1. A White Paper on Designing Light
Automation System
Keywords: Light Automation, Home Automation, IOT, DALI, Phase Cut Dimmer, CFL, LED, Wired System,
Failsafe, Silvan
About the paper
This white paper explains various aspects of designing light automation part of a home automation
system. This paper considers fully wired solution only. The paper aims to educate MEP engineers &
purchase managers of the builder community about overall costing estimates, design parameters,
explanation of protocols, scope matrix and validation criteria. The paper also provides detailed technical
explanation to individual apartment/villa owners to understand the overall lighting design for their smart
home. These observations can also be applied to office automation with some tweaking on the light
selection criteria.
Introduction
When it comes to automating a house, light automation plays a major role. These controls are used on
daily basis and directly reflects one's lifestyle and energy consumption. In a typical 2BHK apartment
number of light points vary from 8 to 12, however in a large Villa it can go upto 50 and more. A poorly
designed light automation system can put unnecessary burdens in terms of increased power
consumption, regular maintenance and downtime, on the end customer.
The first part of the paper provides technical details of a lighting automation system, details of Silvan's
light automation system, ballast selection criteria and comparison between different type of lighting
automation system available in the market. This section provides technical background to understand all
the components of a light automation system.
The second part of the paper explains parameters to consider while designing the light automation
system for different types of projects. It also provides guidelines to get a good quote for your light
automation system. Finally couple of cases studies are included to showcase light automation system for
a typical 2 BHK apartment and a villa using Silvan light automation system. This section can be very useful
for MEP engineers, purchase managers, electrical designers to understand the entire process.

2. Components of a Light Automation System
For many decades, halogen & incandescent lights have been only reliable options for lighting control.
However recent developments have made CFL & LEDs affordable. These lights are available in different
shapes and sizes. Most of these lights can be dimmed either via dedicated Ballast or directly. When you
are designing the light automation system, you may end-up paying for more components than just lights.
Here is a comprehensive list for your reference:
No Item Description Usage/Remark Scope
1 Incandescent
light
It's a typical 230V light
bulb. It is available in
different watt.
It is cheaper than
other lighting options
but consumes more
power than other
options
This item is generally in
the end-customer's
scope. The builder may
give default lighting but
maintenance is taken
care by the end
customer.
2 CFL Bulb This kind of bulbs are also
very popular and has
become affordable
recently. These bulbs are
available in various size,
dimming/non-dimming
options etc.
Compared to general
incandescent lamps
giving the same
amount of visible light,
CFLs use one-fifth to
one-third the electric
power, and last eight
to fifteen times longer.
This item is generally in
the end-customer's
scope. The builder may
give default incandescent
lights expecting the end
customer to buy any type
of light.
3 LED Light These lights are becoming
popular because of lower
energy consumption,
longer life and safer
operation. These lights are
also available in different
options
LED lights are more
expensive than CFLs
but consumes less
power and lasts
longer.
This item is generally in
the end-customer's
scope. The builder may
give default incandescent
lights expecting the end
customer to buy any type
of light.
4 Ballast It is a current limiting
device to be used with CFL
and LED lights to provide
limited current for
operation.
This item is mostly
overlooked in a light
automation system
design. The selection
of the ballast is very
specific to the light
load selected. One
needs to consider false
ceiling to mount the
ballast along with the
lights.
Hardly any builder
provide ballasts with the
light points. Since there
is a dependency on false
ceiling to install these
ballasts, the light and
ballast selection is done
by the end customer at
the time of interior
design.
5 Switch -
SPDT, SPST,
Keypads etc
These wall mounted
options are provided for
easy control of the lights.
Some home
automation systems
work with dedicated
keypads only and will
This item is in Builder's
scope. Since this is a
visible item, it is
generally approved by

3. require you to change
all switches
the design/architect
team.
6 Light
Controller
Module
These modules are specific
to the brand of home
automation system you are
selecting. The module may
support only specific lights
- incandescent, CFL or LED
These modules are
needed along with
Ballast to provide
automation. These
modules can support
one of the following
protocols, RS
485/Modbus, KNX,
DALI, Proprietary
protocol,ZWave,
Zigbee, WLAN etc
The HA vendor provides
this item. This item is
generally hidden, so no
approval is required from
architects.
7 HA
Controller
To provide automation
control, you will also need
a HA Controller. Several
light controller modules
are connected to a HA
Controller to provide
complete light automation
Similar to Light
Controller module, an
HA controller can also
support one or more
of the following
protocols:
RS 485/Modbus, KNX,
DALI, Proprietary
protocol,ZWave,
Zigbee, WLAN etc
The HA vendor provides
this item. This item is
generally hidden, so no
approval is required from
architects.
8 Control and
Signal Wires
Since we are considering
wired system in this White
paper, we need to factor in
both control and signal
wires in the design. Control
wires connect Light
Controller module to HA
controller however signal
wires connect Loads/lights
to the light controller
module
Signal wires remain
mostly same for all
type of home
automation products,
however control wires
vary based on the
protocol supported
This can either be
procured by the builder
directly or provided by
the HA vendor. These
wires may require prior
approval based on the
MEP design and safety
requirements.
9 Backboxes &
HA DB
These are metal enclosures
to mount HA controller as
well as light controller
module
The dimensions, color
& type of these boxes
varies from one
automation brand to
another.
This can either be
procured by the builder
directly or provided by
the HA vendor. These
enclosures (especially
the front fascia & color)
may require prior
approval from the
architects
10 Occupancy
Sensors
These PIR based sensors
triggers a light to switch on
Generally these
sensors are connected
in stand-alone
They are generally
installed in Bathrooms
and lobbies . This part is

4. and remain ON for the
configured duration.
manner, i.e. without
connecting to HA
controller.
also visible and may
require approval from
the architects.
Introduction to Silvan Light Automation System
Silvan offers wide range of functionalities to cater all type of project needs. Silvan light controllers are
designed to provide failsafe and true two-way functionality with seamless manual override. These light
controllers can provide On/Off and dimming functionality. Here is the list of the Silvan modules required
to design a Light Automation System.
Item Description Capability
HA 2020 HA Controller. It connects to Light
Controller modules via RS485. The same
controller can also be used to connect
with sensors, IRs, Curtain controllers
etc.
4 ports for RS 485 communication.
Every port supports upto 25 Light
controller modules connected in Daisy
Chain fashion
DM 4412 Light Control module that provides
On/Off functionality in true two-way
fashion. It can also provide dimming
functionality, if connected by approved
0-10V Ballasts to control CFLs & LEDs
A DM 4412 has 4 channels. Every
channel can have load upto 460 Watt.
DM 4420 Light control module that provides
on/off functionality in true two-way
fashion. It can also provide dimming
functionality directly to Halogen /
incandescent lights or to LED lights via
phase-cut ballasts
A DM 4420 has 4 channels. Every
channel can have load upto 460 Watt.
Scene Keypad 6-button touch based keypad. It is
mounted in a 2 modular back-box and
can provide light on/off, dimming and
scene functionality. It is an optional
item in the light automation system.
A Scene controller is connected to HA
2020 via Scene Controller Interface
Module (SCIM) on RS 485 bus. Each
SCIM supports upto 7 Scene
controllers.
Occupancy
Sensors
A wide range of 3rd
party PIR based
occupancy sensors can be procured and
installed by Silvan.
These sensors are installed in stand-
alone manner, without connecting to
HA controller
Backbox HA DB Silvan also provides HA DB for mounting
HA controller. Other back-boxes, for
mounting DM 4412, DM 4420 & Scene
Controllers, can be procured and
installed by the customer directly.
Control Wires Silvan system uses CAT5 or CAT6 for
control cables, i.e. connecting HA to
Light controller, scene controller
Cabling can be executed by the
customer. Silvan provides detailed
cabling guidelines.

5. interface to scene keypad, scene
controller to HA controller
Signal Wires Silvan recommends using 1.00 sqmm
wires for load connections and 2.5
sqmm wires for phase and neutral
connections.
Cabling can be executed by the
customer. Silvan provides detailed
cabling guidelines.
Please note that LM 4310, DM 4120 and LM 4311 are older generation of light control modules. These
modules are being upgraded by DM 4412 and DM 4420 mentioned above.
Here is a typical single line diagram of lighting automation system using Silvan products.
Fig 1 : Single Line Diagram of Silvan Light Automation System
Both DM 4412 and DM 4420 are shown with and without ballasts. These modules can also be connected
with and without regular switches. Optionally, 6-scene keypads can also be configured in the system using
SCIM. Network switch is shown here to connect the home automation controller to the home's WiFi
network. The user can access these light controls via touch pad or smart phones over WiFi.
One occupancy sensor connection is also shown. It is connected in a stand-alone fashion, without getting
connected to the home automation system. This sensor is generally installed in bathroom in series with
the bathroom light.

6. A Note on selecting Ballast
There are several branded and local ballasts available in the market. However, a ballast must be finalized
carefully for a project. The selection depends on the following criteria:
 Ballasts should be finalized along with the lights for the project. These ballasts are used with CFL
and LED lights and depend on the Wattage and Current requirements of the lights.
 Ballasts are generally mounted closer to the lights. One may need to plan for false ceiling, if ballast
is required to control the light.
 There are several unbranded/local ballasts available in the market. One must ensure quality of
the product and compatibility with the system before finalizing any such ballast.
 Normally multiple loads/lights can be connected to a single switch, however it is not
recommended to connect multiple loads/lights to a single ballast. Always refer to the datasheets
of the selected ballast before making any such connections.
 Always check the compatibility of the ballast with the selected Light Controller Module. The
following ballasts are supported by Silvan's Light controller module. Please note that Silvan keeps
testing with available ballasts and light combinations. Please check with Silvan before finalizing
the light and ballasts for your project.
o OSRAM - HF 2X36/230…240 DIM (for 0-10 V CFL dimming)
o OSRAM - OT 18/200…240/700 DIM (for 0-10 V LED dimming)
o Philips - ETK 50 'Halite' Electronic (for phase cut dimming)
o Tridonic - TALEXXdriver LCBI 15W 350mA BASIC phase-cut lp (for phase cut dimming)
o Meanwell - pcd-40-700b (for phase cut dimming)
o Meanwell - pcd--40-1050b (for phase cut dimming)
Design Parameters
As an MEP engineer, one needs to worry about the overall cost of execution, at the same time the system
should be useful to the end customer. Here are some key design parameters to be considered.
 Type of Access: In a typical house, lights are accessed by people of all age group. The existence of
automation should not make basic operations via regular rocker switches obsolete. A good
automation system provides control through smart phones/devices, however it must also retain
the basic manual override functionality. Most of the automation systems provide additional
keypads to operate lights. While designing a good system, the simplicity of the usage shouldn't be
jeopardized otherwise the system becomes inaccessible to certain group of people like old age
people, maids etc.
 Type of Control: There are options to provide only on/off control or dimming control in a lighting
automation system. One can also consider providing motion based light sensing which is typically
used in bathrooms, lobbies etc. Typical usage of the lights should also be considered in the design.
In a house, one can find some lights being operated very regularly and others on very occasional
basis. One can plan for different type of automation for each light.
 Type of Load: The components of a light automation system vary based on the type of light. One
must first finalize the type of lights required in the project. While designing a residential project,

7. one may consider providing on/off only control by default and the user may have option to
upgrade the system to dimming also. The light control module should be selected accordingly.
 Failsafe Mechanism: The overall maintenance and duration of the downtime should also be
considered while designing a light automation system. Since lighting is the most used part of any
project, it may also require some maintenance over a period of time. A good automation system
should operate in failsafe manner. Any fault at any light control module, ballast or HA controller
shouldn't make the lighting inoperable.
Here is suggested priority matrix for different types of the projects.
Parameter Budget Home Luxurious
Villa/Home
Office/Hotel
Automation
Manual Override Must to Have Must to Have Can be optional
Failsafe Mechanism Must to Have Must to Have Must to Have
Presence based lighting Mostly in bathrooms Mostly in
bathrooms
Mostly in Bathrooms,
Lobbies, corners,
conf. rooms,
balconies
Dimming Optional Must to have Optional
Touch-based/dedicated Keypad Not Needed Optional Must to have
Upgrade option (User can go for
dimming without changing the
light control module)
Must to have Must to have Optional
Centralized v/s distributed
architecture
Centralized or Distributed
both can be implemented
Distributed Centralized

8. Comparison between Silvan & Other Lighting Automation System
Silvan lighting automation system uses Modbus protocol running over RS 485 bus. There are systems
available in market running on other protocols. The comparison matrix below shows difference between
Silvan & other lighting automation system:
Parameter Silvan System Other Proprietary
True Two Way YES Not Possible
Failsafe Mechanism YES Not Possible
Supports LED, CFL, Halogen YES YES
Requires Keypads to operate Optional Mostly YES
Wiring cost Low Depends
Purchase Friendly YES Depends
Silvan system is defined as purchase friendly, because a user can go for simple On/Off based lighting
control initially and later upgrade the system, by changing to dimmable lights with suitable ballasts,
without causing any change in the Silvan components.
Wiring cost can be optimized by going for decentralized architecture. Refer case studies for the details.
Silvan system uses easily available and economic CAT5 and other electrical cables. However other
protocols will require expensive dedicated cable to be put.
How to get a good lighting automation quote?
Designing a good lighting automation system may be a time consuming process. It may require several
design iterations between the automation vendor, MEP team, purchase department & architects team.
To reduce the iterations, it is highly recommended to prepare a clear design basis and share latest
electrical drawings (with load, switch and circuit breaker details) with the vendors. Here are some points
which should be covered in the design basis document:
 Mention the light types & numbers to be controlled by automation.
 Clearly indicate - lights to be dimmed, controlled on/off, controlled in stand-alone manner
(bathroom occupancy sensors)
 Provide the circuit breaker details for calculating exact number of light controller modules
 Type of light loads - i.e. incandescent, CFL & LED
 Preference for centralized vs distributed architecture
 Requirement for dedicated touch-pads or keypads or regular rocker switches
 List and/type of devices, for which separate approval is needed from the architect team
(optional)
 Preference for any particular type of wires to be used in the project (optional)
 Preferred location of HA DB (It is needed to estimate cables)
 Preference, if any, for the color/dimension restriction on HA DB

9. Case Studies
This section provides detailed case studies, conduit diagrams, cable estimates and detailed BoQ. Similar
analysis can be done for your project by varying the type & number of lights.
2 BHK Apartment
We have considered a typical 2BHK apartment with 1340 sqft area. The conduit drawings and cable
estimates are shown for both centralized and decentralized architecture. 3 Light control modules are
considered in both the cases. It can cover upto 12 lights under automation. 2 bathrooms are automated
using occupancy sensors. Only on/off operations are considered in both the cases. Scene controllers are
not included in this design. The user can access the lights via smart phones/pads and two way switches
mounted on the walls.
In a centralized architecture, as shown below, all the light controller modules are mounted near the home
automation DB
Fig 2a: Conduit diagram of a 2BHK apartment with 3 Light Control Module connected in centralized
architecture
In this situation, only few meters of control cable (CAT5) are needed, since all the light control modules
are kept nearby. However signal cables need to be pulled from every switch-board under automation to
the home automation DB. Please note that all switches are changed to SPDT (two way switches) for true
two-way integration.

10. Fig 2b: Legends Applicable for both Fig 2a and Fig 2c
In a decentralized architecture, as shown below, light controller modules are mounted near the actual
switch-boards in the respective rooms. These modules are connected in daisy chain fashion and
terminated at home automation controller.
Fig 2c: Conduit diagram of a 2BHK apartment with 3 Light Control Module connected in decentralized
architecture

11. On the contrary to the centralized architecture, control cable are required to be pulled across the house
in the decentralized architecture. However the cabling cost comes down in this case, since estimated
signal cable length has reduced. The light control modules are mounted, either on the false ceiling or
dedicated back-box near the switch-board, so only few meters of the cables are required to run between
the switch-board and the light controller module in every area. Here it is assumed that the light controller
module is mounted within 1 meter proximity of the switch-board.
These are approximate cable estimates. The actual cable length depends on the actual site conditions.
Electrical cables used between lights/loads to switches are not considered in this estimation.
Complete BoQ of the System
Item Qty - Centralized Qty - Decentralized
HA Controller 1 1
HA DB 2 (One Extra DB is required to
mount light controller modules)
1
Light Controller Module (DM
4412 or DM 4420)
3 3
Occupancy Sensors 2 2
Individual Back-boxes for Light
Controller Modules
0 (Since all light controller
modules are mounted centrally)
3 (One for every Light controller
Module)
CAT 5 Cable (for Control) Approx 2 meters Approx 40 meters
1 sqmm cable (for Signal) Approx 150 meters Approx 40 meters
6 Scene keypad 0 0
Ballasts 0 0
SCIM (Scene Controller
Interface Module)
0 0

12. Duplex Villa
We have considered a duplex villa of around 5000sqft. The conduit drawings and cable estimates are
shown for both ground and the first floors. Since the lighting points are spread all across the house, we
have considered decentralized architecture to reduce cabling cost and complexity.
Fig 3a: Ground Level of Villa - approximate area 2500 sqft
Fig 3b: HA Legends applicable for both ground and upper levels

13. Fig 3c: Ground Level of Villa - approximate area 2500 sqft
The lighting automation system in this villa is designed to provide both On/Off and LED Dimming
functionality using ballasts. The cable estimates are shown for both 0-10V ballast and phase cut ballasts.
The access is provided via 6 scene keypad.
Item Qty - Ground Level Qty - Upper Level Total Quantity
HA Controller 1 0 1
HA DB 1 0 1
Light Controller Module (DM
4412 or DM 4420)
4 4 8
Occupancy Sensors 1 3 4
Individual Back-boxes for Light
Controller Modules
4 4 8
CAT 5 Cable (for Control) Approx 100 meters Approx 100 meters Approx 200 meters
1 sqmm cable (if 0-10V Ballasts
are used)
Approx 200 meters Approx 150 meters Approx 350 meters
1 sqmm cable (if phase cut
ballasts are used)
Approx 70 meters Approx 60 meters Approx 130 meters
6 Scene keypad 3 3 6
Ballasts (0-10V or phase cut) Upto 16 Upto 16 Upto 32
SCIM (Scene Controller
Interface Module)
1 0 1
Please note that cable estimates are specific to this project and can vary from one site to another. The
estimated cable length of 1 sqmm cable reduces to 2/3rd if phase cut ballast is used instead of 0-10V
ballast.

14. Summary
Designing a light automation system for a project requires one to consider various parameters. This paper
explains designing of wired light automation system for a typical apartment and a villa. All components
are explained to provide accurate estimates for the project.