ATX LED Raspberry Pi Hat for DALI

[DanF]

Hi,

I know a lot of people on this forum have gone down the DMX route rather than the DALI route, but we decided to use DALI due to:

i) No need to pre-define lighting circuits and wire each back to a dimmer.

ii) Fairly wide availability of light fittings with DALI drivers for small uplift in cost.

iii) Tunable white support (discrete control of color temperature and brightness) via DT8 drivers.

Of course, one of the downsides of DALI is the cost of the Loxone DALI extensions.   So, as I was counting up the number of these extensions I'll need I decided to have a look at what other non-loxone options might exist and come this.

https://www.shop.atxled.com/products/dali-hat-for-raspberry-pi-b-and-b?variant=31063289430131.  (available on Amazon UK for £80).

I haven't ordered one yet, as I wanted to see if I could find someone that's used it first.  But, at £80 and available in the U.K. (vs. aliexpress) for 4 channels (256 DALI devices) it looks like it's something worth experimenting with.

Has anyone else seen or used this?   Anyone else done/doing DALI even?

Thanks,

[leo no]

If you have the miniserver with knx conection go this route, you will need only a knx power (80 euros), and a knx dali device (100-150 euros on eBay), the software is free up to five devices and once you play with it a little it became easy. In fact there are plenty of drivers for dali, switches, cc and cv dimmers, triac dimmers.

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El 23 feb 2021, a las 0:18, DanF <dfe...@gmail.com> escribió:

Hi,

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[Jonathan Dixon]

When I explored this route I lost the will to go on. Each Dali device need programming with a Dali address, the the KNX bridge (I used the Merten one) needs programming with the mapping to KNX address, and finally loxone needs programming with the KNX address and details of the lamp itself. And after all that it was only one way, no feedback of lamp failure etc, and if you want to setup control groups again you're working in multiple places to define them. 

(A small benefit of the Merten bridge is the web UI means it could at least be programmed without having to get into KNX ETS too, I believe)

If you think you will commission everything then never change it then maybe this is acceptable one time hurdle to get over, but for a tinkerer like myself it completely sucked the joy from the project. 

How about using Dali just for the nice fixtures in main area of the houses and a more priceworthy option like DMX/SSR relays for utility areas, outside, outbuildings, etc? (The inconsistent wiring topology would annoy me I'll admit)

Or wire 5 core to each fixture for future proofing, and use a simple wireless bulb/driver in lesser locations. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/loxone-english/60CF9191-3F35-40AB-A3DA-F5472E4F5ED8%40gmail.com.

[Daniel Feist]

We've now wired all downlighters for DALI with 5-core daisy chain wiring (two runs per floor for more flexibility in using DALI circuits that have max 64.).  5A sockets, wall lights,  pendants and LED strips are all home run to either the loft or plant room.

I remembered you'd had issue with KNX+DALI and was avoiding looking at that route.  @Leo Have you done this yourself? What specific KNX extensions did you use and how did you tackle the issues Johnathan encountered.

Another route some poeple have tried on the german forum is ethernet/modbus->DALI bridge, but this appears even more complicated.

If necessary I'll get the loxone extensions, but I may try this raspberry pi hat first, as it seems easier and potentially also cheaper than the KNX route.

[leo no]

I used a K-Bus dali module, 100 euros cost me on eBay, you have to download a software from its page, that software search for dali devices, you can groupe them, then onto knx ets you set the address for each one of the dali devices or groupes, then in loxone you can use the same address that on/off or dimmer the de light for output and/or for the status. For me works will.

The knx software also give you the opportunity to control the right operation of the dali device.

Not a problemn for me doing all above explain, and it works for me.

Pardon me the english, im cuban.

Enviado desde mi iPad

El 23 feb 2021, a las 11:00, Daniel Feist <dfe...@gmail.com> escribió:



[DanF]

I've decided I'm going to try the ATX LED Raspberry Pi Hat, rather than go via KNX. 

I expect I'll need to use virtual outputs from Loxone -> Raspberry Pi, and I might need to use the Lumitech output type if I want to get the colour temperature output from the lighting controller, but this shouldn't be a major issue I hope.

I ordered the 4-channel model (a total of 256 DALI addresses) for £80.  We've ended up with a ton of DALI fittings (especially given it seems to be the only decent way to control tunable white LED's tape with colour temp vs. warm/cool brightness which I really don't want to have to do in Loxone), so hoping this will save the cost of multiple expensive DALI extensions.

I will update this thread with findings...