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Testing for DALI-2 compliance

Updated November 30, 2023

Testing for DALI+

An nRF52840 USB dongle from Nordic Semiconductors is required for DALI+ testing, in addition to the ProbitLab2 and other test equipment. Further details will be given in the next release of the Product Submission Guide.


Test equipment

Testing for DALI-2 compliance (including D4i) is carried out using ProbitLab test equipment, together with ProbitBench software. Both ProbitLab and ProbitBench are developed, owned and distributed by Lichtvision Engineering.

DiiA members are supplied with software Test Sequences that enable compliance testing. These test sequences are plugins for ProbitBench.

There are two different versions of the testing hardware: ProbitLab (no longer available) and ProbitLab2.

Equipment Capability
ProbitLab

ProbitLab can test DALI-2 control gear, provided they do NOT have an integrated bus power supply.

IMPORTANT: Support for ProbitLab ends on 29 February 2024 - see below

ProbitLab2 In addition to the above, ProbitLab2 can test DALI-2 control devices (e.g. sensors, application controllers etc), standalone bus power supplies, and devices with integrated bus power supplies.

ProbitLab2 test equipment from Lichtvision


End of support for ProbitLab

Support for the ProbitLab test platform ends on 29 February 2024, but support will of course continue for the ProbitLab2.

After this date, all submissions for product certification will need to have test results obtained from the ProbitLab 2. There will be no deliberate action to prevent the ProbitLab from working with the test sequences, so use for development purposes can continue. However, such results will not be accepted for product certification.


Additional test equipment

Various other equipment is required, depending on the types of products to be tested. This includes:

  • Voltmeter and ammeter
  • Light meter
  • Digital storage oscilloscope
  • Fast light sensor (where fast light measurements are required)

It is recommended to use a light meter with a suitable USB interface, allowing automation of many of the measurements. The Extech SDL400 with Extech USB interface cable is currently supported.

For tests requiring fast light measurements, a photodiode such as TSL250R, or a detector using a photodiode such as the ThorLabs DET10A2, are suitable.

Colour control gear implementing tunable white (colour type Tc) require colour measurements as part of the tests. These measurements can be automated by use of a suitable USB-connected colour meter. Currently, three meters from Gigahertz-Optik are supported: CSS-45, MSC15 or BTS256-EF.


DALI Test Houses

Member companies can carry out the required tests for each product, or they can use the services of DALI test houses that are accredited by the DALI Alliance (DiiA).

>> View the full list of DALI Test Houses

 

A typical DALI-2 testing set-up, with a ProbitLab2 at front right. Photo courtesy of LOYTEC GmbH.

 


Test sequences (software)

Test-sequence software for DALI-2 testing is developed by DiiA’s Technical & Certification Work Group (T&C WG), and supplied to DiiA members.

>> Download DALI-2 test sequences (DiiA members only)

Test sequences for DALI-2 testing are based on the DALI-2 Test Specifications, which are in turn derived from either the multi-Part IEC 62386 standard or from new DiiA specifications.

To achieve DALI-2 certification, a product must show compliance with each specification (Part) that is implemented.

The DALI-2 certification program will be expanded through the development and release of new test sequences, according to the priorities determined by DiiA members.