What Makes a Light Fixture DALI-Compatible?
Posted on July 23, 2025
Not all fixtures are created equal when it comes to smart lighting. If you’re exploring DALI-based systems, it’s important to understand what makes a fixture truly DALI-compatible—and what that means for your project.
What Is DALI?
DALI stands for Digital Addressable Lighting Interface. It’s a protocol used to communicate between lighting fixtures and control systems, allowing features like dimming, color temperature tuning, grouping, and scheduling.
Key Requirements for DALI Compatibility
- Integrated DALI Driver: The driver inside the fixture must support the DALI or DALI-2 protocol. This is what allows the fixture to receive control signals.
- Two-Wire DALI Bus: The control wiring is separate from the power lines and only requires two conductors to link all fixtures and keypads together.
- Unique Addressing: Each DALI fixture can be uniquely addressed, meaning you can control each one independently—even if they’re on the same wiring run.
Can Any Fixture Be Made DALI-Compatible?
Almost! At Daliant, we specialize in retrofitting your chosen fixtures with DALI-compatible components. That means you don’t have to sacrifice design freedom to get smart functionality.
Whether it’s a recessed downlight, pendant, or decorative sconce—if there’s enough space for a driver and power wiring, we can typically make it DALI-compatible.
Why This Matters
Having a fully DALI-compatible home allows for streamlined control, simpler wiring, and flexible scene programming. Everything works together, with no need for multiple switch types or communication protocols.
And since DALI is open-standard, your system is future-proof—no lock-ins, no surprises.
Ready to bring any fixture into the world of intelligent lighting? We’ve got you covered.