Novus DigiRail-2R Use and care manual

NOVUS AUTOMATION 1/4
DigiRail-2R
Digital Outputs Module
COMMUNICATION MANUAL
INTRODUCTION
The DigiRail-2R is provided with RS485 two wire serial communications, operating as slave in the Modbus RTU
protocol. The entire equipment configuration, as well as activating of the output relays, is performed through serial
communication.
This manual provides the information necessary for performing the output activation without using the software
DigiConfig. In order to assure the correct configuration of DigiRail, always use the DigiConfig software. After being
configured, the data of its inputs and/or outputs can be accessed by any other software having Modbus RTU
communication capacity.
For further details regarding the implementation of a network of devices please refer to the document Basic Concepts of
RS485 and RS422, available the website www.novusautomation.com, for download.
MODBUS ADDRESS ASSIGNMENT SYSTEMATICS
The DigiRail equipment does not have keys for determination of the Modbus communication address. This must be
determined by using the communication in the Modbus protocol itself. This will require that the address of the device to
be configured is known, this being possible by two different means:
•If the equipment is a new one, it will show the configuration as set by the factory: Address=247, Baud rate=1200,
Parity Even, 1 Stop Bit.
•If the equipment has already been used and you do not know its address and/or other communication parameters,
press the RCom button on your front panel. It will enter the diagnostics mode during 1 minute, assuming the following
communication parameters: Address=246, Baud rate=1200, parity even, 1 stop bit.
The DigiConfig software configurator is provided with a function of searching the network for temporary devices, exactly
the devices in the previous conditions. Once having been localized, the address and the other communication
parameters of the device can be changed according to the necessity of the application.
The communication parameters in the two previous conditions are not very common in Modbus networks, and they may
probably cause no conflicts with other equipment of the network. Obviously only one DigiRail in the network can be in
each of the previous conditions so that the communication with the configurator DigiConfig is possible. If several new
DigiRail are to be included in a network, they must be inserted individually. Only after changing the communication
parameters for the definitive values, the next new DigiRail can be inserted. In an already existing network, only one
DigiRail at a time can be set in diagnostics mode in order to be detected by the DigiConfig.
It is important to emphasize that the DigiConfig software acts as a master in the Modbus network. Its utilization requires
that the original master of the network (SCADA software, for instance) be disconnected during its use. For further details
please refer to the on-line Help of the DigiConfig.
MODBUS COMMANDS
The Modbus RTU commands (functions) listed below are implemented. For further information with respect to each one
of these commands and the Modbus protocol in general, please access the website:
http://www.modbus.org
READ COILS – 01H
This command can be used for reading the current state of one or two digital outputs, according to the table below.
Address Description
0 State of digital output 1 (0=off; 1=on)
1 State of digital output 2 (0=off; 1=on)
The specified addresses correspond to the low level physical addresses, where zero (0) corresponds to the address of
PLC 00001.
The response of this command will inform the state of each requested input with one bit only. Thus the state of the first
requested input comes at bit 0 (less significant bit), the state of the second at bit 1 and so on.

DigiRail-2R
NOVUS AUTOMATION 2/4
READ HOLDING REGISTERS – 03H
This command can be used for reading one or several holding registers, according to the table in the chapter apart.
WRITE SINGLE COIL - 05H
This command can be used for activating or deactivating one of the digital outputs, according to the table below.
Address Description
0 State of digital output 1 (0000h=deactivate; FF00h=activate)
1 State of digital output 2 (0000h=deactivate; FF00h=activate)
The specified addresses correspond to the low level physical addresses, where zero (0) corresponds to the address of
PLC 10001.
WRITE SINGLE REGISTER – 06H
This command can be used for writing in a holding register, according to the table in the chapter apart.
WRITE MULTIPLE COILS – 0FH
This command can be used for simultaneous activating or deactivating of the two digital outputs, according to the table
below.
Bit Description
0 State of digital output 1 (0=deactivate; 1=activate)
1 State of digital output 2 (0=deactivate; 1=activate)
TABLE OF HOLDING REGISTERS
The specified addresses correspond to the low level physical addresses, where zero (0) corresponds to the address of
PLC 40001. The columns minimum and maximum contain the range of values valid for each parameter. The column R/W
indicates if the parameter is for writing and reading (R/W) or for reading (R) only.
Address Description SuperView Mnemonic Minimum Maximum R/W
0 Series number (word high) - 0 65535 R
1 Series number (word low) - 0 65535 R
2 Baud-rate - 0 7 R/W
3 Modbus Address - 1 247 R/W
4 Parity - 0 2 R/W
5 Firmware version 0 999 R
6 Diagnostic state timer (in tenths of seconds) - 0 600 R/W
7 State of the digital outputs, where bit 0 represents
output 1, bit 1 represents output 2 (0=off; 1=on), etc. - 0 3 R/W
8 State of digital output 1 (0=off; 1=on) Out1St 0 1 R/W
9 State of digital output 2 (0=off; 1=on) Out2St 0 1 R/W
10 Reserved - 0 0 R
11 Reserved - 0 0 R
12 Value of timing for digital output 1, in hundredths of
seconds - word high Out1TH 0 65535 R/W
13 Value of timing for digital output 1, in hundredths of
seconds - word low Out1TL 0 65535 R/W
14 Value of timing for digital output 2, in hundredths of
seconds - word high Out2TH 0 65535 R/W
15 Value of timing for digital output 2, in hundredths of
seconds - word low Out2TL 0 65535 R/W
16-19 Reserved - 0 0 R
20 Time for deactivating digital output 1, in hundredths of
seconds - word high Out1CurTH 0 65535 R
21 Time for deactivating digital output 1, in hundredths of
seconds - word low Out1CurTL 0 65535 R
22 Time for deactivating digital output 2, in hundredths of
seconds - word high Out2CurTH 0 65535 R
23 Time for deactivating digital output 2, in hundredths of
seconds - word low Out2CurTL 0 65535 R
24-33 Reserved - 0 0 R

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NOVUS AUTOMATION 3/4
Address Description SuperView Mnemonic Minimum Maximum R/W
34 Device tag - characters 1 and 2 - 0 65535 R/W
35 Device tag - characters 3 and 4 - 0 65535 R/W
36 Device tag - characters 5 and 6 - 0 65535 R/W
37 Device tag - characters 7 and 8 - 0 65535 R/W
38 Device tag - characters 9 and 10 - 0 65535 R/W
39 Tag of digital output 1 - characters 1 and 2 - 0 65535 R/W
40 Tag of digital output 1 - characters 3 and 4 - 0 65535 R/W
41 Tag of digital output 1 - characters 5 and 6 - 0 65535 R/W
42 Tag of digital output 1 - characters 7 and 8 - 0 65535 R/W
43 Tag of digital output 1 - characters 9 and 10 - 0 65535 R/W
44 Tag of digital output 2 - characters 1 and 2 - 0 65535 R/W
45 Tag of digital output 2 - characters 3 and 4 - 0 65535 R/W
46 Tag of digital output 2 - characters 5 and 6 - 0 65535 R/W
47 Tag of digital output 2 - characters 7 and 8 - 0 65535 R/W
48 Tag of digital output 2 - characters 9 and 10 - 0 65535 R/W
49-61 Reserved - 0 0 R
62 DigiRail model - 0 4 R
63-84 Reserved - 0 0 R
DETAILS OF SOME REGISTERS
REGISTER 2 – BAUD RATE
Code of speed used in Modbus communication.
Code
Baud rate
0
1.200
1
2.400
2
4.800
3
9.600
4
19.200
5
38.400
6
57.600
7
115.200
REGISTER 3 – MODBUS ADDRESS
Address of the device in the Modbus network. Valid values: from 1 to 247. We recommend using the lower addresses for
the equipment.
REGISTER 4 – PARITY
Code of the parity used in Modbus communication.
Code
Parity
0
No parity
1
Odd
2
Even
REGISTER 5 – FIRMWARE VERSION
Indicates the firmware version of the equipment, according to the examples below:
If the version is "1.00", the value "100" will be read. If the version is "2.04", the value "204" will be read.
REGISTER 6 – DIAGNOSTIC STATE TIMER
Internally used by the DigiConfig software.

DigiRail-2R
NOVUS AUTOMATION 4/4
REGISTER 7 – STATE OF THE DIGITAL OUTPUTS
Bit at 0: Output deactivated
Bit at 1: Output activated
Bit 15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Outlet - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2
1
REGISTERS 12 TO 15 – DURATION OF RELAY ACTIVATION
Time, in hundredths of seconds, during which the relay stays active after an activation command. A zero time value will
keep the relay active until a deactivation command is received.
REGISTERS 20 TO 23 – TIME FOR DEACTIVATING THE RELAY (WHEN ACTIVATION TEMPORIZED)
Time, in hundredths of seconds, which remains for the relay be deactivated after an activation command.
REGISTERS 34 TO 48 – TAGS
DigiRail features some identification tags, where characters can be written in order to help identifying the device and its
outputs:
- Identification tag of the device (10 characters).
- Identification tag of the output channels (10 characters for each output).
REGISTER 62 – DIGIRAIL MODEL
Provides the code of the DigiRail model. Internally used by the DigiConfig software.
Model
Amount
2A
1
2R
3
4C
4