Convert a Victron Lynx Power In into a Distribution Unit and Save Money

Steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Comparing Lynx power in and distribution

   The Lynx power in costs about 120 euros, while the distribution board costs 190 to 200 euros. The power in only has busbars and battery connections, whereas the distribution board adds four fuses, a circuit board that communicates with the Cerbo, and LED lights on the front for blown fuses. Both units share the exact same back housing and busbars, so I am building a cheap distribution unit without these extra features.

   What I used

   Item	Amount	Notes
   Victron Lynx power in	1	Used as the base unit costing about 120 euros
   Victron Lynx distribution	1	Alternative unit costing 190 to 200 euros which I am avoiding

2. 2

   Step 2: Gathering parts for the conversion

   To modify the power in unit, I need a few specific hardware pieces. I collect four M8 bolts, eight M8 revets, four spring washers, and eight nuts.

   • Four M8 bolts

   • Eight M8 revets

   • Four spring washers

   • Eight nuts

   What I used

   Item	Amount	Notes
   M8 bolts	4	Used for mounting
   M8 revets	8	Used with the bolts
   Spring washers	4	Used to secure connections
   Nuts	8	Used to fasten the bolts

3. 3

   Step 3: Preparing the power in unit

   I start by removing the plastic holders from the unit. I take out the two top screws, flip the holder up, and remove the two bottom screws. Then I can take out the entire plastic unit.

4. 4

   Step 4: Installing the bolts and securing the plate

   I place the inbus bolts into the four available holes. Next, I put the plastic plate back over the bolts, followed by four revets and four nuts. Then I put the original outside screws back into the frame and tighten them firmly with a wrench so nothing can move.

5. 5

   Step 5: Mounting the mega fuses

   After loosening the original nuts, I grab the mega fuses. I choose a fuse rating that fits my setup, such as the 200 ampere version advised by Victron for a 5 kVA set. I place the fuse over the bolts, add a revet, a spring washer, and a nut, and tighten them down.

   What I used

   Item	Amount	Notes
   Mega fuses	4	200 ampere version recommended by Victron for a 5 kVA set

6. 6

   Step 6: Connecting cables to the custom distribution

   I place the cable lugs over the studs. Then I add another nut, a spring nut, and a bolt, and tighten them up securely. This gives me a functional setup identical to a Lynx distribution board, minus the fancy indicator circuit board.

7. 7

   Step 7: Total cost savings and personal opinion on Victron pricing

   I personally feel that the extra expense for the original distribution board is not worth it, no offense to Victron. I see the Lynx distribution as a glorified, very expensive fuse box when the power in basically has the same options. This modification saves me about 70 euros quickly.

   Because the whole set is already super expensive, saving money wherever we can is a nice bonus.

8. 8

   Step 8: Overview of current components built so far

   So far, we have built the power in and the same busbar shunt where I also saved 200 euros. This is all part of the progress of building my Victron three-phase system. In the end, this is everything needed to make a large 16 kWh battery pack.

   The only things left to do are making a printed bracket for the wire-end switch and putting a plexiglas plate on it purely for safety so no metal can get in.

9. 9

   Step 9: Call for viewer comments and request for an original distribution sticker

   If I do something wrong, I hope to learn from you as well. Please leave comments, questions, or whatever it is in the comments section, and I try to personally reply to every message in the days following the video. If anyone still has an original distribution sticker, let me know so I can paste it over the unit.

   In the next video, I will begin hanging the Victron MultiPlus 5 kVA set for all three phases.

10. 10

    Step 10: Takeaways

    • You can convert a Victron Lynx power in into a distribution board to save money.

    • The power in lacks only the Cerbo communication board and blown fuse LEDs found on the distribution model.

    • Using basic hardware like M8 bolts and mega fuses makes the DIY conversion simple.

    • This custom modification saves around 70 to 80 euros compared to buying the official distribution unit.