DALI, can C-BUS change RGB values?

Discussion in 'C-Bus Wired Hardware' started by theboyg, Dec 6, 2018.

  1. theboyg

    theboyg

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    I'm looking at some LED strips for a renovation and rather than standard dimming wondering if the C-BUS DALI module can send alternate RGB values in addition to dimming. Nothing stood out in the docs to suggest you could.

    Many thanks
     
    theboyg, Dec 6, 2018
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  2. theboyg

    Ashley

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    The Cbus Dali module simply maps Cbus group addresses to Dali addresses, so the capabilities of the system are determined by the Dali driver you are using, not Cbus. Some Dali led drivers just map the RGB leds to 3 Dali addresses so you would control them with 3 Cbus group addresses. Other Dali Led drivers will use one Dali address for brightness and a second for Color which then get mapped to 2 Cbus group addresses. There are other variations as well. What Dali drivers are you using?
     
    Ashley, Dec 6, 2018
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  3. theboyg

    theboyg

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    This would be my first foray into the DALI world, so I've yet to select a driver. It's purely for some RGB LED strips.

    So far, I'm not seeing many options for an RGB Dimmer, so I do wonder if it's worth it and just stick with a LE dimmer approach. Any recommendations for DALI RGB dimmers are welcome!


    Wonder if this is an option? https://www.amazon.co.uk/DALI-RGB-DIMMING-Controller-Type/dp/B07FDGPZFB
     
    theboyg, Dec 7, 2018
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  4. theboyg

    NickD Moderator

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    That one is a DALI Device Type 8 driver which uses new DALI commands that the current C-Bus DALI gateway doesn't support.

    You should be able to find a simpler driver that just uses 3 separate DALI addresses to control the R, G, and B channels, which you would be able to control from the C-Bus DALI Gateway.

    Something like this : https://www.inlite.com.au/products/tridonic/led-c003-dali-rgb-controller

    Nick
     
    NickD, Dec 14, 2018
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  5. theboyg

    theboyg

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    That's important info, thanks! Is there a max type number CBUS can control?
     
    theboyg, Dec 18, 2018
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  6. theboyg

    NickD Moderator

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    The C-Bus DALI gateway only supports the original DALI specified commands... back then there were no "Device Types".

    All the new device types still support the same basic DALI commands for level control, but they add new commands to control other parameters in a different way... for example a DT8 driver that controls the colour temperature of the lamp will use new commands to control the colour temperaure of the lamp, but use the same basic DALI commands to control the level (intensity) of the lamp.

    Nick
     
    NickD, Dec 19, 2018
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  7. theboyg

    theboyg

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    theboyg, Jan 8, 2019
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  8. theboyg

    NickD Moderator

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    There's not much info but it looks like the right kind of thing. You would need to assign DALI addresses to the four channels somehow... normally this would be done using a separate DALI commissioning tool (it can't be done via the C-Bus DALI Gateway)... it's possible that the buttons and display on that driver might allow you to do this but you would need to ask the supplier for more info about that.

    Nick
     
    NickD, Jan 9, 2019
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  9. theboyg

    theboyg

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    Thankyou, @NickD. Much appreciated!
     
    theboyg, Jan 9, 2019
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  10. theboyg

    theboyg

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    theboyg, Apr 25, 2019
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  11. theboyg

    NickD Moderator

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    Ok, now I'm little lost as to what "the job" is... that thing looks like it's a DALI controller of some sort.. and it doesn't appear to drive RGB LEDs at all?

    NIck
     
    NickD, Apr 29, 2019
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  12. theboyg

    theboyg

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    :) The job is to drive some LEDs and the retailer said this would do the job, but then couldn't tell me how to configure it suggesting another control system would do that. I don't believe C-BUS will do that job, so that makes me nervous about buying a whole bunch of these.

    Could you recommend any compatible drivers that can do RGBW strips? They are as rare as hen's teeth as far as I can tell! I have purchased some new C-BUS DALI units, just the right driver is a challenge!

    Thanks for your patience
     
    theboyg, Apr 29, 2019
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  13. theboyg

    Ashley

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    Any reason why you are going DALI? If they are low voltage (12-24V) strip lights a DMX solution is much simpler and DMX to RGBW controllers are readily availabe. In conjunction with the CBUS DMX module it would do everything you need.
     
    Ashley, Apr 30, 2019
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  14. theboyg

    theboyg

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    Because I went and purchased a new CBUS DALI control unit :) Now I have to use it!
     
    theboyg, Apr 30, 2019
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  15. theboyg

    NickD Moderator

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    NickD, May 1, 2019
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  16. theboyg

    theboyg

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    Here's the manual for this DALI dimmer - looks good to you? If so, I'll start testing.
     

    Attached Files:

    theboyg, May 15, 2019
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  17. theboyg

    NickD Moderator

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    According to that datasheet, the buttons and display can be used to set the DALI "Short Address". It doesn't seem to give you a way to set any DALI group addresses, so you are stuck with Short Address.. (which is referred to as the "Unit" address in the C-Bus DALI Gateway UI).

    To control the colours separately you will need to set 4 different DALI Short Addresses for the 4 different channels. If you have more than one of these on a single DALI line, you will need to set each channel of each of them to different DALI short addresses.

    Then set up your C-Bus DALI Gateway to map unique C-Bus Groups to each of the DALI Unit Addresses :

    upload_2019-5-16_10-16-18.png

    If you want to control multiple channels together, you'll then need to use a C-Bus scene. The better way would be to use DALI Group addressing or DALI scenes, but you would need to program the drivers to do that and there doesn't seem to be a way to do that from the buttons on the driver.

    Nick
     
    NickD, May 16, 2019
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