MaxLite AE Switch Area Lights: Now with Remote CCT and Distribution Control

The AE Switch Series puts full field control over wattage, CCT, and distribution into one MaxLite Value Series platform. Instead of ordering a fixed Type III, IV, or V distribution pattern at a fixed color temperature, the installer sets the configuration on site, and the newest AE Switch fixtures add a ground-level remote that changes CCT and distribution even after the area light is mounted and energized.

Electrical contractors standardizing a parking lot or site lighting package, and facility teams replacing aging HID area lights, now have a single platform that covers 75W to 300W across two low-EPA housings, switches distribution without a lift, and ships in DLC Premium and TAA-compliant configurations for rebate and federal bid work.

The AE Switch platform

Every fixture in the AE Switch line shares the same engineering, which is the real value of buying it as a series rather than picking one-off area lights per project. Two low-EPA housings cover the wattage range, so pole and bracket loading stays predictable across a site even when wattages vary building to building. Voltage runs universal 120-277V or high-voltage 277-480V, covering both standard commercial service and larger three-phase distribution common on industrial and big-box sites.

CCT is field-selectable between 3000K, 4000K, and 5000K, and the optics are changeable between Type III, IV, and V distribution using the same housing. The update in this release is ground-level remote control for both CCT and distribution, so a technician does not need a bucket truck or ladder to make either change after the fixture is mounted and energized. Surge protection is 6kV combined with 10kA as standard, with a 20kA option for sites that need it. Housings open without tools for service, the line carries an ANSI 3G vibration rating, and a TAA-compliant version is available for federal and GSA-funded work. This is a Value Series fixture, not a premium controls platform, so treat it as a solid mid-tier spec rather than a full networked lighting control solution.

The range

The table below covers the 75/85/100W tier of the AE Switch line (model prefix AE100), which is the configuration MaxLite has published full specs for. All of these ship with changeable Type III/IV/V optics and field-selectable 3000/4000/5000K CCT as standard. Wattage tiers above and below this range are part of the broader AE Switch platform but are not included in the SKU data below; confirm current specs and lead time with your MaxLite rep before bidding on those configurations.

MaxLite AE Switch Fixtures at RelightDepot

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How to pick within the family

Mounting is usually the first thing that narrows the choice, and it is often dictated by what is already in the ground. A retrofit going onto an existing pole with a slipfitter tenon calls for the SK or upper knuckle version; a new arm-mount install on a wall or a pole with a drilled bracket calls for the A or F configuration. The dual flex-arm-and-slipfitter version (UMC) gives some flexibility on jobs where the mounting condition is not locked in until the site visit. Voltage selection follows the electrical service on site: 120-277V covers most standard commercial panels, while 277-480V is the right call on sites running three-phase distribution, which shows up more often on industrial parks and larger commercial developments.

CCT and distribution are typically set in the lighting design or engineering spec, not chosen by the contractor bidding the job. Where this platform helps is when the spec is open, when a substitution is on the table, or when field conditions do not match the plan. Because CCT and distribution are field-selectable, and now switchable from the ground with the remote, a contractor is not locked into ordering the exact combination called out on day one. If the designer changes the CCT after fixtures are already on order, or an inspector wants a different distribution pattern at final, the change can happen without returning stock or losing schedule days waiting on a replacement.

Sourcing and installation across the line

The 75/85/100W tier shown above is the catalog configuration across all five mounting types. Wattages outside that range are part of the AE Switch platform but are quoted separately, so build in lead time for anything outside the standard listing before committing to a bid date. DLC premium listing applies across the family shown here, which matters for utility rebate programs that require it, and the TAA-compliant version is a separate SKU rather than an add-on option, worth checking against pricing and stock before specifying it on a federal or GSA-funded job.

Mounting hardware and visor accessories are available across the line, but accessory compatibility with a specific pole or existing drill pattern should be confirmed against the spec sheet before ordering, especially on a retrofit where the pole and arm are staying in place. The 6kV/10kA surge protection is standard and adequate for most sites; the 20kA option is worth flagging to the designer on a site with a documented history of surge-related fixture failures, or on a standalone parking structure sitting a long run from the main service entrance. Toolless housing access is a real time saver for whoever ends up doing the maintenance calls on this fixture years from now, not just at initial install.

Explore the MaxLite AE Switch Series at RelightDepot

The AE Switch Series is available through RelightDepot across all five mounting configurations shown above: arm, flexible arm, slipfitter knuckle, upper knuckle, and the dual flex-arm-and-slipfitter mount, with field-selectable wattage, CCT, and distribution on every model. DLC Premium and TAA-compliant versions are stocked alongside the standard configuration.

Our team works with electrical contractors and facility teams to support takeoffs, mounting-configuration questions, and lead-time questions for area and site lighting packages.

Email [email protected] or call 888-548-6387 to speak with a lighting specialist.