a number of advantages for wireless lighting controls. The mesh architecture is inherently reliable with built-in failover so there is no single point of failure and luminaires fitted with the Bluetooth Bridge can be added or removed without disruption. Bluetooth mesh is also secure and highly scalable so it can connect thousands of nodes, and provides a full stack communications protocol platform so it can support the Internet of Things (IoT) devices as part of the network.
There are 32,000 corporate members of the Bluetooth SIG, and any compatible device that has been qualified by the SIG can connect to any other Bluetooth device over Bluetooth mesh. For example, luminaires equipped with Fulham’s new Bluetooth Bridge can be controlled wirelessly by other Bluetooth devices, such as the EnOcean Bluetooth energy harvesting wall switch (also available from Fulham).
“Bluetooth mesh shows great promise for the lighting industry, making it an ideal solution to add wireless lighting controls as part of new installations or LED retrofits,” said Alvaro Garcia, Senior Director, Product Management, for Fulham. “With our new Bluetooth Bridge, installers can convert any 0-10V dimmable LED luminaire into a Bluetooth mesh node. Since Bluetooth is a recognized standard, we anticipate a number of manufacturers will develop their own BLE lighting solutions, and our new Bridge products make it possible to add any LED luminaires to the mix.”
The Bluetooth Bridge is being offered in two configurations. Fulham’s Model CTBRCB02JM02 Bluetooth Bridge provides wireless on/off and 0V to 10V dimming controls for a transmission range up to 160′ at 2.4GHz. The Bluetooth Bridge has 120VAC to 277VAC input, as well as a sensor input for motion controls and daylight harvesting. Fulham’s Model CTBRCB03JM03-PC offers additional functionality, including power metering and color tuning. Both units are designed for indoor or outdoor use at operating temperatures from -40°F to 140°F. They both come with Fulham’s five-year warranty.
Since Bluetooth mesh supports two-way communications, the Bridge can be commissioned, controlled, and monitored using an app on any Bluetooth-enabled device, such as a tablet or smartphone. Fulham is offering a lighting commissioning app to support its BLE products. Currently available for iPhones, iPads, and other iOS-compatible devices, the app can be used to remotely program and monitor Bluetooth mesh-connected luminaires. Fulham is making the app available at no cost, although fees will be charged based on the number of luminaires being commissioned.
