ANS E1.3-2001 pdf download Entertainment Technology Lighting Control Systems 0 to 10V Analog Control Specification
1 Scope This standard describes a method of controlling equipment by means of an analog control voltage. It is primarily intended for lighting control equipment (controllers and dimmers) although any equip- ment which might be controlled by a lighting controller (ntelligent lighting, strobe lights, fog ma- chines, etc.) could use this control method. Some 0 to 10V controlled devices (such as dimmable fluorescent ballasts) require current-sink contollers. E1.3 controllers are current-source devices and cannot control these receivers without modification or additional interface components. This standard does not address electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC) issues, which might result from control line oscillations caused by pooly designed controllers or cabling practices.
2 History Prior to digital and analog multiplex control systems, most remote control of lighting dimmers was done using a wire-per-dimmer system. Each dimmer had a dedicated control wire (or pair of wires). The output voltage of the dimmer was proportional to the signal on the control wire. Some of these wire-per dimmer systems required that the control voltage be the same frequency and in phase with the dimmer’s AC output. Some systems used high voltage control signals. Some systems used low voltage direct current control signals. The safety and fexilit of the low voltage DC control system gradually made it the system of choice. Many different low voltage systems were used. Some common control signals were 0 to 10V, 0 to 15V, 0 to 24V, 0 to 28V. In most cases zero volts was considered“ff.” Negative control voltages were also common: 0 to -10V, 0 to -15V, 0 to -28V.
Again in most cases zero volts was off. Some control signals used a voltage other than zero for off, for example 2 to 7.6V and2 to 10.5V. In these, the lower voltage was typically off. Over time the 0 to 10V control system became the most popular. As of the writing of this specifica- tion, 0 to 10V control systems are popular not only in lighting but for motor control and industrial au- tomation as well. Many digital to analog converters have a standard 0 to 10V setting. The 0 to 10V control system is easy to convert to percentage (add a zero), is easy to implement using operational amplifers and consumer circuits, is a low enough voltage to be safe and is a high enough voltage to avoid most noise problems. 3 Purpose The purpose of this specification is to document the now common 0 to 10V direct current control system as typically used in lighting applications and provide specifications for new designs.