• Products
    • Control
      • Controller Hub
      • Application controller Pro 3
      • Application controller
      • Wireless application controller
      • Room control
      • Lighting Control Module
      • Blind control
      • Somfy blind control
      • Switches
      • Switch Hub
      • Smart switch touch
      • Smart switch rotary
      • Smart switch
      • Smart touch display
      • Scenepanel switches
    • Relay
      • Relay Hub
      • 4 Channel DALI relay + I/O
      • Smart relay controller
      • Smart fan controller
      • Smart blind controller
      • DALI relay
      • Smart IO
      • Sensors
      • Sensor Hub
      • Smart sensors
      • Air quality sensors
      • Thermal sensors
      • Weatherproof sensors
    • Drivers / Controllers
      • Smart driver
      • Wireless bridge
      • Smart PWM Controllers
      • DALI power supply
      • DALI-2 power supply
      • DALI power supply
      • Emergency
      • Emergency converter
      • Wireless emergency
      • Ektor emergency
      • —
      • All products
      • Product Datasheets
  • System
    • zencontrol system
      • Architecture overview
      • Size and architecture
      • Security
      • System resilience
      • Modern lighting control
      • Emergency testing
      • User access control
      • Plan view
      • Grid view
    • System layers
      • Software
      • Network
      • Control
      • Field
      • The Cloud
      • Cloud Hub
      • Plan view
      • Analytics
      • Power Dashboard
      • Customisable Dashboards
    • Integration
      • Integration Hub
      • DMX
      • MQTT
      • BACnet
      • DALI-2
      • Emergency testing
      • Control4
    • Standalone Hub
      • Standalone Hub
      • zencontrol connect
      • Standalone control (GEN 1)
      • Standalone Lighting Applications
      • Software & Apps
      • Software Hub
      • Switch 2 Application
    • Solutions
      • Wireless lighting control
      • Wellbeing
      • Human centric lighting
      • Smart buildings
      • Complex tasks
      • Learn about DALI
  • Support
    • FAQs & support
    • Downloads
    •   —
    • About us
    • About DALI
    •   —
    • Become a solutions provider
    • Become a distributor
    • Unrivalled support
  • News
  • Contact
    • Distributors
    • Solutions providers
  • Sign in
  • Products
    • Control
      • Controller Hub
      • Application controller Pro 3
      • Application controller
      • Wireless application controller
      • Room control
      • Lighting Control Module
      • Blind control
      • Somfy blind control
      • Switches
      • Switch Hub
      • Smart switch touch
      • Smart switch rotary
      • Smart switch
      • Smart touch display
      • Scenepanel switches
    • Relay
      • Relay Hub
      • 4 Channel DALI relay + I/O
      • Smart relay controller
      • Smart fan controller
      • Smart blind controller
      • DALI relay
      • Smart IO
      • Sensors
      • Sensor Hub
      • Smart sensors
      • Air quality sensors
      • Thermal sensors
      • Weatherproof sensors
    • Drivers / Controllers
      • Smart driver
      • Wireless bridge
      • Smart PWM Controllers
      • DALI power supply
      • DALI-2 power supply
      • DALI power supply
      • Emergency
      • Emergency converter
      • Wireless emergency
      • Ektor emergency
      • —
      • All products
      • Product Datasheets
  • System
    • zencontrol system
      • Architecture overview
      • Size and architecture
      • Security
      • System resilience
      • Modern lighting control
      • Emergency testing
      • User access control
      • Plan view
      • Grid view
    • System layers
      • Software
      • Network
      • Control
      • Field
      • The Cloud
      • Cloud Hub
      • Plan view
      • Analytics
      • Power Dashboard
      • Customisable Dashboards
    • Integration
      • Integration Hub
      • DMX
      • MQTT
      • BACnet
      • DALI-2
      • Emergency testing
      • Control4
    • Standalone Hub
      • Standalone Hub
      • zencontrol connect
      • Standalone control (GEN 1)
      • Standalone Lighting Applications
      • Software & Apps
      • Software Hub
      • Switch 2 Application
    • Solutions
      • Wireless lighting control
      • Wellbeing
      • Human centric lighting
      • Smart buildings
      • Complex tasks
      • Learn about DALI
  • Support
    • FAQs & support
    • Downloads
    •   —
    • About us
    • About DALI
    •   —
    • Become a solutions provider
    • Become a distributor
    • Unrivalled support
  • News
  • Contact
    • Distributors
    • Solutions providers
  • Sign in
  • Learn about DALI
    • Why choose DALI?
    • DALI features & information
    • DALI installation requirements
    • DALI-2
    • DALI scenes & groups
    • GTIN / Serial numbers
    • Addressing
    • Safety lighting
    • DALI speed
    • DALI applications
    • DALI memory
    • DALI for buildings
    • DALI for electricians
    • DALI for consultants
    • DALI for installers
    • DALI emergency: What & why
    • DALI emergency: Features
    • DALI emergency: As a standalone solution

Mandatory requirement for DALI communication

DALI line power supply

The first mandatory system requirement is the DALI line power supply. This device is current limited and enables DALI devices to communicate on the line without having to use their own power.

One of the early prerequisites of DALI was that the line could be wired alongside the mains supply without any need for special segregation. The simplest way to achieve this was ensuring that the DALI wires were optically isolated away from the internal circuitry of a DALI device or controller.

The process of optically isolating the DALI control signal in essence created a problem of supplying power to the line. This problem was solved with the introduction of a DALI line power supply, this allows for DALI devices to utilize the line power to communicate on the line.

Another advantage of the DALI power supply is the ability to power devices such as switches and sensors from the DALI line without the need for any other power supply.

zencontrol’s Room controller and Lighting Control Module, all come with an internal DALI line power supply.

The device that you want to control

DALI devices

The next requirement for a DALI system is to install a DALI device to be controlled. DALI devices are available to control almost every light source or even blind controllers or relays.

An installer or designer can install as many as 64 DALI devices connected to a single DALI line. Control devices can be, but not limited to

  • Fluorescent Ballast
  • HID ballast
  • LED converter
  • Halogen converter
  • Incandescent converter
  • Relay
  • 4-20mA device
  • DALI IR receiver

This allows you to control the DALI device

DALI controller

The final component required to get a DALI system working is a DALI controller. A controller can be as simple as a DALI group controller, DALI scene controller, DALI sensor or even a lighting control system that can communicate to the DALI device. Control devices can be one or more of the following

  • DALI Gateway
  • DALI Front end controller
  • DALI Switch
  • DALI sensor
  • DALI IR transmitter
  • DALI 4-20ma receiver etc

A simple DALI line could consist of a DALI power supply, sensor and ballast

GTIN / Serial numbers
Scroll
Recent news
  • Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition 2026 June 17, 2026
  • Light+Building 8 – 13 March 2026 January 12, 2026
  • Merry Christmas from zencontrol December 8, 2025
  • 2025 Lighting Industry Excellence Awards November 4, 2025
  • Case-study – Nuriyah Cafe June 4, 2025
Cloud sign in

Sign in or register to the Cloud to manage your building with an unprecedented level of control and functionality.

Sign in

Not signed up?

Click here.

Contact

Australia: support@zencontrol.com
Denmark: info@zencontrol.dk
United Kingdom: info@zencontrol.co.uk
India:
solutions@zencontrol.co.in
China:
+86 769 8915 0328-801

Cant find your country?
See all distributors
Become a distributor
Become a Solutions provider

©2024 zencontrol / Terms of use / Privacy policy / Cookie policy / Integration / Software / Cloud / Products / Downloads / All images are for illustrative purposes and are subject to change