10.1 What this chapter contains 
This chapter describes the communication protocol of Goodrive200 series inverters.   
The  Goodrive200  series  inverters  provide  RS485  communication  interface.  It  adopts 
international  standard  ModBus  communication  protocol  to  perform  master-slave 
communication. The user can realize centralized control through PC/PLC, upper control PC, 
etc.  (set  the  control  command,  running  frequency  of the  inverter,  modify  relevant  function 
codes, monitor and control the operating state and fault information of the inverter and so on) 
to adapt specific application requirements. 
10.2 Brief instruction to Modbus protocol 
Modbus  protocol  is  a  software  protocol  and  common  language  which  is  applied  in  the 
electrical controller. With this protocol, the controller can communicate with other devices via 
network (the channel of signal transmission or the physical layer, such as RS485). And with 
this industrial standard, the controlling devices of different manufacturers can be connected 
to an industrial network for the convenient of being monitored.   
There  are  two  transmission  modes  for  Modbus  protocol:  ASCII  mode  and  RTU  (Remote 
Terminal Units) mode. On one Modbus network, all devices should select same transmission 
mode  and their basic parameters, such as baud rate, digital bit, check bit, and stopping bit 
should have no difference.   
Modbus  network  is  a  controlling  network  with  single-master  and  multiple  slaves,  which 
means that there is only one device performs as the master and the others are the slaves on 
one Modbus network. The master  means the device which  has  active  talking right to sent 
message  to  Modbus  network  for  the  controlling  and  inquiring  to  other  devices.  The  slave 
means  the  passive  device  which  sends  data  message  to  the  Modbus  network  only  after 
receiving the controlling or inquiring message (command) form the master (response). After 
the master sends message, there is a period of time left for the controlled or inquired slaves 
to response, which ensure there is only one slave sends message to the master at a time for 
the avoidance of singles impact.   
Generally, the user can set PC, PLC, IPC and HMI as the masters to realize central control. 
Setting certain device as the master is a promise other than setting by a bottom or a switch 
or  the  device  has  a  special  message  format.  For  example,  when  the  upper  monitor  is