---
id:
aliases: []
tags:
  - authorship/original
  - destiny/permanent
  - status/incomplete
  - topic/construction/electrical
  - type/encyclopedia
title: Lighting Controls
---
# Lighting Controls

## Protocols


## Occupancy/Vacancy Sensor Technologies

* Passive Infrared (PIR)
* Ultrasonic
* "Dual Tech" (PIR and ultrasonic)

## Switching/Communication

* Occupancy
* Vacancy
* Daylight

### Line Voltage

120--347VAC

### Low Voltage

24V Class 2 control circuit

### Digital

#### Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) ^dali

[Digital Addressable Lighting Interface](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Addressable_Lighting_Interface)

Open protocol defined by [IEC 62386](https://www.dali-alliance.org/standards/IEC62386.html).

Includes wired (via [[twisted-pair-cable]] and 8P8C "RJ-45" connectors)
and wireless topologies.

##### Proprietary DALI Clones

There exist several proprietary control ecosystems
with feature sets and topologies identical to DALI.

> I suspect these exist to skirt the cost of DALI's testing requirements.

%%
I'm less sure this is an apt description.
The examples below are typical of some generic system,
but it doesn't seem to be DALI.
%%

Examples include:
* [Legrand Wattstopper Digital Light Management (DLM)](https://www.legrand.us/solutions/digital-lighting-management)
* [Acuity nLight®](https://nlight.acuitybrands.com/overview)
* [Lutron Quantum](https://www.lutron.com/us/en/controls/systems/quantum)[^1]
* [Lutron Athena][^2]
* [Cooper Greengate](https://www.cooperlighting.com/global/brands/greengate)

[^1]: Maybe not. Sensors show 24V wiring.

[^2]: Can not verify. Website is down at time of writing.

#### Digital Multiplex (DMX) ^dmx

[DMX512](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMX512)

DMX512-A defined in ANSI E1.11-2008

Shielded [[twisted-pair-cable]] with XLR or 8P8C ("RJ-45") connectors

#### See Also

> [!quote] [BACnet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BACnet)
> **BACnet** is a communication protocol
> for building automation and control (BAC) networks.
> It is defined by **ANSI/ASHRAE 135** and **ISO 16484-5**.

[[twisted-pair-cable]]

## Dimming Technologies

* Triac (Line voltage dim)
* Analog (0-10V dim)
* Digital
* Wireless

All these control methods are likely to appear in drawings.

### 0-10V Dimming

[0-10 V lighting control](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0-10_V_lighting_control)

In conduit:

```
Southwire 64350501
SIMpull® 16/2 Low Voltage Signal Cable, Blue
```

This method is compliant with
[[nfpa-70_725_control-circuits#725.136(I) Other Applications.|NEC 725.136(I)(1)]],
which allows control circuits to share a raceway with power conductors
if either all of the power conductors or all of the control conductors
are themselves in a raceway,
or in metal-sheathed, metal-clad, non–metallic-sheathed, or Type UF cable.

### Triac Dimming

Triac dimmers work by chopping the AC power waveform.
This reduces the output power, so the lamp dims.

> [!info]
> "Triac" refers to the electronic component
> that does the wave-chopping.

#### Subtypes

There are two subtypes based on which side of the wave is chopped.

* Magnetic Low Voltage (MLV)** -- AKA "Leading Edge" or "Forward Phase"
* Electronic Low Voltage (ELV)** -- AKA "Trailing Edge" or "Reverse Phase"

> [!important]
> The "magnetic" and "electronic" of MLV and ELV
> are holdovers from pre-LED days.
> They have nothing to do with how they are used today.
> They are, unfortunately, the most common terms.

> [!important]
> "Triac" is sometimes used (in contrast to ELV) erroneously to mean MLV

There also exist "universal" dimmers,
which can be switched between the two subtypes.