DALI rotary RGB dimmer, controller AC/DALI, DALI master

DALI roll dimmer, RGB controller AC/DALI DT8 MCU

The device is a DALI MCU (Master Control Unit) with a built-in DALI bus power supply that can supply power to the DALI bus when connected to 100-240VAC mains. It can also power the DALI bus when not connected to the AC mains.

A maximum of 2 MCUs can be connected to the AC mains, the other MCUs are powered by the DALI bus. Each control circuit allows simultaneous integration of up to 100 DALI ECGs and up to 4 DALI MCUs (control points).

You can switch between colour mode and brightness mode by double-clicking the knob and rotating it to reach the desired level.

How do I use the DALI DT8 RGB MCU roller dimmer?

Independent DALI network without programming

As the unit is an MCU (Master Control Unit), it can be used without the traditional DALI MASTER. The controller is supplied with mains power and two wires (DALI bus) are connected directly to the DT8 RGB DALI transformers and controllers. Nothing else!

The device thus acts as a DALI Master, for a maximum of 50 devices. So this is for example for office or home as a simple controller without DALI programming.

A maximum of 4 of these RGB controllers can be used in the same independent DALI network, of which max 2 are connected to the mains!

As part of a DALI network as a controller

Another way to use this is to connect it to a DALI network as a normal device and control the desired RGB lighting group.

Features of the DALI RGB MCU roller controller

• DT8 RGB DALI MCU
• Built-in 100mA DALI power supply to supply up to max. 50 DALI ECGs.
• Alternatively powered by a DALI bus when not connected to mains power.
• Max. max. 100 DALI ECGs on a DALI line can be controlled by 4 MCUs (2 mains, 2 DALI bus).
• Allows selection of 1 DALI group directly from the controller and control of any of 16 groups.
• Supports DALI DT8 RGB and dimmable LED lights.
• Allows setting and removal of minimum dimming level.

What is DALI?

DALI dimming is a lighting control system that uses a digital protocol to communicate between the lighting controller and the lights themselves. This allows precise control of the brightness and colour of individual lights or groups of lights, as well as the storage and recall of pre-programmed lighting situations. DALI dimming systems typically consist of a DALI controller that sends commands and DALI-compatible lights that can receive and respond to these commands.

DALI works best when it is designed and built from the ground up. This is because two control wires are needed to run between the devices.

The main features of DALI are

• It is a free protocol! Anyone can use it.
• DALI2 certification requires devices made by different companies to work together. LedStore only uses certified products.
• DALI is fairly easy to implement. You can install the power and control wires side by side, because they don't need to be protected. So 5 wires go everywhere: L, N, ground and 2 control wires (5×1,5 MMJ)
• The wires can be installed any way you like, as long as the wires are within 100 m of the DALI BUS controller. The distance can be even more if repeaters are used. The maximum recommended length of the DALI network is 300 metres.
• Since DALI uses digital signals for communication instead of analogue signals, the devices will have the same dimming values. This makes the control of control groups highly functional and accurate.
• The system's addressing system (DALI address) ensures that each device or group can be controlled individually.
• With one DALI master you can control up to 64 DALI ECD devices
• Up to 64 DALI ECG devices can be controlled by one DALI master
• Up to 16 groups can be controlled by one DALI master
• Up to 16 scenes can be controlled by one DALI master

DALI terms

DALI is challenging for a beginner to understand. What do all the terms mean? Here are the terms in brief

DALI master

A DALI master is a control centre or heart that usually also contains the power supply for the DALI bus. The DALI master is the brain of the system that controls all the devices. The master can be programmed and operated in different ways, depending on the master.

• USB to the computer and the master is connected and the DALI software is installed on the computer.
• IOT version where the master is controlled by a mobile phone/tablet wirelessly on the same Wifi network

DALI bus

If the DALI Master is the heart of the system, the DALI bus is the arteries. It carries all commands digitally between all devices. The bus is a 2 pole cable that connects to EACH DALI DEVICE!. The maximum length of the bus is usually 300 meters. The bus can be extended with repeaters/power supplies or by adding DALI masters.

DALI bus power supply

Usually included in the DALI master. Its function is to maintain the bus voltage, the bus carries a 100-300mA 16V voltage which carries information.

ECG

ECG stands for Electronic Contor Gear, i.e. a device that supplies voltage to lights, etc. This includes DALI transformers and DALI relays. One DALI master can control up to 64 (OUTPUT) ECG devices.

ECD

ECG stands for Electronic Contor device, i.e. a device that gives commands to devices. These include DALI buttons and DALI sensors. One DALI master can control up to 64 (INPUT) ECD devices.

Group

In DALI, devices can be added to groups. There can be a maximum of 16 groups in one DALI Master. The purpose of the group is to reduce the number of DALI signals in the network and to facilitate operation. When a group receives a command, for example dim, all ECG devices in that group will dim. The devices in the group therefore behave identically. If you want the devices in the group to be at different levels, it's a scene.

Scene

In DALI, scenes can be programmed/stored on the buttons. There can be a maximum of 16 scenes in one DALI Master. The purpose of a scene is to create different lighting modes.

For example, a living room spotlight at 50% power and an LED strip at 80% power with a single command. This makes everyday use easier.

Advantages of DALI dimming

Dimmable DALI is a powerful and flexible lighting control technology that offers many advantages over traditional analogue dimming systems. Its accuracy, energy efficiency, scalability and ability to integrate with other building automation systems make it well suited to a wide range of applications in commercial, industrial and residential buildings. Here are the benefits of DALI dimming:

• Accuracy:DALI dimming allows precise control of the brightness and colour of individual lights or groups of lights, which can be particularly useful in commercial, industrial and residential buildings. This allows for greater control and flexibility in lighting design.
• Energy efficiency .
• Scalability: DALI dimming systems can be easily extended to control a large number of lights, making them well suited to large commercial or industrial projects.
• Integration: DALI dimming systems can be easily integrated with other building automation systems, such as HVAC and security systems, allowing better control and automation of building lighting.
• From simple on/off switching to more advanced control options such as setting and resetting pre-programmed lighting conditions, DALI dimming allows a wide range of options for controlling lights.
• Open standard: it ensures that devices from different manufacturers always work in the same way when connected together. You can also replace existing parts with newer and better ones as they become available.
• Easy to install: with DALI fibre optic technology, you don't need to split lights into zones or keep track of wiring. So you don't have to worry about keeping track of the number of zones or wires. These wires control all the devices. Installers don't need to keep track of everything because they don't need to know how the lights will eventually be installed.
• Easy to change. After a while, you might want to change the lights and get something nicer. Centralized software allows you to change lighting profiles easily.