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Smart lighting control for DALI installations

The smart functional building

Most people associate a smart home with a private home and automatic lighting. Additionally, so-called commercially used buildings such as office buildings, industrial halls and even nurseries can, with the right components be transformed into a smart building. Lighting management in commercial buildings is realised, for example, with a DALI BUS (DALI, DALI-2 standard, DALI ECG DT6/DT8) and the corresponding DALI luminaires. Combining a DALI system with a KNX system increases the efficiency and comfort and makes the commercial building smart.

What is meant by DALI

The "Digital Addressable Lighting Interface" (DALI) is a bi-directional communication protocol for digital lighting control. There are two communication principles within DALI: DALI broadcast, where all the DALI luminaires are controlled by a common signal and DALI single addressing mode, where every DALI luminaire is allocated an individual address for independent control within a defined group of luminaries.

KNX and DALI

Connecting systems

For intelligent and energy-saving lighting control, you can connect the DALI system to the KNX system by installing a DALI/KNX gateways. The integration into the KNX system provides you with additional functions for the individual control of the existing ballasts. In addition to switching and dimming, it is possible to control the colour temperature of the DALI lights with a MDT glass push-button or a push button 86. The gateway provides you with information about the status of the ECG’s, such as the dimming status operating hours or an ECG error message.

KNX-System devices

MDT components for DALI integration

The choice of the correct Gateway as an interface between KNX and DALI Bus is important and should be chosen dependent on the intended purpose and the operational concept of the lights.
 

DALI Control Broadcast Gateway

With the new MDT DALI Control Broadcast Gateway, DALI luminaires can be commissioned easier and quicker: the individual ECG addresses do not need to be programmed into the gateway, as all the luminaires are commonly controlled. The new DALI Control Broadcast Gateway supports the DALI and DALI-2 standards and is a KNX Data Secure device. It can be installed from ETS 5.7.2 onwards.

DALI Control 64 Gateway

The MDT DALI Control 64 Gateway supports DALI and DALI-2 compliant luminaires/ ECGs. It is available in two versions, with one or two DALI outputs. Depending on the variant, it enables the individual control of up to 64 ECG / 16 or 2 x 64 ECG/16 DALI groups.

DALI Control IP 64 Gateway

The MDT DALI Control IP 64 gateway has an integrated web interface that, for example enables DALI commissioning and ECG replacement without using the ETS. The gateway supports DALI and DALI-2 compliant luminaires/ ECGs. It enables the individual control of up to 64 ECGs / 16 DALI groups.

DALI Control PRO64 Gateway

The MDT DALI Control PRO64 Gateway is a multi-master application controller. In addition to supporting DALI and DALI-2 compliant luminaires/ ECGs, up to 8 DALI-2 motion detectors or light sensors can be connected. The integrated web interface enables DALI commissioning and ECG replacement without using the ETS.

Bedienen Alles über unsere KNX Taster aus dem Glas- und Kunststoffsortiment

Bedienen

Im Smart Home sind viele Funktionen automatisch eingerichtet, doch Ihr habt immer die Möglichkeit, Euer System zu steuern.

Erkennen und Messen: Mit MDT Sensoren kann Dein Smart Home passend reagieren

Erkennen und Messen

Damit Gebäudeautomation intelligent auf die Umgebung reagiert, muss das System über Sensoren die passenden Werte zur Verfügung gestellt bekommen. 

Die Beschattung: Perfektion ist, wenn sich die Lamellen der Jalousien anhand des Sonnenstandes selbst ausrichten.

Die Beschattung

Richtig smart ist die Beschattung, wenn sie sich automatisch nach der aktuellen Wetterlage richtet. Dafür braucht es ein fein abgestimmtes System.

Die Heizung: In jedem Raum die passende Temperatur zu jeder Tageszeit

Die Heizung

Passend zur Jahreszeit und Umgebungstemperatur Heizen oder Kühlen, so haben die Räume immer die perfekte Wohlfühltemperatur.

Light when needed – completely automatically

Energy-efficient lighting

Automatic lighting is probably the first thing that most people think of when it comes to a smart home. It is convenient if the light goes on and off automatically and nobody can accidentally leave the light on in the cellar for days on end.

Obviously, automatic lighting also improves energy efficiency, even when using efficient LEDs. When it comes to lighting, however, the smart home can do so much more than just switching the light on and off!

Create moods

Smart lighting control

The right lighting has a huge influence on quality of life for the occupants. Different light is needed in different situations, for example in the home office or when you are cooking, the areas need to be well lit. When you are relaxing in the evening, several dimmed light sources make the living room feel cosy, and colours can be used to create an even better ambiance.

At night all you need is a gentle orientation like to find your way along the hallway. The KNX system uses KNX Actuators, KNX Dimming Actuators and KNX LED Controllers to provide the perfect lighting control.

Highlight functions of our lighting control

Added value from the KNXperts

Highlight function


Threshold value 

Switching the light on or off automatically

It is too dark in the evening and the light goes on. A home automation system is seen as being smart if it reacts independently and appropriately for the inhabitants’ needs. Therefore MDT KNX Switch Actuators from the AKS series have a threshold function on each channel. For example, the light can be switched on when the brightness falls below the desired level. This means that the building reacts automatically to the situation in the rooms.

Highlight function


Colour control

Create an ambiance easily

In addition to switching and dimming, the possibilities of light colours are the main thing that make LEDs so attractive. With indirect LED lighting, the room can be gently illuminated in the right colour for the mood. With the MDT LED controllers, it is possible to control 12/24 V RGB/RGBW LED stripes very conveniently via the HSV colour space (recommended) or the RGB/RGBW colour space.

Highlight function


Time-dependent dimming

Gentle orientation light

If the children are already in bed in the evening, a light switched on in the hallway might seem too bright. In the KNX smart home, the light is therefore dimmed during the evening so that instead of 100% lighting, only 20% will illuminate your path. This is enough to see where you are going and will not disturb the neighbouring rooms. This is made possible by the MDT Dimming Actuator, where you can save percentage values for the lighting. Either one value each is defined for day/night, or it is possible – and this is only true with MDT – to set up time-dependent dimming.

Lighting push button

Control your system

MDT Push Button Smart 86

Smart KNX push button with six buttons, colour display and numerous possible functions. Symbols and free text can be configured for every button.

MDT Glass Push Button II Smart

The push button with lots of space for additional functions and an active colour display, which can also display, for example, the temperature.

MDT Push Button Light 55

Smaller and functional, the Push Button 55 fits in perfectly with the control programs of many manufacturers and is available with the appropriate symbols.

KNX System Products

MDT components for automatic lighting

Various KNX MDRC devices are used for the KNX lighting control, depending on what functions are required. KNX switch actuators are used to switch the lighting on and off, whether this is now done automatically or via KNX push buttons in the room.

If the light not only needs to be switched on or off but also dimmed, then KNX dimming actuators are used. In this case it is important that the lamp must be suitable for dimming. Anyone who also wants to change the colour of the light will use a KNX LED Controller.

MDT Switch Actuator

In addition to manual switching via a KNX Push Button in the room, the MDT Switch Actuator can also be used to set up automatic switching actions, for example using a threshold value for brightness.

MDT Dimming Actuator

The MDT Dimming Actuator is optimised for dimmable LED lights and among other things allows for automatic, time-dependent dimming.

MDT LED Controller

With the MDT LED Controller, in addition to the normal dimming for the HSV colour space and RGB, it is also possible to implement trend functions such as the Tunable White colour temperature control, Dim2Warm or the dynamic daylight control HCL (human centric lighting).

MDT Timer Switch

In order to switch the lighting on or off depending on the time, the MDT Timer Switch has 20 channels each with eight switching times. With the automatic holiday calculation, on public holidays your lighting is switched as it would be on Sundays and therefore it will not disturb your lie in.

MDT Bus Power Supply

In order to operate the KNX components, the KNX bus needs its 30 V voltage supply. This is provided by the MDT KNX Bus Power Supply, and in family homes one bus power supply will be sufficient for the entire system.

Bedienen Alles über unsere KNX Taster aus dem Glas- und Kunststoffsortiment

Operation

Lots of functions are set up automatically in the smart home, but as the user you always have the option of controlling your system.

Erkennen und Messen: Mit MDT Sensoren kann Dein Smart Home passend reagieren

Detection and measurement

In order for building automation to react intelligently to the environment, the system needs sensors to provide it with the relevant values.

Die Beschattung: Perfektion ist, wenn sich die Lamellen der Jalousien anhand des Sonnenstandes selbst ausrichten.

The shading

Shade is really smart if it adjusts automatically to the current weather conditions. You need a precisely aligned system in order to achieve this.

Die Heizung: In jedem Raum die passende Temperatur zu jeder Tageszeit

The heating

Heating and cooling appropriate for the time of year and ambient temperature so that the rooms are always at the optimum comfort temperature.

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