How to Choose Casambi-Compatible LED Light Fixtures

Six-Step Selection Workflow for Casambi-Compatible LED Light Fixtures

• Identify the luminaire SKU, LED-board electrical data and exact driver make/model.
• Define the required outputs and inputs: dimming, dim-to-off, tunable white, RGB/RGBW, relay, sensor and emergency functions.
• Choose DALI, 0–10 V/1–10 V, PWM, phase-cut or relay control for the actual load.
• Match the control device and manufacturer-defined fixture profile to the wiring and function set.
• Confirm firmware generation, network mode, node count, radio version and commissioning platform.
• Approve a representative closed-housing sample, then document production tests, commissioning and handover.

Define Casambi Ready and Casambi-Compatible Correctly

Casambi Ready is an official ecosystem designation

Casambi Ready is Casambi’s official ecosystem and certification designation for products that natively operate within the Casambi platform. Casambi Ready luminaires may be implemented with an embedded Casambi Bluetooth module, a Casambi Ready driver, or an integrated CBU control unit. Do not market a luminaire as “Casambi Ready” unless the manufacturer is authorized to use that designation for the specific product or integration.

“Casambi-compatible” is a broader, non-certification description. Use it only when the exact luminaire, driver, controller, profile and intended application have been verified as a complete system. In other words, an external CBU is not automatically a non-official workaround: it can be part of a Casambi Ready implementation when the final product is properly integrated and authorized.

Source: Casambi, Solution: ecosystem integration and wireless-lighting architecture — https://casambi.com/why-casambi/solution/

Confirm Mesh, Firmware and Network Compatibility

Casambi Mesh is not standardized Bluetooth Mesh

Casambi-compatible LED light fixtures communicate using a specialized proprietary protocol called Casambi Mesh over Bluetooth Low Energy radio. It should not be confused with the standardized Bluetooth Mesh protocol. The distributed architecture can continue normal operation without an internet connection; internet is used for cloud-related configuration and recall, not as a requirement for local control. Still, every relevant node must remain powered to receive commands and participate in the mesh.

Classic and Evolution must be checked before purchase

Confirm whether each device is supplied with Classic or Evolution firmware, its network-mode compatibility, standard-range or long-range hardware version, and any available upgrade path. Classic networks support up to 127 devices and Evolution networks up to 250 devices. Classic and Evolution devices cannot be mixed in one Casambi network, even when the driver interface and fixture profile are otherwise correct. For large projects, allow headroom rather than designing at the published maximum.

Source: Casambi Support, maximum network size and firmware compatibility — https://support.casambi.com/support/solutions/articles/12000061374-what-is-the-maximum-size-of-one-casambi-network-

Match the Integration Method to the Fixture

Built-in driver, embedded module or field controller

Casambi Ready luminaires can reduce factory integration risk when the supplier documents the driver/module, firmware, profile and production test. An embedded module requires validated electronics, antenna placement, thermal management and final-product certification. An external controller can preserve an existing driver design for retrofit or custom work, but it adds enclosure, wiring, load-capacity, accessibility and radio-placement checks.

Verify the LED Driver and Permanent-Power Strategy

Use datasheet-level evidence

For Casambi-compatible LED light fixtures, request the driver manufacturer and model, input range, output voltage/current/power, dimming interface, control-current details, inrush current, minimum dimming level, dim-to-off behavior, auxiliary supply, ta/tc limits and safety/EMC documentation. Confirm the driver fits the LED board, thermal design, number of channels and total fixture wattage. Count every driver: direct/indirect, warm/cool, normal/emergency and shared drivers change capacity, profile and grouping requirements.

Permanent power does not mean permanent light output

A Casambi node needs power to accept commands and participate in the mesh. A conventional wall switch or contactor that cuts mains power makes that node unavailable. Where electrical disconnection is required, use a verified relay, driver dim-to-off capability or suitable switching output. Size relay-related hardware for the LED driver’s inrush current, not only steady-state wattage; confirm recovery and re-synchronization after a power interruption.

Select the Correct DALI Architecture

Driver count alone does not define DALI compatibility

State whether the drivers are controlled as a per-luminaire standalone DALI application, a broadcast/group object, pre-addressed devices, or individually addressed/virtual luminaires. These architectures differ in bus power, address capacity, control granularity and node accounting. Do not describe a third-party ecosystem product as an “official Casambi controller,” and do not transfer one device’s current or driver-count limit to the whole platform.

For example, Casambi’s CBU-ASD is designed mainly for per-luminaire use. Its 6 mA DALI supply permits up to three DALI drivers, subject to bus voltage drop; its documented profiles include automatic addressing, broadcast, pre-addressed and DALI-group control, plus DT6/DT8 options. CBU-DCS has no internal DALI supply, must be powered from the DALI bus, and its supported driver/control arrangement depends on its selected profile. Salvador-class addressed DALI integration needs its own model-specific address and node-count check.

DALI inputs and diagnostics require separate confirmation

Do not assume that support for DALI drivers also means support for DALI or DALI-2 sensors and switches. Verify whether the selected controller supports DALI control gear, DALI-2 input devices, or both, and confirm the required sensor profile and wiring. Likewise, DALI can support individual addressing and, with suitable D4i or diagnostic-capable drivers and correctly configured Casambi hardware/software, may expose status, energy or fault data. Diagnostics are not a universal consequence of using DALI.

Source: Casambi Support, CBU-ASD DALI luminaire control — https://support.casambi.com/support/solutions/articles/12000104797-dali-luminaire-control-with-cbu-asd

Source: Casambi Support, CBU-DCS DALI luminaire control — https://support.casambi.com/support/solutions/articles/12000104817-dali-luminaire-control-with-cbu-dcs

Use the Control Method Selection Matrix

For phase-cut designs, validate the selected product rather than assuming universal edge support. Casambi’s native CBU-TED-LR is a trailing-edge dimmer. Specify leading-edge operation only when the selected Casambi Ready ecosystem device explicitly supports it.

Source: Casambi Support, CBU-TED / CBU-TED-LR introduction — https://support.casambi.com/support/solutions/articles/12000101614-cbu-ted-cbu-ted-lr-introduction

Verify Dimming, Colour and Fixture Profile Behavior

Test the user-visible result

Request specified and tested high output, lowest stable output, visible stepping, low-level flicker, dropout, start from a low level, fade curve and consistency between samples. Separate “minimum dimming level,” a zero-percent command, visible output and complete electrical switch-off. For tunable-white or RGBW work, confirm CCT range, channel mapping/polarity, simultaneous brightness-and-colour behavior and performance at CCT extremes.

Casambi Ready luminaires are represented through fixture profiles, but profiles are not freely programmable templates. The available alternatives are defined by the product manufacturer; some devices have only one fixed profile. Even if a paired device permits profile selection, the choice is normally confined to its manufacturer-defined profile group. Changing a profile can invalidate channel mappings, scenes or automation settings, so identify the profile name/ID, default state and change authority in the acceptance record.

Confirm Casambi App or Casambi Pro Compatibility

Record the commissioning platform—Casambi App or Casambi Pro—and test the selected profile in that platform. Casambi Pro supports basic functionality of Casambi Ready devices, but profile-specific and multifunction behavior may not work as expected. In Pro, separately controlled DALI channels are not supported; multi-channel luminaires use the same scene value across channels. Pro has limited multi-function support, principally luminaire + sensor or luminaire + switch combinations. These constraints can change the correct profile and controller choice.

Source: Casambi Support, Casambi Pro device support — https://support.casambi.com/support/solutions/articles/12000104367-casambi-pro-device-support

Test Controller Placement, Environment and Wireless Performance

Validate the final, closed construction

Casambi-compatible LED light fixtures need enough space for cable entry, strain relief, insulation, thermal clearance and service access. Large metal housings, gear trays and nearby steel can reduce radio performance. Test with the enclosure fully closed, at actual mounting height and orientation, with nearby luminaires powered, at the network edge, through power loss/recovery and after re-synchronization. Test node-to-node communication as well as phone-to-device operation. Repeat the test if enclosure material, antenna position or fixture geometry changes.

An internal controller does not necessarily need the same standalone IP rating as the luminaire when it is inside a properly protected compartment. However, the completed assembly must still meet required ingress protection, temperature, condensation, safety, EMC and radio conditions after integration. Check ta/tc—not merely room ambient temperature—and separately rate external controllers, junction boxes, glands, sensors and antenna openings.

Source: Casambi Support, CBU-DCS installation guidance: avoid large metal structures — https://support.casambi.com/support/solutions/articles/12000104906-installation-and-wiring-instructions

Create a Compatibility Record and Factory Test Plan

A structured record makes Casambi-compatible LED light fixtures easier to specify, quote, commission and replace. For every approved configuration, retain the following information before production:

Factory testing should cover discovery, correct profile, on/off, minimum/maximum dimming, colour functions, sensor/relay response, recovery, and closed-housing mesh communication. Label fixtures or batches with the luminaire, driver, control device, profile, firmware generation, project area and test status. Approve the final-construction sample before mass production, then allocate pairing, naming, groups, scenes, sensor settings, network ownership and future replacement to named parties.

FY LIGHTING Integration Guidance

FY LIGHTING can develop Casambi-compatible LED light fixtures using verified DALI, 0–10 V, PWM, sensor and Casambi control components. Each proposed configuration should be confirmed with driver documentation, fixture-profile information, a wiring diagram, closed-housing wireless testing and representative sample approval. Use “Casambi Ready” for a specific FY LIGHTING model only when that product or integration is authorized under the Casambi ecosystem designation.

Conclusion

The best Casambi-compatible LED light fixtures are not selected from a logo or a controller model alone. They are complete, evidenced combinations of a luminaire, driver, integration method, firmware generation, fixture profile, radio installation and commissioning environment. In procurement terms, Casambi-compatible LED light fixtures should be released only after the exact sample, compatibility record and factory/site responsibilities have been verified.

FAQ

What does Casambi Ready certification mean?

It is Casambi’s official ecosystem designation for a product authorized to operate natively within the platform. The implementation may use an embedded module, a Ready driver or an integrated CBU control unit. Casambi Ready luminaires still require function, profile and project-level verification.

Can Classic and Evolution devices work in the same network?

No. Classic devices operate only in a Classic network and Evolution devices only in an Evolution network. Their electrical interface and apparent product similarity do not override firmware-generation compatibility.

Does every DALI driver count as a Casambi node?

No single answer applies. The result depends on the selected architecture: broadcast, group control, per-luminaire control and addressed DALI/virtual-luminaire integration have different control and node-accounting behavior.

Are DALI-2 sensors compatible with every Casambi DALI controller?

No. Confirm whether the selected device supports DALI control gear, DALI-2 input devices or both; then verify the profile, bus power and wiring for the actual sensor.

Can a Casambi fixture use a conventional wall switch?

It can, but a switch that removes mains power takes the wireless node offline. Use a verified input, relay or dim-to-off strategy when control availability is required.

Does adding a controller preserve IP or safety certification?

Not automatically. A protected internal module may be acceptable, but the completed assembly must be assessed for IP, temperature, condensation, safety, EMC and radio compliance.

Can the same fixture profile be used in Casambi App and Casambi Pro?

Not necessarily. Confirm the product profile and multifunction behavior in the chosen commissioning platform before release.