Technical Service Center / Gabriel Lee
Gabriel@meanwell.com

Modbus is one of the most widely used communication protocols in industrial automation, available in several variations: Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP/IP, etc. There are significant differences between Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP/IP when it comes to the aspects of hardware requirements, data rate, access methods, and application scenarios.

Taking MEAN WELL as an example, Modbus RTU is utilized for communication among power supplies, whereas Modbus TCP/IP is employed to transfer data between the power supplies and the end equipment, functioning like an interpreter that translates one protocol into another, commonly known as a gateway. The table below outlines the key difference between MEAN WELL's Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP/IP:

 

All MEAN WELL smart controllers, including the CMU2C and CMU2E, use Modbus TCP/IP as the interface for external communication, meaning that customers can focus on integrating their systems without needing to spend time in understanding the specifics of controlling the power supplies. MEAN WELL, as a specialist in power supplies, handles these complexities. For more detailed information about the controllers, please refer to the manuals.
 

 

The following table lists the models that support Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP/IP:
 

Reference: Wikipedia Modbus

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