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„The missing link“

DALI and innovative building management

Digital Addressable Lighting Interface

 The perfect connection:
DALI and building management

DALI – open for new possibilities

Up to 64 ECGs
BST area DALI area Up to 16 groups
Up to 16 scenes DALI has become established worldwide as the standard
Gateway
for digital lighting control. DALI is an open non-pro-
DALI EVG DALI EVG DALI EVG
prietary standard that for the fist time makes genuine
PC freely addressable lighting control a reality (individual,
DALI EVG DALI EVG DALI EVG group, all together). DALI is much easier to install,
extremely versatile and much more cost-effective than
Sensor
DALI EVG DALI EVG DALI EVG
any lighting control systems already on the market,
Switch
despite its greater functionality.
DALI EVG DALI EVG DALI EVG

Innovative DALI lighting solutions can be

now perfectly integrated in modern building
control systems (BCS). Special gateways act
Remote control
as “translators” between building control
With special gateways the benefits of DALI can also be incorporated in building management systems.
systems (BCS) and DALI. They ensure that
all the benefits of DALI can also be used in
building management.

Simple topology
DALI offers easier planning, lower costs and greater
flexibility. DALI equipment is installed using standard
installation material for mains voltage (e.g. 5 x 1.5 mm2
NYM), with the two free wires being used for DALI.
Any wiring topology can be used, such as line, star or
mixed, without using terminating resistors. And there is
1-10V
no obligation to physically assign any of the DALI units
to specific groups of luminaires. The only restrictions
are that there can be no closed rings in the wiring and
Switching/dimming actuator
that the maximum distance between the gateway and e.g. LON / EIB
the DALI unit is 300 m.
Thanks to its topology DALI is the best 1-10 V solution: At least one 2-way switching/dimming actuator is needed per room.
and most flexible solution because
multiple switching/dimming actuators
can be replaced by one gateway
(see illustrations right).

DALI

e.g. LON / EIB

Gateway

DALI solution: More functions – fewer components.

With just two wires at the output, the interface has the same functionality as 16 switching/dimming
actuators. This means that a single unit can be used to form up to 16 groups which can then be easily
changed using software – there is no need to do anything with the wiring.
DALI makes everything easier

Simple wiring Intelligent fault reporting Start-up as usual – flexibility like never before
A separate bus cable is not needed for installing DALI. DALI allows lamp faults to be queried by groups and, For integrating DALI there are software tools available
A single 5-core cable will handle DALI and power now for the first time, individually. Such precise fault from various building systems companies that are based
supply requirements at the same time. As in 1-10 V information is important particularly where for safety on traditional start-up operations for 1-10 V systems.
systems, there is no need to worry about polarity. or cost reasons it is essential to locate defective lamps Start-up can be easily achieved with a PC and standard
Another clever feature is that with DALI there is also quickly, for example in tunnels or at airports. Individual software, for example from the EIB/LON environment.
no need for external switching relays because the DALI querying is also ideal for detecting “hidden” faults, If a room is to be used for a new purpose, all that’s
unit switches itself on and off with the aid of digital for example in daylight ceilings which are covered by needed for adjustments is to be made in the software.
commands. What makes DALI particularly simple to translucent foil or frosted glass. With DALI, there is no longer need for costly and
set up is that luminaires do not have to be wired in time-consuming changes to be made by wiring.
In conjunction with appropriate control units, it is also
groups. This means there is total flexibility in changing
possible to record the number of hours burned. Com- DALI can be easily expanded and modified at
the use of a room. All the changes are made in the
plaints about premature failure can then be backed up any time. Further elements can be added –
software.
by documentation – and scheduled lamp replacements and then integrated in the existing system
can be coordinated more effectively. simply by means of software.

Neutral
Complete central monitoring of large
DALI (DA) properties is now a reality. With DALI, the
lighting subsystem can at last be incorpo-
rated in building systems technology – all
Protective earth the room lighting statuses can be quickly,
easily and reliably mapped on a PC.

DALI (DA)
Phase

DALI wiring:
All what is needed for DALI and power
supply is a single standard 5-core cable.
DALI. Flexible lighting solutions
that will fascinate your customers

The DALI standard

defines the communication
between the DALI controller and DALI units,
such as electronic control gears. The interface definition
for ECGs, published as Annex E4 to European Standard
EN 60929, was developed by the DALI Activity Group
(under the auspices of the ZVEI) – an association of the
leading manufacturers of control units and electronic
control gears.
This was the basis on which DALI became
established as the digital standard in the
lighting industry.

Benefits of DALI

No need to worry about the mains voltage phase (L1, L2, L3)

Two-wire line, no need to worry about the polarity or potential of the control wires

No need for a separate bus line

No wiring by groups (or channels)

Free addressing of the DALI units: all together, by group, individual

Scene memory in the DALI units (maximum of 16)

Individual status messages from DALI units (e.g. lamp faults)

Synchronised scene transitions

Dimmer curve analogous to the behaviour of the human eye

No external relay, DALI units switch themselves on and off

130 S18 E 05/03 Subject to change without notice. Errors and omission excepted

For more information on DALI please contact your

luminaire or control equipment manufacturer or refer
to the DALI handbook published by the DALI Activity
Group. You can also go to:
www.dali-ag.org

Activity Group DALI

of ZVEI e.V., Electrical Luminaires Association
Stresemannallee 19
D-60596 Frankfurt am Main
Telefon: +49 (0) 69 63 02-0
Telefax: +49 (0) 69 63 02-317
E-Mail: [email protected]