frequently asked questions

Lumin is a Charlottesville, Virginia based company that was founded in 2016. We make the patented, UL certified Lumin® Energy Management Platform which brings intelligent control to any electrical distribution panel, making ordinary circuits smart. Lumin’s hardware/software system enables responsive load management that can adjust automatically to storage status, electricity pricing, and much more.

Lumin makes ordinary circuits smart, activating responsiveness to a range of complex home energy conditions including grid outages, circuit schedules, homowner inputs & preferences, distribution panel amperage limits, electricity pricing, demand limits and battery charge state and capacity.

At Lumin, we believe, and we’re not alone, that the traditional, centralized, one-way energy grid will give way to a decentralized grid that has local generation (solar), stored energy, and responsive load management. Your own personal microgrid with the traditional grid as a backup. It is happening. Faster in some parts of the world due to climate change, the abundance of solar, and a greater need for resilience. We believe that bringing ordinary circuits to life will help usher in the distributed energy future.

• Save money on your energy bill.
• Eliminate energy waste from “vampire loads” or unnecessary consumption.
• Increase safety and peace of mind (ex. “oops, I left my range on, I can turn it off remotely with Lumin”).
• Improve energy efficiency (know when to replace inefficient or malfunctioning appliances).

Homeowners with solar + energy storage:

• Save $1,000 – $8,000 on day 1, as a result of saved equipment costs and a right sized energy storage system.
• Gain dynamic, reconfigurable, affordable backup
• Can expand their microgrid by adding more storage as budgets allow and lifestyles require
• Can access more power when they need it by load trading during outages

Lumin measures current and voltage through proprietary sensor boards and provides control through relays that are housed within the Lumin Smart Panel (LSP) enclosure.

Yes, the LSP adheres to all relevant National Electric Code requirements and has been certified by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) to the standards of UL 916 and 61010.

Yes, the LSP comes with a ten-year limited warranty.

The LSP requires approximately 17”X24” of space above/below the circuit breaker panel or 17”X17” of space to the left/right of the circuit breaker panel that is free of any obstructions (conduits, outlets, etc.) The LSP is required to be connected to the internet either via homeowner WiFi or Ethernet cable.

The LSP is installed to perform in series with your existing circuit breaker panel. To learn more about the installation process, please go to https://www.luminsmart.com/installers

A licensed electrician is required in order to install the LSP.

Yes, the LSP is compatible with circuit breakers rated up to 60A.

No. The functionality of your existing circuit breaker panel remains the same, including its important safety and security features.

Yes. The LSP will not impact the functionality of your existing circuit breaker panel, no matter if the LSP is powered on or off.

The LSP can currently measure and control up to twelve single pole circuits or six dual pole circuits (or any combination of the two). Additional Lumin panels can be installed to accommodate more circuits.

The LSP can support circuit breakers up to 60 amps.

Once your LSP is properly installed you can access your online account via the web based Lumin Insights Portal or through the Lumin iOS or Android App.

Once installed and configured, the LSP will continue to operate with or without internet connection. All schedules and modes (automations) are stored locally and do not require cloud connection.

In many cases, installers will use multiple Lumin Smart Panels to control loads in various subpanels across the house. In many cases, you can use one for the main and one for the 100A sub. Alternatively, if there are fewer than 12 lines total that you need to control and the load centers are not too far apart and/or there is easy access via attic space or other route, you could extend Lumin conductors to both services with a single Lumin panel. In order to automate the load shedding, we will also need to have a hardline connection from the Lumin panel to an unprotected breaker or the line side of any automatic transfer switches.

Lumin is well protected against voltage spikes. Lumin utilizes transient suppression circuitry for AC components and galvanic isolation between AC and DC components.