AC Lights

Controlling lights with alternating current (AC)

Controlling AC light fixtures doesn’t need to be complicated. We’ve outline the majors ways to control AC lights with Loxone.

AC Light ON/OFF Control

Traditional AC WiringLoxone AC Wiring

Basic ON/OFF of lighting circuits can be done with multiple Loxone devices. However, all the devices use a dry contact, volt-free relay, which means the wiring topology is the same for all Loxone ON/ OFF AC light control. In the diagram above, you can see the difference between how a traditional AC light fixture is controlled and how Loxone controls an AC light fixture. The wiring is very similar, except home runs are now required from the automation panel to the light, versus from the light switch to the light. Although this can mean more 120V wiring needs to be run for a project, it does allow for all controls to be in one area. If you want to save money on 120V wiring we recommend splitting the automation panels and taking advantage of the Loxone link wire length to make more small panels connecting multiple relay extensions throughout the project.

We’ve also create a list of current Loxone devices below, with on/off relay capabilities for your reference.

Miniserver Gen 1

The Miniserver Gen 1 has 8 digital outputs (relays), dry contacts at 5A 250VAC.

Miniserver Gen 2

The Miniserver Gen II has 8 digital outputs, dry contact at 10A 250VAC relays.

Relay Extension

The Relay Extension has fourteen relays, dry contact at 16A 250VAC with a total rating of 45A (UL) for the extension.

Loxone Extension

The Loxone Extension has 8 digital outputs (relays), dry contact at 10A 125VAC.

Mult Extension Air

The Loxone Multi Extension Air has 8 digital outputs (relays), bi-stable, dry contact at 15A 250VAC (UL) with total max load at 48Amp.

AC Light Dimming Control

120V dimming is done with the Loxone 120V Dimmer Extension. It has 4 outputs that can handle 200W per output. The dimmer lets you dim all types of different lights. The table below has a summary of all the max loads for different load types.

The diagram below shows how a Dimmer Extension is wired, replacing a traditional dimmer switch. The Dimmer Extension is wired with one line from the main electrical panel to one lighting circuit. You can wire up multiple different circuits from that same line or split the loads up on on different lines as you see fit.

Wiring for Loxone AC Dimming

Traditional AC WiringLoxone AC Wiring

Types of Dimming Control Available

Once your lights are wired, you can set your control options in Loxone Config. This involves choosing between leading edge or trailing edge dimming. Trailing edge dimming is the default option as it has smoother dimming and is quieter. You would use leading edge dimming for low voltage lighting with MLV or for speed control of motors. For all other lighting types, use trailing edge.

Other AC Dimming Options

Analog

With the Analogue Extension, or AO extension, you can send an adjustable 0-10V signal to light fixtures that require this signal to dim. This 0-10V can be trimmed with Loxone Config for 1-10V fixtures.

DMX

With the DMX Extension, you can send DMX signals to a 120V DMX decoder to control its outputs. With this extension you can send signals for up to 128 different DMX channels to multiple decoders.

DALI

With Loxone’s DALI Extension, you can send an adjustable DALI signal to light fixtures that require this signal to dim.

Want to learn more about Loxone?

We Can Help!

At TSB, we provide a complete course on Loxone based on years of installing and programming Loxone systems in North America. We have created a course that is presented in a practical way for people to begin a project with confidence.