CBUS - with all lights over DALI?

Hi all,

I’m planning a new C-Bus install and considering using DALI exclusively for all lighting — dimmable, non-dimmable, and RGB — using DALI drivers and the new SpaceLogic DALI gateway with DT8 support for RGB/TW less for colour, more fade to warmer lights as the sun goes down.

The idea is to:

• Reduce power cable runs (a circuit per area vs direct per channel)
  
  
• Use C-Bus purely for reliable logic/control and wall switches
  
  
• Rely on DALI for grouping, scenes, and driver-level dimming

• Sensors like PIR and interop with other systems for non core automations and will use HA integration.

I’ve installed C-Bus before (2010 era) and happy to handle DALI commissioning, but before committing, I’d love feedback from anyone who’s gone down this path:

1. Any real downsides to going DALI with cBus for lighting?
   
   
2. Is the new SpaceLogic gateway straightforward? I don’t mind setup pain, more concerned about inlife reliability.
   
   
3. Any C-Bus/DALI quirks or limitations I should know?
   
   
4. Would you still use C-Bus relays/dimmers for anything?
   

Appreciate any thoughts or lessons learned.

Thanks!

 

Hi Razor,

My place here has pretty much exactly what you are building.

With regards to commissioning via SpaceLogic for DALI, its not bad, but if you are used to other DALI programming approaches, its far from perfect. Not to say that it cant get the job done though.

I would stick for now with relays being on C-Bus, while I was programming my place, the software didnt support DALI relays meaning I had to take alternative methods to get them to work.

Depending on what approach you take for RGB controls, will depend on my thoughts here, if you stick with DT6 controls of RGB, its fairly straightforward, but DT8 controls could use a bit of polish IMO, albeit I only have TW lights that I try to control.

I would continue to maintain your scenes within C-Bus, this will make them easier to manage.

As for HA integration, plenty of us on the forums have solutions around this, myself included. It works well via MQTT out of the NAC/AC, but alternative options also exist too.

Cheers

 

Thanks for the reply @Dasman

I am thinking to use dimmable LED's everywhere. Which would remove the need for relays. The exception would be security lights, but presumably I could use the same dimmable drivers and instead just set it to switch on to 100% and off to 0% with no ramping.

Any recommendations on DALI driver brands that play well with the the Spacelogic DALI controller? I am struggling to find 240v-out DALI drivers for less than UK£60. Though with a qty of ~70 hopeful to find a wholesaler with better pricing. UK or import.

 

Hi, I am very interested to see how you got on. Also I would like if possible to get a copy of your Cbus lighting file just to see how it all comes together. We have lots of lighting designers now pushing DALI control. I have been looking online for some video too. Thanks in advance George. email [email protected]