What's DALI?

DALI 

DALI stands for Digital Addressable Lighting Interface. It is a 2-way communications protocol that is used to provide control over, and communication between, the components in a lighting system.

DALI originated in the late 1990s and was defined in IEC60929. Since then it has been substantially modified. The current (2020) version of DALI is called DALI-2 and this is defined in IEC62386.

The DALI protocol is used in building automation to control individual lights and lighting groups. Assessment of individual lights to operating elements and grouping of lights are performed via short addresses. A DALI master can control a line with up to 64 devices. Each device can be assigned to 16 individual groups and 16 individual scenes. With bidirectional data exchange, not only are switching and dimming possible, but status messages can also be returned to the controller by the operating unit.

It is a lighting interface system that allows lighting to use a digital signal for more precise and flexible control. Using a two-way method, the system enables the user to communicate with LED drivers and ballasts, and vice versa, via a DALI controller, which is typically a computer system with software or dimming controller.

DALI is also an international standard ( IEC 62386) for lighting communication, which means that all components of a lighting system marked with the DALI logo, even from different manufacturers, can work with one another. This standard was created to ensure compatibility and interchangeability across lighting systems in the industry.

Here comes the key features of DALI

It is an open protocol – any manufacturer can use it.

With DALI-2( IEC 62386) interoperability between manufacturers is guaranteed by mandatory certification procedures.

Installation is simple. Power and control lines can be laid together and no shielding is required.

The wiring topology can be in the form of a star (hub & spoke), a tree or a line, or any combination of these.

Communication is digital, not analogue, so the exact same dimming values can be received by multiple devices resulting in very stable and precise dimming performance.

All devices have their own unique address in the system opening a very wide range of possibilities for flexible control.