PQM POWER QUALITY METER – INSTRUCTION MANUAL 7–1
PQM Power Quality Meter
Chapter 7: Modbus 
Communications
GE Consumer & Industrial
Multilin
STATUS COMMUNICATE RELAYS
VALUE
MESSAGE
ACTUAL
SETPOINT
RESET
STORE
SIMULATION
ALARM
SELF TEST
PROGRAM
TX2
TX1
RX2
RX1
AUX2
ALARM
AUX3
AUX1
PQM Power Quality Meter
g
Ia = 100   Ib = 102
Ic = 100   AMPS
Modbus Communicat ions
7.1 Overview
7.1.1 Modbus 
Protocol
The GE Multilin PQM implements a subset of the AEG Modicon Modbus RTU serial 
communication standard. Many popular programmable controllers support this protocol 
directly with a suitable interface card allowing direct connection of the PQM. Although the 
Modbus protocol is hardware independent, the PQM interface uses 2-wire RS485 and 9-pin 
RS232 interfaces. Modbus is a single-master multiple-slave protocol suitable for a 
multi-drop configuration provided by RS485 hardware. In this configuration, up to 32 
slaves can be daisy-chained together on a single communication channel.
The PQM is always a Modbus slave; it cannot be programmed as a Modbus master. 
Computers or PLCs are commonly programmed as masters. The Modbus protocol exists in 
two versions: Remote Terminal Unit (RTU, binary) and ASCII. Only the RTU version is 
supported by the PQM. Monitoring, programming and control functions are possible using 
read and write register commands.
7.1.2 Electrical 
Interface
The electrical interface is 2-wire RS485 and 9-pin RS232. In a 2-wire RS485 link, data flow is 
bi-directional and half duplex. That is, data is never transmitted and received at the same 
time. RS485 lines should be connected in a daisy-chain configuration (avoid star 
connections) with a terminating network installed at each end of the link, i.e. at the master 
end and the slave farthest from the master. The terminating network should consist of a 
120 Ω resistor in series with a 1 nF ceramic capacitor when used with Belden 9841 RS485 
wire. The value of the terminating resistors should be equal to the characteristic 
impedance of the line. This is approximately 120 Ω for standard #22 AWG twisted-pair 
wire. Shielded wire should always be used to minimize noise. Polarity is important in RS485 
communications: each '+' terminal of every device must be connected together for the 
system to operate. See Section 2.2.9: RS485 Serial Ports on page –19 for details on serial 
port wiring.
Courtesy of NationalSwitchgear.com