DIMMING TYPES EXPLAINED

dimming light for clinics

DALI

DALI stands for Digitally Addressable Lighting Interface. DALI is a recognised standard employed by all ballast manufacturers that offer DALI ballasts. This system assigns an individual address to each luminaire i.e. 001, 002, 003 and so on, allowing control of each individual luminaire. All luminaires can be controlled from a central desktop PC, and can be manually over-ridden at a wall switch, or can be used in conjunction with a daylight or occupancy sensor. DALI can offer two-way communication between the luminaire and the PC which provides valuable information and reports such as operating status of individual luminaires.

DSI

DSI is Digital Series Interface and is a more controllable version of digital dimming. This enables the user to group luminaires, operate daylight linked dimming and other controllable options. DSI is a Tridonic name and can be set up with a variety of control options and controllers, some offered by other manufacturers designed purely to work with the DSI ballast. DSI ensures that there are no issues with interference from the switching and the dimming of the luminaire which can affect switch on. DSI is wired using a dimming pair, run around to each luminaire in the circuit.

 

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ANALOGUE DIMMING

Analogue dimming is known as 1-10v dimming. This is because the ballast produces a 1-10v DC supply that can be increased or decreased by a potentiometer, which can be either rotary or slider control. This DC supply can be increased or decreased by the switch to affect the resistance and hence the amount that the lamp is dimmed. Analogue dimming requires a ‘dimming pair’ of cables to be run around to each luminaire in the circuit.

Switch Dim/Touch Dim

This is the simplest option for digital dimming and is operated via a ‘push to make’ or retractive switch, which is then wired to each luminaire in the circuit via a 4 core cable consisting of switched live, neutral, earth and permanently live. The switch controls the switching on and off of the luminaire, and also the dimming. When the switch is pressed and held it will dim down. Another press and hold will dim back up.

 

A momentary push will switch off and also bring back on. There are no issues with interference from the switching and the dimming of the luminaire which can affect switch on. DSI is wired using a dimming pair, run around to each luminaire in the circuit.


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