Welcome to the illuminated world of smart lighting, where the language spoken is digital, and the magic happens through the Digital Addressable Lighting Interface, or DALI. In this latest offering from the Prolojik Blog, we’re taking a closer look at the technology that has been revolutionising how we control and experience light.
Unveiling the DALI Realm
Digital Addressable Lighting Interface, or DALI, is not just a fancy term, and it has nothing to do with melting clocks or cartoonishly large, waxed moustaches either! It’s a trademark for a family of network-based products designed to control lighting systems. Imagine a world where you can effortlessly orchestrate the brightness, colour, and even the mood of your surroundings with a simple touch. Well, that’s the power that DALI brings to the table.
The journey of DALI began as a successor for 1-10 V and Digital Serial Interface (DSI) lighting control systems. It emerged as an open standard alternative, breaking free from the shackles of proprietary protocols. DALI is not just a stand-alone concept; it’s a movement championed by the Digital Illumination Interface Alliance (DiiA), the driving force behind the DALI, DALI-2, and D4i trademarks.
DALI Lighting System Explained
Traditional lighting systems work by sending a one-way message from a switch to a luminaire. You switch the switch one way, there is power to the luminaire and there is light. You flick the switch the other way and there is no power to the luminaire and no light consequently.
A DALI lighting system works by sending commands to all unique addresses given by LED drivers via a DALI bus, and these LED drivers control the final light output. All DALI systems are bi-directional, which means that they allow each luminaire to communicate back to the control unit and provide information. So, if there is a problem with a single light or any given run of lights, the user will get notified of the error and can take corrective action.
The DALI lighting systems installed and maintained by Prolojik are typically used to provide lighting control over many locations across several lighting circuits, such as multiple floors of a building. Most DALI systems provide multiple levels of brightness, dimming and on/off functions via a ‘Scene Setting Plate’ such as the Prolojik GC604.
The system is mainly comprised of three important components. These include the DALI bus power supply, the Control gear, and the Control input devices.
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Meet Prolojik: Bridging the Light with Intelligence
As proud members of the DiiA, Prolojik remain at the forefront of the smart lighting game. Our Modular, Plexus, Indigo, and Lightmatrix series are not just lighting control products; they are gateways to a world where lighting becomes a language, communicating with finesse and precision.
A Prolojik Modular system, for example, can be as simple as a single module or extended to a zone of up to 64 modules. The addition of our PN400 and PN500 routers allows up to 64,000 modules in a single network supporting potentially hundreds of thousands of luminaires in a single network, with complete interconnectivity across zones and floors.
Our Plexus system can support the full range of DALI functions including biodynamic lighting utilising the DALI DT8 standard. Plexus has been extensively used in commercial, industrial, infrastructure, healthcare and modular build because of its high functionality and compact size.
Plexus is ideally suited for 5-pole busbar installations, lighting tracks and exposed ceilings. The modular design philosophy allows for systems of tens of luminaires, to tens of thousands with individual control and feedback.
Plexus also supports IEC 62386-202 emergency lighting inverters for automated emergency testing and reporting through our supervisory platform, the app-based ‘Perspective’ available from App Store and Google Play.
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The Standards Dance: DALI’s IEC 62386 Choreography
DALI isn’t a chaotic symphony; it’s a well-orchestrated performance governed by a series of technical standards encapsulated in IEC 62386. These standards provide the framework for seamless interoperability, ensuring that DALI products from different manufacturers can dance together harmoniously.
DiiA’s Standards Extravaganza
The Digital Illumination Interface Alliance (DiiA) is a beacon guiding the smart lighting industry toward innovation and, perhaps most importantly, industry standardisation. The DiiA has released a plethora of standards covering a wide array of products, from LED drivers and emergency inverters to tuneable white drivers and a multitude of sensors. This standards-driven approach is the backbone of reliability and compatibility in the realm of smart lighting.
Embracing the Future with DALI-2 and D4i
As technology advances, so does the language of light. DALI-2 and D4i are the evolved forms of DALI, pushing the boundaries of what smart lighting can achieve. Prolojik proudly supports these standards, ensuring that our products stay at the forefront of innovation.
What Are the Benefits of Using a DALI Lighting System?
DALI systems are so popular because they offer so many benefits over other smart lighting systems. Including:
Lighting Configuration Without Rewiring
Prolojik DALI systems can be reconfigured without the requirement for rewiring. Let’s say you make the business decision to divide one large meeting room into two smaller ones with a partition wall. A DALI lighting system allows you to program the lights to operate in two separate groups without rewiring the entire system.
Program Lighting According to Preference
A DALI smart lighting system allows you to program your lighting according to your individual preferences of the requirements of any given space. If your room gets a lot of daylight, for example, you can set the lighting levels to low. On the other hand, if you want to limit your energy consumption, you can place limits on the level of lighting. You can also have a programmable ‘video call’ mode for a room, where with the single touch of a button, the lights go down, but only in the areas that provide shadow or glare for the screen.
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Multiple Settings in One System
Utilising a DALI network allows you to retain numerous settings within a single system. If you wish to have distinct settings for each light, there’s no necessity for multiple DALI systems. This functionality proves particularly advantageous for medium and larger scale commercial properties, enabling the maintenance of diverse settings for different sections of the floor.
Relatively Simple Installation
The installation of the DALI system is far simpler compared to other lighting systems. DALI has a simple five-wire system without the need for extra circuit components. This makes the installation much more seamless and efficient while still offering a wide range of customisation options. Easy installation also means that maintenance work can be carried out without any hassle and lower downtime.
Quick Access
Tailoring to the spatial needs, the DALI system provides convenient presets for seamless transitions between lighting programs. When your space serves diverse purposes, these presets enable you to switch effortlessly between multiple light settings, aligning with the specific purpose of the room.
Accurate Monitoring
As a bidirectional communication system connecting the control unit to each lighting fixture exists, you’ll be able to obtain the most precise and current information. Additionally, you can effortlessly oversee the functionality of your lights and assess the energy consumption of your luminaires.
Breaking the Mould to be Unique
When someone (or something) is breaking the mould or thinking out of the box, people sometimes accuse them of strange behaviour because they fear the unfamiliar. The painter, Salvador Dali, had a reputation for breaking with all tradition in his artform, and became an important forerunner of Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art. He pushed the game forward and opening future generations up to new ideas. So, it is perhaps a fitting coincidence that Dali and DALI share a name.
The defiant necessity to evolve the narrative is one thing that the painter Dali and the smart lighting system DALI do have in common, though. The world of smart lighting is not just about bulbs and switches; it’s about the language they speak. DALI is that language, a universal dialect that transcends the limitations of proprietary systems.
As Prolojik continues to be an active member of DiiA, we invite you to join us on this enlightening journey, where every flicker, every hue, is a testament to the power of smart lighting. We are excited about the future and the Prolojik systems that use the DALI and DALI-2 languages.
DALI demystified? Consider the mystery unveiled, and the future of lighting is brighter than ever.
If you want to know more about Prolojik and the work we do with the DALI smart lighting system, check out our website, or go directly to our DALI page. You can call us on (01494) 515100, or email [email protected].