In recent years, LED lighting has been seen as the most effective shortcut to achieving noticeable energy savings and reducing carbon emissions. Companies across various industries are enhancing their LED systems by implementing smart lighting control systems, accelerating their progress toward ESG goals and sustainable development.
To meet this growing demand, MEAN WELL has launched a new generation of compact and intelligent LED power supplies – the XLN and XLC series, which feature multiple dimming control interfaces. The critical innovation in this series is the integration of built-in dimming control interfaces like KNX and Matter within the LED driver, thus offering comprehensive one-stop solutions. MEAN WELL will be showcasing the XLN and XLC series at the end of October during the HKTDC Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition).
MEAN WELL, renowned for its strong expertise in developing standard LED power supplies, has launched the next generation of compact LED power supplies in the XLN and XLC series, available in 25W, 40W, and 60W specifications. These new power supplies are ideal for commercial and office lighting applications, making them a top choice for track, recessed, strip, and panel lighting.
The XLN series features an independent wiring output design with durable plastic encapsulation and full epoxy potting treatment, achieving an IP67 protection rating. This design is a distinctive characteristic of MEAN WELL products. The XLC series, on the other hand, features a terminal-block output design, offering flexibility with two installation options: an external or independent setup (with side covers on both ends) and an internal or built-in setup (without side covers). This approach ensures both safety and adaptability for users.
XLN and XLC Series Support NFC for More Intuitive and Precise Current Settings
Denny Hu, deputy general manager of MEAN WELL Guangzhou, stated that the XLN and XLC series offer several notable features. Among these is the support for setting current levels with NFC. This allows for easily and conveniently adjusting current settings via a mobile app, even when dealing with various lighting fixtures with complex specifications. Additionally, both series support wired and wireless dimming interfaces, and they further stand out in the industry by integrating two leading control standards—KNX and Matter.
Consequently, the XLN and XLC series have significant advantages compared with industry competitors. While similar products often offer single-voltage inputs limited to specific regional markets, partial safety standards, or even non-isolated designs, MEAN WELL’s new solutions support the full range of input voltages (100 to 305VAC). The XLN and XLC series also ensure that the output circuits are isolated from the dimming circuits. Complying with the latest lighting regulations, both series have attained safety certifications in multiple countries and regional markets, including, but not limited to, Europe’s ENEC, CB, and CE certifications, the United States’ UL certification, and China’s mandatory CCC certification.
Tony Hsieh, a section manager at MEAN WELL’s technical service center, stated that the increasing emphasis on interior design in commercial and office environments has led to reduced installation space for lighting components, thereby increasing the difficulty of installation and maintenance. As a result, there has been growing attention to the need for compact solutions. The XLN and XLC series from MEAN WELL are specifically designed to address this market demand and offer the advantages of miniaturization.
Moreover, products under the XLN and XLC series provide a broader adjustable range for both current and voltage compared with industry competitors. Notably, they allow the selection of multiple wide output voltage ranges. Users can change the output current using either traditional DIP switches or the new NFC sensing technology. Using MEAN WELL’s software app, adjustments can be made quickly and intuitively through NFC, providing a more precise and user-friendly alternative to DIP switches. This capability addresses the common issue in lighting projects where the lack of technical expertise on-site can cause delays, as adjustments no longer require professional engineers and technicians to be present.
MEAN WELL’s new compact indoor LED power supplies, the XLN and XLC series, feature double insulation and Class II/2 design, making them suitable for indoor lighting or commercial lighting applications.
With Multiple Wired and Wireless Control Interfaces, MEAN WELL’s Solutions Can Provide Advanced Smart Lighting and Virtual Luminaire Features
As homes and buildings increasingly adopt automation and smart technologies, Hu emphasized that smart control is poised to become a major trend in commercial lighting. The XLN and XLC series support a variety of dimming control interfaces, both wired and wireless. These include three-in-one, DALI-2, and KNX for wired control, as well as the Matter wireless control interface. DALI-2, KNX and Matter are all international standards commonly used in smart home lighting systems. MEAN WELL aims to maximize the interconnectedness of the entire lighting ecosystem through these advanced features.
Currently, market available products belonging to the first phase of the XLN and XLC series support just three-in-one and DALI-2 interfaces. Product models with support for KNX and Matter are in the final stage of development, and their engineering prototypes will be presented at the Autumn Edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong International Lighting Fair held this October.
While the primary purpose of lighting is to illuminate spaces, the methods of illumination and management of lighting systems have become major sources of market demand. The DALI-2 models under the XLN and XLC series, when paired with MEAN WELL’s DLC-02 DALI digital lighting system (controller), transform lighting systems, advancing them beyond just providing illumination and brightness. MEAN WELL’s solutions have smart features such as comfortable dimming, scene and group control, scheduled events, and sequence combinations. Hsieh explained that the controller software is developed in-house, ensuring rapid response to customer needs and real-time product optimization.
The DLC-02 also provides a virtual luminaire feature, allowing engineers to pre-configure the system according to enterprise customers’ internal design plans, without the need to visit work sites. This capability significantly accelerates project timelines and improves work efficiency. In addition to LED power supplies and the DLC-02 controller, the soon-to-be-released DALI touch panel further showcases the advantages of MEAN WELL’s one-stop total DALI-2 lighting solutions.
Integrating KNX with LED Power Supplies and Joining Matter Wireless Interconnectivity Ecosystem
The built-in KNX of the XLN and XLC series offers a broader scope of use scenarios and applications, extending beyond just lighting control. KNX is an international open standard for home and building automation control. The XLN and XLC series can connect to various electronic control systems and integrate with other DALI systems, thus providing comprehensive solutions for both lighting and overall automation control.
Hu pointed out that MEAN WELL has strategically chosen products that are highly relevant to its expertise in developing a comprehensive KNX control system. These include what are considered MEAN WELL’s most competitive offerings, such as KNX bus power supplies, traditional switch actuators, 0-10V dimming actuators, integrated KNX LED power supplies and traditional DALI-KNX converters.
Notably, through innovation, MEAN WELL has broken the barriers that previously separated KNX device manufacturers and LED power supply manufacturers. By integrating KNX control technology directly into their AC and DC LED power supplies, MEAN WELL has developed a decentralized architecture that simplifies system designs, enhances operational reliability, and significantly cuts costs. This architecture is especially suitable for smart lighting applications in small to mid-sized projects, as it eliminates the need for traditional DALI-KNX converters.
One of the biggest obstacles to the widespread adoption of wireless smart home systems has been the need for interoperability among different devices and sub-systems. However, this challenge has been effectively addressed with the introduction of Matter, a new standard for wireless connectivity in smart homes. Matter ensures that all systems and devices supporting this standard can seamlessly interconnect and operate together.
MEAN WELL has launched several KNX-related products that meet international standards, including KNX LED power supplies, gateways, and actuators. Customers can use MEAN WELL products in various applications as needed.
Matter 1.3, which is the latest version of the interface standard, is supported by major smart home ecosystems such as Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings. MEAN WELL has now incorporated the Matter dimming control interface into its XLC series. Utilizing Matter over Thread technology, this integration allows for wireless control and seamless compatibility with various Matter-enabled smart home systems.
As Customers Adopt the XLC Series for Comfortable and Healthy Lighting, MEAN WELL Pioneers DC Solutions at Its Smart Park in Suzhou
Products under the XLN and SLC series comply with the EU’s CE ErP directive, specifically the flicker-free standard. Moreover, they have passed the SVM and PstLM (flicker value) tests, ensuring that they provide smart and energy-efficient solutions while also creating a comfortable and healthy lighting environment.
Hu mentioned that practical cases of MEAN WELL’s products are already being adopted for office settings. Specifically, customers have used the XLC-40 driver with LED panel lights for office area lighting and the XLC-25 driver with LED recessed lights for corridor lighting. For lighting control, these setups are paired with MEAN WELL’s DLC-02 (DALI-2 controller), thereby enabling smart dimming control that suits various scenarios such as work, meetings, and lunch breaks.
Additionally, the “DC house” concept has become a hot topic in the lighting industry. Although DC houses are still in the early stages of technological development, they are increasingly being viewed as an inevitable trend due to ongoing discussions around energy efficiency and sustainability. MEAN WELL’s Smart Park in Suzhou has fully implemented a centralized high-voltage DC power supply solution for its lighting system. This example of practical use cases is expected to contribute to a strong foundation for further developments in the future.
It is worth noting that on September 23rd, China’s National Standardization Technical Committee (TC46) held a meeting in Beijing to initiate the formulation of a national safety standard for the specific requirements of DC household electrical appliances. This standardization effort is expected to significantly drive the future development of DC power supplies in buildings and play a crucial role in the construction sector’s low-carbon transformation. As a result, DC power supply for lighting is also anticipated to experience new advancements.
For scenarios that require high-voltage DC centralized power supplies, MEAN WELL offers a DALI-2 digital lighting control solution that features centralized 380V power supplies and DC-DC LED drivers. The solution also incorporates a DALI-2 control panel to achieve an intelligent control solution.
MEAN WELL Drives Efforts to Standardize Power Supplies Worldwide and Is Committed to Be a Century-Long Benchmark in the Industry
Starting as a manufacturer of industrial power supplies, MEAN WELL has enlarged its product portfolio to cover numerous solutions adopted by various sectors and applications. This expansion has made MEAN WELL the power supply provider with the most comprehensive range of products on the market and extended the company’s reach for lighting control solutions. Currently, its two main product categories are industrial and LED power supplies, accounting for around 20% of its overall revenue.
MEAN WELL has also introduced products for six niche market segments: medical devices, green energy, security systems, transportation, and ICT. These include DIN rail power supplies, battery chargers, DC-AC inverters, PCB-type power supplies, external adapters, and DC-DC converters.
Currently, MEAN WELL has launched over 1,000 series and over 10,000 models of power supply products. To assist customers in effectively integrating and utilizing these products, the company offers a customized “3+N System Solution.” This solution is tailored for applications involving rack-mounted power supplies, modular power supplies, system power supplies, and other MEAN WELL products and controllers.
Hu said that MEAN WELL has a dream: for system engineers worldwide to first think of the MEAN WELL brand whenever they need a power supply for their end equipment. Moving forward, customers will be able to directly select suitable products from MEAN WELL’s standard product lines and quickly obtain samples through its extensive global distribution network. Promoting the international standardization of power supplies and enabling users to acquire all the products they need in one go is MEAN WELL’s long-term, unwavering goal. This objective is also crucial in driving sustainable development within the power supply industry. With this foundation, MEAN WELL aims to become a century-old benchmark in the global market for standard power supplies and advance toward the vision of being a sustainable, ESG-oriented enterprise.