XTBA DALI Watch User manual

XTBA DALI Watch Manual Page 1of 26
Product # - 03/2013
© XTBA 1986 – 2013
XTBA DALI WATCH
DALI Tester
ISSUE 1 10/03/13
Software V3.45 or later
If you are in a rush, see Quick Set Up on the last page!
35 Fernleigh Road London N21 3AN
[phone] [phone]
e. mail [email protected] www.xtba.co.uk.

XTBA DALI Watch Manual Page 2of 26
Product # - 03/2013
© XTBA 1986 – 2013
XTBA DALI WATCH – Contents
Contents
XTBA DALI WATCH – Contents...................................................................2
Introduction:..................................................................................................3
DALI Data Polarity........................................................................................3
Advanced Menus..........................................................................................3
Power Options..............................................................................................3
Power – from an existing DALI Buss Power Supply .....................................4
DALI Buss Power from the XTBA DALI Watch.............................................4
XTBA DALI Watch Button Control................................................................5
Main Menu Loop...........................................................................................5
Receive Menu Loop .....................................................................................6
Transmit Menu Loop ....................................................................................9
DALI Parameters........................................................................................18
Device Response Time ..............................................................................18
Bit and Word Time......................................................................................18
Bit Time ......................................................................................................18
Word Time..................................................................................................18
Device Response Time ..............................................................................19
User Options ..............................................................................................19
Reference:..................................................................................................21
DALI COMMANDS .....................................................................................21
DALI HIGH COMMANDS ...........................................................................23
The XTBA QUICK SET UP GUIDE TO DALI .............................................24

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Product # - 03/2013
© XTBA 1986 – 2013
Introduction:
The XTBA DALI Watch is a tester which is designed to simplify DALI
commissioning and/or testing, identify faults, monitor commands and make
life a little simpler. So if none of the below makes any sense - don’t panic as
the XTBA DALI Watch will help you through muddy waters of DALI – it is not
‘Rocket Surgery’.
Welcome to the world of DALI. This lighting control protocol can be
complicated as well as confusing - and sometimes just plain bizarre. To add to
the ‘gaiety’ there are a lot of ‘reserved’ commands and a bunch of ‘application
extended commands’ resulting in not enough command space to fit into 8 bits
so ‘special’ or high commands are needed. They tend to work in a completely
different way to other ‘low’ commands and to each other. There is a full list of
commands and responses at the end of this manual.
The terminology has been kept as close to the DALI standard as possible and
where it can be ambiguous explanations provided.
To simplify the commands, commands OFF (command 0) to APPLICATION
EXTENDED COMMANDS (command 255) are referred to low commands.
Commands from TERMINATE (command 256) to ENABLE DEVICE TYPE
(command 272) are referred to high commands.
DALI also helpfully (as it uses less bits) has a channel/address range from 0
to 63 rather than 1 to 64 and in order to keep as close as possible to the DALI
standard the XTBA DALI Watch sticks to this format. To simplify in day to day
use, the default address loaded on a functions entry is 1 rather than 0, so you
can get to zero (if the mood takes you) by pressing the Down or Left key
depending on function type.
DALI again triumphs when it comes to levels. The allowable range is 0 to 254,
not 255 so in displays that show levels ‘max’ is displayed when the level is =
254.
DALI Data Polarity
Dali receivers will work out their own polarity – so you can attach the two
cables either way.
Advanced Menus
There is a lot the XTBA DALI Watch can do and a lot you might never want to
know about. So in user options you can select Advanced Menus on or off.
With this set off some of the more esoteric functions are switched off in the
menu system to keep them out of the way.
Power Options
DALI Buss Power - Unlike most other protocols the DALI line is continually
powered from a D.C. power supply 9 to 22volts (normally 15volts) called ‘DALI
buss power’ across the data pair. The controller sends information by
switching the positive line low - effectively shorting out the line. The receivers

XTBA DALI Watch Manual Page 4of 26
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© XTBA 1986 – 2013
monitor the line for the data and where required will send information back to
the controller by the same method.
No power supply = no communications!
Power – from an existing DALI Buss Power Supply
The XTBA DALI Watch can be powered from an external PSU (via the power
input socket) or directly from the DALI Buss power – if available.
If the XTBA DALI Watch is powered from the DALI Buss (not from its own
supply) there is nothing more you need to do. If it finds DALI Buss Power it
will turn on, if not it won’t - isn’t technology a wonderful thing!
The XTBA DALI Watch takes about 35ma @15V from the DALI Buss (as you
asked) or with its external supply connected it will draw nothing from the DALI
Buss.
DALI Buss Power from the XTBA DALI Watch
When powered from the XTBA DALI Watches’ external PSU you can add
DALI Buss Power if not available. So fixtures can be simply bench tested,
installations half completed or sections of an installation can be tested without
the need to find another power supply.
How can you tell?
First connect the XTBA DALI Watch to the DALI data pair. When connected to
the DALI system (and in the main menu loop) if the blue led is off the system
already has DALI Buss Power connected. So you can now use the XTBA
DALI Watch.
If the blue LED is flashing quickly there is no DALI Buss Power available so
you will need to add power to the Buss.
Press the Function button until the following displays:
L O C A L B U S S P S U O F F
Y e s t o t o g g l e
Pressing the Yes button will turn on Local DALI Buss Power, the blue LED will
stop flashing the display will change to tell you what the line voltage is, so you
should be ready to go. Pressing the Function button will take you back into the
main menu loop.
If you enter this menu when the unit is powered from external Dali Buss
Power and the Local Buss Power is off the display will change to:
L O C A L B U S S P S U O F F
U S I N G E X T E R N A L B U S S
What you need to avoid is turning on Local Buss Power and then connecting
to the data pair. As you might end up having two Buss Power supplies on at
the same time. This probably won’t do much harm or the Watch will simply
reset back to the main menu with the Local Buss Power disconnected.

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© XTBA 1986 – 2013
XTBA DALI Watch Button Control
The XTBA DALI DALI Watch has five buttons to control its functions as
follows:
Function: Next main menu or if in a sub menu will always take you
back to the top - receive menu.
Menu / Left: Sub menus or left scroll in receive and transmit
Yes / Right: Enter selected menu or right scroll in receive and transmit
Up: Command scroll or level/value up
Down: Command scroll or level/value down
Data, Transmit, Error LED:
If the XTBA DALI Watch is in receive menus the LED will be lit if there is
incoming DALI data.
If the XTBA DALI Watch is in channel transmit menus the LED will slowly
flash
If the LED flashes quickly there is an error e.g. No Buss Power
Shortcuts: When in any of the top menus pressing both the Up and Down
buttons will switch the display between decimal or percent. This setting is not
stored so the XTBA DALI Watch will go back to the setting in user options on
next power up.
In menus where the Left / Right buttons are used pressing both will set the
value to 1. In menus where the Up / Down buttons are used for levels
pressing both together will set the value to 50%
DALI Buss Power Alert:
On entry to functions (except User Options) the XTBA DALI Watch will check
that DALI Buss Power is available. If there is no power the display will change
to:
N O B U S S P O W E R
f u n c t i o n t o e s c a p e
Main Menu Loop
Receive DALITransmit DALI Setup Devices Query Devices DALI
Parameters User options Development Tools 
Pressing Menu when the main menu is displayed will take you into that
functions sub menu. Pressing the Menu button again will then take you
around the sub menu loop. Pressing Yes will then enter that function.
Pressing the function button at any time will take you back to the top receive
menu.
So with Receive Levels displayed pressing Menu button will take you into the
Receive menu loop. Pressing the Menu button again will take you around the
receive loop.