The IntesisBOX PA-AW2-MBS-1 (order code INMBSPAN001A000) is a Modbus RTU gateway manufactured by Intesis (HMS Networks) that provides bidirectional communication between Panasonic Aquarea H/J generation air-to-water heat pumps and Modbus networks. The gateway connects directly to the Panasonic Hydro unit via a dedicated CN-CNT cable and exposes all heat pump registers on an EIA-485 (RS-485) bus. TapHome connects to the gateway via Modbus TCP using a TCP-to-RTU converter.
The template provides full control over operating modes, dual-zone thermostats, DHW (domestic hot water) tank, and monitors water temperatures, energy consumption, error codes, and system configuration status across 38 devices.
This is a legacy product. The replacement model INMBSPAN001A100 supports the extended Aquarea range (H/J/K/L/M generations) with the same form factor and functionality.
Hardware connection
Connection to the Hydro unit
- Disconnect mains power from the Panasonic Hydro unit
- Open the front cover to access the electronic circuit
- Locate the socket connector marked CN-CNT on the PCB
- Insert the supplied cable — shorter connector into the IntesisBOX, longer connector into CN-CNT
- The interface can be mounted inside the Hydro unit, on the wall, or on a DIN rail
Do not modify the length of the supplied cable — it may affect operation. The IntesisBOX is powered from the Hydro unit via this cable; no external power supply is required.
Connection to the EIA-485 bus
Connect the EIA-485 bus wires to the plug-in screw terminal block on the IntesisBOX:
| Terminal | Function |
|---|---|
| A | EIA-485 A+ (non-inverting) |
| B | EIA-485 B- (inverting) |
- Bus topology only — loop or star topologies are not allowed
- Maximum distance: 1,200 m (3,937 ft)
- Termination: 120 ohm resistor required at each end of the bus. The IntesisBOX has an on-board 120 ohm terminator that can be enabled via DIP switch SW4-P4
- Fail-safe biasing must be supplied by the Modbus master device
Wiring diagram
System overview
Up to 63 IntesisBOX devices can be connected on the same EIA-485 bus, each linked to one Panasonic Hydro unit. The bus connects to a Modbus RTU master (SCADA, PLC, BMS, or in this case a Modbus TCP-to-RTU converter for TapHome).
Configuration
DIP-switch layout
The IntesisBOX has three DIP-switch banks (SW1, SW3, SW4). All changes require a power cycle to take effect.
Modbus slave address (SW3)
SW3 positions P1–P6 set the Modbus slave address using binary encoding (range 0–63). Default: 1.
Baud rate (SW3 + SW4)
| SW3-P7, SW3-P8, SW4-P3 | Baud Rate |
|---|---|
| OFF, OFF, OFF | 2400 bps |
| OFF, OFF, ON | 4800 bps |
| OFF, ON, OFF | 9600 bps (default) |
| OFF, ON, ON | 19200 bps |
| ON, OFF, OFF | 38400 bps |
| ON, OFF, ON | 57600 bps |
| ON, ON, OFF | 76800 bps |
| ON, ON, ON | 115200 bps |
Temperature format (SW4)
| SW4 Position | Description |
|---|---|
| P1 OFF | Celsius x1 — integer degrees (default) |
| P1 ON | Celsius x10 — decicelsius (e.g. 220 = 22.0 C) |
| P2 OFF | Celsius (default) |
| P2 ON | Fahrenheit |
Termination resistor (SW4)
| SW4 Position | Description |
|---|---|
| P4 OFF | No termination resistor (default) |
| P4 ON | Internal 120 ohm termination resistor enabled |
Enable the on-board terminator (SW4-P4 ON) if the IntesisBOX is at one end of the EIA-485 bus.
TapHome import parameters
When importing the template in TapHome, provide:
- IP Address — the address of the Modbus TCP-to-RTU converter on the local network
- Slave ID — Modbus slave address configured on SW3 (default: 1)
Communication parameters: 8 data bits, no parity, 2 stop bits (8N2). The interface also auto-detects 8N1.
Device capabilities
System control
- System On/Off — master switch to turn the Panasonic Aquarea heat pump on or off (register H:0)
- Operating Mode (Writable) — select the operating mode: Off, Heat, Heat Tank, Tank, Cool Tank, Cool, or Auto (register H:4, values 0–6)
- Operating Mode (Status) — read-only indicator showing the active auto-submode when the unit is in Auto mode: Auto Tank, Auto Heat, Auto Heat Tank, Auto Cool, Auto Cool Tank (register H:4, values 7–11)
Temperature setting methods
- Heat Mode Water Temp. Setting Method — selects how the heating water temperature setpoint is determined: Compensation Curve (adjusts based on outdoor temperature) or Direct (register H:5)
- Cool Mode Water Temp. Setting Method — same selection for cooling mode (register H:6)
Zone control
The Aquarea H/J supports up to 2 heating/cooling zones. The template provides:
- Zone 1/Zone 2 On/Off — controls which zones are active: On/Off, Off/On, or On/On (register H:9). Only effective in dual-zone configurations.
- Zone 1 Sensors / Zone 2 Sensors — read-only indicators showing which temperature sensor is assigned to each zone: Water Temperature, External Room Sensor, Internal Room Sensor, Room Thermistor, or Pool Sensor
- Zone 1 Thermostat / Zone 2 Thermostat — read current temperature and set desired temperature for each zone. Setpoint ranges depend on the zone setup, temperature setting mode, and operating mode (e.g. Heat Water 20–55/65 C, Cool Water 5–20 C, Room Heat 10–30 C, Pool 15–35 C)
- Zone 1/2 Temp. Setting Mode — read-only indicators showing how each zone’s temperature setpoint is determined: Room Temperature, Compensation Curve, Direct, or Pool Temp
- Zone 1/2 Min/Max Setpoint Temp. — read-only limits for the currently active setpoint range
DHW tank control
- Tank On/Off — turns domestic hot water tank heating on or off (register H:30). Only relevant when a tank is connected (Tank Connection = Yes).
- Tank Current Water Temp. — reads the current DHW tank temperature (register H:32)
- Tank Thermostat — reads current tank temperature and sets the desired temperature. Setpoint range: 40–66 C (or 40–75 C depending on unit configuration).
- Tank Heater — read-only indicator showing whether the Internal or External tank heater is active
- Tank Min/Max Water Setpoint Temp. — read-only tank setpoint limits
Energy consumption monitoring
Three read-only sensors report the current power consumption per operating mode:
- Tank Mode Energy Consumption — consumption during DHW heating (register H:45, range 0–50,800 W)
- Heat Mode Energy Consumption — consumption during space heating (register H:46)
- Cool Mode Energy Consumption — consumption during cooling (register H:47)
Error monitoring
- Error Code — Panasonic error code (register H:52). Value 0 means no error. Non-zero values map to Panasonic diagnostic codes: 0xxx = U-type, 1xxx = H-type, 2xxx = F-type errors.
- Device Error Status — despite the name, this register (H:64) indicates whether the heat pump unit is currently on or off (0 = Off, 1 = On). It is a device status indicator, not an error flag.
- Current Error Status — boolean flag indicating whether an error is currently active (register H:70)
Use the Error Code register together with Current Error Status for diagnostics. When Current Error Status shows an active error, cross-reference the Error Code with the Panasonic error table in the user manual (30+ documented codes covering compressor, sensor, flow, and communication faults).
Unit configuration (read-only)
These devices report the hardware configuration of the connected Aquarea unit:
- Tank Connection — whether a DHW tank is connected (0 = No, 1 = Yes)
- Number of Zones — 1 or 2 zones configured
- Zone 1 Setup / Zone 2 Setup — zone application type: Room or Pool
- 3-Way Valve Direction — current position of the diverter valve: HEAT/COOL (water to zones) or TANK (water to DHW tank)
- Outdoor Unit Type — identifies the outdoor unit technology: STD (standard), TCAP (all-climate), or HWT (high water temperature)
Additional capabilities
The IntesisBOX also exposes registers for Device ID (H:49) and Software Version (H:50). These identification registers are not included in the current template but can be added in a future update.
Troubleshooting
No Modbus communication
- Verify the CN-CNT cable is connected between the IntesisBOX and the Hydro unit — the interface requires a powered Hydro unit to operate
- Check the yellow LED (L1) status: fast blinking (500ms on/off) indicates a communication error; slow flashing (100ms on/1900ms off) indicates normal operation
- Confirm the EIA-485 wiring polarity (A+ and B-)
- Verify the slave address and baud rate match between the IntesisBOX DIP switches and the Modbus TCP-to-RTU converter
- Ensure termination resistors (120 ohm) are installed at both ends of the EIA-485 bus
Temperature readings appear incorrect
Check the DIP-switch SW4-P1 setting. By default, the temperature format is Celsius x1 (integer degrees). If SW4-P1 is ON, values are in decicelsius (x10) — a reading of “220” means 22.0 C. The TapHome template expects the default x1 format.
Operating mode changes not applied
The writable operating modes are values 0–6 (Off, Heat, Heat Tank, Tank, Cool Tank, Cool, Auto). Values 7–11 are read-only auto-submodes that reflect the unit’s automatic behavior. Attempting to write values 7–11 will have no effect.
Zone 2 devices show no data
Check the Number of Zones register (H:82). If the Aquarea unit is configured for a single zone, Zone 2 registers will not contain meaningful data. The Zone 1/Zone 2 On/Off switch (H:9) also has no effect in single-zone mode.
