At a comparable price, we clearly recommend the external Cerbo GX. It offers significantly more interfaces, connection options and flexible expansion possibilities. This gives you more room for future changes and additions to your system.

You can connect your Victron devices easily by using a GX device – usually the Cerbo GX – as the central control unit. The GX device is the heart of the system and also provides LAN or Wi-Fi access.

Devices are connected in different ways:

• VE.Bus (e.g. MultiPlus, Quattro): Use standard network cables (RJ45), connect the devices in sequence and connect the final device to the GX device.
• VE.Can (e.g. MPPT, Lynx, BMS): Connect devices using network cables (RJ45). Fit a terminator at each end of the bus.
• VE.Direct (e.g. SmartSolar charge controller, battery monitor): Connect each device directly to the GX device using a VE.Direct cable.
• Bluetooth (VE.Smart): Some charge controllers can communicate wirelessly via Bluetooth. If a GX device is used, a wired connection is clearly preferable. A Bluetooth network can be configured easily in the VictronConnect app.

This gives you a clear overview and convenient access to your system at all times.

Both solutions have clear advantages:

PV inverter (grid-connected):
Ideal if you want to use the generated electricity directly. The inverter converts DC power from the solar modules into AC power that flows directly to your loads.

Charge controller (MPPT):
Charge controllers can achieve excellent efficiency because they only adjust DC voltage to DC voltage and do not need to generate AC power. The stored electricity can later be supplied to your house grid (AC), for example via a MultiPlus inverter.

Combination of both:
Use the best of both worlds – combining a PV inverter and charge controller gives you high flexibility, direct self-consumption and efficient storage of your solar electricity.

There are two basic ways to connect a PV inverter to your Victron system:

1. Connection upstream of the MultiPlus (grid-parallel)
The PV inverter is connected directly to the house grid. Victron systems can automatically recognise Fronius and SMA devices; other PV inverters can send their data to the GX device via affordable Victron SmartMeters.
One important point: the PV inverter automatically switches off when the public grid fails, so the battery can no longer be recharged through that PV inverter during the outage.

2. Connection to the AC output of MultiPlus-II (autonomous operation)
The PV inverter is connected directly to the AC output of the battery inverter. MultiPlus-II continuously supplies the PV inverter with power, voltage and frequency, allowing the system to continue operating autonomously even if the public grid fails.
The PV inverter's power rating must not exceed the total power rating of the battery inverter(s). For example, a three-phase PV inverter would not work on the output of a single-phase MultiPlus-II.

Recommendation: If maximum independence and supply security are your priority, we recommend connecting the PV inverter to the MultiPlus-II output. If you want to keep the setup simple and basic battery backup is sufficient, connecting the PV inverter to the house grid is usually the simpler option and avoids size or phase restrictions.

The VE configuration file defines how your Victron system operates. It helps ensure that the batteries are protected and charged and discharged under the correct conditions, so it is important to enter the correct values during commissioning.

For single-phase systems, VEConfig can be edited remotely via the VRM portal using “VEConfigure”. Open the “Device list” menu and you will find the remote configuration link further down.

For three-phase systems, this one-time configuration is carried out via a network cable connected directly to the device.

VEConfig is also where you set the correct grid code. For grid-parallel systems in Germany, this is typically “DIN VDE AR-N 4105 with internal ENS”. Victron devices are configured for off-grid operation by default.

If you connect the system to the public grid, also install the ESS Assistant (“Energy Storage System”). It automatically controls whether the system uses electricity for self-consumption, feeds it into the grid or charges the batteries.

If you use Pylontech PV batteries, you can find the relevant settings here:
→ Victron & Pylontech settings

The Lynx Distributor is the central DC distribution point in a Victron system. It connects the battery, charge controllers, inverters and other DC devices in a clear and safe way. It includes integrated fuse positions for VE-MEGA fuses and provides four separately fused connection points. Multiple Lynx Distributors can also be connected together, allowing systems of almost any size to be built in a structured and flexible way.

The Lynx Power In is a simpler connection and distribution point without integrated fuses. It offers three connection points and is particularly suitable when external fuses are already installed or for smaller, simpler systems.

For small systems, for example with one battery inverter, a small battery and perhaps an MPPT charge controller, you may be able to operate without Lynx components and connect the devices directly at the battery inverter.

Important: For a clear, safe and expandable installation, we generally recommend the Lynx Distributor. It offers a high level of safety, tidy distribution and flexibility for future expansion.