Technical Specifications

Rail Light System

Nebula Lighting Systems has designed and is currently marketing a "state-of-the-art" lighting system for architectural, recreational and display L.E.D. lighting applications. While many companies are currently providing L.E.D. lighting in a variety of applications, Nebula’s system goes further by providing high-end functional capabilities, and the ability to control individual L.E.D.’s in a variety of responses.

The Nebula Lighting system uses a low voltage (12VDC) power source and a Control Area Network (CAN) bus to provide individual control of each L.E.D. In addition, the L.E.D.’s are capable of high-power light output and their intensity can be adjusted by means of the CAN bus. .

Every group of 8 L.E.D.’s are driven by means of a node controller connected to a master network (the CAN bus). The node controller provides 8 multiplexed outputs that directly conrol each L.E.D. Each L.E.D. on the node is turned on for 1/8 of the time (duty cycle) and as a result the amount of power dissipated by each L.E.D. is far less than the power dissipated if the L.E.D. was on a constant DC voltage. The multiplexing scheme for each L.E.D. allows the intensity of the L.E.D. to be controlled by changing the "on" time duration of the L.E.D. As a result of the multiplexing, individual high-power, ultra-bright L.E.D.’s do not run hot, merely warm (approx. 70 degrees).

Node controllers, and their associated L.E.D.’s are distributed throughout the application and are connected by a CAN bus. A system’s controller furnishes the 12 VDC power and the CAN controls for the L.E.D.’s. To ensure maximum safety in the intended application, the system controller monitors the current used by each L.E.D. and will shut down the system should an overload occur. The power supply used is U.L. and C.E. recognized.

A small, user-friendly control panel is mounted on the front of the system controller. This panel allows the selection of the adjustment of L.E.D. brightness. The system controller is intended to be mounted in an "out-of-the-way" location in the final application. In most installations, the master control is simply plugged into an outdoor GFCI outlet. Once installed, the system is virtually invisible.