Configuring the Siemens IM 153-1 ET 200M: Rack, Hot Swap, and PROFIBUS DP Wiring Guide

The IM 153-1 is the PROFIBUS DP interface module for the modular ET 200M distributed I/O station. It allows any SIMATIC S7-300 I/O module (SM, FM, CP) to be deployed as remote I/O on a PROFIBUS DP network, with the IM acting as the DP slave. This guide covers the exact part numbers to order, the difference between a passive S7-300 rail and an active backplane, the hardware rules for hot-swapping modules, and the field-proven wiring and commissioning sequence. The target engineer is integrating ET 200M for the first time and needs a definitive answer to the recurring question: "Do I need an active backplane, or will a standard S7-300 rack work?"

1. ET 200M System Architecture

ET 200M is the "M" (modular) member of the SIMATIC ET 200 distributed I/O family. It is mechanically and electrically compatible with the S7-300 I/O range, which is its main differentiator: an engineer can stock a single set of SM 321/322/331/332 digital and analog modules and deploy them either centrally on an S7-300 CPU or remotely via ET 200M.

The IM 153-x is the gateway between the PROFIBUS DP field bus and the internal S7-300 backplane bus. The IM does not contain I/O itself; it forwards the PROFIBUS DP cyclic I/O image to the slots behind it. From the DP master's perspective, every slot of the ET 200M station appears as a DP slave module with input/output bytes that are configured in the master (S7-300/400 CPU, S7-1200 with CM 1243-5, ET 200S IM, or third-party master).

Key architectural rules from the operating instructions manual (ET 200M operating instructions):

• One IM 153-x per ET 200M station; it occupies slot 0 (slot 1 in STEP 7).
• Up to 8 or 12 I/O modules depending on the IM variant and backplane used.
• Maximum 24 V DC supply on the IM; load current supply for the 24 V segment of the backplane is provided by the IM and powers the I/O modules' logic side.
• Maximum address space per station: 128 bytes inputs / 128 bytes outputs for the IM 153-1, expanded on later variants.
• PROFIBUS DP slave baud rates: 9.6 kbps to 12 Mbps with auto-detect.

2. IM 153-1 Module Variants and Catalog Numbers

There are two production generations of the IM 153-1 currently in circulation, and they are not always drop-in interchangeable. Always cross-check the printed MLFB (catalog number) on the module face plate against the table below before ordering.

The functional difference between 6ES7 153-1AA00-0XB0 and the -1AA01-0XB0 replacement is documented in Siemens support article "ET 200M, IM 153-1 - New Version with New Catalog No." The new module is electrically and functionally compatible; firmware updates and minor component changes do not affect STEP 7 GSD file usage (GSD file SIEM804D.GSD for both revisions).

3. Prerequisites and Compatibility

Before turning a single screw, verify the following prerequisites are met:

1. DP master that supports ET 200M. Any Siemens DP master (S7-300 CPU 31x-2 DP, CPU 31xC-2 DP, S7-400 CPU 41x-2/DP, ET 200S/CPU, or S7-1200 with CM 1243-5) can host the IM 153-1 as a DP slave. Third-party masters must import the GSD file SIEM804D.GSD.
2. PROFIBUS cable plant. Use PROFIBUS DP cable (Siemens 6XV1830-0EH10 or equivalent, violet sheath) with PROFIBUS DP connectors (6ES7 972-0BA12-0XA0 with PG port, or 6ES7 972-0BB12-0XA0 without). Total segment length derates with baud rate: 1,000 m @ 187.5 kbps, 200 m @ 1.5 Mbps, 100 m @ 12 Mbps.
3. 24 V DC power supply sized for the station. Sum the module 24 V consumption (see module data sheets), the IM's own draw (~250 mA for IM 153-1), and the sensor/actuator loads. A 5 A SITOP PSU (6EP1333-3BA10) is a common selection for a single ET 200M.
4. Mounting rail. Either a passive S7-300 rail (6ES7 390-1AE80-0AA0, 530 mm, or 6ES7 390-1AF30-0AA0, 830 mm) or an active backplane (see Section 5).
5. STEP 7 / TIA Portal version with GSD import. For STEP 7 V5.x, use HW Config; for TIA Portal V13 or later, install the GSD via "Options > Manage general station description files (GSD)".

4. Rack Selection: Standard S7-300 Rail vs Active Backplane

This is the most common point of confusion. The IM 153-1 physically mounts on the same S7-300 rail as a CPU would, and that is acceptable. The trade-off is hot-swap capability.

4.1 Passive S7-300 rail (standard configuration)

Components:

• Aluminum mounting rail, length 530 mm (6ES7 390-1AE80-0AA0) or 830 mm (6ES7 390-1AF30-0AA0).
• IM 153-1 with bus connector on the back.
• I/O modules with S7-300 bus connectors (included with each module).

Behavior: the backplane bus is a passive daisy chain. If you withdraw any I/O module while the station is powered, the bus is physically interrupted. The I/O modules to the right of the removed module will fall off PROFIBUS DP from the master's perspective. The IM itself will normally remain on the bus, but diagnostic interrupt messages will indicate that the slot is "module not available" or "station failure".

Use this configuration for: non-critical I/O, panels, isolated subsystem, training rigs, and any application where maintenance is performed with the station de-energized.

4.2 Active backplane (required only for hot swap)

Components:

• Active backplane rail (S7-300 rail with active bus modules pre-fitted, or a retrofit kit for an existing rail).
• BM PS/IM bus module (6ES7 195-7HA00-0XA0) — installed in the slot immediately to the right of the IM, delivers the 24 V power segment to the active bus modules.
• BM 2×40 active bus modules (6ES7 195-7HB00-0XA0) — one per I/O slot, fitted to the rail before the I/O module is mounted. Each BM 2×40 provides two 40-pin backplane segments that can be isolated from the bus when the module is removed.
• Slot cover (6ES7 195-1JA00-0XA0) for empty slots.
• Terminating BM with cover for the rightmost slot.

Behavior: each I/O module is isolated from its neighbors by the BM 2×40 contacts. Removing a module opens only that module's segment, leaving the other 7 (or 11) modules in continuous PROFIBUS DP communication with the master.

5. Hot-Swap Operation and Active Bus Modules

Hot swap (online module replacement) is the ability to remove and replace a single I/O module while the station remains in RUN, with the rest of the station continuing to exchange process data with the DP master. The prerequisites are:

1. IM must support hot swap — only the IM 153-2 family and the IM 153-4 PN. The IM 153-1 explicitly does not.
2. DP master must permit OB 82 / OB 86 diagnostics — the master should call OB 82 (diagnostic interrupt) and OB 86 (rack failure) so a brief I/O interruption does not bring the CPU to STOP.
3. Active backplane with BM PS/IM and BM 2×40 fitted at every I/O slot, with terminating covers at unused positions.
4. Module removal sequence: Open the front cover, loosen the module screw, pull the module straight out using the front door handle. The BM 2×40 disconnects the slot from the backplane bus automatically.
5. Module insertion: The replacement module must be of the same type, or a compatible one that the GSD configuration allows. After insertion, the IM detects the module and resumes I/O exchange; the master reports the slot back as "module OK" via diagnostic interrupt.

For the IM 153-1, the only supported maintenance mode is to de-energize the station, replace the module, and re-energize. The DP master will report a station failure during the outage and resume exchange once the IM is back online.

6. PROFIBUS DP Network Integration

Each IM 153-1 is a DP slave. Configuration steps in STEP 7 V5.x (analogous flow in TIA Portal):

1. Open the S7 project, double-click HW Config on the master station.
2. Open the PROFIBUS DP catalog tree, navigate to PROFIBUS DP > I/O > ET 200M.
3. Drag IM 153-1 (6ES7 153-1AA0x) onto the PROFIBUS subnet. The slot table opens automatically.
4. Click the IM 153-1 to open Properties - PROFIBUS Interface and assign the station address (default 3, valid 1–125). Confirm the baud rate is auto-detect or pin it to the segment baud rate.
5. Click each slot in the slot table and drag the desired SM/FM modules from the catalog. STEP 7 validates the slot assignment against the S7-300 slot rules (e.g., a 32-channel SM 321 cannot occupy slot 11 due to address space; FM modules are restricted to slots 4–11).
6. Save and compile. STEP 7 generates the I-address and Q-address bytes visible in the symbol table.

For TIA Portal, use Devices & Networks > Network view > Device catalog > Other field devices > PROFIBUS DP > I/O > ET 200M > IM 153-1. The GSD file SIEM804D.GSD is bundled with TIA Portal from V14 onward.

7. Step-by-Step Hardware Configuration

The following sequence assumes a brand new ET 200M station on a passive S7-300 rail with PROFIBUS DP to a S7-300 CPU 315-2 DP master.

7.1 Mechanical assembly

1. Mount the aluminum rail (6ES7 390-1AE80-0AA0) horizontally on the panel, threaded M6 bolts, ground the rail to the cabinet protective earth at one point with a 4 mm² bonding conductor.
2. Snap the IM 153-1 onto the rail in the leftmost position. Tighten the slide-latch screw at the bottom.
3. Attach the S7-300 bus connector to the back of the IM (keyed, so it can only go one way).
4. Snap each I/O module onto the rail in slots 1 through n, in physical order from left to right. Insert the bus connector on the back of each module before the module is pushed fully down onto the rail — the bus connector reaches the backplane of the previous module as the module seats.
5. Slot the bus connector into the back of the last (rightmost) module so it terminates the bus mechanically. The IM terminates the left end internally.

7.2 Power wiring

1. Bring 24 V DC from a SITOP or comparable PSU to the IM 153-1 power terminals (L+, M, PE). Observe the terminal labeling on the hinged front cover: 1L+, 1M, 2L+, 2M, PE.
2. Loop 24 V from the IM's 2L+/2M sensor supply terminals to the first I/O module's sensor supply terminals. Continue looping 2L+/2M through every SM in the station, daisy-chained.
3. If using the SM 321-1BH02 (16 DI, 24 V) or any module with isolated groups, observe the 1L+/1M and 2L+/2M separation per module's manual.
4. Connect the cabinet PE bar to the IM's PE terminal. This is a functional ground for the PROFIBUS shield and the 24 V return; it is not a substitute for the protective earth bonding of the rail itself.

7.3 PROFIBUS DP wiring

1. Plug a PROFIBUS connector (e.g., 6ES7 972-0BA12-0XA0) into the IM 153-1's 9-pin sub-D socket.
2. Set the address selector switches on the IM to the station address (1–125). The two rotary switches on the IM face are tens and units.
3. Switch on the terminating resistor in the PROFIBUS connector if the IM is the first or last node on the segment. Verify the terminator is OFF on all in-segment nodes.
4. Wire the incoming PROFIBUS cable A1/B1 (green/red pair) and the outgoing cable A2/B2, observing the color code in the connector manual. Tighten the PG cable gland to 0.8 N·m.
5. Verify the shield is clamped 360° in the connector's strain relief, not just the drain wire.

7.4 First-power checklist

1. Power up the 24 V supply. The IM 153-1's SF (red), BF (red), and ON (green) LEDs illuminate briefly during the self-test, then ON should remain green and SF/BF should clear once the master is online.
2. From the master, open the online diagnostics in STEP 7 (PLC > Diagnostics/Setting > Module Information on the DP slave) and verify the slot configuration matches the physical build.

8. S7-300 I/O Module Mounting Rules

Because the IM 153-1 presents an S7-300-compatible backplane, all S7-300 mechanical and address rules apply. Common rules worth memorizing:

9. Diagnostics, LED Behavior, and Fault Handling

The IM 153-1 face has four LEDs; their meaning is summarized below. Detailed fault code interpretation is in the ET 200M operating instructions.

Standard diagnostic interrupt bytes returned to the master (S7 diagnostic buffer) follow the PROFIBUS DP V1 standard. Reading them in STEP 7: open PLC > Module Information > Diagnostics Buffer, or call SFC 13 / SFB 54 in the user program.

10. Verification and Commissioning

After mechanical build and STEP 7 configuration, run through the following verification list before handing the station to operations.

1. Visual: All module screws torqued (0.8 N·m typical), bus connectors fully seated, PROFIBUS cable gland tight, PE bond visible.
2. Power-on: 24 V measured at IM terminals within ±10% of 24.0 V (21.6 V to 26.4 V per IEC 61131-2).
3. PROFIBUS: At the IM's PROFIBUS socket, measure DC voltage between pin 6 (P5V) and pin 5 (DGND) — should read 4.75 V to 5.25 V. The 9-pin socket is energized by the bus terminator of the segment; a 0 V reading means the segment is unterminated or no master is connected.
4. Online diagnostics in STEP 7: Right-click the IM 153-1 in HW Config, select DP Slave > Operating Mode; verify the slave reports RUN. Open Module Information and confirm the slot list reads "OK" for every module.
5. Force / monitor test: From a watch table, toggle one output bit and read the corresponding input bit on a loopback wiring test. Verify process image updates within one PROFIBUS DP cycle (e.g., 1 ms at 12 Mbps with 8 modules).
6. Diagnostic interrupt test: Unplug one input, verify the master receives an OB 82 diagnostic interrupt and the module's channel diagnostic bit is set.

11. Troubleshooting Matrix

12. Field-Proven Caveats

• Slot 11 address space: The 8th slot in IM 153-1 is internally the same as an S7-300 slot 11 — meaning 32-channel modules that the S7-300 central rack would reject at slot 11 are also rejected at slot 8 of the IM 153-1. Use 16-channel modules if the address fits, or step up to IM 153-2 (12 slots).
• PROFIsafe: The IM 153-1 cannot host F-modules. If PROFIsafe I/O is needed, select the IM 153-2 F-variant (e.g., 6ES7 153-2BA00-0XB0 plus a firmware that supports PROFIsafe, or 6ES7 153-2BA10-0XB0 with the appropriate F-GSD).
• GSD version drift: Older projects sometimes ship with the legacy GSD SIEM8043.GSD. After importing SIEM804D.GSD, recompile and download the configuration. Failing to do so is a common reason for a working physical station to show a configuration mismatch in STEP 7.
• Cable length vs baud rate: If the segment is being expanded, the entire segment baud rate drops to the lowest common denominator. Mixing 12 Mbps masters with 1.5 Mbps slaves is not allowed on the same segment.
• Shielding: ET 200M is tolerant of modest EMC environments, but the PROFIBUS cable shield must be clamped 360° at every connector entry. Pigtail drain wires degrade PROFIBUS reliability more than any other wiring fault.