FAQs

Does DAYTRONIC also turn the lights off?

No. DAYTRONIC only dims. If you want your lights to turn off automatically, we recommend to use very sensitive Occupancy Sensors and control groups of DAYTRONIC light fittings with each Occupancy Sensor.

DAYTRONIC is optimized to work with the very sensitive and very small EPV Occupancy Sensors.

Why do I need the Daylight Harvesting Intelligence in each ballast?

A Daylight Harvesting system can potentially oscillate. Think of it as a "disco effect". Imagine you have a room full of separate Daylight Harvesting systems. If there is a spot light onto one of the sensors (for example sunshine is reflecting off the windscreen of a parked car), this fitting (or group) will dim down. Accordingly the other groups next to it will dim up. This can create a dynamic "swinging" process and you need Daylight Harvesting Intelligence in each control circuit to make sure that this does not happen. DAYTRONIC has this intelligence in each ballast.

Why is DAYTRONIC using analogue technology?

Simply because this still is the best technology for the intended application. We have a lot of experience in developing digitial controls such as DALI, too. However, with digital protocols the installation, calibration and service become more complicated and more expensive. Even worse, digital controls are much more difficult to diagnose. Any electrician with a voltmeter can check whether a DAYTRONIC installation is working well or not.

Can I adjust the lower dimming limit with DAYTRONIC?

Yes, of course. Next to the photosensor input there is a small potentiometer. This is preset to 10%. By turning this potentiometer you can increase the lower dimming limit to above 50%.

Is T5 better than T8?

No. This perception results from comparisons between T5 on electronic ballasts compared to T8 on magnetic ballasts. If you run T8 with an electronic ballast of the same quality, the efficiency is in some cases even better. T5, however, is popular because it offers new design options, for example flatter fixtures.

Where is DAYTRONIC made?

DAYTRONIC is developed and manufactured 100% in Germany and is backed by a highly experienced team of lighting control R&D and manufacturing experts. This not only enables us to react to any special requests quickly and flexibly but also makes sure that our customers always receive top quality products.

For which types of lighting is Daylight Harvesting available?

For most types. Daylight Harvesting can be implemented with any type of dimmable lighting. However, the simplest and most rewarding application is in fluorescent tube lighting (T8, T5, PL, etc.) as it is typically found in large quantities in offices, schools, etc. This is what DAYTRONIC is for.

What do you think about the T8 to T5 adapters?

Not a lot. To the layman, these low-tech "solutions" look great on paper but in real life applications they rarely deliver on the promises. More importantly, they ignore several aspects of professional lighting. Read this document about T8 to T5 adaptors by the European lighting manufacturers' association. Our own lab test results of these products are in line with most of these results. Further studies available on request.