So you have 8 of these converters? If so, each of these addresses should be identical to access the same function (also assuming the inverters are identical). You just point to a different usb device for each. If these controllers are able to be configured with different device IDs (device address), then I would just use one usb-rs485 converter to communicate to all of them. But that's me.
Anyway, you don't need to be sending any string, message or anything to read a register. Just configure what register you want to read in the address field and what modbus function you need, and it will compose the modbus message for you. As far as reading the correct register address: Note that the manual shows these addresses in HEX format. register 1001H would need to be configured in as 4097 in decimal. Also note that some modbus devices are 1 indexed, which means they don't start at 0 (like they should) and instead everything is off by 1. So, the manual may say to read register #1, but this is at memory address 0 (the first memory address) I've run into this a few times. Looking again at your python code, it looks like that may be the case. So instead of trying to read address '1001' try reading '4096'. confusing, I know.
Also, per your python code; they're using the same usb device to communicate with all 8 fans, so this would suggest a common rs485 bus with each controller using a different device-id or unit-id.
