Victron's Lynx system replaces the pile of lugs on a battery terminal with a row of busbar modules that bolt together side by side. Each module does one job: connect batteries, fuse circuits, measure the battery or manage a lithium bank. The names sound alike, so this guide explains what each one does, which ones a 12V RV actually needs, and what you have to buy separately.
The five Lynx modules at a glance
| Module | What it does | Connections | Busbar joints | Bought separately |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynx Power In | Joins batteries, loads or chargers onto one positive and one negative busbar | 4, unfused | M8 or M10 | Nothing (no fuse spaces) |
| Lynx Class-T Power In | Connects and fuses up to two battery strings with Class-T fuses | 2, Class-T fused | M10 only | Two Class-T fuses (225 to 400 A) |
| Lynx Distributor | Four fused outputs or inputs, with a status LED for each fuse | 4, MEGA fused | M8 or M10 | MEGA fuses |
| Lynx Shunt VE.Can | Battery monitor plus a holder for the main system fuse | Inline | M10 (the M8 version is discontinued) | Main fuse (CNN, ANL or MEGA) |
| Lynx Smart BMS NG | Battery management for Victron Lithium NG batteries, with a contactor and a built-in battery monitor | Inline | M10 | Victron NG batteries |
Victron rates the Lynx Power In, Class-T Power In, Distributor and Lynx Shunt VE.Can at 1000 A continuous on 12, 24 or 48 V systems. At 12 V that is 12 kW. The Lynx Smart BMS NG comes in 500 A and 1000 A versions. One more rule from the manuals: the fuses on every module added together must not exceed the current rating of the lowest-rated module in the line.
M8 or M10: decide this first
Lynx modules connect to each other through busbar joints, and the joints come in two sizes. Victron's manuals are clear that "M10 modules cannot be connected directly to M8 modules and vice versa". The size refers only to those joints. On the Lynx Power In and Lynx Distributor, the fuse and cable studs are M8 on both versions.
In practice, build on M10. The Class-T Power In, the current Lynx Shunt VE.Can and the Lynx Smart BMS NG are only made in M10, so an M8 line cannot take any of them later. We stock the Power In in both sizes; the Distributor and Class-T Power In we carry are M10.
Lynx Power In vs Lynx Distributor
The two look the same from the outside. Victron gives both enclosures as 290 x 170 x 80 mm, at 2.1 kg for the Power In and 2.2 kg for the Distributor. The difference is the fuses.
- Lynx Power In has four plain connections. Nothing on it is fused, so whatever lands there needs protection somewhere else. It suits battery cables that are already fused at the battery, or the end of a line where a Lynx Shunt carries the main fuse.
- Lynx Distributor has four MEGA-fused connections, a power LED and a fuse LED for each position. Use it for the inverter/charger, the DC-DC charger, the solar controller and the 12V fuse panel. Match the fuse's voltage rating to the system: Victron's MEGA fuses come in a lower-voltage range for 12 and 24 V systems and a 58 V range for 48 V. We stock Victron MEGA fuses at 32 V (100 to 500 A) and 58 V (125 to 300 A).
One detail catches people out. The Distributor has no power supply of its own for fuse detection. It gets that power over the RJ10 cable from a Lynx Shunt VE.Can or a Lynx Smart BMS. Without one of those, the fuse LEDs need a separate 5 V supply, and Victron's manual gives the pinout. The fuse status data can only be read by a Lynx Smart BMS, which can monitor up to four Distributors and pass blown-fuse alarms to a GX device.
When you need the Class-T Power In
Lithium batteries can deliver very high fault currents, which is why lithium banks are usually fused with Class-T fuses. The Lynx Class-T Power In holds two of them, one per battery or battery string, at 225, 250, 300, 350 or 400 A. That allows up to 800 A through one module. For more strings, Victron says to add a second Class-T Power In or a Distributor, and to stay within the 1000 A line rating.
The fuses are not included. Victron does not stock them, and neither do we. If your line is already M8, you cannot add a Class-T module to it; our answer on adding a Class-T fuse to an M8 Lynx system covers the workaround of fitting the Class-T fuse in its own holder at the battery. For help choosing the rating, see Class-T vs ANL or MEGA for a lithium bank.
Battery monitor: Lynx Shunt VE.Can or SmartShunt?
Both measure everything going in and out of the battery. The Lynx Shunt VE.Can sits in the Lynx line, holds the main system fuse (Victron sells a 325 A CNN fuse for it) and talks to a GX device over VE.Can. It also powers the Distributor's fuse LEDs. Victron describes it as set up and monitored through a GX device, so plan on a Cerbo GX with it.
The SmartShunt goes in the negative cable instead. It has Bluetooth built in, so your phone is the display and no GX is needed. It does not hold a fuse or power the Distributor's LEDs. Not sure which size? See our guide to SmartShunt 300 A vs 500 A vs 1000 A vs 2000 A.
Three common 12V RV layouts
1. Basic: Power In + Distributor + SmartShunt
Batteries land on the Lynx Power In and each circuit leaves through a MEGA fuse on the Distributor. The SmartShunt sits in the battery negative. Because the Power In is unfused, each battery positive needs its own fuse close to the battery. Victron's manual notes that "additional fusing may be required" when batteries connect directly to the end of a line. This is the layout in our Lynx DC Distribution Pack. MEGA fuses are left out on purpose so you can size each one to its circuit.
2. Lithium bank: Class-T Power In + Distributor + SmartShunt
The same layout, but each battery string is fused by a Class-T fuse inside the line, which keeps the battery-side fusing in one place. M10 throughout.
3. Victron NG batteries: Lynx Smart BMS NG + Distributor
Victron's system example uses a Distributor with two fused, paralleled Lithium NG batteries, a Lynx Smart BMS NG with its contactor and battery monitor, and a second Distributor for loads and chargers. The BMS also has a pre-charge circuit for inverter inrush and an alternator mode that disconnects the alternator before the battery. Note that the NG BMS is only for Victron's Lithium NG batteries. The older Lynx Smart BMS is for the earlier Lithium Smart batteries, so check which battery you have.
How much current is that, really?
A worked example: a MultiPlus-II 12/3000 delivers 2,400 W continuous at 25°C, with a maximum efficiency of 93%. Its DC draw is roughly 2,400 W ÷ (12 V x 0.93) = about 215 A. That is our estimate, and it rises as the battery voltage drops. Even so, one 3000 VA inverter on a 12 V system sits well inside a Lynx line's 1000 A. The limit you are more likely to reach is the rule that all the fuses together must not exceed the lowest-rated module.
FAQ
Do the Lynx modules come with fuses?
No. The Distributor needs MEGA fuses, the Class-T Power In needs Class-T fuses, and the Lynx Shunt needs a main fuse. All are sold separately.
Can I mix M8 and M10 modules?
Not directly. Victron's manuals say the two joint sizes cannot be connected to each other.
Will my phone tell me a Distributor fuse has blown?
Only with a Lynx Smart BMS in the line, which reads the Distributor's fuse data and passes alarms on. With a Lynx Shunt the fuse LEDs work, but the status data goes nowhere.
Is a Lynx worth it on a small system?
For a single battery with two or three connections, a simple busbar and inline fuses can do the job. Lynx earns its place when you have an inverter/charger plus solar, DC-DC charging and a fuse panel, or more than one battery.
Where do I find cable and fuse sizes?
Start with our Victron DC cable and fuse sizing guide, or book a power-system consultation and we will spec it with you. Browse the full Lynx and DC distribution range. Found it cheaper? We'll beat it.