GRE Alpha recently entered an ecosystem partnership with German electrical connections and electronic components manufacturer WAGO, a leading supplier of home automation systems and interconnectors. The products partnership between the two organizations will help to simplify and connect lighting systems for building automation.
“We have always strived to make our products as accessible and easy to use and install as possible,” said Richard Fong, Executive Director at GRE Alpha.“Our partnership with WAGO will enable our customers to more rapidly adopt smart lighting solutions and home automation systems with ease and simplicity.”
WAGO offers a variety of products including rail-mounted, pluggable rail-mounted and terminal block systems, connector systems, automation components, interface electronics, marking accessories and software for the building automation, lighting technology, power and process technology, current and energy measurement technology, industry and traffic engineering spaces.
Many of GRE Alpha’s products will be positively impacted by the partnership, specifically the XLD series and DALI dimming module which function well when paired with the WAGO DALI I/O module and DALI Multi Master module.
The GRE Alpha XLD Series is a UL/cUL listed Class 1 and 2 easy-install LED driver offering universal AC input, integral wiring compartments for reduced installation costs, constant current and voltage dual mode operation for flexibility and optimal performance, user-adjustable output voltage and current, 1-10V dimming options with SLD Smart Dim series dimming module, up to 92 percent efficiency, active power factor correction above 0.9, a heavy duty design for harsh environments, up to four combinable output channels, built-in protection (SCP, OTP, OVP and OCP), and an IP 65 standalone enclosure.
GRE Alpha’s SLD-DIM DALI dimming module features wide range DC input, DALI control input, UL/cUL Class 1 and 2 designations, integrated strain relief and terminal cover, spring-loaded terminals for easy installation, 255 dimming levels, wide range DC input of 8-48V, dimming range of zero to 100 percent, duplicate terminals for parallel connection and 97 percent efficiency.
“The home automation industry has been plagued with compatibility issues,” said Fong. “Often, incompatible power and lighting control solutions are paired, and flickering and poor lighting control result. At GRE Alpha, we aim to make our products compatible with a wide host of leading building automation systems—such as Lutron and WAGO—to ensure that every lighting project is installed with ease and works as it should.”
GRE Alpha works tirelessly to partner with—and make its products compatible with—the best home automation networks in the lighting industry, giving specifiers ease of mind when it comes to upgrading and specifying lighting projects with automation features. The company is committed to innovation and to delivering high-quality, leading edge LED lighting solutions. Product offerings are rapidly expanding in dimming modules, lighting control systems, and LED lighting management accessories, consistently offering new solutions to aid in LED adoption.
For more information about LED drivers, dimming modules and accessories, or to speak with a GRE Alpha product expert, visit the Enquiries page and fill out the Enquiry Form. For more information about GRE Alpha’s current partnerships, visit the Partners page.
GRE Alpha recently presented at the 2017 Convergent Future Forum held from June 9 to June 12 at the China Import and Export Fair Complex. A prior exhibitor at the annual Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition event, this year the company was invited to speak about innovations in smart lighting.
GRE Alpha’s talk, titled “Importance of Dimming Performance in Smart Lighting,” garnered a lot of attention. Mr. Kelvin Kwong, Product Marketing Manager, spoke to a packed room about GRE Alpha’s place in the new era of LED lighting: Lighting 3.0. The speech centered around adaptation to essential LED lighting technologies, applications for smart lighting, and conversion to smart LED lighting through GRE Alpha’s innovative product lines.
“We’re in an era where lighting alone is not enough,” said Richard Fong, Executive Director of GRE Alpha. “Lighting should work in tandem with sensors and IoT-connected devices to provide intelligent lighting functions.”
Mr. Kwong’s lecture introduced several GRE Alpha LED dimming products—including the DALI and DMX dimming modules and XLAV and XLA series of phase dimmable drivers—and explained how those products ease the process of switching to smart lighting. The products provide solutions that work with various smart lighting protocols, offering easier adoption of smart lighting technologies.
“The LED lighting industry has been greatly affected by the IoT movement,” said Fong. “We are seeing new applications for LED lighting in many industry verticals from general illumination to industrial lighting, medical applications and horticultural applications. GRE Alpha’s host of smart dimming control accessories and LED drivers will allow lighting companies to quickly and easily make this transition.”
In addition to presenting and allowing for audience questions, GRE Alpha was proud to support partner company Xicato Inc., a fellow LED components manufacturing firm. Xicato introduced a new range of IoT connected intelligent LED dimming modules that have high compatibility with GRE Alpha LED drivers.
“It was rewarding to be able to share our products and information with the visitors at the Convergent Future Forum,” said Fong. “We’re looking forward to what the future holds.”
The four-day lighting fair hosted more than 2,300 exhibitors from more than 20 countries and regions, spanned 17 exhibition halls and covered more than 175,000 square meters of exhibition space. GRE Alpha thanks Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) for the invitation to present at such a prestigious event.
GRE Alpha is committed to innovation and to delivering high-quality, leading edge LED lighting solutions. For more information about LED drivers, dimming modules and accessories, or to speak with a GRE Alpha product expert, visit the Enquiries page and fill out the Enquiry Form.
GRE Alpha was recently invited to present as an honored speaker at the 22nd annual Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition Convergent Future Forum sponsored by Guangya Messe Frankfurt Co Ltd. Mr. Kelvin Kwong, Product Marketing Manager at GRE Alpha, will present on the “Importance of Dimming Performance in Smart Lighting” on June 9, 2017, at 4:30 PM.
Held from June 9 to June 12 in the China Import and Export Fair Complex, informational session topics will cover essential technologies and applications for smart lighting, including IoT platforms, Li-Fi technology, smart data, smart dimming controls, and wireless mesh networks, among others.
“There are many smart lighting standards out there and the industry is trying to converge on a particular lighting protocol,” said Richard Fong, Executive Director of GRE Alpha. “GRE Alpha is hoping to play a part in helping easier adoption of smart lighting by providing dimming modules and smart lighting solutions that work with various smart lighting protocols. Our clients won't have to worry about which lighting protocol to use.”
GRE Alpha aims to act as the interface between smart lighting protocols and the lighting designers' vision,providing building blocks within a lighting system that allow consumers to easily adopt smart lighting technology. In addition to the speech by Mr. Kwong, the company will also be displaying several of its LED dimming modules and its XLAV series product line.
The forum, which will feature fellow industry leaders such as Trusted Link Technology Ltd, XlinkIoT Platform, Fudan University, Velmenni, Philips Lighting (China), DEKRA, and Xicato Inc., will focus on lighting accessories, components and equipment, LED technologies, and luminaries, diving deep into LED applications as well as smart lighting capabilities.
“With the advent of IoT, more and more electrical devices are becoming smart due to greater analytics and improvements in sensor technology,” said Fong. “The same can be said for LED lighting as different aspects of IoT converge to allow for advanced lighting in healthcare, agricultural and general lighting applications.”
According to Fong, the key to market adoption hinges on whether the industry can converge on protocols used to allow for proper function in a variety of lighting equipment. GRE Alpha is proud to be at the forefront of developing smart lighting controls that allow for seamless integration of various IoT lighting protocols with LED lights, allowing for rapid adoption and enhancement of lighting systems. The GRE Alpha team is looking forward to the Convergent Future Forum and to showcasing its innovative LED lighting management system solutions with event attendees.
The 2016 Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition involved more than 2,400 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions spread out across 17 halls. 145,080 visitors from 37 countries and regions attended the 2016 lectures, and the Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt Co team is expecting similar turnout in 2017.
For more information about the forum, or to register for a visitor pass, visit the Messe Frankfurt website. For more information about LED drivers, dimming modules and accessories, or to speak with a GRE Alpha product expert, visit the Enquiries page and fill out the Enquiry Form.
When choosing an LED driver, it is important to understand the level of safety standard compliance to create the safest possible LED lighting management system. Products are marked with designations for a reason, assuring consumers of product status as safe items, noting components requiring additional safety measures, and registering whether the energy output is safe to human touch. The designations that consumers will want to understand and look for include:
UL is a global independent safety science company with more than 120 years of expertise innovating safety solutions. The company advises, audits, certifies, educates, inspects, tests, validates and verifies to maintain safety standards and compliance in manufacturing. When UL has tested representative samples of a product and determined that it meets UL’s published, nationally-recognized Standards of Safety requirements, the product is given a UL Listed designation. The designation UL pertains to the United States, and cUL is the Canadian designation.
While a UL listing designates that a product has been tested by UL, meets nationally recognized safety standards, and has been found free from reasonably foreseeable risk of fire, electric shock and related hazards, another similar-looking designation means something slightly different. UL Recognized Component Marks verify that a product has been tested, but that it is a part or component of a larger product. Components can be used to complete or add to end products and systems, but additional installation precautions may be necessary to ensure safe use. It is important to understand how UL Recognized items work to implement the items safely.
When an LED driver is listed as UL Class 2, it complies with UL standard UL1310 indicating that energy output of the device is safe to touch with no major safety protection required. A UL Class 2 listed item will not carry a risk of fire or electric shock at the LED and luminaire level, operating below 60 volts in dry applications, 30 volts in wet applications, 5 amps, and 100 watts. This safe output restricts the number of LEDs the Class 2 driver can run, but will be safe for use without additional safety measures in place.
UL Class 1 drivers, on the other hand, possess output ranges that exceed UL Class 2 guidelines. Class 1 drivers have high-voltage output which requires safety protection within the LED lighting fixture. Class 1 drivers can run a higher number of LEDs than a Class 2 driver, making it more efficient in terms of energy output, but as such requires putting additional safety measures in place.
GRE Alpha’s Easy-Install XLD Series is the industry’s only integrated UL listed Class II solution on the market. Boasting universal AC input, integral wiring compartments for reduced installation costs, constant current and constant voltage dual mode operation for flexibility and optimal performance, the XLD Series offers up to 92 percent efficiency and heavy duty design for harsh environments. Other features include user-adjustable output voltage and current, 1-10V dimming options with SLD SmartDim series dimming modules, active power factor correction at PF>0.9, up to four combinable output channels, built-in protection (SCP, OTP, OVP, OCP), IP 65 standalone enclosure, and UL/CUL listed Class 1 and 2, CE, FCC Title 47 CFR 15 Class B, CQU certifications.
GRE Alpha is committed to innovation and to delivering high-quality, leading edge LED lighting solutions. For more information about LED drivers, dimming modules and accessories, or to speak with a GRE Alpha product expert, visit the Enquiries page and fill out the Enquiry Form. Sign up for the GRE Alpha newsletter to stay up-to-date on new products and for early access to other GRE Alpha news.
It has been an eventful year for GRE Alpha. With several exciting events like a successful showing at the March 2017 Nikkei Messe Tokyo Big Sight Lighting Fair in Tokyo, Japan, a new office launched in Tokyo, and a growing list of exciting products introduced, 2017 is set to be one of the best years yet.
Here are the top five most popular, new, not-to-be-missed GRE Alpha products:
XLAVP 100
The XLAVP 100 is a 100 Watt, universal input UL Listed class 2, constant voltage, dimmable LED driver capable of providing full-range, zero to 100 percent smooth, flicker-free dimming. Tested with over 70 dimmer brands on the market, this unit works with both forward/reverse phase (TRIAC/ELV) type dimmers and is unsurpassed in dimmer compatibility and performance.
Tunable White Dimming Module
GRE Alpha’s Tunable White SLD-DIMTW dimming module is the perfect solution for VC-type dim-to-warm and warm dimming applications. A constant voltage tunable white LED dimming module, this unique 0-10V/1-10V device provides a control signal and enables smooth, dynamic color temperature shifts of 2000K to 8000K. Depending on the application situation, this plug-and-play dimming module creates eye-catching, color temperature-changing effects without color distortion.
Smart Dimming Modules
The SmartDim Module is an intelligent IoT dimming module that works with the latest IoT-enabled home devices. It easily connects wirelessly to gateways such as a SmartThings hub or other ZigBee-enabled wireless hubs, instantly converting non-internet LED lighting systems into IoT-enabled smart lighting management systems. The GRE Alpha offers various dimming applications including the SwitchDim, DALI dimming module, 0-10V/1-10V, DMX lighting controllers, and more.
Easy Install XLD Series
GRE Alpha’s dual mode, Easy-Install XLD Series features a patented easy-install enclosure which simplifies wiring and makes installation much simpler, creating cost savings through decreased manual labor and improving reliability of the LED grow lighting system. With universal AC input, integral wiring compartments, constant current and constant voltage dual mode operation, user-adjustable output voltage and current, 1-10V dimming options, compatibility with the SLD Smart Dim dimming module, and up to 92 percent efficiency, GRE Alpha’s easy-install products like the XLD75 and XLD200 are flexible, efficient and reliable, and provide an optimal solution for horticultural LED applications.
ELC Series
Independent-type LED drivers with terminal block connectors, up to 88 percent efficiency, and current selectable via an onboard dip switch, the ELC Series allows for lower stock keeping units (SKU). It has been designed to allow users to overdrive and underdrive their LEDs without the necessity of purchasing a new LED driver, and interfaces well with chip-on-board partner LED components. Offering SCP, OTP, OVP and OCP built-in protection, the new ELC Series has also been optimized to work with protection class I and II luminaires.
GRE Alpha is currently showcasing its innovative LED products at ERG Lighting Booth number #332 at the 2017 LIGHTFAIR International (LFI) event in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Company representatives will be present at the fair, and interested parties should email sales@grealpha.com to set up a meeting with the GRE Alpha team. Click here for more information about the LFI event.
For more information on GRE Alpha, or to contact a GRE Alpha service representative to schedule a one-on-one appointment with a technical expert, visit https://grealpha.com/.