Knowledge for Planning

DALI for Planners

DALI is the manufacturer-independent interface for lighting control, standardised in IEC 62386. For planning, the individual commands matter less than the limits of a line: how many devices it carries, how much current may flow, how long the cable can be and which generation the specification calls for.

Lighting control with EnOceanFrequently asked questions
64control gear per DALI line
16groups and 16 scenes
250 mAmaximum bus current per line
300 mcable length at 1.5 mm²

What a DALI line can carry

Key values under IEC 62386

A DALI line is a two-wire bus between a master and the control gear of the luminaires. The following values are set by the standard. They apply regardless of the manufacturer and equally to DALI and DALI-2. DALI-2 extends the functions, not the number of luminaires per line.

ParameterValueWhat it means for planning
Control gearup to 64 addresses per lineMore luminaires need a second line. Keep an address plan for each line.
Control devicesseparate address space with 64 addresses and 32 groups, from DALI-2Switches and sensors on the bus do not use luminaire addresses.
Groups and scenes16 groups, 16 scenesThey determine what switches together. Define them early in the lighting concept.
Bus currentmaximum 250 mA per line, up to 2 mA per control gearDraw up a current budget for each line. Several bus power supplies add up. Bus-powered switches and sensors count too.
Bus voltagetypically 16 V, permitted 9.5 to 22.5 VMeasure at the end of the cable, not only at the power supply.
Cable length300 m at 1.5 mm², maximum 2 V voltage dropSmaller cross-sections shorten the run, to about 100 m at 0.5 mm².
Topologyline, star or tree, no ringDALI has basic insulation and may run in the same cable as mains conductors. It is not safety extra-low voltage.
Connectionpolarity insensitivity mandatory for all DALI-2 devicesSwapped wires are not an error with DALI-2 devices. For older devices, check the data sheet.
Data rate1200 bit/sDALI carries commands, not data streams. Feedback from many devices takes time.
Dimming curve254 steps, logarithmic, 0.1 to 100 %; switchable to linear on DALI-2 LED control gearEqual steps look even to the eye.
Fade timewith DALI-2 from 100 ms to 16 minutesLong, smooth transitions can be set directly in the control gear.
The most common planning error is the current budget. A second bus power supply added "to be safe" can exceed the 250 mA per line. The line then operates outside the standard.

DALI, DALI-2, D4i and DALI+

Four terms that get mixed up in specifications

All four are based on IEC 62386. They differ in what is tested and where the commands travel.

First generationDALIThe first generation of the interface. Control gear such as ballasts was registered. Control devices were not yet covered by the standard in this generation.
Second generationDALI-2With mandatory certification by the DALI Alliance. New are standardised control devices such as push buttons, sensors and application controllers. This also regulates several controllers on one line.
In the luminaireD4iDALI for connected luminaires: the luminaire holds type data and reports energy, operating hours and faults (parts 250 to 253). Sensors and radio nodes sit on standardised sockets to Zhaga Book 18 and 20.
Other carriersDALI+DALI commands over IP networks or radio instead of the two-wire cable, described in IEC 62386-104. One example is "DALI+ with Thread".

Where EnOcean comes in

Switches and sensors without a control cable

The control gear hangs on a DALI line. Switches and presence detectors normally need their own cable to a push-button coupler or to the controller. With EnOcean, this cable is not needed: the switches transmit by radio, mostly without a battery, and a controller acting as master converts the telegrams into commands on the DALI line.

Our controllers BL-201 and BL-204 are such masters. They have a built-in bus power supply of 30 mA for up to 15 control gear and connect directly to 230 V. The IP-DALI bridge AL-511-00 makes a DALI line accessible to the building management system via Ethernet and Modbus TCP. It has no bus power supply of its own, so the line needs a separate one.

Both device types are on the DALI Alliance list of control devices. If your specification requires DALI-2 certified control devices, please agree the selection with us beforehand.

One master per line is the safe plan. If a second controller is to go on the same line, clarify this before the tender, because several masters are only regulated by DALI-2.

What this means for your specification

8 points
  • Name the interface as "DALI to IEC 62386" and state whether DALI-2 certified devices are required.
  • Check certification in the DALI Alliance product database, not only by the logo on the data sheet.
  • Plan the lines: no more than 64 control gear per line, with reserve for later luminaires.
  • Draw up a current budget for each line: total of the bus power supplies no more than 250 mA, set against the consumption of the devices.
  • State cable length and cross-section for each line, 300 m at 1.5 mm².
  • Define groups and scenes in the lighting concept before addressing.
  • Specify addressing and commissioning as a separate service, with handover of the address plan.
  • Describe the handover to the building management system separately, for example via Modbus TCP or BACnet.
EnOcean switches on DALILighting control with EnOceanControllers BL-201 and BL-204 with built-in bus power supply, plus the PWM controller BL-205.View →To the BMSDALI and EthernetThe IP-DALI bridge AL-511-00 switches and dims a line via Modbus TCP.View →Radio rangeTechnical informationHow far a switch transmits and how many receivers a floor needs.View →
Status and Sources

Information current as of 27 September 2026. The wording of the applicable standard and the data sheet of the individual device always take precedence.

  • IEC 62386-101: system requirements, including bus current, bus voltage, cabling and data rate.
  • IEC 62386-102 and -103: general requirements for control gear and for control devices.
  • IEC 62386-104: transmission over other carriers, the basis of DALI+.
  • IEC 62386-250 to -253: bus supply in the luminaire, luminaire data, energy and diagnostics, the basis of D4i.
  • DALI Alliance product database and list of control devices, www.dali-alliance.org.
  • Data sheets BL-201, BL-204 and AL-511-00.

DALI, DALI-2, D4i and DALI+ are trademarks in various countries in the exclusive use of the Digital Illumination Interface Alliance. DEUTA Controls is a member of the DALI Alliance.

Are you planning lighting and sensors together?

Send us the floor plan and luminaire list. You will receive a proposal for lines, controllers and switches, with order numbers and a quote.

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