Lumishore LUX Lighting Collection
Advances in LED lighting for recreational boats and yachts have progressed from underwater lights to new multi-colored lighting above the waterline–the LUX Lighting Collection from Lumishore. Lumishore also makes controllers for this lighting. LUX lights feature CRGBW LEDs that include both cool and warm white LEDs for incredible and accurate color rendering across an almost infinite variety of hues. The LUX line can change colors and intensities, and even marry lights to the beat of a given song.
Captain’s Report by Capt. Peter d’Anjou
Mission
Lighting is essential, and colored lighting, that strobes, sweeps, fades from one color to the next, or pulses to a given musical beat is an impressive way to create a vibrant atmosphere for setting the mood onboard.
Background
Lumishore’s technology has its roots in underwater LEDs, so it’s beneficial to understand a bit of the history to orient ourselves about above-water LED lighting. Lumishore is headquartered in Swansea UK and was established in 2007.
What started as a few white underwater lights with a single on/off switch on the transom of boats progressed to an alternate color choice (blue) in the same fixture. The color could be white or blue, but not both, the choice had to be made up front.
Then two colors in the same light became possible, so boaters were able to change from white to blue or even control intensity of the white light from cold to warm white, something known as white temperature. Lumishore required a controller for these lights to change color and intensity and created an I-Connext hub.
Then came Lumishore’s multicolor lights, branded EOS. They display red, green, blue, or white temperature light all from the same fixture. And they can transition from one color mixture to the next. The EOS lights have a dedicated 3.5” (89 mm) glass dash controller known as STV.
Once Lumishore had created waterproof multi-colored LED underwater lights with controllers, the leap into above-deck lighting was shortened.
Key Features
- LUX lights are Ingress Protected (IP) rated at IP68
- Come in CRGBW colors
- Temperature tunable – Warm White to Cold White control
- Touchscreen control
- Lumi-Link command center
- Wireless Lumi-Link controller
The LUX Lighting Collection
Lumishore delivers an industry-first LED feature set called The LUX Lighting Collection, specifically designed for above-the-waterline. LUX offers unmatched flexibility and control with unique, full spectrum CRGBW (Cold white, Red, Green, Blue, Warm white) as well as white tunable color temperature all in the same light fixture. With both cool and warm white LEDs, the LUX Lighting Collection gives boaters full control of color warmth with the most accurate color rendering possible.
The LUX Lighting Collection includes Down lights, Neon Flex, Strip Lights, and Courtesy Lights, LUX provides a complete color palette to suit both mood and preference. Lumishore also makes Fusion Speaker Drivers to integrate lit speakers into above deck lighting.
LUX lights can be controlled by any combination of momentary switch, Multi-Function Display, optional dedicated Lumishore STV 2204-i Display, or and any Internet capable device connected to the vessel’s WiFi. The plug-and-play connectivity with the world’s leading MFD manufacturers centralizes control of the ground breaking LUX Lighting Collection and elevates vessel lighting to a new level while simplifying the controls on the console.
The LUX collection includes:
- Downlights for overhead illumination
LUX Downlights are available in three styles. The DL65 AG is an interior fixture with an anti-glare feature; the DL65 and DL50 are indoor/outdoor lights with Ingress protection (IP68) ratings. DL65s have stainless bezels, the DL50s have black or white bezels. All the downlights in the LUX lineup have anodized aluminum bodies and display temperature-tunable white light from 2700K to 6500K as well as RGB colors. As many as 16 fixtures can be controlled by a single controller/switch.
- Courtesy lights for pathways
LUX Courtesy Lights are perfect for lighting pathways, stairs and features of a boat, while simultaneously creating an inviting atmosphere. Suitable for both interior and exterior installation, LUX Courtesy Lights will enhance any space, while adding visibility and safety onboard. A livewell light model is available for anglers.
- Strip lights for mood and ambience
- Neon Flex lighting has a diffusion layer for smooth contiguous illumination that eliminates visible LED bulbs. It still has all of the color palette and control of other LUX lighting.
Optional Equipment
Controllers
Lumishore LUX LEDs can be combined into zones with up to 16 lights per zone. A simple on/off switch can control a zone, but to program the lights to dance, sweep, strobe, and fade from one color to the next requires a controller. The STV controller Lumishore created for changing colors on the underwater lights works in the same way with LUX fixtures, but to connect all the zones and be able to control them from a multi-function device or internet-capable touch screen and phones, Lumishore created the Lumi-Link Command Center.
Lumi-Link is the world’s first marine lighting API (Application Programming Interface). It allows full control of Lumishore lighting directly from the MFD or internet-compatible display device. Simply connect Lumi-Link to the MFD and/or additional display with a single plug-and-play cable. Lumi-Link creates a centralized control platform for the entire vessel, reducing helm clutter. No other controllers or digital switches are necessary, but may be added for second-station control. The Command Center is needed for all EOS Series or LUX light systems.
Lumi-Link Command Center is compatible with these MFDs:
- B&G - Zeus3 Glass Helm, Zeus3, and Vulcan
- Furuno - models TBC
- Garmin - OneHelm™
- Raymarine - Axiom and Axiom Pro
- Simrad - NSO EVO3 and EVO2,NSS EVO3, and selected Go models (Go7 XSR/Go9/Go12)
Equipment Discussion
Boat builders continually look for production efficiencies and cost savings as well as new emerging technologies to enhance their customer’s experiences on the water. Lumishore has engineered a solution that removes the requirement to run data cables for any of the new LUX Lighting Collection products. The new wireless control is called Lumi-Link Wireless.
Lumi-Link Wireless received a DAME special mentions 2019 at this year’s METSTRADE Show. METSTRADE is the world’s largest trade exhibition of marine equipment, materials, and systems. Lumi-Link Wireless drastically simplifies smart lighting installation for new builds and retrofits alike. Now anyone can replace an existing light fixture with a LUX light and not need to run a control wire.
Price
Contact a local Lumishore dealer.
Observations
LUX lighting can be retrofit into a small part of any vessel, a hardtop or cockpit for instance, and the system extended as time progresses.
Lumishore has created a web configurator that shows boaters a visual representation of how their underwater lights for a selected vessel type will look and then is able to provide a quote for the equipment. We hope they will do the same in the near future with their above-deck products to spur existing boaters to retrofit or specify product more easily.
Lumishore is leveraging their superior technical capabilities in the recreational marine and superyacht underwater lighting market. The ability of Lumishore to control lighting zones or integrate an entire vessel with a phone or an MFD touchscreen control is even more impressive.
They are poised to supply an entire vessel’s lighting needs above and below the water with integrated controls. For nights as brilliant as days afloat – let the lightshow begin.