A tenant is not allowed to alter the fixed wiring but wants to control the bedroom lights from a phone. Which type of smart lighting fits?

Smart lamps carry their own radio and control electronics, so they go straight into the existing lampholders with no wiring change. That is why they suit tenants. A smart switch or a relay module both mean working on the fixed wiring, and a wired bus is first-fix work that needs its own control cable.

A no-neutral smart switch in place of the plate

A relay module fitted in the switch back box

Smart lamps fitted in the existing lampholders

A wired bus run to the bedroom at the next rewire

How many items of control gear, such as LED drivers, can one DALI bus address?

One DALI bus can address 64 items of control gear. Those can be arranged in 16 groups, with 16 scenes stored in each piece of gear. The figure 16 is tempting because it is the number of groups and scenes, not the number of devices on the bus.

At first fix of a DALI lighting system you are planning the run of the DALI pair. Following typical driver data, how should that pair be treated?

In most drivers the DALI terminals have only basic insulation from the mains, so the pair is treated as part of the mains wiring: mains-rated cable, often in the same cable as the supply, and included when you isolate. SELV is the tempting answer because the bus runs at around 16 V, but the DALI bus is not SELV. A DALI bus must never be wired as a closed loop.

As SELV, kept apart from mains under Regulation 528.1

As data cabling, so any low-voltage cable will do

As a closed loop, so one break does not lose the bus

As mains wiring, in mains-rated cable, and isolated

Free mock exam

Smart lighting — Smart Home Technology Practice

Free topic-focused mock exam: all 30 questions on Smart lighting, drawn from the wider Smart Home Technology bank. 35-minute timer, 70% to pass, worked explanation on every question. Use this when you've taken the full mock once and want to drill the topics you got wrong.

Questions: 30
Time limit: 35 min
Pass mark: 70% · 21/30
Question bank: 30

Free, no sign-up. Retake as many times as you like — the questions are reshuffled, with the answer order changed.

Sample questions

01A tenant is not allowed to alter the fixed wiring but wants to control the bedroom lights from a phone. Which type of smart lighting fits?
- AA wired bus run to the bedroom at the next rewire
- BA no-neutral smart switch in place of the plate
- CA relay module fitted in the switch back box
- DSmart lamps fitted in the existing lampholders
Why: Smart lamps carry their own radio and control electronics, so they go straight into the existing lampholders with no wiring change. That is why they suit tenants. A smart switch or a relay module both mean working on the fixed wiring, and a wired bus is first-fix work that needs its own control cable.
02How many items of control gear, such as LED drivers, can one DALI bus address?
- A64 items of control gear
- B128 items of control gear
- C32 items of control gear
- D16 items of control gear
Why: One DALI bus can address 64 items of control gear. Those can be arranged in 16 groups, with 16 scenes stored in each piece of gear. The figure 16 is tempting because it is the number of groups and scenes, not the number of devices on the bus.
03At first fix of a DALI lighting system you are planning the run of the DALI pair. Following typical driver data, how should that pair be treated?
- AAs a closed loop, so one break does not lose the bus
- BAs mains wiring, in mains-rated cable, and isolated
- CAs SELV, kept apart from mains under Regulation 528.1
- DAs data cabling, so any low-voltage cable will do
Why: In most drivers the DALI terminals have only basic insulation from the mains, so the pair is treated as part of the mains wiring: mains-rated cable, often in the same cable as the supply, and included when you isolate. SELV is the tempting answer because the bus runs at around 16 V, but the DALI bus is not SELV. A DALI bus must never be wired as a closed loop.

Common questions

Is the Smart lighting mock exam free?

Yes — 100% free, no sign-up needed. Questions are pulled at random from a substantial bank, with a worked explanation on every question after you submit.

Can I retake the mock exam?

Yes. Every attempt picks a different random selection and reshuffles the options, so each retake gives you genuinely new questions. No limit on retakes.

Does this count towards the real qualification?

No — this is independent practice material. To gain the actual qualification you need to sit the official assessment through an approved provider.