Track Systems · Standards
DALI + Emergency Lighting Track: How 8-Wire Track Works
How 8-wire DALI + emergency lighting track works: three phases, a DALI pair and a separate emergency phase in one profile, when to use it and what to specify.
How to Specify Lighting Track in a Tender
A vague clause such as "3-phase track, black" lets every bidder price a different product. A good specification names the system, the standard, the rating and the parts, so the track that arrives on site is the one you designed for.
A lighting track specification for a tender should fix eight things: the system type (1-phase, 3-phase, 3-phase DALI or DALI + emergency), the standard (IEC/EN 60570), the rating (voltage and current per phase), the profile and mounting, the finish, the earth path, the accessories by function, and the adapter compatibility the luminaires rely on. With those fixed, bids can be compared like for like and the installed system matches the lighting design.
Why track clauses go wrong
Track looks simple on a drawing: a line on the ceiling. In a tender that simplicity is the trap. "Track, black, 3-phase" can be priced with a light-duty profile, conductors of a smaller section, a different adapter slot, or a black that does not match the luminaires. Each of those differences is cheaper at bid stage and expensive on site.
The clause has to describe the system closely enough that two bids for it are genuinely the same product.
1. System type
| System | Conductors | Specify when |
|---|---|---|
| 1-phase (2-wire) | L, N; earth on the profile | One switched group, short runs, displays |
| 1-phase (3-wire) | L, N, PE | One group, separate protective conductor required |
| 3-phase (4-wire) | L1, L2, L3, N | Up to three switched groups on one track |
| 3-phase DALI (6-wire) | L1, L2, L3, N, D+, D- | Dimming per luminaire, scenes, sensors |
| DALI + emergency (8-wire) | L1, L2, L3, N, D+, D-, E+, E- | Escape-route lighting on the same run |
For the choice between the two most common systems, see 3-phase vs DALI track.
2. Standard and declarations
- IEC/EN 60570, Electrical supply track systems for luminaires, for the track, its feeds, connectors and adapters.
- CE declaration of conformity under the Low Voltage and EMC Directives.
- RoHS declaration for profile, conductors and plastics.
- A test report from an independent laboratory, naming the manufacturer and the profile, to be submitted with the bid.
3. Electrical rating
- Voltage: 230 V per phase; 400 V between phases on 3-phase track.
- Current: state the current per phase the design needs, up to 16 A per phase, the limit of IEC/EN 60570.
- Load per run: state the connected load per phase from the lighting design, and that the contractor checks voltage drop over the longest run against the national wiring rules.
- Protection: state that each phase is protected at or below the track rating.
4. Profile and mounting
- Mounting: surface, recessed or suspended, per ceiling type on the drawings.
- Profile: extruded aluminium, with its cross-section stated (for example about 35 × 35 mm for 3-phase track) and a drawing of the section attached.
- Lengths: run lengths from the drawings, cut, capped and fitted with conductors at the factory.
- Fixing: fixing centres and suspension spans to the manufacturer's data; see maximum spans and load limits.
5. Finish
Name the colour by RAL number and gloss level, and require feeds, connectors and end caps in the same finish. "Black" or "white" alone allows bids in visibly different shades. Ask for a finish sample with the bid.
6. Earth path
State how the protective conductor runs: through the aluminium profile, or as a separate PE conductor. Then require that every coupler, corner and feed carries it across the joint, and that earth continuity is tested along each completed run before handover.
7. Accessories by function
List the parts by what they do, so every bid includes them:
- End feeds and middle feeds, left and right earth versions as needed
- Straight couplers, L, T and X connectors, flexible connectors where the run bends
- End caps
- Ceiling clamps, recessed fixing brackets or wire suspension kits
- Power adapters, mechanical adapters for loads without power, DALI driver adapters if DALI is specified
8. Adapter compatibility
Luminaires are often bought separately from the track, sometimes from several makers. State the adapter system the luminaires must use, or require the track supplier to confirm, in writing, compatibility with the luminaire adapters listed in the lighting schedule. This one line prevents the most common site problem: spots that do not fit the track.
A clause you can adapt
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| System | 3-phase lighting track (4-wire: L1, L2, L3, N), or equivalent |
| Standard | IEC/EN 60570; CE (LVD, EMC); RoHS; independent test report with the bid |
| Rating | 230 V per phase, 400 V between phases, up to 16 A per phase |
| Profile | Extruded aluminium, about 35 × 35 mm, section drawing attached |
| Mounting | Surface / recessed / suspended as shown per ceiling type |
| Lengths | Run lengths from drawings, cut, capped and fitted at the factory |
| Finish | RAL [number], [gloss]; all accessories in the same finish; sample with the bid |
| Earth | Through the profile, carried across every joint; continuity tested per run |
| Accessories | Feeds, couplers, connectors, end caps and fixings of the same system |
| Adapters | Compatible with the luminaire adapters in the lighting schedule, confirmed in writing |
| Documents | Datasheet per part, installation instructions, declarations |
Replace the bracketed values and the system line to match the design. For DALI, change the system line to 3-phase DALI (6-wire) and add DALI driver adapters to the accessories.
Checking the bids
- Does the test report name the bidder's manufacturer and the profile offered?
- Does the offered section drawing match the specified size and slot?
- Are all accessories in the specified finish, or only the track?
- Is adapter compatibility confirmed in writing?
- Are lengths offered cut to the drawings, or in standard lengths for site cutting?
G-Tracks supplies 1-phase, 3-phase, 3-phase DALI and DALI + emergency track to IEC/EN 60570, with a datasheet for every part and track cut, capped and wired at the factory to the run lengths on your drawings.
Frequently asked questions
Which standard should a lighting track specification name?
IEC/EN 60570, Electrical supply track systems for luminaires. It covers track systems up to 440 V and 16 A per conductor. Name it together with the CE declaration under the Low Voltage and EMC Directives.
Should a tender name a track brand?
Many public tenders may not name a brand without the words "or equivalent". Specify the system by performance and dimensions instead: type, standard, rating, profile size, mounting, finish and adapter compatibility. That lets bidders offer equivalents you can actually compare.
How do I specify DALI on track?
State a 3-phase DALI track (6-wire) with three phases, a neutral and a two-wire DALI pair, and state that the luminaires use DALI driver adapters. If escape-route lighting runs on the same track, specify an 8-wire track with a separate emergency phase.
What should the specification say about cutting track?
Ask for track supplied in the run lengths shown on the drawings, cut, capped and fitted with conductors at the factory. Site cutting is allowed only where unavoidable and must follow the manufacturer's instructions.
