×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Portable RS-485 / Modbus Master... hand held?

Portable RS-485 / Modbus Master... hand held?

Portable RS-485 / Modbus Master... hand held?

(OP)
Hello all,
I would like to find a small wall mounted / almost handheld GUI capable of controlling several VFDs via RS-485, without the need for PLC interface, etc.  Just something small, simple.  

Does such a critter exist?  Any alternatives I should consider?

Thanks,
~Mark
Replies continue below

Recommended for you

RE: Portable RS-485 / Modbus Master... hand held?

That's a little open-ended.  What size (power) VFD?  Define GUI... an LCD touchscreen or several knobs.  What is the intended purpose?

Several of Hitachi's VFDs are controllable through a removable front panel using RS-485.

Dan - Owner
http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

RE: Portable RS-485 / Modbus Master... hand held?

Red Lion's HMI line, G3, has extensive Modbus master capability.

In fact, Red Lion takes the display off the HMI line, and packages the communications in a DIN rail mount box called the Data Station which is great for blind Modbus'ing.

Give Red Lion a call and they'll tell you what you need.

http://www.redlion.net/g3features/

RE: Portable RS-485 / Modbus Master... hand held?

I just got an email that looks like Unitronics might do that, too, but their web site 404's.   

www.unitronics.com/

RE: Portable RS-485 / Modbus Master... hand held?

(OP)
Thanks guys; I'll give those a look.

~Mark

RE: Portable RS-485 / Modbus Master... hand held?

You can find plenty of them that have RS-485 ports but the trouble comes in with the software to implement the control commands for the drives.

There may be standards but each manufacturer seems to wanna go for the whole pie and come up with their own protocol.

If it's speed control only the good ole 4-20 ma is present on most drives.

I once though of using the Rabbit BL1810 for drive control but i would have had to write my own C code for the protocol.

 

RE: Portable RS-485 / Modbus Master... hand held?

I would expect some of the Automation Direct HMI's would do Modbus master over RS485. If not, there are other HMI products avaialable.

 

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members! Already a Member? Login



News


Close Box

Join Eng-Tips® Today!

Join your peers on the Internet's largest technical engineering professional community.
It's easy to join and it's free.

Here's Why Members Love Eng-Tips Forums:

Register now while it's still free!

Already a member? Close this window and log in.

Join Us             Close