HELVAR SWITCH-CONTROL User manual

User Guide
CONNECTION OF SWITCHCONTROL
Switch-Control operates by connecting the mains voltage to the DALI input terminals. Therefore please ensure that all the
components connected in this line are mains rated and protected according to all applicable safety requirements. The support of
DALI operation is disabled for the time of Switch-Control operation and re-enabled with a mains reset.
The maximum number of drivers & switches per circuit and the maximum wire lengths are presented in the table below. Ensure
all drivers and other loads are connected to the same mains phase.
Switch-Control Switch-Control 2
Maximum number of
LED drivers per circuit
30 60
Maximum wire length 25 meters * Driver technology does not
restrict the wire length
Maximum number of
switches per circuit
Limited by total wire length *
(see above)
Driver technology does not
restrict the number of switches
*The maximum wire length from the switch to the driver in Switch-Control is 25 m. The wire length can be extended to 200 m by
connecting a capacitor (1 F, min. 275 VAC RMS and X2 rated, according to IEC 60384-14) across the Switch-Control input.
SWITCHCONTROL 2
Helvar Switch-Control 2 brings technological updates to the original Switch-Control. While the functional logic and principles stay
the same, Switch-Control 2 allows theoretically unlimited installation wiring length. In addition, the amount of controllable drivers
is increased to as high as up to 60 drivers, ensuring even more flexible use of Helvar drivers in any installation.
SWITCH-CONTROL
& SWITCH-CONTROL 2
FOR LED DRIVERS
Switch-Control is a protocol for controlling the
light with a mains rated retrievable switch.
UG22 001 1B 05.12.2018

SWITCHCONTROL FOR DIMMING THE LIGHT INTENSITY
Switch-Control
active less than
50 ms
No operation. This is a protection against short interruptions and disturbances
in the control cables.
Switch-Control
active 100-350
ms
Short press (ON/OFF function); toggle operation between ON and OFF, At
switch ON the light returns to the previous level before OFF;
Switch-Control
active for onger
than 450 ms
Press and hold (Fade UP/DOWN); after switch ON the first dimming direction
is always to dim down; if you press and hold from OFF the light goes to min
level and starts fading up; the dimming direction is always changed when
Switch-Control is released.
The Switch-Control fade is using DALI commands UP and DOWN with a fixed fade rate of 5 sec from min level to max level.
RESET OF SWITCH-CONTROL
Due to differences in the cable-inductances of individual luminaires the intensity of the various drivers might occasionally go out of
sequence with time. In this case press and hold the Switch-Control until all lights are ON. Then Switch all lights OFF with a short
press. This will bring all lights back into synchronisation again.
You can as an alternative synchronisation procedure carry out a power reset. Switching the mains OFF and ON will perform a total
reset of the drivers, that go into the default factory setting providing “power on to last level “ is not activated.
SETTING POWER ON TO LAST LEVEL WITH SWITCH-CONTROL
Following sequence will either activate or deactivate “Power on to last level” functionality:
• 1 x long switch (20- 25 sec.)
• 3 x short switch (100-350 ms)
• 1 x long switch (20- 25 sec.)
Approximately a 2 seconds delay is allowed between the switches.
When activating the light must be switched ON.
UG22 001 1B 05.12.2018

SWITCH-CONTROL FOR THE CONTROL OF COLOUR TEMPERATURE AND INTENSITY
Dimming the intensity
• Short press ON / OFF < 1 s → Switch the lights ON/OFF, ON level is always with last level setting of intensity and colour
temperature
• Changing the intensity
• Long press > 1s → Lights dims always first down, next long press lights dim up
Changing the colour temperature
• Long press > 1s dimming direction have to be up
• Hold the button → the light goes to full intensity
• Hold the button for addional 6 sec→ colour temperatures jumps to coldest colour temperature
• Still hold the button→ colour temperature changes from cold to warm
• Releasing the button sets the new colour temperature.
or
• Press and hold button > 1s → The lights dims slowely from min. to max. Hold the button for addional 6 second the
colour temperature change starts
RESET OF SWITCH-CONTROL IN IC DRIVERS
The intensity and/or CCT values of the various drivers might go out of sequence with time due to differences in the cable-
inductances of individual luminaires. In this case press and hold the Switch-Control until all lights are ON. Then perform a normal
colour temperature setting as described above. This will bring all lights back into synchronisation again.
You can as an alternative synchronisation carry out a power reset. Switching the mains OFF and ON will perform a reset of both
light intensity and colour temperature to the default factory setting providing “power on to last level “ is deactivated.
APPLICATION CONSIDERATIONS
• Cable length in a Switch-Control 2 installation is not restricted by the driver technology, but it must be always ensured that the
actual installation fulfills the relevant national legislation regulations regarding short-circuit current to ensure proper fuse
or MCB operation in case of a fault condition.
• If the length and the characteristics of the cabling in the Switch-Control 2 installation cause substantial induced voltages in
the cables (e.g. very long cables), this may introduce risks for the driver electronic circuit damages. In these cases Helvar
recommends using the X2 rated capacitor connected across the Switch-Control input, as instructed in more detail on page 1.
• Switch-Control or Switch-Control 2 circuits shall not be operated with push-buttons that include internal indicator bulbs /
lights sources.
UG22 001 1B 05.12.2018