KNX.

ORG

Smart home and building solutions.

Global. Secure. Connected.

KNX BASICS
 Smart home and building solutions. Global. Secure. Connected.

INTRODUCING BUS SYSTEMS

Intelligent bus systems make buildings more cost-effective

to operate, safer, more flexible, more energy-efficient and
– above all – more comfortable and convenient. The KNX
standard occupies a large share of the market for building
automation systems.

Past, present and future

People live differently from how they did just a decade or two
ago. We get money from cash dispensers, buy and sell goods
and services over the internet, phone friends all over the world Figure 1. “Smart” houses that adapt to users’ needs? It sounds like
something from a sci-fi novel, but it is already a reality. Intelligent
from our mobile phones, and start to moan if an MMS or e-mail
buildings incorporating networks of sophisticated devices that control
takes more than 5 minutes to reach a destination in the USA. the building as needed already exist, and are making life easier for their
In our cars we are guided around by sat navs, and we lock and occupants on a day-to-day basis.
unlock the doors remotely without a key. The interior light goes
on the moment we step inside, then after a while slowly dims
down again. In short, for quite some time we have been enjoy- More networking
ing cutting-edge developments in the areas of communication,
entertainment and automotive technology. If we look at how The key to making a building “intelligent” is to equip it with
technology in buildings has developed over the same period, networked sensors and actuators. There are several different
it’s a very different story. We still open our flat doors with ways of doing this:
conventional keys; and if we can’t find our keys fast enough,
the staircase light timer switches the lights off and plunges us Conventional methods
into darkness. True, while we’re out working all day, the heating The immediately obvious solution is to employ a star topology,
automatically keeps our homes at a pleasant temperature – but i. e. an arrangement where every socket outlet circuit, ceiling
it doesn’t notice whether we left the living room window open or wall outlet, and light switch is linked by its own (ideally five-
when we went out. Only the electricity meter, ticking away core) NYM cable to a central distribution board in which the
quietly in a switch cabinet, notices that. Before going away for logical relationships are created by contactors, switch relays,
the weekend, it is wise to turn down the temperature in our hot and a programmable logic controller (PLC). This works well in
water tanks and to turn off all those electrical appliances on reasonably small dwellings. However, the size of the house only
standby. But no one actually does – at least, not reliably. It takes needs to increase by a fairly small amount before the extent
too long. of the wiring work and size of the power distribution boards
required becomes excessive. In a star topology, adding to or
extending the system is also very time-consuming in terms of
installation and programming.
Time to do some catching up
So electrical installations in buildings have some substantial Bus technology
catching up to do. Networked sensors and actuators have long A far better solution is to link all sensors and actuators in the
since been a standard feature of motor cars; buildings, on the building with a “data cable”, and enable them to share informa-
other hand, are lagging some way behind. A change of mindset tion with each other (Fig. 2). Each device can then communi-
is needed, not least because of the long service life of an elec- cate with every other device, for example: a light switch can
trical installation. Today’s new buildings will have to adapt to “talk” to a dimmer and tell it how bright to set the ceiling light; a
numerous changes over the next few decades. Now, more than motion sensor can tell the actuator for the corridor lighting that
ever, buildings need to be flexible and capable of accommodat- someone has entered the corridor, or tell the room thermostat
ing networked building services. In technical terms, all of this is that there is no one in the room any more, so it can turn down
already entirely feasible (Fig. 1). the temperature.

2 | The KNX Standard – the basics

 KNX.ORG

Figure 2.
A bus system is a system of
sensors and actuators joined
together by a “bus cable”.

The following are examples The following are examples Examples of functional modules
of sensors that can send information of actuators that can be controlled (may be self-contained or integrated in
to the bus: via the bus: devices):
Light switches Relays for switching room lights on Room temperature controllers
Dimmer switches and off Timer functions
Motion sensors Dimmers and DALI-gateways Freely-programmable logic modules
Presence detectors (which can detect Electric thermostatic radiator valves PLCs with KNX interface
whether there is a person in a room Temperature displays Constant lighting control modules
even if they are not moving) Drive mechanisms for awnings, blinds, Alarming and alerting
Window and door contacts curtains and garage doors
Telephone switchboards connected
(for security and heating control) Drive mechanisms for windows to the bus
Doorbell buttons for front doors Circulator pumps for heating systems Media control
Water, gas, electricity and heat meters Valve control systems, Heating control
Overvoltage sensors e.g. for solar thermal installations
Pump control
Temperature sensors for indoor Alarms (lights and buzzers)
Presence simulation
and outdoor air Information displays and indicator LEDs
Displays and user interfaces
Temperature sensors in heating Relays for making and breaking socket
and hot water circuits Modules for connecting bus with
outlet circuits (standby cut-off)
telephone
Modules for preselecting Well pumps
room temperature setpoints Modules for automatically sending warn-
Air conditioning systems ing messages by text
Brightness sensors for indoors and out-
Ventilation systems (toilet / bathroom Modules for accessing building data
doors, e.g. for constant lighting control
extractor fans, controlled ventilation from outside via the internet or a phone
Wind sensors for controlling blinds for living areas)
Fault and system status messages Control of washing machine, dryer,
for white goods (washing machine, dishwasher
clothes dryer, dishwasher, cooker, etc.)
Consumer electronics
Leak sensors, e. g. in laundry room
Trigger signals for alarm systems
Level measurements e. g. for rain water
Telephone systems
tank, oil tank, wood pellet store
Electric door openers
Radio receivers for door locks
and door locking systems
Receivers for infrared remote controls
Fingerprint modules and card readers
for access control

The KNX Standard – the basics | 3

 Smart home and building solutions. Global. Secure. Connected.

Reduced energy consumption in %

80

70
Figure 3.
60 A study conducted by the Institute for
Building and Energy Systems at Biberach
University of Applied Sciences, entitled

Automation of Ventilation
50
“The potential offered by modern

Automation of Lighting
Individual Room control

electrical installations for saving energy”,

40
has revealed that the use of a KNX-
based, networked home and building

of Sun shading
30 control system can reduce energy
Automation
consumption by as much as 50 %.
Automation
of Heating

20

10

Do bus installations
Why KNX? make sense financially?
There are several bus technologies on the market. All of them This is one of the first questions that building owners and
are beneficial and appropriate for certain areas of application. tradespeople ask when considering bus technology. As so
But no other bus system is supported by as many different often – it depends. At first glance, bus systems appear more
manufacturers as KNX. This is because: expensive than conventional installations. But appearances can
·· All strong brands in the building installation sector are pushing be very deceptive! What need to be considered are the benefits
KNX technology offered by a system over its entire service life. Depending on the
·· KNX was developed specifically to meet the needs building type, the following may be compelling arguments for
of electrical installations in buildings choosing a bus system:
·· KNX devices are installed, programmed and parameterised ·· In situations where the customer wants a large number
by fully qualified system integrators of different functions, a bus system will be easier and cheaper
·· KNX is well-established and can accommodate to install than an equivalent conventional installation
a huge range of functions ·· In situations where the customer wants a large number
·· There are several thousand KNX-certified product groups of different functions, a bus system will also be less complex
available, covering every conceivable field of application than a traditional installation
·· KNX products are tested for conformity by an independent ·· Continuous energy savings and hence lower operating costs
third party test laboratories ·· Greater comfort and convenience
·· KNX products are compatible with products ·· Easier to operate for older people / conducive
from all manufacturers (interworking) to senior-friendly living
·· End customers benefit from an extensive network ·· Flexible, future-proof installations
of specialist tradesmen with solid KNX skills accredited ·· Safety / security (presence simulation, alarms in case
by KNX-certified training centres of break-in attempts, freezer door alarms, panic buttons
·· The PC software ETS can be used to plan, design with telephone link, etc.)
and commission installations of KNX-certified products Electrical installations are changing. Customers need to be
from any manufacturer shown the benefits of a future-proof KNX installation, in order
·· KNX supports all communication media: to make an informed decision about whether the initial higher
TP (based on a standalone 2-wire bus cable), PL (Powerline), investment is justified by the long-term reduction in operating
RF (Radio Frequency), and IP / Ethernet / WLAN costs.
·· KNX is standardised in Europe, the USA, China and Already, new commercial and institutional buildings, in other
internationally, through e. g. CENELEC EN 50090 (Europe), words schools, events venues, offices, hotels, doctors’ surgeries,
EN ISO 22510 (Europe), ISO/IEC 14543-3 (International), GB/T law firms and production sites, are generally equipped with KNX
20965 (China), and ANSI/ASHRAE 135 (USA). bus installations. In these buildings bus technology often costs
More than 450 KNX members in 45 countries manufacture less than a conventional electrical installation even in the wiring
products according to the KNX standard. Because the technol- stage. The benefits of bus technology are undeniable (Fig. 3).
ogy is standardised, KNX products are all mutually compatible
and KNX installations can be easily modified or extended at a
later stage.

4 | The KNX Standard – the basics

 KNX.ORG

THE KNX BUS SYSTEM

Intelligent bus systems make buildings more cost-effective to

operate, safer, and more flexible. The KNX standard occupies a
large share of the market for building automation systems.

Where does the name KNX come from?

KNX Bus
The KNX building automation system was originally known as
the European Installation Bus (EIB), and was developed and Sender Receiver
Telegram
(e.g. sensor) (e.g. actuator)
marketed by the EIB Association (EIBA). In 1999, EIBA, Batibus
Club International (BCI, France) and the European Home Sys-
tems Association (EHSA, Netherlands) amalgamated, the name
Figure 4. Sensor/actuator principle
KNX was adopted, and the Brussels-based KNX Association was
set up. The technology used in modern KNX devices is compat-
ible with that of the old EIB system, so all devices bearing either
the KNX or the EIB logo are mutually compatible.

What is the KNX system? How big can a KNX system be?
The KNX system is a bus system for building control. This means Thanks to their decentralised structure, KNX bus systems can
that all devices in a KNX system use the same transmission be modified and added to exactly as required. The smallest
method and are able to exchange data via a common bus net- possible KNX application is a system linking two bus devices: a
work. This has the following consequences: sensor and an actuator. This basic system can later be upgraded
·· Access to the bus network needs to be clearly regulated with as many devices as necessary to perform the desired con-
(bus access method) trol tasks. Theoretically a KNX system can consist of more than
·· Most of the data transmitted are not payloads 50,000 devices. When extending a KNX system it is necessary
(e. g. light on / light off signals), but address information (i. e. to adhere to a specific topology.
where have the data come from? Where are they going to?)
Another important feature of the KNX bus system is its
decentralised structure: there is no need for a central control What communication media
unit, because the “intelligence” of the system is spread across are available?
all of its devices. Centralised units are possible, however, for
realising very specialised applications. Every device has its own Various communication media (and hence transmission
microprocessor. A major advantage of KNX’s decentralised methods) can be used for the exchange of data between
structure is that, if one device fails, the others continue to func- devices in a KNX system:
tion. Only those applications dependent on the failed device
will be interrupted. Generally in a KNX system, devices fall into KNX Twisted Pair (KNX TP)
three categories: system devices (power supply, programming communication via a twisted pair data cable (bus cable)
interface, etc.), sensors, and actuators. Sensors are devices KNX Powerline (KNX PL)
that detect events in the building (e.g. someone pressing a uses the existing 230 V mains network
button, someone moving, a temperature falling above or below
KNX Radio Frequency (KNX RF)
a set value, etc.), convert these into telegrams (data packets),
communication via radio signal
and send them along the bus network. Devices that receive
KNX IP
telegrams and convert the commands embedded in them into
communication via Ethernet
actions are known as actuators. Sensors issue commands, while
actuators receive them (Fig. 4).

The KNX Standard – the basics | 5

 Smart home and building solutions. Global. Secure. Connected.

KNX COMMUNICATION MEDIA

1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 To be transmitted
Bus systems need to be very convenient to install, add to, and characters
in general to work with. The wide selection of KNX communi-
cation media available means that whatever the requirements,
Signal voltage
KNX can meet them – for example when retrofitting bus superimposed onto
devices in even the most labyrinthine of buildings. the Direct Current

Figure 5. Signal shape in KNX TP

KNX Twisted Pair (TP)
A two-core twisted pair data cable (bus cable) is the most
common communication medium for KNX installations. Here
all devices are connected with one another via the bus cable.
Twisted pair cables are cost-effective to buy and easy to install.

Power supply
In KNX TP the bus cable supplies all bus devices with both data
and power. The rated voltage of the bus system is 24 V, while
Device Signal Interference Device
the voltage provided by the power supplies is 30 V. The bus radiation
devices work without error at voltages between 21 V and 30 V,
so a tolerance range of 9 V is available to compensate for volt- Figure 6. Symmetrical data transfer
age drops in the cable, and contact resistance. In the devices,
the DC supply voltage is first of all separated from the data-
carrying AC voltage. The DC supply voltage is created Telegram structure
by a capacitor, while a transformer decouples the data-carrying Information is exchanged between bus devices in the form
AC voltage. In transmitting devices, the transformer also serves of so-called telegrams. A telegram consists of a sequence of
to superimpose the outgoing data onto the bus voltage. characters, with each character consisting of eight zeros and
ones, in other words eight bits, or one byte. Often several
Data rate and signal shape characters are combined with one another to form a field.
The data transfer rate is 9,600 bit/s, and the data travel serially, KNX TP telegrams have four fields (Fig. 7):
one byte at a time, via asynchronous data transfer. When a logi-
cal zero is transmitted, the voltage drops briefly and then, after Control field
no more than 104 µs, increases again to even out at the original The control field defines the priority of the telegram
voltage. This is due to the inductor effect of the choke. The and whether or not transmission of the telegram was repeated
transmission of logical ones corresponds to the idle state of the (if the receiver did not respond)
bus (Fig. 5). An important feature of communication via KNX TP Address field
is that the signals are coupled symmetrically onto the bus, i.e. The address field specifies the Individual Address
the data cable has no fixed reference point against earth. This of the sender and the destination address (Individual Address
kind of communication is known as symmetrical, non-earthed or Group Address) of the receiver
transmission. The receiver does not register the voltage to earth
Data field
in an individual data cable (like e.g. in the USB port), but instead
The data field, which can be up to 16 bytes long,
evaluates changes in the voltage difference between the two
contains the telegram’s payload
data cables (Fig. 6). This means that, without any significant ad-
Checksum field
ditional hardware, stability against coupled interference signals
The checksum field is used for parity checks
increases significantly, because e.g. the interference signals on
both cores counterbalance each other (differential). The trans-
mitter creates the AC voltage corresponding to the logical zero
by only sending a half-wave, which it does by lowering the volt- KNX TP Telegram
age on the pair of cores in the data cable by around 5 V. After
approximately half a bit period, the sender cancels this voltage Control Address Data Checksum
drop again. The rest of the system – the bus cable, transformers field field field field

and charging capacitors of all bus devices, and – very impor- 1 Byte 5 Byte 1 to 16 Bytes 1 Byte
tantly – the choke of the power supply, then generates a posi-
tive compensating pulse (resonator). Figure 7. Telegram structure in KNX TP

6 | The KNX Standard – the basics

 KNX.ORG

Abortion of transmission
of telegram 1

1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1
Telegram 1

Collision
1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1
Telegram 2

Telegram visible
on the bus
= Telegram 2
KNX Powerline (PL)
Figure 8. Collision avoidance in KNX TP Using the existing electricity cables in a building as the KNX
communication medium is a cost-effective way of retrofitting
a building with KNX. In KNX Powerline (KNX PL) there is no
Bus access method need to lay a dedicated bus cable: the electricity cables already
Access to the KNX bus, like several other bus systems, is installed (one of the three phases + the neutral wire) themselves
random and event-driven. A telegram can only be transmitted become the communication medium. The data signals are
if no other telegram is being transmitted at the same time. superimposed onto the mains voltage.
To prevent collisions during transmission, the priorities of the
various sending devices are regulated by the CSMA/CA (Carrier Power supply
Sense Multiple Access / Collision Avoidance) method (Fig. 8). No additional power supplies are needed for KNX PL; the
Each transmitting device listens in to every bit of data transfer power required by the bus devices comes from the 230 V mains
along the bus. If two devices are sending a telegram at the electricity grid. Phase couplers are used to ensure that data
same time, then inevitably (and no later than at the moment communication can take place via all three phases, while band-
of transmission of the sender address in the address field), one stop filters prevent the propagation of data signals through
sender will transmit a 0 while the other wants to transmit a 1. the building connection towards the mains grid. Alternatively,
The device sending the 1 “hears” that a 0 is being transmitted instead of phase couplers, system couplers can be used.
along the bus, and detects the collision. It is obliged to abort
its own data transmission and give priority to the other trans- Data rate and signal shape
mission. After the transmission taking priority is complete, the In KNX PL the data transfer rate is 1,200 bit/s. Logical zeros and
aborted data transmission recommences. A telegram’s level of ones are transmitted via spread frequency shift keying (S-FSK).
priority can be defined in its control field; this enables the A signal of frequency 105.6 kHz sent by a transmitter corre-
designer of the system to specify which telegrams have “right- sponds to a logical zero, while a logical one is represented by a
of-way” in case of collision. If two telegrams have the same level frequency of 115.2 kHz (Fig. 10). The signals are superimposed
of priority, which telegram is allowed to be sent first is deter- onto the mains voltage. Thanks to comparative techniques
mined by its physical address (0 has priority over 1). and an intelligent corrective procedure, signals received can
be evaluated even when interference is present. The centre
Connection of bus devices frequency of the two wave motions is 110 kHz, which is why the
Bus devices are connected to the data cable via components KNX PL system is also known as PL110. The transmission power
known as bus terminals – plug-in terminals able to accommo- of the superimposed signals is often equal to the level of noise
date up to four KNX cables. The bus terminals make it possible on today’s highly noise-polluted mains networks. As a result
to disconnect devices from the bus without interrupting the they can only be evaluated using special digital signal process-
bus line. This represents a key benefit of the KNX bus system: ing methods, in which the transmission power and receptive
removing a single bus device from the system does not stop the sensitivity of the bus devices are constantly adapted to the
other devices from communicating with one another (Fig. 9). network conditions.

Female connectors
for a KNX device
1 0 0 1 To be transmit-
ted characters

Bus connector

Signal voltage
superimposed
onto the mains
KNX cable

Figure 9. Bus terminal with incoming and outgoing bus cable Figure 10. Signal shape in KNX PL

The KNX Standard – the basics | 7

 Smart home and building solutions. Global. Secure. Connected.

KNX PL Telegram
Power supply
To enable RF sensors to be positioned where they do not have
access to mains power, they are generally fitted with batteries.
Training 2 Preamble Complete
System ID This is only possible if these devices do not need to be in a per-
Sequence fields KNX TP Frame
manent ready-to-receive state. To help here, a unidirectional de-
4 Bit 2 Byte 9 to 23 Byte 1 Byte
vice model has been defined in KNX that only sends telegrams
Figure 11. Telegram structure in KNX PL when needed, and does not contain a receiver. Actuators, on
the other hand, need to be able to receive at all times, so need
to be bidirectional. RF actuators therefore generally take their
power from the 230 V mains. In KNX all receivers must also be
Telegram structure able to transmit. The unique capabilities of KNX shine through
when considering the performance of the system as a whole.
KNX PL telegrams are essentially extended KNX TP telegrams.
KNX PL telegrams have four fields (Fig. 11):
Data rate and signal shape
Training field Radio technology works by modulating a carrier wave with the
The training field synchronises and sets the levels information that needs to be sent. This can be done by modu-
of senders and receivers lating either its amplitude (amplitude modulation), frequency
(frequency modulation), phase (phase modulation), or a com-
Preamble fields
bination thereof. The modulated signal is sent to the receivers
The preamble fields indicate the start of transmission,
which then demodulate it, i. e. recover the information from it.
control access to the bus, and are needed to prevent telegrams
KNX RF uses frequency modulation (Fig. 12). The logical states
from colliding
zero and one are produced by slightly modifying the frequency
Third field of the carrier wave, also known as the centre frequency.
The third field contains the KNX TP telegram Choosing the correct centre frequency is an important factor
System ID field in determining the transmission performance. There are two
The system ID field contains an ID for keeping the signals of upwards-compatible versions of KNX RF – KNX RF Ready and
different KNX PL systems separate, so that only devices using KNX RF Multi.
the same system ID can communicate with one another. In KNX Ready the centre frequency is 868.3 MHz, and only one
communication channel is available. However, radio communica-
Bus access method tion in which only one channel is available is vulnerable to in-
terference from non-KNX radio systems in the same or adjacent
Like KNX TP, KNX PL requires the use of a bus access method
band that use different methods for accessing the communica-
to prevent collisions between telegrams. This can only be done
tion medium.
by delaying the sending of telegrams by bus devices. The
KNX RF Multi overcomes this interference by enabling devices
default state of all bus devices is receive mode; only if certain
to switch from an occupied channel (e. g. F1, which is identi-
conditions are met are they able to switch to sending mode. If
cal to the channel used by KNX RF Ready) to a different radio
a device detects the bit string of a preamble, this indicates to it
channel, i. e. ideally two other fast channels (F2 and F3), or
that the bus is occupied by another device. A differentiation is
two slow channels (S1 and S2). The fast channels are intended
made between the two states Bus occupied and Bus blocked.
for applications operated by humans, e. g. lights, blinds, etc.,
If a device receives a Bus occupied signal, the transmission of
while the slow channels are for devices that do not need to be
its telegram is postponed until a later point in time, chosen at
permanently in receive mode, e. g. HVAC control systems. Fast
random from one of seven possible options. This hugely reduces
channels have a data rate of 16.384 kbps, slow channels only
the likelihood of collisions occurring.
half of that.

Connection of bus devices

In KNX PL, bus devices are connected directly to the 230 V an 1 0 1 1 0 Information signal
mains network. (Baseband signal)

mT
KNX Radio Frequency (RF) Carrier

t
Radio is always an appropriate KNX communication medium in
0 T 2T 5T
those situations where it is not possible to lay new cables in the
building (e. g. for sensors in inaccessible areas). KNX RF is also mF Frequency
particularly suitable for extending existing KNX TP installations. shift keying
Theoretically KNX RF could allow all technology in a building to t
be controlled wirelessly, but this will remain the exception rather
than the rule.
Figure 12. Frequency modulation and signal in KNX RF

8 | The KNX Standard – the basics

 KNX.ORG

 Figure 13.
Telegram structure
KNX RF Telegram in KNX RF

Synchro- Data Data Data Synchro-

Checksum Checksum Checksum
nisation Block 1 Block 2 Block ... nisation

10 Byte 2 Byte 16 Byte 2 Byte 2 Byte  Figure 14.

Data blocks in a KNX
RF telegram

Data Block 1

Serial Number /
Control field Checksum
Domain Address

Data Block 2

Individual Address Individual Address

Synchronisation Control field Data Checksum
(Source) (Target) or Group Address

While the data transfer rate (duty cycle) in F1 and F2 can only first – the control field – contains information about the length
be 1 % or 0.1 % at a maximum of 25 mW, for channels F3 and of the telegram, the transmission quality (reception perfor-
S1 it can be increased to 100 % at a maximum of 5 mW (but mance), the battery status of battery-operated KNX RF devices,
between 5 and 25 mW again only 1 %). The data transfer rate in and whether the device is unidirectional, while the second field
channel S2 is limited to 10 % at a maximum of 25 mW. contains either the KNX serial number or the domain address.
Although devices are always capable of sending telegrams, they The serial number is assigned by the manufacturer and cannot
are switched to sleep mode to reduce their consumption by up be changed.
to 80 % for fast channels and as much as 99 % for slow chan- In commissioning in E- Mode, the serial number is evaluated in
nels, waking up only periodically in order to receive telegrams. the receiver together with the source address of the sender.
To ensure compatibility between single and multi-channel In KNX RF S-Mode devices, the domain address is assigned in
devices, a compatibility scheme has been developed, whereby ETS (version 5 or higher), and serves to keep neighbouring
newly-developed single-channel devices now need to use RF systems separate from one another.
longer preambles. It must be possible for multi-channel devices The third field, the checksum field, allows the receiver to de-
to be downgraded to single-channel devices. termine whether or not a telegram has been sent without error.
KNX RF Multi also makes it possible to check that a telegram In addition to further control fields and checksum bytes, the
has been received correctly: fast, direct acknowledgement of second data block consists of fields containing the individual
receipt (Fast IACK) can be obtained from up to 64 individual source address (physical address), the destination address, and
receivers. If no Fast IACK is received, transmission of telegrams the payload. The payload is the actual information that is to be
is automatically repeated. sent. Depending on the length of the payload, a KNX telegram
In larger installations, retransmitters can be used to forward can also contain further data blocks.
telegrams to distant installation locations. Media couplers can
be used for coupling KNX RF systems with KNX TP systems. Bus access method
Unidirectional devices only send telegrams when necessary.
Telegram structure Because of the very small duty cycle (= the pulse duration
Like with all KNX communication media, in KNX RF the use- as a percentage of the complete period) of 1 %, it is virtually
ful data are sent via multicast telegrams. This means that one impossible for telegrams to collide, even in KNX RF Ready. Bidi-
telegram can be received by several bus devices simultaneously rectional devices check before sending a telegram whether the
and so e.g. switch on several lights at once. KNX RF telegrams radio channel is free. If the channel is occupied, the device waits
are made up of several data blocks separated by checksum until it is free again before sending the telegram. As already
(CRC) fields (Fig. 13). The data blocks contain the actual mentioned, in KNX RF Multi the sender can request acknowl-
payload as well as bus-specific information for addressing pur- edgement of receipt of the telegram.
poses. The first data block consists of three fields (Fig. 14): the

The KNX Standard – the basics | 9

 Smart home and building solutions. Global. Secure. Connected.

Connection of bus devices

KNX RF components can be flush- Header
Header IP Header UDP KNXnet/IP
Ethernet
mounted, surface-mounted, or built-in.
Flush-mounted devices are mainly
inserts onto which operating buttons
Application Layer HTTP KNXnet/IP
are mounted to enable lights to be
switched on and off or dimmed, or drive
mechanisms for blinds to be operated.
Transport Layer TCP UDP
The radio communication components
can be integrated either in the push-on
interface or in the device insert. Various
Network Layer IP ICMP IGMP ARP
sensors, actuators and combination units
are available as surface-mounted / built-
in devices suitable for mounting, gluing
Physical Layer Ethernet
or integrating in any desired location and
on any surface.

Figure 15. KNXnet/IP in the OSI reference model

KNX IP
Ethernet is an open (manufacturer-independent), high- The connection is not error-checked, and the delivery of data
performance, local and wide area network compliant with the packets is uncontrolled (connectionless protocol). UDP is
international standard IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet). Ethernet is used considerably leaner and faster than TCP. In applications like the
for local networks, particularly in conjunction with the internet. transmission of speech and video, it would also be counter-pro-
Throughout the world there are a wide variety of different ductive to resend – e. g. a second later – a packet that has gone
network structures. The Ethernet standard defines the physical missing. The UDP protocol is often used in building automation.
areas (network engineers call them layers) – i. e. for example the Linking KNX to the Ethernet has the following advantages:
following: ·· The existing network infrastructure in the building
·· What form the signals take in the cable can be used for the KNX main and backbone lines
·· What cables are used (higher speed, more cost effective, and more convenient)
·· Cable pin configurations ·· Buildings can be monitored and controlled via Ethernet
·· How the various devices can access a common system from anywhere in the world
·· How the characters being sent are represented ·· Several individual sites can be observed and maintained
·· What data backup methods are used from a central location over the internet
For sending data between two devices, these definitions are ·· KNX customer installations can be analysed and programmed
generally not sufficient, however. Numerous other details remotely over the internet by the designer of the KNX system.
concerning the protocols used also need to be defined; this is
particularly important in large networks (internet). Protocols Protocol
are needed in order for computers to communicate with one The KNX system uses two Ethernet communication methods
another in the network. TCP/IP – a group of protocols or rules – tunneling and routing – both of which use the UDP protocol.
(protocol family) introduced in 1984 – is currently very widely Tunneling is used to access the bus from a local network or the
used. Although usually discussed in the form “TCP/IP”, TCP internet for purposes of e. g. programming the KNX installation,
(Transmission Control Protocol) and IP (Internet Protocol) are while routing is used for exchanging telegrams over an Ethernet
in fact two distinct protocols. Strictly speaking, the internet network, e. g. to couple two KNX TP systems via Ethernet.
protocol suite TCP/IP also includes a third, equally important The KNX protocols for these two communication methods are
protocol: UDP (User Datagram Protocol). The base protocol, called KNXnet/IP routing and KNXnet/IP tunneling. IP com-
IP, serves to ensure that the data packets are sent from one munication in KNX can be explained using the OSI reference
device to another, and that in doing so they follow the optimal model (Fig. 15). Communication takes place via the application
routes. This is made possible by so-called IP addresses. The layer (which generates the KNXnet/IP telegram), the transport
TCP protocol is based on the IP protocol, and is used for a layer (UDP), the network layer (IP), and Ethernet – the physical
large number of common network applications, e. g. e-mail and layer. Like with the TP protocol, additional information for the
surfing the internet. The TCP protocol establishes a permanent, respective layer (the header) is always added to the KNXnet/IP
error-checked connection and ensures that all data packets are information.
sent in the correct order and successfully reconstructed by the
receiver (connection-oriented protocol). The UDP protocol is
used for applications (e. g. audio and video streaming) in which
it is acceptable for data packets to occasionally go missing.

10 | The KNX Standard – the basics

 KNX.ORG

KNXnet/IP

Figure 16.
Protocol Service type KNXnet/ KNXnet/IP telegram
Header Length Total Length
Version Identifier IP-Body

Telegram structure KNXnet/IP routing

The KNXnet/IP telegram contains some further information in Routing is needed for the simultaneous, connectionless trans-
addition to that in the KNX TP telegram (Fig. 16): mission of KNX telegrams to several participants via a KNXnet/
IP router (Fig. 18). This is equivalent to group communication in
Header Length e. g. KNX TP. Routing is used for e. g. coupling TP cables.
The header length is always the same. This information is still A KNXnet/IP router serving as a line coupler for a KNX TP cable
sent, however, because the header length may change in a later will only send a telegram to the IP side if the corresponding
version of the protocol. The purpose of the header is to identify group address appears in the filter table of the KNXnet/IP
the start of the telegram. router. All other KNXnet/IP routers serving as line couplers for
Protocol Version other KNX TP lines will only transmit the telegram from the
This indicates what version of the KNXnet/IP protocol applies. IP side to their KNX TP line provided that the relevant group
address appears in the filter tables of the KNXnet/IP routers.
KNXnet/IP Service Type Identifier
The KNXnet/IP Service Type Identifier indicates the action that
KNX IP and KNX TP compared
is to be carried out.
As communication via IP and Ethernet grows in significance,
Total Length
it is reasonable to ask whether the popularity of Ethernet will
This field indicates the total length of the KNXnet/IP telegram.
eclipse that of the current most popular, established KNX me-
KNXnet/IP-Body dium, TP. The answer is no. The main reasons for this are, firstly,
This field contains the payload. the substantial cabling costs involved – because each terminal
would need its own network cable. Secondly, networking KNX
DIN rail modules in a switch cabinet via Ethernet would be too
KNXnet/IP tunneling time-consuming, because of the very large number of network
Tunneling is needed where ETS is to be used to send KNX switches needed. Their high energy consumption furthermore
telegrams in a connection-oriented manner within an IP frame- means that they are not energy-efficient. IP does not pose a
work (Fig. 17). In principle this is always the case if a physical problem, however, if – by virtue of its function – a device has
address is to be used as the destination address (e. g. when a network connection anyway (e. g. a KNX display). Thus,
programming the physical address/downloading the application through the integration of KNX system software, any device
software for KNX devices). In tunneling, communication always with a network connection can be turned into a KNX device
takes place via the IP address of the KNXnet/IP device that is without any additional hardware costs. So while the hierarchical
being used for tunneling. topologies will clearly continue to prevail, Ethernet will become

Internet
or LAN IP Couplers

KNX Installation KNX Installation

Internet IP Couplers
or LAN

KNX Installation KNX Installation KNX Installation

PC with ETS Software

Figure 17. Example of KNXnet/IP tunneling: Figure 18. Example of KNXnet/IP routing:
programming of bus devices via Ethernet accessing several KNX installations at once via Ethernet

The KNX Standard – the basics | 11

 Smart home and building solutions. Global. Secure. Connected.

KNX TOPOLOGY

increasingly established as a high-performance backbone and KNX systems can be added to as desired, and can consist of
a means of connecting complex (KNX IP) devices. The benefits several KNX subsystems based on different communication
of KNX TP, KNX PL and KNX RF can be clearly seen in their media (TP, PL, RF, IP). To ensure problem-free transmission of
suitability for linking together separate sensors and actuators. telegrams between individual bus devices, KNX systems must
KNX is the only bus system to offer such a wide variety of com- adhere to a specific topology.
munication media.

Data transfer rates compared KNX TP

Despite its various different communication media available, Topology
KNX constitutes a single bus system. KNX systems can be de-
The basic unit of a KNX TP installation is a line (Fig. 19). A line
signed and commissioned with just one piece of software (ETS).
includes a KNX power supply (including choke), and usually no
KNX bus devices differ only in the type of connection they use;
more than 64 other bus devices. The power supply and twisted
this does not affect the way the devices communicate with each
pair line (bus cable) perform two functions: they supply the bus
other (the same Group Addresses apply throughout the system,
devices with the power they need, and permit the exchange
components from different manufacturers are mutually compat-
of information – i.e. the sending of telegrams – between those
ible, etc.). The various media do differ considerably in their data
devices. The bus cable can be laid as desired, and branches
transfer rates, however. In normal data traffic, KNX TP needs
can be added at any point. The resulting topology is a free tree
around 20 ms to send a telegram. Only during the programming
structure, which allows a great deal of flexibility in terms of
of devices does this increase – to 40 ms. A KNX TP bus can
layout. Line Repeaters can be used to extend a line if more than
send a maximum of 50 telegrams per second. KNX PL, in con-
64 devices are needed. Sections added in this way are known
trast, offers a data rate of six telegrams per second, due to the
as line segments. A line segment consists of a line repeater, a
lower baud rate, longer telegram structure, and different access
power supply (including choke), and no more than 64 further
method of this medium.
bus devices (line repeaters count as bus devices in the line). No
more than three repeaters can be operated in parallel in a line,
meaning the maximum number of bus devices is 255 (Fig. 20).
Another way of expanding the installation is to create new lines
using Line Couplers. Because, in practice, line repeaters and
Line Couplers (or Area Couplers) are often the same hardware,
lines are not normally extended to their maximum size using
line repeaters; new lines are generally created instead. On the
one hand this makes the system more manageable, and on the
other hand it reduces the number of telegrams travelling along
each line (by taking advantage of the filter function of the line
couplers). A Line Coupler will not send a telegram to a line for
which it is not destined. Up to 15 lines can be operated via Line
Couplers on a line – the main line – to form an area (Fig. 21).
The main line can likewise accommodate up to 64 devices. Line
Repeaters cannot be used on the main line. Line Couplers in the

DVC 1 DVC 4 DVC 3

DVC 5

Power Supply
DVC 2 and Choke DVC 64

Figure 19. KNX TP line

12 | The KNX Standard – the basics

 KNX.ORG

Power Supply
DVC 4
and Choke
Line repeater
DVC 63

Figure 20.
DVC 1 DVC 2 DVC 3 Maximum length of a line in KNX TP

Power Supply DVC 64 Power Supply DVC 128 Power Supply DVC 192
and Choke and Choke and Choke
DVC 127 DVC 191 DVC 255

Power Supply DVC 1 DVC 49 Line 0

Line Coupler and Choke

DVC 0 DVC 0 DVC 0 Figure 21.

An “area” in KNX TP:
Power Supply Power Supply Power Supply up to 15 lines can be coupled
Line 1 and Choke and Choke Line 15 and Choke via a main line.

DVC 1 DVC 1 DVC 1

DVC 63 DVC 63 DVC 63

Power Supply and

Choke
Backbone

Area 15

Area 2
Area 1 Figure 22.
Up to 15 areas can be coupled via
area couplers (blue boxes) in KNX TP.

main line count as bus devices. Each line needs its own power 2. Local data traffic on a line or area does not affect the data
supply (including choke). Up to 15 areas can be added to an rate in other lines and areas.
area line via Area Couplers, to form a complete system (Fig. 22). 3. The topology is logical and manageable for commissioning
Just like the main line, the area line can accommodate up to purposes.
64 bus devices (not including Line Repeaters). Line Couplers on
the area line count as bus devices. In practice, area coupling is Cable lengths
typically performed using Line Couplers parameterised as area For signal formation reasons, and due to the maximum permis-
couplers. The area line is also called the backbone, so it also sible propagation delay, distances in line segments are limited
needs its own power supply. as follows:
The separation of the system into lines and areas has the follow-
ing substantial benefits: Distance from power supply to device: max. 350 m
1. More reliable operation thanks to galvanic separation – lines Distance between any two devices in a line: max. 700 m
and areas all have their own power supplies. The system as a
Length of a line segment: max. 1,000 m
whole continues to work even if individual power supplies fail.
Distance between two power supplies (including choke)
in a line: as per manufacturers’ specifications.

The KNX Standard – the basics | 13

 Smart home and building solutions. Global. Secure. Connected.

Ethernet

Individual Addresses
KNXnet/IP
Every device in a KNX system is assigned a unique, unambigu- Router
ous number – its Individual Address. This consists of three num-
bers separated by dots. The numbers depend on the position of
the bus device in the topology:
·· The first number denotes the number of the area Twisted Pair Lines
·· The second number denotes the number of the line
·· The third number is a sequential number indicating
the device’s position in the line. Figure 23. Coupling of KNX TP lines with KNXnet/IP routers

Physical addresses are needed in order to identify devices

clearly, and also to program them. A special point to note is
that, when attributing physical addresses, area/line couplers
must always be given the number 0 as their sequential number.
KNX RF
Topology
Examples:
The devices in a KNX RF installation do not need to be arranged
Physical address 1.1.0: hierarchically, and can be installed virtually anywhere. Provided
line coupler coupling the first line with the main line that they are within range of one another, any sensor can com-
in the first area. municate with any actuator. It is not possible to limit the range
Physical address 2.3.20: of RF radio signals geographically, i. e. KNX RF telegrams can
bus device 20 in the third line of the second area. be received by devices in other, nearby KNX RF installations. It
therefore needs to be ensured that neighbouring installations
cannot interfere with one another. Telegrams sent by KNX radio
transmitters always include the serial number / domain address
KNX PL of the device as a unique identifier. Only those receivers paired
with the transmitter are able to process telegrams sent by it.
Topology A KNX system can be purely a radio network, or can combine
The topology in KNX PL is similar to that of KNX TP, and is radio with another communication medium (e. g. KNX TP).
made up of lines and areas. The basic unit of an installation is Media Couplers are used for coupling purposes.
a line containing a maximum of 255 devices. An area is created
by coupling 15 KNX PL lines using KNX TP; in PL the maximum Individual Addresses
number of areas is eight, however. Instead of line couplers, in Media couplers are assigned physical addresses corresponding
KNX PL system couplers are used. The individual KNX PL lines to their position in the system topology.
need to be separated from one another using band-stop filters.
System couplers, like all other couplers, have filter functions, Example:
which make it possible to reduce the number of telegrams in Physical address 2.3.20
the various subsystems. Because the number of telegrams in a media coupler with sequential number 20 in the third line
KNX PL installation is considerably smaller than in KNX TP, of the second area.
using KNX PL can be a necessary measure for preventing
congestion in the bus system.

Individual Addresses KNX IP

System couplers (like Area and Line Couplers) are assigned the
Topology
sequential number 0. All other PL devices are assigned a Indi-
KNX IP can be used in place of main and area lines. This requires
vidual Address corresponding to their position in the topology.
the use of KNXnet/IP routers. On the “top” of KNXnet/IP rout-
ers is an Ethernet port and a KNX TP connection. The routers
Examples:
forward KNX telegrams to other KNXnet/IP routers using the
Individual Address 1.5.0 routing method. The availability of Ethernet as a further com-
system coupler coupling the fifth PL line with the TP main line munication medium increases yet further the flexibility of KNX
in the first area. system topologies. KNXnet/IP routers can be used both as Line
Individual Address 2.3.20 Couplers (Fig. 23) and Area Couplers (Fig. 24). Like all couplers,
PL bus device with sequential number 20 in the third line KNXnet/IP routers are also able to filter telegrams.
of the second area. KNXnet/IP routers also make it possible to program devices in
different lines. Some manufacturers of KNXnet/IP routers
additionally support the filtering of telegrams with Individual
Addresses, to prevent programming across different lines or
areas if desired. During operation, KNXnet/IP routers commu-
nicate with one another and with the other KNX devices in the

14 | The KNX Standard – the basics

 KNX.ORG

KNXnet/IP
t Router
ne Internet
Et her or LAN

KNXnet/IP KNXnet/IP
Router Router

KNX TP Area n

KNX TP Area 3
KNX TP Area 2
KNX TP Area 1 KNX Installation KNX Installation

Figure 24. Coupling of KNX TP areas with KNXnet/IP routers Figure 25. Coupling of two KNX systems at separate locations

system via Ethernet, using routing as a communication method. Individual Addresses

Most KNXnet/IP routers also support tunneling, i. e. they can
KNXnet/IP routers (routing) are given the sequential number
also be used as an IP programming interface for ETS. KNXnet/IP
0 (like area and line couplers). KNX IP interfaces (tunneling) can
routers can additionally be used to connect entire separate sys-
be given any sequential number.
tems with one another via Ethernet (Fig. 25). This can be useful
if e. g. two buildings are each equipped with a KNX twisted
Examples:
pair system, and these two installations need to be combined
into a single system. If there is already an Ethernet connection Individual Address 1.5.0
between the two buildings (which will often be the case in com- KNXnet/IP router acting as a line coupler, coupling the fifth line
mercial and institutional buildings), then there is no need to lay with the main line in the first area.
a new cable between them. KNX IP can also be used to network Individual Address 2.3.20
KNX devices, e. g. KNX displays, with one another. Software is KNX IP programming interface with sequential number 20 in the
available for communicating with KNX systems via KNXnet/IP. third line of the second area.

Cable lengths
Ethernet installations are connected using network cables.
Mixed topology
Various types of network cable are available, each using a dif-
All of the topologies for the various communication media (TP,
ferent method for shielding the cable cores. It is generally not
PL, RF and IP) can be used in combination with one another if
permitted for these cables to be longer than around 100 m. For
desired (Fig. 26).
longer installations, special network components are needed to
join together individual network segments. In residential build-
ings cable length is not usually an issue. As already mentioned,
in commercial and institutional buildings the existing network
infrastructure can be used.

IP Backbone
Ethernet
Figure 26.
1.0.0 IP-Router 2.0.0 IP-Router Example of KNX topology
incorporating all media
TP TP (TP, PL, RF, IP)
Power Power Main Line
Supply / Supply /
Choke 1.0.1 1.0.62 Choke 2.0.1 2.0.63

Main Line 2.15.0 System Coupler

2.1.0 Line Coupler
1.1.0 Line Coupler 1.15.0 Line Coupler 2.1.64 Line Repeater PL
Power Power Power Power
Supply / Supply / Supply / Supply /
Choke Choke Choke Choke
1.1.1 1.15.1 2.1.1 2.1.65 2.15.1

1.1.64 1.15.64 Media 2.1.63 2.1.128 The KNX Standard – the basics | 15
2.15.255
Coupler
 Smart home and building solutions. Global. Secure. Connected.

KNX DEVICES

Bus Device
Bus Coupling
Unit

PEI

Bus cable

There are two kinds of devices in a KNX system: system

devices and end devices. System devices can be e. g. power Figure 27. Components of a bus device
supplies, couplers or programming interfaces, while end de-
vices are e. g. sensors and actuators.

Sensors, actuators and bus coupling units

Components of bus devices Transmission Controller
module
All standard bus devices are made up of two parts – the bus
coupling unit (BCU) and the application module (Fig. 27). If PEI
these two components are separable, they are connected via a
standardised, 10 or 12-pin physical external interface (PEI). If a Bus cable
device was assembled in the factory – as is the case with built-
in devices and most devices designed for DIN-rail mounting – it
Figure 28. Components of a bus coupling unit
will not be possible to access the PEI.

Components of bus coupling units

For bus coupling units that are permanently integrated into de-
vices, manufacturers can use either a ready-made Bus Interface RAM
Module (BIM), or a KNX chipset. In those device types where the smallest memory. Variable parameters generated during
the bus coupling unit is a separate device connected with the operation of the device are stored here.
end device via the PEI, the bus coupling unit will be visible. A EEPROM or flash memory
wide variety of different designs are available (flush-mounted, the data (e.g. parameters, physical addresses and group ad-
DIN-rail mounted, and printed circuit boards for integration dresses) input by the user in the application software are stored
into circuits), but all bus coupling units are essentially similar in in this memory. The contents of this memory areis downloaded
structure, consisting of two functional modules: the bus cou- from the PC to individual devices, to be programmed, where the
pling unit controller, and the transmission module (Fig. 28). The data is then stored.
transmission module determines the communication medium
ROM
which the bus coupling unit will use. The most common bus
the system software for the bus coupling unit is stored in this
coupling units are those with transmission modules for KNX TP
memory, during production of the chip. There are already sev-
(Twisted Pair) and for KNX PL (Powerline).
eral different development levels and versions, known as masks.
The functions of these two types of transmission module are as
A mask consists of two bytes of data, the first digit of which – y
follows:
– indicates what medium is used (0 for TP, 1 for PL110, 2 for RF
and 5 for KNXnet/IP). Not all profiles exist on all of these media.
KNX TP The last digit, x, identifies the profile version.
superimposing the data signal onto the DC supply voltage The following masks serve to notify ETS of what system profile
KNX PL is used:
superimposing the data signal onto the 230 V mains power ·· y01xh: System 1
·· y02xh: System 2
·· y70xh: System 7
Both types of transmission module also contain a power supply
·· y7Bxh: System B
for the bus coupling unit controller, and generate reset and save
·· y300h: LTE
pulses for the microcontroller. The bus coupling unit controller
·· 091xh: TP line/area couplers – repeaters
is essentially a microcontroller – a chip incorporating a micro-
·· 190xh: TP-PL110 media couplers
processor and various memories and input and output peripher-
·· 2010h: RF bidirectional Easy devices
als. The microprocessor will be a standard e.g. NEC, ATMega or
·· 2110h: RF unidirectional Easy devices
Texas Instruments controller with the following memories:

16 | The KNX Standard – the basics

 KNX.ORG

For a long time, System 1 was the most common profile. How-
KNX TP power supplies
ever, Systems 2, 7 and B – a progression on System 1 – are now
KNX power supplies supply KNX TP lines with the necessary bus
gradually replacing System 1. They offer more memory and so
voltage, and provide the power needed for data transmission.
allow a larger number of Group Objects and Group Addresses
KNX TP USB interfaces
to be used. All functions required for e.g. alarm systems have
A KNX TP USB interface is needed in order to program the KNX
additionally been revised (e.g. data access management via
system from a computer.
password protection). Application software developed for
System 1 can be downloaded to devices with a System 2 mask. KNX TP line couplers/area couplers
Many suppliers of KNX devices now no longer offer any System These devices are used for the coupling of KNX TP lines and
1 devices. Advanced bus devices use System 7 or B, which of- areas. They can also act as line repeaters.
fers considerably more memory than even System 2. The 10 or KNX PL band-stop filters
12-pin connection between the bus coupling unit and the bus KNX PL band-stop filters prevent powerline telegrams from
end device can be used in very different ways depending on leaving the intended propagation range. They are single-phase
the requirements. Depending on the end device used, the data devices so should be fitted to all phases. Here it is important to
exchanged via the contacts can take the form of binary signals, adhere to the maximum current capacity of 63 A per device.
analogue signals, or a data stream via a serial interface. The way
KNX PL phase couplers
in which the contacts is used is determined on the basis of a re-
In a three-phase network it should be ensured that KNX PL
sistor in the end device, which is measured by the bus coupling
signals reach all three phases. If the three phases are routed in
unit. Some end devices have their own “intelligence”, possibly
parallel in some sections, this will often take place automatically.
even in the form of another microcontroller. In this case the
If this is not the case, a phase coupler can help by providing
function of the bus coupling unit is often simply to manage the
capacitive coupling between the three phases of the 230 V
group addresses and ensure protocol-compliant data traffic. In
network.
rare cases it does not even manage the group addresses, acting
KNX PL system couplers
– like the serial interface – merely as a gateway to the KNX bus.
KNX PL system couplers can be used as repeaters for data
signals in the 230 V network. They can also be used as line cou-
plers for coupling several KNX PL lines, or as media couplers for
System devices coupling KNX PL systems with KNX TP systems.

KNX system devices are devices that perform primarily special KNX RF Media Couplers
functions, e. g. KNX RF media couplers are used to couple KNX RF installations
·· Facilitating adherence to the KNX topology with KNX TP installations.
·· Power supply KNXnet/IP routers
·· Programming KNXnet/IP routers support the protocols KNX IP routing and
KNX IP tunneling, and can be used for coupling lines and areas.
KNXnet/IP routers can also be used as a programming interface.
KNXnet/IP interfaces
KNXnet/IP interfaces are used for programming KNX systems
from the Ethernet side.

The KNX Standard – the basics | 17

 Smart home and building solutions. Global. Secure. Connected.

KNX INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS

A KNX installation is a standard electrical installation in the

230 V range, so all requirements applicable to standard RECOMMENDED BUS LINES
installations (VDE 0100, etc.) also apply to KNX. There are also
Cables typically used Applicable constraints
some KNX-specific aspects to consider.
in Germany

YCYM 2 x 2 x 0.8 Suitable for inside buildings

KNX TP Test voltage: 4kV
(“KNX cable”)
No safety precautions are needed when installing / laying bus
lines, because the bus voltage meets the requirements of J-Y(St)Y 2 x 2 x 0.8 Laid like YCYM, but note lower
safety extra-low voltage (SELV) and can therefore be touched. Test voltage: 2.5kV test voltage in proximity to
Because the absence of interference during the transmission 230 V mains
of data between the individual bus devices depends on what
JH(St)H 2 x 2 x 0.8 Halogen-free cable, must however
cable is used, the KNX standard includes precise stipulations
be installed at a distance from the
about what bus cables are acceptable. The cable must be a
existing 230 V installation
shielded twisted pair cable (Table 1), and the shielding on the
cable must not be contacted or connected to earth on any side A-2Y(L)2Y or A-2YF(L)2Y Used outdoors
– it functions purely as a metal cage. In KNX TP, mains cables (linking separate buildings)
must not be used as bus lines because of the risk of confusion
and their non-compliance with the applicable communication Table 1. What bus cable is used depends on the place of the installation.
requirements.

Second twisted pair

The most common bus cables also include a second, free Insulated single core 230 V adjacent to the sheath of the bus cable
twisted pair. The following guidelines apply with regard to the
use of this free pair: 230 V e.g. NYM
·· Only extra-low voltages (SELV/PELV) are permitted
KNX TP
·· Max. 2.5 A continuous current, overload protection required
·· Cannot be used as a circuit for YCYM or J-Y(St) Y (2,5 kV)

public telecommunications networks

·· The second twisted pair is used to provide a separate power
supply for particularly power-intensive KNX devices Insulated single core of the bus adjacent to the sheathed mains cable

KNX TP
Laying the cables
YCYM or J-Y(St)
There are special issues to bear in mind wherever bus cables Y (2,5 kV)

could come into contact with mains cables, e.g.

·· In switch cabinets and distribution boards 230 V e.g. NYM
·· In branch boxes
Between the bus voltage and the 230 V network, double insula-
tion capable of withstanding a test voltage of 4 kV is generally Exposure of two single cores
required. Minimum spacings apply, depending on the installation
system used (Fig. 29). If switch cabinets are used in which the 230 V e.g. NYM
mains section is fully separated from the installation bus (i.e.
KNX TP
there must be no 230 V actuators present), then no special
YCYM or J-Y(St) Y (2,5 kV)
requirements apply. The shield of bus cables must continue
right up to the terminals, and the use of shield bonding bars is
not permissible. Mains and bus cables should be routed and/ > = 4 mm clearance space or additional insulation
or affixed in such a way that they do not touch. Special require-
ments apply for junction boxes only if both the bus cable and Figure 29. Minimum distances between bus cables and mains lines

18 | The KNX Standard – the basics

 KNX.ORG

KNX PL
the 230 V cable are stripped. For branching, either separate Because KNX Powerline sends data along the existing mains
boxes or a compartmentalised box with two separate chambers network, no special KNX installation requirements apply here.
should be used. Special requirements apply for “combina- Devices for limiting the transmission range (band-stop filters)
tions”, i. e. where a bus component and a mains component are and coupling the phases (phase coupling) are however needed.
housed under the same cover, e. g. a flush-mounted actuator Circuit breakers or residual-current devices with rated currents
with a socket outlet controlled via the bus. When the common of <10 A are not permissible in the signal circuit of a Powerline
cover is removed, the mains side must remain covered, as is the system; fuses must be used instead. Nor can shielded cables
case in socket outlets protected against direct contact. Bus ca- with an earthed shield or cables with core cross sections of
bles should ideally be laid together with the mains and hence in more than 25 mm² be used for data transmission. All KNX PL
the standard installation zones (for Germany see DIN 18015-3). devices have a connection for one phase and the neutral line.
There are several different methods for routing bus cables in in- In actuators the connections for the load voltage and the signal
dividual rooms: they can be arranged in a star topology around cable are separate, so in installations with a very large amount
a central distribution board, or a ring topology passing through of interference, it can make sense to separate the load and
all of the rooms, or a combination of the two. An important signal circuits.
aspect to consider before undertaking a KNX installation is the
extent to which a conventional installation and a KNX installa-
tion should, or indeed can, be combined, e. g. how appropriate
KNX RF
it is to use KNX binary inputs in conjunction with conventional
push buttons rather than KNX push-button sensors. This is par- When planning KNX RF installations, the potential effects of
ticularly important if the customer has not yet fully decided on building structures and other physical factors should be borne
a KNX system, but would like to keep open the option of adding in mind. Under favourable conditions, the transmission range of
KNX components at a later stage. There are essentially two a battery-powered device is approximately 100 m.
ways to proceed here:
·· Lay a bus cable now but add KNX components later
·· Use a star topology for the conventional installation (e. g. wire
KNX IP
each push button individually up to the distribution board),
to allow the system to be retrofitted with KNXcentrally in the Network cables for KNX IP are subject to the same require-
distribution board. ments as cables in IT networks.
It is therefore important to leave enough space in the distribu-
tion board.

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 Smart home and building solutions. Global. Secure. Connected.

THE ETS SOFTWARE

A single manufacturer-independent
Engineering Tool Software is used to
plan, design and commission KNX instal-
lations with KNX-certified products:
ETS®. System integrators can use this
tool for connecting products from dif-
ferent manufacturers and from different
application domains to form a single
installation.

A KNX installation can be programmed

by one of the following two configuration
modes:

Easy Mode (E-Mode)

Here the system is configured not via a
PC, but using a handheld unit, push but-
tons, or other means. This configuration Figure 30. Various windows in ETS

method is suitable for electricians with a

basic knowledge of bus technology, but
no software skills. S-Mode devices can
still always be added to the installation
at a later stage.
System Mode (S-Mode)
To configure S-Mode devices, a special
program – the Engineering Tool Software
(ETS) – is needed. ETS can also be used
to connect and commission KNX devices. Figure 31. Building layout and devices

Figure 32. Defining the parameters for a bus device

Figure 33. The Group Address window

20 | The KNX Standard – the basics

 KNX.ORG

Functions of ETS Designing a KNX installation

A KNX installation is typically configured in S-mode, i. e. using To design a KNX installation, it is not enough to merely install
a computer with ETS installed on it. ETS is used for processing ETS on a computer. The product data provided by the manufac-
the application software that manufacturers supply with their turers of the various devices also need to be imported into the
products. It can be used to perform e.g. the following tasks: program. These data are available free-of-charge from manu-
·· Downloading manufacturers’ application software from the facturers of KNX products, either online or directly from the
internet (online catalogue) or reading in a manufacturer’s da- manufacturer. They can also be accessed in the ETS Online KNX
tabase (e. g. as offered by the manufacturer via his website) Product catalogue. Once these data have been imported into
·· Setting the parameters for the application software ETS, the design of the installation can commence. This involves
·· Using Group Addresses to link the Group Objects for of the the following steps:
individual Application Programs
·· Downloading application software into KNX devices from ETS Creating a project with the required data. The project can be
In addition to design and commissioning tools, ETS also offers later opened and edited again at any time via the attributed
extensive assistance with diagnostics and troubleshooting. project name,
Depicting the layout of the building and the devices in it
(Fig. 31); defining the building structure and bus topology;
defining the Individual Addresses of the devices
ETS program structure
Defining the parameters for KNX products as required. In the
ETS has been created according to Windows design rules, so case of a push button, for example, it is necessary to define
users who already work with Microsoft® products will not need whether the push button is to be a dimmer switch, a push-but-
long to learn how to use it. ETS has a number of windows, each ton for controlling blinds, or a simple push button for switching
representing a KNX installation in a different way (Fig. 30): a light on and off (Fig. 32). In the case of an actuator, these pa-
rameters determine how the actuator behaves, e. g. whether it
Main window should offer timer functions or, if it is a dimmer, how quickly the
The main window presents the installation from the point of brightness should change from the previous to the new setting
view of the building, showing its various rooms and distribution
Defining the functions of the system and the Group Addresses
boards. Devices can be assigned to individual rooms and dis-
(Fig. 33). Example: in an office there are two strips of lighting
tribution boards, making it easy to find a device in ETS on the
that work independently from one another. It should be possible
basis of its location in the building.
to turn each light on and off individually, but it should also be
Group Address window possible to switch both lights on and off together, so the actua-
The Group Address window shows the KNX installation from tor needs to be programmed with three different functions.
the point of view of the functions it offers. Here it is easy to see Three Group Addresses are therefore needed (strip light 1 on/
what devices in the building interact with each other in what off, strip light 2 on/off, and strip lights 1 and 2 on/off)
way.
Linking the Group Objects of the KNX products via Group
Topology window Addresses. This is done by connecting “virtual cables” in ETS
The topology window shows the structure (Individual between the devices’ virtual inputs and outputs.
Addresses) of the KNX installation that is being edited. By linking Group Objects in this way, the user can define which
sensors control which actuators

Each window is divided into two halves, with the left-hand side Specifying the trades to which the KNX devices in the
providing a general overview of the installation in tree form, and installation relate (optional)
the right-hand side presenting in list form individual sections of Checking that the installation has been designed correctly,
the tree structure selected in the left-hand part. Along the top printing documentation, and saving and backing up the project
edge of the window are menu bars from which individual func-
tions can be called up. There are also toolbars providing quick,
simple access to the program’s most popular functions. The
user can customise the appearance of the lists in the right-hand
part of the window and the symbols in the toolbars, to adapt
them to his or her personal working style.

The KNX Standard – the basics | 21

 Smart home and building solutions. Global. Secure. Connected.

Figure 34.
Programming button
for programming
the Individual Address

Commissioning Installation and licensing

Commissioning is one of the most important functions of ETS. ETS is sold by KNX Association in the KNX Online Shop
Each device first needs to be individually assigned a Individual (www.knx.org). After purchase it can be downloaded directly
Addresses, which the ETS user responsible for commissioning from the internet, and can be installed on any computer. To
the installation does by pressing the programming button on work with ETS, users require a licence, of which there are sev-
the device; this tells the program that the address next in line to eral types available:
be issued should be assigned to that particular device (Fig. 34).
Special care is needed during this stage of the commissioning Software licence for ETS Professional
process, because errors at this point can lead to malfunctions ETS Professional is the full version of ETS. The software licence
later on, the correction of which can be very time-consuming. is only valid for one computer.
Once all devices have a Individual Addresses, it is time to down- Dongle licence for ETS Professional
load the software into them. A hardware dongle is also required; this is a portable licence
that can be connected to a USB port on any computer.
Thanks to the dongle, ETS can be used on any computer.
Diagnostic functions ETS supplementary licences
Up to two further licences can be bought for a small additional
ETS offers a number of diagnostic functions, for example for
charge. This is particularly convenient for smaller companies
checking devices’ Individual Addresses, or reading the status
ETS Lite licence
of a given bus device. This includes details of the device’s
inexpensive ETS trainee licences offering limited functionality
manufacturer, any error bits in the bus coupling unit, and the
are available for school pupils and students
operating status of the device. The operating status indicates
whether the software is currently running. It is also possible to
see whether there is an appropriate end device connected via
the PEI to the bus coupling unit, and what Group Addresses are Interfaces
assigned to the objects of the device.
The bus and group monitor (Fig. 35) can be used to monitor For use in commissioning and diagnostics, ETS needs to be
all bus telegrams and hence observe activity on the bus. This connected to the KNX bus. There are various ways of achiev-
makes it easy to diagnose and locate any errors. In addition to ing this: the standard way is via a KNX USB port or KNXnet/IP
monitoring telegrams, it is also possible to send telegrams from interface (or KNXnet/IP router). If the network installation has a
a computer, and in this way to test actuators and initiate switch- Wi-Fi connection, the bus can also be accessed wirelessly from
ing operations in the installation without the relevant sensors a laptop.
yet being installed. This is convenient for e.g. testing individual
room controls, for example checking that the heating switches
off when the windows are open (even though e.g. the relevant
window contacts have not yet been fitted).

Figure 35.
The group monitor

22 | The KNX Standard – the basics

 KNX.ORG

Plug-ins
The configuration and commissioning of some KNX devices
requires additional special software. In displays, for example,
the page structure, texts that will be shown on the display, and
link to events in the bus system are all defined by the person
responsible for designing the installation. For this, a separate
software plug-in is typically required. Plug-ins are automatically
called up as soon as the user starts editing the device param-
eters in ETS.

ETS Apps
Apps are widely available for phones, smartphones and tablets
– and now for ETS as well. ETS Professional offers generally all
that is needed in order to work with a KNX installation. But, like
mobile phone users, users of the KNX system also increasingly
want access to a wide range of additional functions. By offering
Apps for its Engineering Tool Software (ETS), KNX is respond-
ing to growing demand around the world for specialised
solutions. Compatible Apps can increase the functions of ETS
yet further. They allow KNX experts in particular to enjoy even
greater transparency, and configure KNX installations more
quickly than ever. Thanks to the Apps, ETS can be adapted to
users’ future wishes and to future technical developments. All
Apps are designed by KNX Association and the KNX members.
Validated by KNX Association, they are available to purchase
from the KNX Online Shop.

The KNX Standard – the basics | 23

 V11–19

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