DALI stands for Digital Addressable Lighting Interface and was developed to allow digital configuration and control of lighting products. DALI is a 2-way communications protocol to provide communications between different components in a lighting system. This way, multiple devices can receive the same dimming values, resulting in a stable dimming performance. DALI offers precision in light level control and consistency for lighting solutions, such as the dimmable LED bollard. That is why Gemma Lighting proudly incorporates the DALI control into our range of products, whether it is a 2700k warm white LED bollard or a 4000k cold white wall-mounted lighting solution.
DALI LED Bollard: What is DALI?
Image above shows Westminster DALI LED Bollard in 2700K Extra Warm White with Access Door Fuse Cut-out, installed with Surface Mount Flange Plate.
DALI is an LED Manufacturer-standard open protocol. Any manufacturer can use it, and its installation is simple as no shielding is required for power and control lines to be laid together. In the 2020 version, DALI-2, manufacturers have mandatory certification procedures guaranteed. The DALI protocol is digital, making communication seamless, and offers unique addresses for all devices in the system, opening a range of possibilities for flexible control. DALI is addressable, meaning it has more features such as screen-setting, grouping, and dynamic control. For instance, with DALI, customers can control the luminaires live, automate it with a schedule, or amend it when area layout/usage changes.
DALI LED Bollard: How Do They Work?
A DALI LED bollard works in the same way as any other DALI lighting solution. DALI is a bus, pair of wires that carry digital control signals from input devices to application control. The process starts with a bus power supply unit (PSU), required to maintain the bus voltage at the required level. The lighting fittings should have a DALI driver and it receives commands directly from the DALI bus and can respond accordingly. The input devices, such as switches or sensors, will then communicate with the application controller using 24-bit data frames.
At this stage, the input device can include instances. Instances are multiple devices, all inserted in the same input devices. For example, the same input device can include a PIR LED bollard and a light-level detector. Lastly, the application controller device works by receiving 24-bit messages from the sensors and issuing 16-bit commands to the control gear. This application controller can manage the data traffic and check for errors and report on statuses.
Image above shows Admiralty DALI LED Bollard in 4000K Neutral White, installed with Surface Mount Flange Plate.
DALI LED Bollard: Benefits
With DALI, users can:
• Manage colour control and colour changing, independently of the colour temperature of your lighting device. • Perform emergency lighting testing and feedback. This will give you peace of mind, knowing your emergency LED bollard is functional without you having to manually test it. • Work in complex scene-setting for on/off control and dimming. DALI is equipped with the latest technology to make your experience the most seamless possible while performing complex settings. • Many other lighting-specific functions. Everything you need, DALI provides, independently of what lighting solution and characteristics you choose. • LED bollards are energy efficient and have a long lifespan. It also provides durability and robustness for resisting harsh weather conditions.
DALI is also standard, meaning you can use different brands of drivers and still take advantage of DALI’s features by mixing and matching different manufacturers’ luminaires. DALI is also digital, allowing more precise light level control and more consistent, smooth and low dimming. You can choose a 2700k warm white LED bollard and still control its output.
A DALI dimmable LED bollard is the perfect lighting solution to provide safety through DALI control with simplicity and without the fear of any issues occurring and remaining unreported. Gemma Lighting uses DALI and recently moved to DALI 2, and moving towards the latest DALI D4i protocol for all our lighting products to provide our clients with the latest industry developments for improved control, quality and reliability.
DALI LED Bollard: DALI vs DALI 2 vs D4i
As expected, the latest version of DALI provides more advanced features than previous versions. Likewise, DALI 2 and D4i provide significantly improved interoperability. In the same way, DALI 2 requires an extensive process of testing to be awarded the DALI 2 logo stamp. This testing process is used to ensure no compatibility issues arrive between components of different LED Manufacturer brands.
Image above shows Nelson DALI LED Bollard in 3000K Warm White, installed with Surface Mount Flange Plate.
DALI LED Bollard: Q&A
What Other Protocols Are There?
There are other protocols that some LED manufacturers use along with or instead of DALI. An example of this is the AstroDIM protocol, 1-10V protocol, and Casambi. These are not the same protocol standard, meaning that you won’t be able to mix devices from different protocols.
Why is DALI So Popular?
DALI protocol has been established for decades and is supported by a growing list of manufacturers. Its standardisation, through testing and certification processes, has allowed companies and customers to create an ecosystem of lighting-control products from different suppliers.
Contact us Today
Gemma Lighting is an Award-Winning LED Bollard Manufacturer in the UK with over 40 years of experience in designing and manufacturing electronics, plus 20 years of manufacturing high-quality, long-lasting exterior lighting solutions for our clients, all of them with DALI interfaces.
If you need assistance in finding the right light solution for your project or to know more about DALI, book a consultation meeting with our dedicated Sales team or contact us directly at +44 (0) 800 999 5201.
Image above shows Havant DALI LED Bollard in 4000K Neutral White, installed with Surface Mount Flange Plate.
