Intelligent emergency lighting of the future
The ONLITE central nBOX represents the future of emergency lighting. This group battery system combines minimal space requirements with maximum safety. As a central emergency lighting system, it integrates seamlessly into your building infrastructure. The innovative technology enables flexible solutions – from stand-alone installation to building management integration. Ideal for office buildings, medical settings or airports, the nBOX S and nBOX L series offer maximum reliability with minimal maintenance effort.
Durable system performance
Maximum flexibility
Versatile interface
Outstanding efficiency
Simple refurbishment solution
nBox
Compact Power, Intelligent Safety
nBox is the latest group battery system in Zumtobel’s emergency lighting portfolio, designed for seamless integration into modern buildings while ensuring full EN compliance and high operational reliability.
Clear internal structuring, efficient cabling, and app‑based commissioning make nBox easy to install and maintain. Its digital intelligence supports:
- Long luminaire lifetime
- Low energy consumption
- Intuitive access for installers and facility managers
nBox combines robust engineering, architectural discretion, and long‑term operational certainty.
Key advantages
The compactness of the 48V technology, and the scalability of networking, in a single product.
Thanks to its compact 48 V architecture, a single nBox can supply:
- up to 1,600 m² per fire section
- up to 160 emergency luminaires
Larger installations benefit from networking:
- up to 100 interconnected nBox systems
- up to 16,000 emergency luminaires
- up to 40 kWh of emergency lighting system power
This scalable concept ensures maximum safety and continuity, even in complex buildings.
Low-voltage and Power Line Communication (PLC) increase installation effectiveness and speed.
A key advantage of nBox is its 48 V low‑voltage technology, offering clear benefits over traditional 230 V systems:
- Improved safety during installation and operation
- Use of standard 1.5 mm² cabling
- No need for fire‑resistant cables
- Longer cable runs and flexible layouts
- Reduced installation time and cost
nBox also uses 48 V DC Power Line Communication (PLC), transmitting power and data via the same cable. This results in:
- Fewer cables and less infrastructure
- Lower voltage drop compared to 12 / 24 V systems
- Simplified commissioning and future system expansion
SMARTescape
Adaptive Emergency Guidance
SMARTescape is Zumtobel’s concept for dynamic emergency lighting. In combination with SMARTSIGN luminaires, emergency lighting becomes an adaptive guidance system that reacts to real‑time building conditions such as:
- Smoke detection
- Fire alarm signals
- Manual or predefined safety scenarios
Escape routes are updated dynamically to ensure safe orientation in environments such as hospitals, offices, retail spaces, education facilities, and transport hubs.
Each nBox includes four programmable inputs, configurable for functions like:
- Fire alarm
- Phase monitoring
- Emergency stop
- Manual activation
When systems are networked, these inputs can be shared across multiple nBox units to activate coordinated safety scenarios.
nBox Apps & Networking – Digital Tools for Smooth Operation
The nBox ecosystem is supported by digital tools that simplify commissioning, monitoring, and maintenance.
The nBox App enables:
- Mobile commissioning and diagnostics
- Live system access
- Review of emergency test logs
- Configuration updates and documentation access
For larger installations, the integrated TCP/IP interface allows up to 100 nBox units to operate as a supervised network. With networking licences, users benefit from:
- Shared functionality across systems
- Central dashboards for facility management
- Aggregated system status information
- Optional BACnet integration with building management systems
This digital infrastructure ensures transparency, scalability, and future‑ready emergency lighting.
A wide range of system variants for any application
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The ONLITE central nBOX in practice
The ONLITE central nBOX excels in office buildings, hospitals and airports thanks to its seamless integration with building technology. Architects and specialist planners value the system's compact construction and extremely long service life.
Downloads
NBOX brochure (DE) - Project design guide for your emergency escape lighting system (DE)NBOX brochure (DE) - Superbly small group battery system (DE)NBOX brochure (EN) - Project design guide for your emergency escape lighting system (EN)NBOX brochure (EN) - Superbly small group battery system (EN)NBOX brochure (FR) - Project design guide for your emergency escape lighting system (FR)NBOX brochure (FR) - Superbly small group battery system (FR)NBOX brochure (IT) - Project design guide for your emergency escape lighting system (IT)NBOX brochure (IT) - Superbly Small Group Battery System (IT)NBOX brochure (NL) - Project design guide for your emergency escape lighting system (NL)NBOX brochure (NL) - Superbly small group battery system (NL)
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QUESTIONS ABOUT ONLITE central nBOX
What is the maximum number of emergency luminaires that a single nBOX can control?
The ONLITE central nBOX system stands out with its exceptional performance and scalability. The basic configuration includes two output circuits, each capable of supporting up to 20 DC 48V emergency luminaires. This allows you to control 40 luminaires in their default condition upon delivery. The system's modular design gives you the flexibility to expand by up to four additional output circuit modules, increasing the number of circuits to eight. A single nBOX can therefore control up to 160 emergency luminaires. This elegant scalability makes the group battery system the ideal solution for small to medium-sized emergency lighting systems – as it gives you peace of mind knowing that the system can be easily expanded if needed.
Can more than 160 emergency luminaires be connected in one system?
Thanks to the ONLITE central nBOX system's linking function, you can network up to 100 nBOX units. This avant-garde system architecture supports up to 16,000 DC 48V emergency luminaires in one central emergency lighting system.
What integration possibilities does the nBOX offer for existing building control systems?
The ONLITE central nBOX system boasts impressively versatile connectivity options and can be elegantly integrated via TCP/IP and BAC-Net. A REST API is also available. This diversity makes integration into your existing building management system a breeze.
How is cybersecurity guaranteed for the system?
The ONLITE central nBOX system meets the highest safety standards. Our hard work is reflected in PSTI compliance. The successful penetration tests demonstrate just how reliable the group battery system is.
What makes the nBOX S stand out in particular?
The nBOX S presents itself as the world's most compact group battery system in its class. It controls up to 160 luminaires through a maximum of 8 output circuits and is particularly suitable for emergency lighting systems with an operating duration of one hour.
Is E30 cabling necessary?
E30 cabling is not strictly necessary, as an nBox independently supplies a fire compartment of up to 1,600 m². In larger buildings, multiple fire compartments are established, with each zone protected by its own nBox. This decentralised structure with multiple independent systems boosts fail-safe performance, meaning no continuous E30 cabling is needed.
What are the differences between nBOX S and nBOX L?
The key difference between the nBOX S and the nBOX L lies in their performance capabilities. The nBOX L features a more powerful charging unit and a larger battery housing. This version delivers three hours of emergency operation for the central emergency lighting components that are connected.