Modbus

Parachute

Has anybody every used it? I've read just about everything on the web and still can't figure out if it's useful in a residential situation or even what components are necessary beyond a boiler that accepts modbus input. Does any manufacturer make a modbus package either for Linux or Windows use?

ratio

Not useful for residential work, but fascinating none the less. Can add magnitudes of complication to a simple job.

Parachute

Thanks for saving me from plunging in. I just heard from a colleague that pretty much gave me the same advice. Still don't know why no manufacturer has built a turn-key system for a PC or tablet. Seem like programmers and hardware makers would have tackled the complexity issues by now to promote wider use.

ratio

Modbus is IIRC an older standard. BACnet is (at least around here) gaining share I believe. It's all aimed towards large installations, so the lack of smaller solutions is kinda understandable. And, let's face it, it would be just another way for the typical homeowner to get things into a non-working state. I see enough troubles with just a standard thermostat.

danFromNJ

Modbus is an old communication protocol created by Modicon that became a standard for serial communication in industrial applications. A problem was then invented to use modbus over an Ethernet communication, since Ethernet is so much more robust and faster than serial.

I am a controls engineer and do work in lots of large factories so I see modbus all the time. It is a fantastic protocol and an easy way for manufacturers to be able to read and write data in a non-proprietary way. I've just finished an install where we read data (setpoints, pressures, alarms, temps) from a 500psi compressor using modbus and sent that data 500ft across a factory do it could be displayed on an HMI and PLC near other high pressure compressors in the plant.

While there are tools for reading and writing modbus in Windows or Linux, I don't see modbus bring used in a lot of non-industrial applications. Let me know if you have any specific modbus questions or want to be pointed towards some applications that allow you to read and write modbus registers.

Parachute

I'm all in favor of a faster communications. But most of the boilers I see have modbus, which has the lowest market share of the building automation communication protocols.