DALI Frequently Asked Questions

A. DALI stands for Digital Addressable Lighting Interface

A. The DALI protocol is a lighting control system that allows you to address and control lights. It uses a two-way communication allowing users to talk to the lights and issue commands but also the lighting to communicate back.

A. Some of the advantages to DALI are the fact it is an open protocol, so any manufacturer can use it. Furthermore, with the introduction of DALI 2 interoperability between manufacturers is guaranteed. Installation is simple with DALI as you can run power and control lines together with no shielding. Also, because all devices have their own address, this allows for flexible control.

A. DALI uses 2-way communication as it allows you to issue commands but it also allows for faults/diagnostics to be sent back to the user so they can see if there are any issues.

A. DALI originated in the 80’s as an idea to create a standard of communication protocols and components which became successful in the US in the mid 90’s and then became an international standard in 2002.

A. Yes, it is possible to use DALI to control your colour changing lights. DALI DT8 is typically used for this.

A. DALI communicates 2 ways by using specific DALI cabling otherwise known as a DALI Bus.

A. Yes, DALI allows you to address lights separately and is part of why DALI stands for Digital Addressable Lighting Interface.

A. Yes, there is a maximum number of addresses on a DALI network which is 64 addresses.

A. Yes, there is a way to run more than 64 addressed on DALI. Whilst you can only run 64 addresses on a DALI “line” further lines or loops can be added.

A. Yes, the DALI Bus uses its own power supply which is 16v.

A. As DALI uses two-way communications it can communicate in three ways between the user and the lights. It can control the lights e.g., on/off. It can configure the lights e.g., change a light level or fade time. Lastly is can query, so it will ask what output the light is currently at or if there’s a failure.

A. DALI 2 is the latest version of DALI improving interoperability between different companies’ products and it also allows for the addition of control devices not originally useable with DALI.

A. DALI 2 was introduced back in 2014.

A. A DALI System works by having a controller/master is connected to a network where every DALI light/Slave is assigned a unique address so it can be operated individually.

A. Yes, DALI will work with DALI 2. However, you may not get all the features available to DALI 2.

A. The DT in DALI DT6 or DALI DT8 refers to the device type. These are two different control types used to control DALI lighting systems.

A. The DT numbers in DALI are used so they can respond to the “QUERY DEVICE TYPE” which allows the application controller to check the capability of the control gear on the DALI Bus.

A. DALI DT6 drivers use a single DALI address to control a single output e.g., the light output on a standard white LED strip.

A. DALI DT8 drivers use a single DALI address to control 2 or more outputs. As such, DALI DT8 is associated with colour control.

A. DALI DT8 XY is an extension of DT8 and allows users to specify an exact colour from a chart by plotting X & Y coordinates.

A. There can be some benefits to using DALI DT8 over DALI DT6 although this does come down to what you’re looking to achieve. DALI DT8 can help to reduce the number of drivers used in an application also reducing the amount of wiring required as well as reducing the number of DALI addresses being used.

A. Yes, there is a maximum length you can run on a DALI line which is 300 metres.

A. Yes, you can extend the DALI bus line by using signal repeaters to enhance the cable up to 600 metres.

A. DALI systems can be flexible so can be in the form of a star, a tree, a straight line or even any combination of these.

A. A couple of ways you can’t wire a DALI system is in a ring or in a mesh. Generally speaking, whilst you can have several outputs from the “master” you then need to follow a line with your DALI bus after that.

A. No, if you use different DALI devices you won’t get any differences in dimming. As DALI is a standard it means the equipment/devices will all be interoperable, and the dimming curve is standardized.

A. Yes, because DALI is digital, it does have advantages over analogue systems. With DALI being digital it allows more precise lighting control and consistent dimming. It also allows for colour control as well.

A. Yes, it is possible to group lights together on a DALI system and you can have 1 DALI device in several groups allowing for less wiring and flexibility for your set up.

A. Yes, there is a maximum number of groups you can have on a DALI system which is 16 groups.

A. Yes, it is possible to run scenes using DALI. Each DALI device can store 16 different scenes to then be called up when required or set to certain times of the day.

A. No, the DALI bus is not polarity sensitive and a lot of terminals on DALI equipment are just marked DA, DA as a result.

A. Programming a DALI device can change depending on the equipment being used but will typically involve assigning an address to each of the devices installed and then programming can be accomplished wirelessly with some equipment whereas others may need to be wired.

A. No DALI wiring does not need to be shielded. The DALI bus is very resilient to electrical interference, so no shielding is needed.

A. No, you don’t always need a dedicated DALI bus supply unit. Some items can act as controllers and act as a DALI bus power supply as well.

A. Yes, it is possible to control DALI lights wirelessly. Whilst DALI is a wired set up in nature, it is possible to set up controls that allow you to communicate wirelessly with your set up.

A. Yes, it is possible to control DALI lights through and app. Much like controlling wirelessly, there are controls that allow you to set up and app to control your set up.

A. Yes, it is possible to control 0 – 10v lights using DALI and just requires a suitable converter.

A. Yes, it is possible to use Zigbee to control your DALI lights using a suitable converter.

A. Yes, you can use DALI to control your mains powered lights as well as LED lighting.

A. Yes, it is possible to set up your DALI network so you can use a handset.

A. No, you don’t need a computer system to control your DALI network. Some DALI networks can be kept very simple so don’t need configuring over computer.

A. Yes, you do need to use a DALI master controller on your DALI network as all DALI control devices are controlled by this.

A. Yes, it is possible to use sensors to control your DALI lights and can even be configured with scenes so your lights come on a certain way when the sensor is triggered.

A. To run a DALI system, you will need a DALI master and a DALI bus power supply.

A. Yes, you can add more lights to the DALI system you have set up if you’re not over the device count or range of the DALI bus.

A. Yes, it is possible to set up circadian lighting using DALI and usually comes down to how you set the scenes up.

A. Some of the advantages with DALI over a wireless control system is that you don’t need to worry about range or whether the signal will travel through walls to reach certain areas as it is a wired set up. You also don’t need to worry about interference from other wireless systems e.g., Wi-Fi.

A. There isn’t a DALI 6 or DALI 8. As you either have DALI or DALI 2. DALI 6 or 8 is usually said in error and tends to be with reference to DALI DT6 or DT8.

A. DALI+ is a new form of control through DALI and allows you to use wireless & IP based systems whilst still using DALI commands. This can be used alongside wired DALI systems.