Babel Buster BB3-7101-SP Proprietary Serial to BACnet IP Gateway

Description

Babel Buster BB3-7101 BACnet IP to Modbus Gateway provides a BACnet IP client and server, Modbus TCP client and server, and Modbus RTU port configurable to be master or slave. Most often used to connect Modbus devices to a BACnet IP network, the BB3-7101 is configured via simple web page templates to read and write Modbus registers in one or more Modbus slaves, making that data accessible as BACnet objects on the BACnet IP network.

The BB3-7101 includes a BACnet IP client which allows BACnet IP devices to be accessible from Modbus TCP or RTU. You configure the device instance, object type and instance, and poll interval for reading or writing BACnet objects. The object data is stored in the BB3-7101 server for subsequent retrieval by the remote Modbus client (or master). The same polling schemes that apply to Modbus also apply to remote BACnet IP slaves polled by the BB3-7101’s BACnet IP client.

A large number of BACnet objects gives you flexibility in mapping Modbus registers to any combination of BACnet objects. Packed Modbus registers may be parsed to multiple BACnet objects when reading. Multiple BACnet objects may be packed into a single Modbus register when writing. All standard Modbus register types are supported.

Value objects will poll their assigned Modbus register at the interval you specify. The content of the Modbus register will be given as the Present Value of the BACnet object when read. The Modbus register is written each time the BACnet Value object is written. The Value object corresponds well with the Modbus Holding register.

Input objects will poll their assigned Modbus register at the interval you specify, and provide the Modbus data as the Present Value when read. Commandable Output objects are used to write Modbus registers, and will update the Modbus device each time BACnet is updated.

Isolated Version Now Available

Troublesome ground loops can be created when the Modbus network and other ground points are connected together. This loop is broken by using the isolation option. The BB3-7101-ISO provides 500V isolation between the Modbus network and the other ground points. The isolation is formally rated at 500V although we have hi-pot tested to 2kV without damage.

The BB3-7101-SP is a special version of the BB3-7101 that allows one to repurpose the serial communication port to be used for a proprietary serial protocol instead of Modbus RTU. When used for interpreting a proprietary protocol, a Script Basic program would be written to send and receive via the serial port as applicable, and interact with the local BACnet objects under user program control.

The BB3-7101-SP allows you to BACnet enable enable serial devices that otherwise have no network connection. Combined with rule templates, Script Basic can generate BACnet COV notifications. Script Basic also has access to TCP and UDP connections, and can potentially interpret proprietary IP protocols as well.

Script Basic can program your BB3-7101-SP to be a passive listener capturing data from something like a data logger. Script Basic can also program your BB3-7101-SP to be an active polling device to query your serial device and interpret the response to provide data to BACnet (or Modbus TCP).

Configuration of theBB3-7101-SP gateway is done via the web pages served by the internal web server. You simply fill in templates. The entire configuration is saved in the internal Flash file system in XML format. This file may be exported to replicate additional copies of the configured device, or for backup.

Full product information, data sheet, online user guide, tutorial videos, and more available by clicking here.