Shadow Caster SCM-LC-N2K NMEA 2000 Standardized Lighting Controller Installation Guide

Installation
- Identify the product serial number located on the back of the Light Commander housing or on the packaging for warranty purposes.
- Refer to the provided wiring diagrams for typical installations based on your model (N2K, N2K-PLUS, N2K-PLUS-V2).
- Connect the Light Commander to the NMEA 2000 backbone and power source according to the diagram.
Operation
- Access the lighting control interface which includes various modes like music synchronization, fade, and custom color rotations.
- Adjust the brightness and turn ON/OFF for each of the 6 zones supported by the Light Commander.
- Connect optional push button switches for additional control over RGB(W) zones and color settings.

FAQs

Q: How do I find the product serial number?
- A: The serial number is located on the back of the Light Commander housing or on the packaging.
Q: What are the different lighting modes available?
- A: The Light Commander offers various lighting modes including music synchronization, fade, and custom color rotations.
Q: How many zones can be controlled by the Light Commander?
- A: The Light Commander supports up to 6 zones with a maximum current of 15A per channel.

LIGHT COMMANDER BOX CONTENTS

Light Commander Lighting Controller

4 x SS316 Pan Head #8 x 3⁄4″ Mounting Screws
Deutsch connector pigtail assemblies

Standard Ethernet Cable (Plus & V2 Versions)

PRODUCT SERIAL NUMBER

You can add your product serial number here for warranty and product registration purposes.
The serial number is located on the back of the Light Commander housing and on the packaging.

My Serial Number:

LIGHT COMMANDER OVERVIEW

The Shadow-Caster™ Light Commander (SCM-LC) is available in three models:

SCM-LC-N2K
- For connection directly to MFDs with built in NMEA 2000 lighting support, or as an expansion model to “Light Commander N2K PLUS” and “Light Commander N2K PLUS V2” installations.

SCM-LC-N2K-PLUS
- Offers an integrated Ethernet interface along with an NMEA 2000 interface for network connections to Garmin, Simrad, Lowrance, B&G, Raymarine, Furuno and Humminbird.
SCM-LC-N2K-PLUS-V2
- Offers all of the features of the SCM-LC-N2K-PLUS and a built in Wifi interface to use the available Shadow- Caster IOS and Android app.
- This installation and operation manual covers the SCMLC- N2K, SCM-LC-N2K-PLUS, & SCM-LC-N2K-PLUS-V2 models.

SCM-LC-N2K FEATURES

Control up to 6 lighting zones (expandable to 12 or 18 by adding one or two SCM-LC-N2K for 6 additional channels each).
IP67 housing with LED indicators for channels 1-4 and logo backlight.
Full independent color, brightness and multiple lighting modes including music synchronization, fade, and custom color rotations.
Built in support for 4 channels of RGBW lighting up to 15 amps each.
Digital overcurrent protection.
Auto-detect for selection of RGB or RGBW channel configurations.
Store and recall virtually unlimited lighting scenes.
Integrated push button switch support. Control ON/ OFF and brightness for each of the 6 zones.
Global momentary push button color control.
Deutsch connectors for lighting connections and switch inputs.
Direct music input via 3.5mm audio jack.

SCM-LC-N2K-PLUS FEATURES

All the features listed above for the SCM-LC-N2K, plus:
Ethernet port for MFD Ethernet connection to use the Shadow-Caster™ full lighting control interface.

USB-C port for software upgrades
V2 Wi-Fi Support

WIRING DIAGRAM

SCM-LC-N2K TYPICAL WIRING DIAGRAM

SCM-LC-N2K-PLUS & SCM-LC-N2K-PLUS-V2 TYPICAL WIRING DIAGRAM

CONNECING TWO LIGHT COMMANDERS TYPICAL WIRING DIAGRAM

DEUTSCH CONNECTORS FOR LIGHTING AND SWITCH INPUTS

CONNECTOR 1 & 2
- Mating connector – DT06-12SA “A Key”
- Combine these two outputs together when current exceeds 10A.
- Combine these two outputs together when current exceeds 10A.
CONNECTOR 3
- Mating connector – DT06-12SB “B Key”

INSTALLATION

LIGHT COMMANDER INSTALLATION
Central mounting locations under the helm areas or in the bilges are acceptable.

The Light Commander should be mounted with Deutsch wire connectors facing down.
Use the included four 8 x 3⁄4” SS pan head screws for mounting.

LIGHT COMMANDER CONNECTIONS

The Light Commander has four built in RGBW channels.

By default these RGBW channels correspond to zones 1-4, identified in the device list as “LOCAL 1-4” (see
Configure Devices screen shot on page 11). However, they are independent and can be assigned to any of the configured zones 1-6 supported by the controller.
The Light Commander will support 15 amps on each of the 4 RGB(W) channels, for a total of 60 amps in the entire Light Commander.

Note: Shadow-NET™ lighting devices communicate through the orange and yellow Shadow-NET™ interface on connector 3, and can be assigned to any zone 1-6.
As Shadow-NET™ devices do not draw power through the controller, they do not contribute to the Light Commander’s total load calculation.

SELECTING RGB OR RGBW LIGHTING
The Light Commander is pre-configured for RGB output.

TO CONFIGURE FOR RGBW SCM-LC-N2K
Once the system is installed and connected, the Light Commander can be prompted to measure the load of each channel and check for the presence of a WhiteChannel.

Press and hold buttons 1 and 2.
Apply main power to the controller – the white channels should immediately start flashing.

Once detected, release switch 1 & 2 and cycle power to resume normal operation.
- Note: The minimum detection level is 100mA.
- For Plus and V2 Versions: This step can be done as part of the onboarding process, and is available under Settings/Device Settings/Power Test.

LIGHT COMMANDER POWER REQUIREMENTS

See the Shadow-Caster™ wire AWG recommendations for detailed calculations. It is very important to have sufficient gauge wire feeds for RGB lighting. Typical installations use 8AWG or larger wire.
It is recommended to separate feeds for lighting and for sensitive stereo power feeds with direct runs to the battery or a heavy gauge distribution point.

The Light Commander uses digital current sensing to detect over current conditions. When this is detected, the Light Commander will disconnect RGBW channelsfrom power and flash the backlit logo and channel lights red to indicate a fault condition.
The Light Commander will work in 12V or 24V systems.
Please note that 12V or 24 compatible RGB(W) products should be used depending on the application.

RECOMMENDED WIRE GAUGES

Scan the QR Code or click here to view our recommended wire gauge chart.
The load calculations are driven by the max load of the lights on the system.

Example Chart:

Zone 1 channel 1: 10 meter SCM-AL strip 1 amp/meter =10 amps
Zone 2 channel 2: 4 SCM-CLX, 120mA x 4= .5 amps

Zone 3 channel 3: 6 RGB speakers. 250mAea, 1.5 amps
Zone 4 channel 4: Mini-Neon AL strips. 8 ft each. 2.5 amps X 4
Total 22 amps

SWITCH INPUTS (OPTIONAL)

The Light Commander supports zone activation switches. This feature allows a lighting zone to be easily turned on, off and dimmed without using the control screen.
There are 6 zone switch inputs located on connector 3.

The inputs are configured for momentary ‘+’ inputs.
The first button press will turn the corresponding lighting zone on to white, the second press will turn the lights off.
Pressing and holding the input will toggle between dimming and stepping up brightness.

Press switch to turn zone on/off. Press and hold switch for dimming.
There is one global control input, that will step between colors on subsequent presses.
Holding the control switch on for more than 1 second will start color rotation. Color rotation can be stopped by a subsequent button press.

COLOR INDEX CYCLE

Press to step to next color

Press and hold to start color rotation

ADDING ADDITIONAL REMOTES AND MULTI-FUNCTION DISPLAYS

A SCM-ZC-REMOTE device can be added to the installation by connecting to the Shadow-NET™ cable.

SHADOW-NET™ DEVICES

Connect Shadow-NET™ enabled devices to the orange and yellow Shadow-NET™ wires coming from the Light Commander.

As soon as the Light Commander receives power, multiple channels of digital messages start broadcasting on these wires. These messages allow
Shadow-NET™ enabled devices to be connected without a switch. Initially these commands are for attached lights to turn off. As soon as a command is given to the Light Commander to go to a color, these attached devices will receive a message to go to the corresponding color and brightness.

OPTIONAL PARTS

SCM-ZC-REMOTE Additional Remote Control
SCM-MFD-BRIDGE MFD Communications Bridge
SCM-SCNET-01 1meter Cable

SCM-SCNET-02 2 meter Cable
SCM-SCNET-04 4 meter Cable
SCM-SCNET-Y Y Cable

CONNECTING STEREO INPUT FOR STEREO MUSIC SYNC INPUT

Connecting a stereo and amplifier
Connecting a stereo

MUSIC SYNC
The music sync feature samples the music directly from a 3.5mm stereo analog input. There are several modes available for syncing to amplitude or frequency content in the music.

OPTIMIZING MUSIC SYNC

Turn music to typical listening volume, and press PAUSE on your stereo system. This will provide the lighting controller with an input signal representative of the audio system background noise.

Adjust the sensitivity up until the lights start blinking/flickering.
Play the music and adjust the sensitivity and signal rate. This adjusts how quickly the lights respond.

OPTIMIZING MUSIC SYNC FROM SWITCHES

Press and hold buttons 1 and 3 before applying power to the unit. The unit will blink red and green to indicate that music adjustment mode is activated.
Set music to desired volume, then hit pause on the music so that only the background signal is detected.
Click button 3 until lights blink and flicker. Click button one to to decrease sensitivity by one step at a time until lights stop flickering.

Press button 5 to store settings. Lights will flash green to indicate this is good.

FREQUENCY MODE

Frequency mode is the recommended sync mode as it offers the largest array of color options.

The lighting controller uses a digital signal processor to extract the relative intensities of low, mid and highfrequency content.
The music mode defaults to an RGB color sequence.
In this case, red corresponds to low frequencies, green to mid range frequencies, and blue to high frequencies.

If no signal is present or below the threshold, the color will default to the last color in the sequence or a fourth.

BEST PRACTICES FOR MITIGATING NOISE ISSUES
Noise interference is common in systems with RGB lighting controls and amplified stereo systems. The advanced circuitry in the lighting controller does everything possible to protect from this. Utilizing installation best practices will further mitigate these issues.

Make sure to supply ample gauge power and separate distribution points from stereo power.

Run RGB power wires as far as possible from the speaker feeds for the stereo. Run separate bundles where possible.

CONNECTING TO THE NETWORK:

When connecting to the network port, please check with the manufacturer of your device for required adapters.

Reference also available here.

BASIC OPERATIONS FOR SHADOW-CASTER MFD USER INTERFACE

The first time a unit is connected, it will walk the user through onboarding.

ONBOARDING

INTERACTIVE INTERFACE

The interface will start up to this home screen.

SCENES (DEFAULT HOME SCREEN)

ZONES

SETTINGS

COLOR SEQUENCE CONFIGURATION

BASIC OPERATIONS

BASIC OPERATIONS FOR SHADOW-CASTER MFD USER INTERFACE
LIGHTING MODES

SOLID COLOR
- Easily recall colors and color sequences. If selecting a sequence, a rate will be applied to changing these.
COLOR FADE
- Rotates colors with the overall brightness going up and down.
COLOR CHANGE
- Transitions between colors and sequences but keeps overall brightness the same.
FLASH STROBE
- Flashes single colors or sequences with changeable rate.
RGB COLOR WHEEL
- Quickly select any color and brightness.
FREQUENCY MUSIC SYNC
- Uses full spectrum digital signal processing to go with the music.
AMPLITUDE MUSIC SYNC
- Sets the music to go with the beat of the music. Picks up on the volume peaks in the music, can use a single color or rotate through a sequence.
NO CHANGE
- If you want to create a scene that does not affect other lights, Setting a zone to “No change” will leave them unaffected.
OFF
- Simply sets a zone to off.

BASIC OPERATIONS FOR SIMRAD NMEA 2000 LIGHTING INTERFACE
ZONE CONTROL

SCENE SELECTION

BRIGHTNESS ADJUSTMENT SCREEN

SINGLE COLOR ADJUSTMENT SCREEN

DYNAMIC LIGHTING EFFECTS SCREEN

ZONE CONFIGURATION & LIGHT ASSIGNMENT SCREENS

LIGHT COMMANDER APP CONNECTION & CONFIGURATION

The Light Commander V2 supports Wi-Fi interface for communicating with the Shadow-Caster Lighting’s App. Available on IOS and Android.

How to Use the System:

Connect to the Wi-Fi
Open the app, and select the controller
Easily create and recall lighting scenes.
- Click to Download for IOS
- Click to Download for Android

To Connect: The Light Commander will broadcast an SSID by default typically “Shadowcaster_XXXX”
Default Password: “shadowcaster”

LIGHT COMMANDER APP CONNECTION & CONFIGURATION CONTINUED

Configuring Wi-Fi Connection Through MFD/HTML Interface.

The following page can be accessed through the MFD interface, or by opening a connected browser and going to the URL ”Lightcommander\”

Modes:

Access point: (Default) For connecting directly to the Light Commander without a router.
Connect: Used when an additional router is present. (When using this mode, click scan to provide a list of locally available networks) The systems SSID and password can also be adjusted from this page.
Troubleshooting Tips: If the Lighting Controller is not immediately detected, please check to make sure that the device is connected to the same network as the Light Commander, or connected directly to it. It may be necessary to restart the app if connection is lost.

TROUBLESHOOTING

MUSIC SYNC NOT WORKING

Verify that an appropriate 3.5mm stereo jack is being used and that there is a usable signal.
If a separate output zone is used, verify that the output is enabled and the output is set to a usable volume.
It is not recommended to use a subwoofer output, as certain sync modes require the full audio range.

SHADOW-NET™ LIGHTS WILL OCCASIONALLY LOCK UP AND STOP RECEIVING MESSAGES

This indicates that there is a noise issue on the Shadow-NET™ communication lines. Typically this is caused by insufficient gauge wire feeding one or more Shadow-NET™ connected lights.

SHADOW-NET™ LIGHTS STAY ON

If the connected Shadow-NET™ lights are not turning off at initial power up then there is a challenge with the Shadow-NET™ connection.
Check the orange and yellow wire connections are not reversed and are fully connected.

FACTORY RESET

Press and hold buttons 1 and 7 at start up.

DIMENSIONS

CONTACT INFORMATION

Shadow-Caster™ LED Lighting
2060 Calumet Street.
Clearwater, FL 33765
p: 1+ 727.474.2877
e: info@shadow-caster.com
w: shadow-caster.com.
Designed & Manufactured in Clearwater, FL
WWW.SHADOW-CASTER.COM.

Documents / Resources

Shadow Caster SCM-LC-N2K NMEA 2000 Standardized Lighting Controller [pdf] Installation Guide
SCM-LC-N2K NMEA 2000 Standardized Lighting Controller, SCM-LC-N2K, NMEA 2000 Standardized Lighting Controller, Standardized Lighting Controller, Lighting Controller, Controller

References

User Manual

Shadow Caster SCM-LC-N2K NMEA 2000 Standardized Lighting Controller

Specifications

Product Usage Instructions