What benefits does two-way communication provide?
In a 0-10VDC dimming system, control signals are one-way between the controller and the ballast—i.e., from the controller to the ballast. In a DALI system, signal traffic is two-way, meaning ballasts can be commanded to perform requested actions, such as switch ON/OFF or DIM, but can also be queried to provide information about their status. The digital ballast can be queried, for example, about intensity, which provides information about energy consumption. This information in turn can be used for energy savings verification, benchmarking and tenant or department billing. The digital ballast can also be queried about lamp and ballast status, which provides information about whether the ballast and its connected lamps are still operating. This information in turn can be used by facilities departments to improve customer service and make their lighting maintenance operations more efficient.
