Configuring your meter as a Modbus client using ION Setup

You can configure your meter to Modbus client-server devices over serial or Ethernet.

Make sure your client and server devices have the prerequisite communications wiring and configuration before configuring your meter as a Modbus client.

If the meter is a Modbus client over TCP/IP, the Modbus TCP/IP and Modbus RTU protocols must be enabled.

Note: Devices supporting multiple simultaneous Modbus TCP connections can have communications delays. Adjust your network timeout settings to accommodate this.

The meter as a Modbus client over TCP/IP attempts to communicate with a server device for up to 100 seconds (as per the RFC 1122 standard) before moving on to the next server device.

To configure your meter as a Modbus client over serial or Ethernet:

Start ION Setup.
Open the Setup Assistant for your meter.
Click Communications > 3rd Party Protocols > Modbus Master.
Click Add to add a Modbus server device.
The Modbus Device dialog appears.
Enter the Modbus server information:
- Enter the Modbus server device’s name and a label suffix (if applicable).
- Select the device type of the server device from the Device Type drop-down list box.
- Enter the unit ID of the Modbus server device into the Slave ID text box.
- Select the serial or TCP connection from the Connected via drop-down list box. This is the connection from the Modbus client to the server device.
Click Connections. The Modbus Master Connections dialog appears.
Select the tab that corresponds to the connection you are configuring.

For example, if you selected TCP Connection 1 from the Connected via drop-down list box, select the TCP 1 tab.

Configure the connection type:

Connection type	Configuration
Serial connection	Select the serial communications port that is connected to the Modbus server devices from the Assigned Port list.
TCP connection	Enter the IP address of the Modbus server device, making sure that the IP port is set to 502. Make sure that the Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP/IP protocols are enabled.

Connection type

Configuration

Serial connection

Select the serial communications port that is connected to the Modbus server devices from the Assigned Port list.

TCP connection

Enter the IP address of the Modbus server device, making sure that the IP port is set to 502.

Make sure that the Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP/IP protocols are enabled.

Click OK to return to the Modbus Device dialog.
Click OK to add the server device. The device now appears on the list.
Repeat steps 4 through 10 to add all your Modbus server devices.