Installation Requirements

Mandatory requirement for DALI communication

DALI LINE POWER SUPPLY

The first mandatory system requirement is the DALI line power supply. This device is current limited and enables DALI devices to communicate on the line without having to use their own power.

One of the early prerequisites of DALI was that the line could be wired alongside the mains supply without any need for special segregation. The simplest way to achieve this was ensuring that the DALI wires were optically isolated away from the internal circuitry of a DALI device or controller.

The process of optically isolating the DALI control signal in essence created a problem of supplying power to the line. This problem was solved with the introduction of a DALI line power supply, this allows for DALI devices to utilize the line power to communicate on the line.

Another advantage of the DALI power supply is the ability to power devices such as switches and sensors from the DALI line without the need for any other power supply.

This is the device that you want to control

DALI DEVICES

The next requirement for a DALI system is to install a DALI device to be controlled. DALI devices are available to control almost every light source or even blind controllers or relays.

An installer or designer can install as many as 64 DALI devices connected to a single DALI line. Control devices can be, but not limited to

  • Fluorescent Ballast
  • HID ballast
  • LED converter
  • Halogen converter
  • Incandescent converter
  • Relay
  • 4-20mA device
  • DALI IR receiver

This allows you to control the DALI device

DALI CONTROLLER

The final component required to get a DALI system working is a DALI controller. A controller can be as simple as a DALI group controller, DALI scene controller, DALI sensor or even a lighting control system that can communicate to the DALI device. Control devices can be one or more of the following

  • DALI Gateway
  • DALI Front end controller
  • DALI Switch
  • DALI sensor
  • DALI IR transmitter
  • DALI 4-20ma receiver etc

A simple DALI line could consist of a DALI power supply, sensor and ballast