DALI Lighting

What DALI lighting is

DALI stands for Digital Addressable Lighting Interface. It is a digital control standard in which each fitting has its own address, so lights can be dimmed and switched one by one or in groups over a separate two-wire control line. Because the instructions travel as data, lights on the same line can sit at different levels, scenes can be stored and recalled, and fittings can be regrouped later by reprogramming rather than rewiring. That is why DALI is widely used in shops, offices and restaurants, and it suits homes too, wherever lots of lights need to work together.

DALI dimming against phase-cut and 0-10V

Phase-cut dimming is the familiar kind: a wall dimmer trims the mains supply, and the lights on that circuit dim together. It is simple, but LED loads and dimmers must be matched with care. 0-10V is an analogue signal on a separate pair of control wires, and lights sharing that signal move as one group unless they are wired apart.

DALI is digital and addressable, so it does not rely on how the lights are wired into circuits: the controller decides which lights move together. If you only want to dim one room from the wall, phase-cut may be enough. For scenes, zones or a whole building on one system, DALI dimming is the better choice.

DALI controllers and DALI drivers

A DALI fitting needs DALI control, either from a dedicated controller or from a wider DALI lighting control system. Your installer then commissions the system, giving each fitting its address and setting up the groups and scenes you will use. The control line also needs its own power supply, which may be built into the controller.

The driver powers the LEDs, and a DALI LED driver also takes its instructions from the control line. Some fittings need a separate driver, so check each product page before you order. A few of the products here are LED drivers; match one to its fitting by type, constant current or constant voltage, and by output. A few more are control modules made for particular fittings. Where a track light takes its DALI signal through the track, check which power supply and controller the track needs, especially on a 48V magnetic track.

DALI-2 and mixing DALI parts

DALI-2 is the updated, certified version of the standard. It was written so that parts from different makers work together, and a part must be tested and certified before it can carry the DALI-2 name. That is worth knowing when your controller, drivers and fittings come from different sources, or when you expect to add to the system over time.

If certification matters for your project, look for DALI-2 in the product's own title and specification before you order, and ask your installer whether a fitting described simply as DALI suits your controller.

DALI lights on an ordinary switch

To dim, a DALI fitting needs DALI control, and an ordinary wall switch or plate dimmer does not provide it. How a fitting behaves on a plain switched supply depends on its driver, so check the product page and ask your electrician before wiring a DALI light to a normal switch.

If you want DALI in a single room without a whole-building system, a compact DALI controller or wall panel can be enough, and your electrician can extend the system later.

The DALI lights we stock

Most of the range is track lighting. Track lets you aim light at worktops, shelves and walls, then move or add heads as a room changes, so check that a track light matches your track before you order. We stock pendant lights too, and over a kitchen island or dining table, a DALI pendant can be turned down for dinner and brought back up for cooking.

Among the rest, a few are battens, a practical choice for long, even runs of light. You will also find a few downlights, set into the ceiling for a tidy finish. A few are for emergency lighting, which should be planned and installed by a competent electrician and tested regularly. We stock DALI lights for kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms and commercial spaces, and many have a clean, modern look.

DALI light colour, finish and IP ratings

Almost all of the products here have integrated LEDs, so there is no bulb to buy and you choose the light colour with the fitting. Most offer warm white, and most also offer cool white. Warm white at 2700K or 3000K feels restful in living rooms and dining rooms, while cool white at 4000K gives kitchens and commercial spaces a crisp, clear light. Many have adjustable colour temperature, so check each product page to see whether that is set at installation or through your controls.

Most are IP20, which suits dry indoor rooms. We stock black and white finishes, and many have a matt finish for a soft, low-sheen look.