DALI
Digital Addressable Lighting Interface
DALI - SIMPLE, INDIVIDUAL AND COST-SAVING!
Dali in a Nutshell:
DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) is a manufacturer-independent standard for controlling dimmable lighting systems in building automation. It enables simple installation, individual adaptation and cost-efficient control of up to 64 devices per system. The DALI bus system offers bidirectional communication, high interference immunity and flexible cabling options without the need for special power supply units or group wiring.
Intelligent light management
DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) was developed by a working group of the German Lighting Association (ZVEI) and is a manufacturer-independent international interface standard for dimmable electronic control gear Electronic control gear.
DALI is used in the building automation sector for simple and uncomplicated control of lighting solutions at room level. Integration into building-wide systems such as KNX (higher-level field bus for cross-room building automation) is possible via bridges. KNX (higher-level field bus for cross-room building automation) is possible via bridges.
Lighting scenes perfectly adapted to use
The operating devices (such as sensors, electronic operating devices, luminaires etc.) with a DALI interface are assigned unique DALI short addresses, which the DALI control unit (or the DALI gateway) uses to query the status of the illuminants and operating devices and set them to the desired operating status (switch on/off, dimming level).
Up to 16 lighting scenarios can be defined, programmed and thus realized with the DALI lighting management system can be realized.


Max. 300 metres of DALI control line
Up to 64 operating devices can be connected
Up to 16 groups
16 lighting scenarios can be realised
Simple planning and cost-effective installation
The DALI bus system has established itself on the market compared to the common 1-10 V standard (ECGs with analog 1 to 10 V interface) and is also regarded as the successor to the DSI + (Digital Serial Interface). DALI impresses with a significantly greater range of functions, very simple handling and cost-effective installation. In contrast to these two systems, with the DALI bus system each individual operating device can have different intensity control values and each reports these back (bidirectional information flow). With the 1-10 V standard and DSI, only a unidirectional flow of information is possible (from control unit to operating device).
High interference immunity and a wide range of structural options for cabling
The DALI bus system works with a serial, asynchronous data protocol (transmission rate 1200 bit/s at a voltage level of 16 V). This ensures a high level of interference immunity and allows the two outdoor cores of the 230 V cable heads to be used for the DALI bus -> simple and cost-effective installation! The cables for data transmission can be laid in star, line or tree form, whereby the maximum distance between two system components cannot exceed 300 m, depending on the cable cross-section.
No terminating resistors are required at the ends of the cables. No ring-shaped connection of components! In contrast to conventional cabling, where all the luminaires in a line can only be switched and dimmed synchronously, with the DALI system the assignment of switches and luminaires can be changed at any time without rewiring.
Less effort Fewer components Simple programming
- Up to 64 actuators/operating devices can be controlled individually or/and in max. 16 groups per DALI bus system via a 2-wire control line - NO group wiring or relays required!
- Each operating device has its own DALI short address, is programmed centrally, can be assigned to several groups and can perform tasks synchronously within these groups or be controlled for individual settings
- Max. 16 light scenes (intensity control values) can be defined and saved per DALI operating device - when a light scene is called up, all DALI ECGs reach their dimming setpoint synchronously
- Max. 250 mA current consumption per DALI bus.
- Up to 2 mA current consumption per DALI load (DALI actuator) - this means that the operating devices do not require their own power supply units
- Max. Voltage drop between transmitter unit and actuator NOT below 2 V
- Max. 300 m length of connecting cables when using conductors with 1.5 mm² Querschnitt (Note: If the maximum length of 300 m is required, then the combined use of the mains cable is not recommended)
- The "outdoor" cables of a 5 x 1.5 mm²-NYM cable of the mains supply (230 V) can be used as control cables
- The polarity of the control cables does not have to be observed with DALI ballasts
- No ring-shaped installation type of the DALI bus system possible - otherwise cables in almost all topologies are possible!
Provided that the required Isolation conditions (double insulation) are met, the "outdoor" cable heads of a 5 x 1.5 mm²-NYM cable from the mains supply (230 V) can be used for the control cables of the digital interface. See image. Big advantage: The DALI bus system does not require its own connecting cables and can therefore be installed very easily and cost-effectively.


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