ABConnect – as easy as 1 – 2 –  3

Battery powered fluorescent emergency ballasts and emergency LED drivers are an effective method of providing emergency lighting.  With the emergency lighting hidden inside of the luminaire, the space remains uncluttered with wall mounted devices.  This also means there needs to be a way to enable and disable them, be it for storage, transportation, or a safe installation.  Typically, this method of control is accomplished using a pair of wires and single-pin connectors, typically called an “inverter connector”, “converter connector”, or “enable connector”.  This method of control is effective but physical connectors are not an ideal solution when we have the technology to do so much better.

Enter Bodine’s ABConnect (Automatic Bodine Connect).  ABConnect eliminates the need for a set of enable wires while reliably enabling and disabling a product’s emergency function.  To paraphrase a saying, ABConnect is as easy as 1 - 2 - 3.

Reliability – ABConnect ensures products are disabled during storage, shipping, or periods with extended power outage which can result in damage to the product.  This situation is common during building construction, extended natural disasters, or when the installation is powered down for maintenance, common in industrial settings or aboard something like nautical vessels or passenger train cars.  Additionally, ABConnect helps to preserve the integrity of luminaire gasketing, in the case of vapor tight luminaires.

Safety – ABConnect ensures products remains in a deactivated state during installation until the installer can complete the luminaire assembly and power it up for the first time.  Closing the inverter connectors too early during installation can potentially present a safety hazard.

Simplicity – ABConnect saves time and money by facilitating quick and easy installation.  It reduces the number of wires in the luminaires wireway and eliminates a step in the installation process.  There’s no need to revisit the installation once power is available, especially beneficial for luminaires not easily accessible due to mounting location or the installation’s environment.

Speed - Testing of the emergency luminaire on the assembly line is simplified.  The factory needs only control over AC mains and the test switch (or switch wiring).  The luminaire can be assembled, fully tested, and the emergency driver disabled for shipping or storage in only a few easy to automate steps.

ABConnect is standard on all Bodine LED Drivers released since 2020.  Products equipped with ABConnect can be found below.  Please visit their webpages for more information.  For questions, please email us at BodineTech@signify.com or call us at 1-888-BODINE-8.