Casambi DALI lighting control combines Casambi Mesh with wired DALI infrastructure so that designers can build direct-interface, hybrid, or supervisory integration topologies around one project. In practical terms, Casambi DALI lighting control usually means one of three things: a CBU-DCS interface controlling a small DALI load, a Salvador controller importing addressed wired DALI drivers into Casambi, or a Casambi DALI Gateway exposing eligible Casambi luminaires to an existing DALI application controller. The right choice in Casambi DALI lighting control depends on bus power, address limits, node limits, DT6 or DT8 requirements, and which platform owns scenes, schedules, and priorities.
What Is Casambi DALI Lighting Control?
Casambi DALI lighting control is a wireless-and-wired integration approach in which Casambi uses Casambi Mesh, a specialized mesh protocol operating over Bluetooth Low Energy, together with DALI control gear and DALI buses. It should not be described as standard Bluetooth SIG Mesh.
DALI remains the wired protocol layer for compatible control gear, while Casambi provides commissioning, user control, automation, and hybrid grouping. Depending on the topology, a DALI driver may appear as a Casambi luminaire, or eligible Casambi luminaires may be exported as virtual DALI control gear to an external controller. That is why Casambi DALI integration must always be described by architecture, not by keyword alone.
What Are the Main Casambi–DALI Integration Architectures?
There are three main architectures for Casambi DALI lighting control: direct DALI interface, Salvador integration, and Casambi DALI Gateway export. Each architecture answers a different Casambi DALI integration question. Each uses different hardware, power assumptions, addressing rules, and control ownership.
| Architecture | Typical hardware | Control direction | Main control platform | Individual addressing | Best fit |
| Direct DALI interface | CBU-DCS / CBU-DCS-LR | Casambi to a small DALI load | Casambi | Profile-dependent; DT6 addressed mode supports up to 8 devices or 8 DALI Groups | One luminaire, a small fixture set, or luminaire-integrated control |
| Salvador | Salvador 1000 / 2000 / 3000 / 4000 | Wired DALI drivers into Casambi | Casambi App / Pro | 16, 32, or 64 drivers depending on model | Wired DALI retrofit, hybrid projects, multiple luminaires |
| DALI Gateway | CBU-DCS / CBU-DCS-LR with Gateway profile | Casambi luminaires to existing DALI controller | External DALI application controller | Up to 64 individual exported addresses | Keep an existing DALI controller and extend control to wireless areas |
How Does a Direct Casambi DALI Interface Work?
A direct interface uses hardware such as CBU-DCS or CBU-DCS-LR to connect Casambi control to one DALI driver or a small DALI load. This is the most compact form of Casambi DALI control for fixture-level integration. This is the most compact form of Casambi DALI control, but it must be specified carefully because profile choice, DT type, and bus power determine what the hardware can really do.
CBU-DCS and Bus-Power Rules
CBU-DCS does not automatically create a universal standalone DALI subnet. The DALI bus must have a compliant bus power supply. That power may come from a standalone DALI power supply, an application controller with integrated bus power, or a driver specifically equipped with an integrated DALI bus power supply, such as a suitable D4i driver. A standard DALI driver should not be assumed to power the bus.
Addressed vs. Broadcast Control
Casambi documentation for CBU-DCS indicates that direct-interface behaviour depends on the selected profile. Broadcast mode can control multiple drivers, but they all respond together and cannot be individually controlled. In DT6 addressed mode, CBU-DCS can support up to 8 devices or 8 DALI Groups. DT8 capability should not be interpreted as eight DT8 channels; official support material treats DT8 control support as one DT8 control object.
When to Use This Architecture
Use this architecture when the project needs a compact Casambi DALI controller for one luminaire, a small fixture group, or a luminaire with an integrated DALI driver. It can also suit tightly scoped Casambi wireless DALI applications. It is usually the wrong choice when the project needs a full 16/32/64-driver hybrid system with large-scale individual addressing.
How Does Salvador Integrate Wired DALI Drivers Into Casambi?
Salvador is a Casambi DALI application controller that discovers and individually addresses wired DALI drivers, then presents them as virtual luminaires in a Casambi Evolution network. For multi-fixture projects, this is often the core Casambi DALI lighting control architecture. Depending on the model, one Salvador can control 16, 32, or 64 DALI driver addresses.
Salvador Product Selection
Casambi’s current Salvador product line includes four series.
| Series | Address capacity | DALI bus power | Notes |
| Series 1000 | 16 / 32 / 64 | External | SAL-1016, SAL-1032, SAL-1064 |
| Series 2000 | 16 / 32 / 64 | Integrated 130 mA | 100–277 VAC, RTC, backup min. 12 h |
| Series 3000 | 16 | Integrated 32 mA | SAL-3016; U.S. and Canada market designation |
| Series 4000 | 16 / 32 / 64 | Integrated 130 mA | RTC; U.S. and Canada market designation |
Product availability and electrical specifications vary by region. Salvador Series 3000 and 4000 are currently designated for the U.S. and Canadian markets.
What Salvador Can and Cannot Control
Salvador is intended to control compatible DALI drivers and control gear. DALI switches, DALI sensors, control panels, and other DALI application controllers must not remain connected to the Salvador-controlled bus unless a specific Casambi product document explicitly permits that configuration. In retrofit work, the existing DALI subnet should be audited first so that old application controllers and unsupported DALI controls are removed where required. A compliant external DALI bus power supply may remain where the selected Salvador series requires it.
Node Count and Evolution Limits
Salvador is compatible with Casambi Evolution networks. One Salvador consumes one Casambi node, and each individually addressed wired DALI driver imported through Salvador also consumes one node. An Evolution network supports up to 250 nodes, although practical network size may need to be reduced in high-traffic applications. For example, one Salvador with 64 addressed DALI drivers already uses 65 Casambi nodes.
What Is a Casambi DALI Gateway?
A Casambi DALI Gateway does the opposite of Salvador. In this direction, Casambi DALI lighting control is exported toward an external DALI controller rather than imported from wired drivers. Instead of bringing wired DALI drivers into Casambi, it exposes eligible Casambi luminaires as individual virtual DALI control gear to an external DALI application controller. The gateway itself should not be described as a universal BACnet, KNX, or BMS gateway.
Hardware and Firmware Conditions
In official Casambi support documentation, the typical gateway hardware is CBU-DCS used with the DALI Gateway profile. The unit must first be unpaired, the DALI Gateway profile must be applied, and the device must then be connected to the same powered DALI bus as the external DALI controller. Casambi states that this feature requires Evolution firmware 32.0 or later.
Addressing and Control Scope
Each individually exported Casambi luminaire consumes one DALI short address, but the gateway itself is transparent and does not consume a DALI short address. You cannot individually expose more than 64 Casambi luminaires through one gateway because of DALI address limits. Larger projects need multiple Casambi networks and a gateway per network. Control Scope determines whether all eligible luminaires or only luminaires from a selected scene are exposed to the DALI side.
DALI Gateway Addressing, Feedback and Multi-Channel Limits
This is a critical limitation section. Multi-channel Casambi devices may appear to the external controller as single-channel DALI control gear, so their internal channels cannot always be dimmed separately from the DALI side. Tunable white, RGB, or XY devices may be exposed as DT8 Tc, RGB, or XY devices depending on configuration. Brightness and CCT feedback depend on gateway settings. Broadcast devices cannot provide the same independent status feedback as individually addressed devices. Casambi also warns that active status export can interfere with DALI controllers that assume single-master behaviour on the bus.
How Are DT6, DT8, and D4i Handled?
DT6, DT8, and D4i should be explained precisely because they affect addressing, data, and commissioning in Casambi DALI lighting control.
DT6
DALI Device Type 6, defined by IEC 62386-207, specifies control functions for LED control gear, including standardized light-level control. In a tunable-white design using two separate DT6 control-gear channels, the warm and cool channels commonly require separate short addresses and must be coordinated by the application controller.
DT8
DT8 corresponds to IEC 62386-209 colour control. It is not simply a “higher” version of DT6; it is the device-type framework for colour-related control functions such as Tc, xy, Primary N, or RGBWAF. A DT8 Tc driver normally uses one short address for both dimming and colour-temperature control, whereas a two-channel DT6 solution normally consumes two addresses and requires coordinated control.
What D4i Support Means in a Casambi DALI System
D4i is an extension and certification profile within the DALI-2 ecosystem, not a separate dimming protocol. D4i drivers include an integrated DALI bus power supply and can provide standardized luminaire, energy, and diagnostics data. In compatible Casambi hardware, firmware, profile, and gateway conditions, some D4i data can be read or transferred. Data availability depends on the driver, Casambi profile, firmware, and gateway configuration, so it should not be promised as universally available in every project.
What DALI Bus Limits Must Be Checked?
A Casambi DALI integration guide must separate DALI bus limits from Casambi node limits. This is a basic Casambi DALI system design rule. They are not the same engineering constraint.
| Parameter | Typical design limit |
| Bus wiring | Two-wire, non-polarity-sensitive DALI bus |
| Control gear per DALI-2 subnet | Up to 64 |
| Control devices per DALI-2 subnet | Up to 64 |
| Bus power | Typically up to 250 mA |
| Typical cable distance | Up to 300 m with suitable installation conditions |
| Voltage-drop target | About 2 V maximum at the far end |
These are DALI-side design checks. A project can have enough DALI address capacity and still fail because the Casambi Evolution node budget is exceeded, or because wireless signal quality is poor.
What Is the Right Commissioning Workflow?
The commissioning workflow depends on architecture. Good Casambi DALI integration work starts by matching workflow to hardware role. A short but accurate process is more useful than a generic checklist.
Direct Interface Workflow
Confirm the exact CBU-DCS or CBU-DCS-LR model and fixture profile. Verify DALI bus power. Confirm whether the driver is DT6 or DT8. Choose broadcast, automatic addressing, pre-addressed, or group control as appropriate. Pair the interface into the Evolution network and test dimming, colour control, and feedback.
Salvador Workflow
Audit all devices on the existing DALI subnet. Remove unsupported application controllers, switches, and sensors where required. Confirm whether bus power is external or integrated. Select the correct 16/32/64-address Salvador model. Discover and address the drivers, import them as virtual luminaires, create Casambi groups and scenes, and then test wireless coverage, bus behaviour, and handover documentation.
DALI Gateway Workflow
Keep the CBU-DCS unpaired, apply the DALI Gateway profile, connect it to the same powered DALI bus as the external controller, then pair it with the Casambi Evolution network. Define Control Scope and Control Priority. Configure DT6 or DT8 export, feedback, and optional sensor or switch export where needed. Finally, scan and verify exported devices from the DALI controller side.
Common Casambi–DALI Integration Problems and How Can You Prevent Them?
Most field failures in Casambi DALI lighting control come from a small number of recurring mistakes. The most common are an unpowered DALI bus, assuming a standard DALI driver can power CBU-DCS, leaving another DALI application controller on a Salvador bus, exceeding Casambi node capacity even when DALI address capacity looks sufficient, confusing broadcast control with individual addressing, choosing the wrong CBU-DCS profile, mismatching DT6 and DT8 tunable-white strategies, setting gateway priority incorrectly, expecting automatic state feedback where it is not configured, burying Casambi radio hardware deep inside metal enclosures, skipping mesh-connectivity testing, and exceeding DALI current, voltage-drop, or cable-length limits.
FAQ
Does CBU-DCS provide DALI bus power?
Not by default in the general sense. The DALI bus still needs a compliant power source, which may come from a standalone supply, an application controller with integrated bus power, or a suitable D4i driver with integrated bus power.
Can DALI sensors remain connected to Salvador?
No, not as a default project assumption. Salvador is intended for compatible DALI drivers and control gear, and unsupported DALI sensors, switches, and other application controllers must not remain on the bus unless a specific Casambi document explicitly allows it.
Does Salvador work only with Casambi Evolution networks?
Salvador is positioned around the Evolution network model. That is important for Casambi Salvador planning as well as node budgeting. That matters because Evolution supports up to 250 nodes, and both the Salvador unit and each imported addressed driver consume nodes.
Does each Salvador-connected driver count as a Casambi node?
Yes. One Salvador is one Casambi node, and each individually addressed DALI driver imported through it is also one node.
Does a Casambi DALI Gateway consume a DALI short address?
No. The gateway is transparent to the external DALI controller, but each individually exported Casambi luminaire consumes one DALI short address.
Can a Casambi DALI Gateway connect directly to a BMS?
Not in the sense of being a universal BMS gateway. It interfaces with a DALI application controller. If a building-management system is involved, that BMS may connect separately through the wider DALI, cloud, or third-party gateway architecture.
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