About DALI

What is DALI?

DALI (“Digital Addressable Lighting Interface”) defines a method to control and monitor lighting products from many different manufacturers. The DALI standard is created and maintained by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and published as standard IEC 62386. Sub-parts to that standard cover the communications method, data formats, and operations of control gear (lamp drivers, relays, and so on).

A notable omission from the original standard was control devices such as switches and sensors. As a result, many manufacturers developed their own proprietary, and non-interoperable, additions to DALI (including the RAPIX “Xi” command set).

A later release of the standard, DALI-2, formally added support for control devices, removing the need for proprietary systems and making it possible for compliant hardware from multiple manufacturers to work alongside each other on the same system.

RAPIX has been fully DALI-2 compliant since early 2024.

The IEC does not test or certify products; they only create, publish, and maintain the standards. The DALI Alliance is an industry group that owns the trademarks DALI and DALI-2, and associated logos. DALI Alliance permits members to use those names and logos for equipment that has been tested and found in conformance with the standards. Depending on the equipment and standard, the conformance may be as a DALI registered product, or a DALI-2 certified product.

Why DALI?

Unlike 1–10 V or mains-switched systems, DALI offers:

• Individual addressing — each driver has a unique address (0–63 on a single line)
• Bidirectional communication — query lamp status, failure states, and energy data
• Scenes and groups — store up to 16 scenes and assign fixtures to up to 16 groups
• Emergency lighting — DALI-2 includes standardised emergency lighting commands (Part 202)
• Open standard — interoperable equipment from any DALI-certified manufacturer

So what is DALI-2?

DALI-2 is the trademark of the DALI Alliance that members may use to show a product is tested to and conforms to the appropriate IEC standards.

DALI Alliance only allows certified DALI-2 devices, which have passed a rigorous test process devised by and controlled by DALI Alliance, to use the DALI-2 word in their description and to use the DALI-2 logo.

How does DALI-2 differ from DALI?

DALI-2 represents a significant rewrite of the earlier standards to increase interoperability, especially where DALI-2 devices may replace existing DALI devices, and where DALI-2 input devices are to control either DALI or DALI-2 control gear. This includes removing ambiguities in earlier versions, improving electrical and communications definitions and adding support for input devices (sensors, switches, inputs, and so on).

DALI in practice

A typical DALI installation consists of:

1. A power supply providing 16 V dc bus power (max 250 mA per line)
2. Addressable drivers in luminaires (up to 64 per line)
3. Control devices — sensors, switches, and zone controllers
4. Application software for commissioning and scene programming

More Solutions supplies a complete range of DALI-2 certified hardware under the RAPIX brand.