Can I change the fade time of a light temporarily to run a longer / shorter fade than normal?

DALI does not currently have command functionality for sending lighting commands with varying fade times.  Each device has only a singular fade time that is set on it and there is no way to override this momentarily for a lighting command.

As such, in order to achieve a different fades to the value set in on the device, the device must have its fade time modified and then set back to the standard fade time after the lighting command has finished.  In practice, this is safe, but the user should be mindful of not running this too many times a day (see EEPROM cell life section, below).

To do this, we will create a sequence and set a temporary fade time, followed by sending the lighting command, waiting the fade time and then returning the fade time to the database value:

Choose Dali Command (or Dali Command (override) if you wish to specify the target) and scroll down to Store Fade time (temporary).  This will change the fade time on the targeted devices but it will not change the database value.  Note that fade rate is also available but this only affects the speed with which a dimmer will cause the light to change (the DALI default is usually acceptable for this).

The difference between fade time and extended fade time is that extended fade time is more specific and allows for much longer fades but some older devices may not support it.   Extended fade time has been part of the DALI standard for quite a long time.  If fade time has the value you would like to use, it would always be advised to use fade time.

You would then send your lighting command, followed by delaying and returning your devices to the database set fade time.  Note that you must specify the target in this case.

Here is an example sequence:

EEPROM Life

Devices will likely store variables such as fade time in EEPROM.  EEPROM has a life and a cell will eventually wear out and no longer function.  Some devices EEPROM cell life may be compromised with as little as 100,000 writes.  If a cell is being written 200 times a day, this could mean that the position wears out in 500 days.   Please take this into consideration with how much you modify your fade times.