Skip to content Skip to navigation menu

INTRODUCTION TO MOONS' DALI LED DRIVER——DALI helps & troubleshooting

What does the DALI message look like?

DALI helps & troubleshooting DALI is a digital protocol. Signal levels are defined as ● 0 V (±4.5 V) for "0" and 16 V (±6.5 V) for "1". ● The maximum DALI current per system or subnet is 250 mA and the load interfaces maximum current is 2 mA per unit. ● The network cable must be mains-rated, with 600 V isolation with a maximum drop of 2 volts along the cable (max 300 meters).

Basic Rules for DALI products & systems

There are a few basic rules to take into account when planning and wiring a DALI system.

Max. Addresses per system (subnet)

63, it's officially 64, but you need to leave one free, to make system updates easier.

Polarity

In general, DALI connections are not polarity sensitive. The manufacturers' instructions should always be checked for exceptions.

Max. DALI current per system (subnet)

250 mA DALI supply. The total current that is supplied by all sources of the control system must not be more than 250mA.

DALI wiring safety rating

DALI wiring and connections should be treated like Mains voltage wiring. Though the signal is 16 volts the hardware is not SELV-rated (Safety Extra Low Voltage).

Which wire is for the DALI cable?

You must use 2-conductor, mains-rated wire.

Maximum cable length

Less than 100 meters 0.5 mm^2
100 to 150 meters 0.75 mm^2
More than 150 meters 1.5 mm^2
More than 300 Not recommended
DALI helps & troubleshooting If you are having problems with a DALI system, check these things first: Check the number of addresses: 63 or fewer Check the total current consumption of all the devices connected is not more than 250 mA. Check cable length: The total cable length should not be more than 300m. Check the DALI signal voltage Use a suitable multi-meter to check the DALI signal voltage. Ideally, the measured voltage should be between 16 V DC and 22.5 V. There should be no more than two voltage drops along the cable length. You may have a problem with your DALI system if you read less than 14 V DC. For more information about DALI drivers, please click the article below.