Lumitec Expands Poco Lighting Control for Larger Yacht Installations

Lumitec has expanded its Poco Digital Lighting Control platform with a new Channel Expander feature designed for larger and more complex marine lighting installations. The update allows multiple Poco modules to communicate across an NMEA 2000-based network, increasing the number of controllable lighting channels and the total current capacity available to builders and integrators.

The change is particularly relevant to larger yachts because lighting systems are increasingly divided into multiple exterior, interior and underwater zones. Instead of forcing one controller to handle every circuit, networked Poco modules can now be distributed around the vessel while operating as part of a coordinated control architecture.

Multiple Poco modules can operate as one system

Each Poco module continues to provide four independent lighting channels. With Channel Expander enabled, one module can act as the primary controller while additional units operate as expansion modules, allowing the installation to grow beyond the traditional capacity of a single 40-amp module.

This distributed architecture can reduce the need to route high-current lighting circuits back to one central location. On a yacht with several decks and widely separated lighting zones, placing modules closer to the loads can simplify cable runs while preserving a common user interface for control and scene management.

NMEA 2000 forms the network backbone

Poco 4 already supports NMEA 2000, CANbus integration and control through compatible multifunction displays and connected smart devices. The Channel Expander uses that network capability to coordinate several modules rather than treating each controller as an isolated lighting system.

Lumitec says the approach is intended to increase scalability without adding unnecessary operating complexity. Centralised configuration gives installers a way to manage additional circuits and zones while owners and crew continue interacting with the lighting system through familiar display or mobile controls.

Designed for increasingly complex yacht lighting

Modern yacht lighting extends well beyond basic deck illumination. RGB and RGBW fixtures, underwater lights, courtesy lighting, scene presets and synchronised entertainment effects can all increase the number of individually managed channels required onboard, particularly on larger vessels.

The Channel Expander gives Poco a clearer route into those installations by allowing capacity to increase module by module. For new-build and refit teams, the practical value will depend on the yacht's existing NMEA 2000 architecture, electrical load planning and the number of lighting zones required, but the networked approach provides more flexibility than a single-controller layout.