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Colour control (DALI-2)

Description

The DALI-2 addressable module for Niko Home Control (550-00370) can be used in lighting systems to control tunable white, RGB or RGBW luminaires.
Colour control in DALI networks is typically done by Device Type 8 (DT8) control gear that uses one DALI-2 address to change both the colour output and the light intensity of light sources.
DT8 devices are currently not yet recognised by the Niko Home Control DALI-2 modules.

However, colour control can be enabled with Niko Home Control by connecting the DALI-2 addressable module (550-00370) to one or more tunable white or RGB(W) LED drivers that can be configured as Device Type 6 (DT6).
This type of LED driver allows for individual channel control via DALI-2 addresses.
Lunatone is one vendor that offers such LED drivers. Click the below links to view the Lunatone product pages:

Tunable White - constant voltage
Tunable White - constant current
RGB - constant voltage
RGB - constant current
RGBW - constant voltage
RGBW - constant current

The DALI-2 broadcast module (550-00371) does not allow you to control light intensity separately from colour temperature or colour selection.
This is because both Device Type 6 addresses (for light intensity and colour control) are activated simultaneously due to the broadcast principle, which implies that a signal is sent to all addresses. 

Operating modes Balance & Dim and Colour & Dim

These DT6 LED drivers (supplied by third-party manufacturers such as Lunatone) can use the operating mode Balance & Dim (for tunable white variants) or Colour & Dim (for RGB(W) variants).
When the DT6 LED driver is configured in the above-mentioned modes, the DALI-2 addressable module for Niko Home Control will detect two DALI addresses per LED driver.
Use the Niko Home Control programming software to assign the function of your choice to both DALI-2 addresses: one to adjust the light intensity level and one to set the channel balance (e.g. colour temperature with a tunable white LED driver and colour with RGB(W) LED drivers).
Note that the Niko Home Control programming software cannot be used to change the operating mode of the LED driver.
Subsequently, link the Device Type 6 DALI address to the Niko Home Control push button of your choice.

The features Balance & Dim or Colour & Dim with Lunatone LED drivers can be activated using the Lunatone DALI Cockpit software.

The DALI Cockpit Software can be found on the Lunatone website: https://www.lunatone.com/en/product/dali-cockpit/

Make sure to always use the latest software version (version 1.38 or newer).


The procedure to set the Balance & Dim or Colour & Dim features with the DALI Cockpit software depends on the Lunatone LED driver's firmware version.
Because of a change in the DALI-2 standard, Lunatone had to change its Device Type identification routine.
This caused issues with the DALI-2 addressable module if the Lunatone device firmware version is >4.1.X to 5.2.X.
To avoid these issues, check the firmware version of the Lunatone device via the Device info page of the DALI Cockpit software and perform the correct configuration procedure depending on the firmware version:
1. The firmware version of the LED driver is 4.6.x
2. The firmware version of the LED driver is 5.2.x, but lower than 5.2.70
3. The firmware version of the LED driver is lower than 4.6.x or equal to or higher than 5.2.70

The firmware version is 4.6.x

In this case, a downgrade procedure needs to be performed.

To perform the downgrade, you need a Firmware Activation Key which can be obtained by contacting supportteam@lunatone.at.
Moreover, you need a firmware file found at www.lunatone.at/projects/niko
The downgrade requires a firmware file found at www.lunatone.at/projects/niko
Navigate to the correct product category, select your device and choose firmware file 4.X.X.
Download this file to your PC.
After the device addressing has been done via the DALI cockpit software, you can start the downgrade procedure by pressing the Firmware Ver info block three times on the Device Info page.
Attach the downloaded file for the selected device and press Start. 

The downgrade process may take up to 10 minutes.
Do not disconnect the USB interface or the power supply during the downgrade as it could lead to the device being damaged permanently.


To set the operating mode to Balance & Dim or Colour & Dim:
> Go to Device parameters > Operating Mode
> Click Change > Select Balance & Dim (or Colour & Dim – depending on the type of LED driver)
> Set
> Click Save (top bar)

Two DT6 devices will now become available and are detected by the Niko Home Control programming software when scanning for DALI devices.
Link one DALI address to the light intensity level, and the other to the channel balance (colour temperature or colour). Configure these addresses in action(s) with the Niko Home Control push buttons of your choice.

The firmware version is 5.2.x, but lower than 5.2.70

If the firmware version of the LED driver 5.2.x (but lower than 5.2.70), an upgrade procedure needs to be done.
This upgrade requires a firmware file that you can download from www.lunatone.at/projects/niko
Navigate to the correct product category, select your device and choose firmware file 5.X.X.
Download this file to your PC.
After the device addressing has been done via the DALI Cockpit software, you can start the upgrade procedure by pressing the Firmware Ver info block three times on the Device Info page.
Attach the downloaded file for the selected device and press Start.

The upgrade process may take up to 10 minutes.
Do not disconnect the USB interface or the power supply during the downgrade as it could lead to the device being damaged permanently.


To set the operating mode to Balance & Dim or Colour & Dim:
> Go to Device parameters > Operating Mode
> Click Change > Select Balance & Dim (or Colour & Dim – depending on the type of LED driver)
> Set
> Click Save (top bar)

Two DT6 devices will now become available and are detected by the Niko Home Control programming software when scanning for DALI devices.
Link one DALI address to the light intensity level, and the other to the channel balance (colour temperature or colour). Configure these addresses in action(s) with the Niko Home Control push buttons of your choice.

The firmware version is lower than 4.6.x or equal or higher than 5.2.70

Follow the procedure below:
> Open DALI Cockpit software (https://www.lunatone.com/en/product/dali-cockpit)
> Select the desired LED driver from the component tree
> Go to Device parameters > Operating Mode
> Click Change > Select Balance & Dim (or Colour & Dim – depending on the type of LED driver)
> Set
> Click Save (top bar)

Two DT6 devices will now become available and are detected by the Niko Home Control programming software when scanning for DALI devices.
Link one DALI address to the light intensity level, and the other to the channel balance (colour temperature or colour). Configure these addresses in action(s) with the Niko Home Control push buttons of your choice.


If any help is required, contact the Lunatone support team for assistance:
supportteam@lunatone.com +43 699/ 120 26 403



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