We have already shared various passages about DALI (such as “4 steps to enable DALI wiring”, “What is DT6 or DT8”, “DALI constitution, scene match & test”, “FAQs for DALI application” and so on). Probably you haven’t had a comprehensive understanding on DALI dimming system. Don’t worry about that! Your confusions will be driven away after reading today’s passage! Now let’s walk into the DALI world!  

1. DALI Development

DALI, whose full name is “Digital Addressable Lighting Interface” was created in the middle of 1990s (as part of the IEC 60929 standard). After that, it became an independent international communication protocol standard of lighting device control (IEC62386 standard). As DALI develops, the DALI protocol has been widely extended by DALI Alliance, and its certification programs have been introduced as well, including these released standards: DALI-2, D4i, DALI+, etc.

2. DALI Protocol

DALI standard protocol mainly refers to the standard document in the IEC 62386 standard protocol suite (e.g. the newly added DiiA specification is released as a new content of IEC 62386 as well). It regulates the digital communication control modes among ballasts, control units and various control devices (sensors). Generally speaking, it can be divided into three types:

a. IEC 62386-1xx: general specification

b. IEC 62386-2xx: subdivision specification of Control Gear (controlled device)

c. IEC 62386-3xx: subdivision specification of Control Device

Among them, the general specification IEC 62386-101 is the basis of the entire DALI protocol, and it systematically regulates DALI components. The previous passage “What is DT6 or DT8” is mainly the interpretation of some contents about the IEC 62386-201~209 control devices.

The IEC 62386-3xx standard was formed in the progress of DALI-2. At the beginning, only the functional interface of its Control Gear was defined by DALI, which incurred multiple compatibility problems among different manufacturers’ masters and controlled devices. And DALI-2 was born to solve these problems.

Contrast of Compatibility Between DALI and DALI-2 Devices

In recent years, with an aim to respond to the development of intelligent IOT and wireless control in the market, D4i and Zhaga-D4i have also been released as an extension of DALI-2. If you are interested in this protocol, just follow Lifud official WeChat account, and we will explain for you in the future passage.

3. DALI System

1) Constitution

A DALI system needs to be equipped with control gear (for sending commends), control device (for receiving commends), and bus power supply (for powering the DALI dimming bus). Different devices can be selected according to different application scenes.

2) Features

① Control capacity of an individual DALI system

a. Up to 128 addressable independent IP addresses (64 LED driver IP addresses and 64 control device IP addresses)

b. Up to 16 lighting groups (group addresses)

c. Up to 16 lighting scenes (scene preset)

② Built-in preset parameters in DALI typical control gear

a. Independent address and group address specified

b. Minimum and maximum brightness values

c. 16 lighting scene preset

d. Fade time

e. Fade rate

f. Power-on status and brightness value

③ For more application features, including maximum on-load signal current, requirements on signal current of individual device, effective distance, etc., please check Lifud previous passages.

3) Wiring

Although DALI dimming requires 2 DALI signal wires on the general lighting circuit, it is easy for operation because the positive or negative electrode of DALI signal wire is not necessary to be identified. Therefore, all we have to do is understand the powered circuits of different parts. For more details, please check Lifud previous passage “4 steps to enable DALI wiring”. 

4. DALI Software Settings

If the above contents merely make you become a junior DALI player, then the application of DALI software settings can make you become a high-level DALI designer. You will acquire the abilities such as creating different popular lighting shows, setting various lighting scenes (e.g. DALI lighting demonstration scene shown on Lifud exhibition) and so on.

Since this part is worthy of explanation as well, we will share with you in the future videos, just stay tuned!

Need driver, choose Lifud

Lifud DALI families consist of 4-320W CC (constant current) & CV (constant voltage), dimmable & tunable white, SELV & non-SELV LED drivers, components such as master, panel/rotary knob, bus power supply, control device (sensor), converter and so on, which makes Lifud be in a position to provide one-stop purchase service of DALI system to the market!

For more information about Lifud LED drivers, please contact us by +86 (0)755-83739299 or freya@lifud.com.