Dali lighting challenges (Inc self test fittings)

[Geraint Davies]

We've recently undertaken a project using Dali self test light fittings from Thorn, and thought I'd share some of our learnings here for anyone else that might be considering a similar project.  

It's been mostly very painful!  Partly due to our inexperience/ambition, partly due to dali limitations and behaviour, and certainly due to a lack of published advice between the dali standard, Thorn and Loxone.

The system consists of LED flat panels and emergency modules connected to the same Dali extensions (Avg 50 devices per extension).

Challenges & learning points:

1. Dali learning; we installed all the fittings, then found them via dali search and had to physically go back around and identify each fitting one by one.  We found no way of visually identifying the connected emergency module, other than to disconnect it's dali connection physically, one by one and wait 1-2 minutes for it to show up in config as offline.  This was painful.

2. The light fittings have a raft of data and functions that we will never be able to take advantage of, eg test mode, power consumption, battery voltage etc etc.  Thorn have a dali register that their controllers will work to, but Loxone will not use.  On one hand this was our inexperience, but equally, we did assume that given all parts were Dali 2 compliant, this type of issue would not be one to navigate.

3. The light fittings broadcast commands that are unknown to Loxone.  At times, the volume of unknown commands 'floods' loxone, resulting in a disconnect between the system and the devices eg the system stops working.  No lights turn on or off, dim etc. The only solution to this is to run all em modules on separate dali extensions. This is a bit of a disaster and was not clear before we undertook this project.

4. Serial numbers are not used by Thorn, or not read by loxone.  This meant that around handful of numbers were used across all fittings, making it impossible to uniquely identify lights.

5. We had errors at the learning in stage, some of which meant that fittings were spuriously identified as fluorescent fittings etc.

6. Trying to get tech support from Thorn has been like pulling teeth.

7. Loxone have been responsive, but dali is quite complex and they were initially perhaps dismissive of the difficulties we were experiencing, only accepting an issue once we found the 'flooding' scenario.  Learning in was shockingly difficult.  Terribly unstable for the most part.  Adding commands to dali is not an option.

Just thought I'd share to help anyone else looking at a similar project!