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Fault-finding DALI systems using RAPIX

RAPIX hardware devices and software products include useful features to assist with testing and diagnosing DALI systems.

The RAPIX Addressing and RAPIX Integrator software have almost identical logging and diagnostic support functions. The term RAPIX Software is used in the descriptions that follow.

Contents

RAPIX USB Interface: Simple DALI Line Control

Quick and easy: as simple as you can get.

Buttons for Simple Control

The RAPIX USB Interface has 3 buttons to allow simple checking for all devices on a DALI Line: ON, OFF, and TOGGLE.

The ON and OFF buttons transmit a broadcast ON, or a broadcast OFF. The toggle button turns a toggle function on or off. Whent the toggle function is active, a broadcast on or off is transmitted every 1 .. 2 seconds.

Using these simple functions allows fast and easy checking of basic function and connectivity.

RAPIX Zone Controller: As a Diagnostic Aid

Checks using the RAPIX Zone Controller.

DALI Line Identification

To Identify all the devices on a DALI line, use the Zone Controller menu system:

  1. Navigate to menu item 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 or 4.4 to select the DALI Line required.
  2. Click on the OK button.
  3. Navigate to 4.x.7 (to switch on), 4.x.8 (to switch off) or 4.x.9 (to identify).
  4. Click the OK button.

DALI Diagnostics

To check DALI lines, use the Zone Controller menu system:

  1. Navigate to menu item 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 or 4.4 for the DALI Line required.
  2. Click on the OK button.
  3. Navigate to 4.x.4 to view the DALI Line Voltage
  4. Navigate to 4.x.5 to view the DALI Message Rate

Zone Controller Log

RAPIX Zone Controllers can keep extensive logs, to allow later checking. Log files are retrieved using RAPIX Integrator software.

To retrieve Zone Controller logs:

1. RAPIX Integrator needs to be connected to the same Ethernet network as the Zone Controller.

2. Select the relevant Zone Controller in the Network Interfaces.

3. Click on the Get Logs button.

Zone Controller Log Level

The Zone Controller log can be set to record more or less detail as required.

To set the log level:

  1. Use the menu system on the Zone Controller.
    • Navigate to menu item 1.12.9;
    • Click on OK.
  2. Use the up and down arrows to select the level:
    • Verbose: Log everything (only use if necessary).
    • Info: Log most important details.
    • Warning: Log warning and error messages (normal setting).
    • Error: Log error messages only.
  3. Click on OK

Software: The DALI Log

The DALI log shows everything that is happening on all DALI Lines in a site.

Opening and enabling the DALI traffic log

The RAPIX Software needs to be connected to the DALI Lines through a USB DALI Interface Device, or through one or more RAPIX Zone Controllers.

1. Click on the DALI LOGGER button:

2. The DALI Log Form will be displayed.

Select the DALI Lines where DALI messages are to be viewed.

3. Click the Start Log button:

4. Any DALI messages on the selected lines are displayed in the log window. Details include message source, type, DALI Address and DALI Command:

5. RAPIX Zone state is also shown:

Viewing a Zone Controller DALI Log

The Zone Controller logs all DALI events for a period of a week to several months, depending on the site size and how busy it is. This is useful for looking at what has happened on a site in the past.

To import and view the Zone Controller DALI Log:

1. On the Zone Controller Properties page, click on Get Logs

2. Open the transferred Zip file and copy the Dali.clg file to somewhere convenient.

3. Open the RAPIX Integrator DALI Logger.

4. Click on the Import button:

5. Select the file saved in step 2.

6. The converted file will be saved as Dali.txt in the same location as Dali.clg

7. The Log will be shown and will appear the same as a RAPIX Integrator DALI Log.

8. Additional messages can be displayed by selecting system and metadata events in the log filter:

9. A summary of the DALI events over time can be viewed. To do this:

  • Open the RI DALI logger
  • Click on the ZC Log Summary button.
  • Select the Dali.clg file (as above)
  • A file Dali.csv will be created in the same location as Dali.clg
  • The CSV file will open automatically in Excel (if installed):

This can be used to identify whether DALI lines have low voltage, are particularly busy, or have high message error rates.

Filtering a DALI log

Filters can reduce the amount of information in a log, so that only messages of interest are presented.

1. To filter the log messages, click on the Filters button:

2. The Filters panel is displayed:

3. Select one or more filters to apply. For example, to show just DALI Level messages, select the Type filter and de-select the other types of messages:

4. To hide the filter panel, click on the Filters button again.

A message shows that filters are enabled, so some messages may be hidden.

Searching a DALI log

The log allows fast easy search. Just type in the search box – only messages containing that text are displayed with highlighting:

Software: DALI Line and Device Control

Quick and easy testing and identification of lines and devices.

Identifiy a Line

Identify allows the devices on a line to be found quickly and easily.

1. Select the DALI Line in the Network Interfaces.

2. Click on the Identify button at the bottom of Network Interfaces part of the window.

3. All DALI Devices on the Line will be switched off and on repeatedly. This is useful for checking that all DALI Devices have been connected to the correct DALI Line and are operational.

Some self-contained DALI Emergency Devices may not respond to identification. These devices do not allow the lamp to be controlled. This is a limitation of the DALI standard.

Control / Identify A Device

Individual DALI Devices can be controlled to allow them to be tested or identified.

1. Select the DALI Device in the Addressing View.

2. Click on the Identify button at the bottom of the Device Addresses part of the window.

3. The selected DALI device will be switched on and off.

Control / Identify Multiple Devices

As for Controlling a Device (above), multiple devices can be controlled.

1. Multi-select devices:

Select the first device by clicking.

Then hold CTRL key and click other devices to select them.

2. Click on the Identify button at the bottom of the Device Addresses part of the window.

3. The selected DALI devices will be switched on and off.

Control / identify a DALI Group

As for Controlling single devices, but using DALI Groups.

1. Select the DALI Group from the list.

2. Click on the Identify button at the bottom of the Device Addresses part of the window.

3. The DALI devices in the selected Group will be switched on and off.

Other Control

There are also buttons to set the selected device(s) or group on, off or to a level. For colour devices, a colour or colour temperature can be selected.

Software: Mobile DALI Line Control

Testing and identification of DALI devices using your Mobile Device.

Identification using a Mobile Device

To identify DALI Devices using a mobile device, use the RAPIX Software and then:

1. Click on the Go Mobile button.

2. Scan the QR Code with your phone or web tablet to open the connection.

3. Select the DALI device from the grid or in the drop-down list.

4. Click on the button with the device number to toggle the state of the device, or click on the Identify button

Software: Control during Programming or Commissioning

Quick checks during programming / commissioning.

Zone Control

RAPIX Integrator software includes buttons in the Zone properties section that allow a Zone to be identified, switched on or off, or set to a level.

Scene Control

RAPIX Integrator includes buttons in the Scene properties section that allow a Scene to be identified, set or turned off.

Operating Properties

RAPIX Integrator allows setting an Operating property to a value by selecting the value in the Properties tab, then clicking on the Set Value button.

Flags

RAPIX Integrator allows setting or clearing a Flag. Select the Flag Group and Flag. Then click the Set or Clear button.

Software: The Project Report

All the details.

The project report contains all the details of a project. Clickable links in the report allow navigation and cross-reference between different parts of the report.

Project Report is only available in RAPIX Integrator.

In RAPIX Integrator, click on the Tools menu, then select Project Report.

The Project Report is an HTML file. It includes cross-referenced details of all DALI Lines and Devices, Zone Controllers, Zones, Scenes and Properties.

The Project Report also includes a list of any warnings at the end of the report. Warnings include:

  • Details of any aspects of the RAPIX system that are not correctly configured;
  • Details of any DALI devices that have some sort of error condition.

If only the device errors are of interest, select the Device Error Report instead.

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