Installing and Connecting the Victron Cerbo in a Home Battery Setup

Steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Overview of Victron Cerbo hardware and ports

   The Cerbo is a multifunction device that connects other Victron units and acts as the brain of the home battery setup, displaying data on a screen, tablet, or via internet. It can switch inputs and outputs based on certain events, such as starting a generator when the battery is low or a heat pump when it is full. The power connection takes 8 to 70 volts DC and connects directly to the busbar or power-in distribution without an adapter.

   There are three eight-pin plugs for four wire pairs each: the first is for tank sensors to measure water levels and control a pump, the second is for up to four temperature sensors with two wires each for setup, water cylinders, heat pumps, or fans, and the third is for digital inputs acting as on-off sensors for door or fire alarms up to 5 volts. Two relays control extra devices like fans or heaters. On the other side, there are seven RJ45 internet ports: a normal internet connection for remote login, two VE.Bus ports for daisy-chaining devices like the MultiPlus, a VE.Can pair for shunts and MPPTs with blue terminators at each end, and BMS Can ports for non-Victron batteries using special blue Victron cables or standard UTP internet cables. Finally, there are three VE.Direct ports for smaller devices like the shunt, an HDMI port, a special USB power-only port for the screen, and two extra USB ports that can expand with a USB hub.

   • Power connection: 8 to 70 V DC

   • Tank sensors plug for water level and pump control

   • Temperature sensors plug for up to four sensors

   • Digital inputs plug for alarms up to 5 V

   • Two relays for extra devices

   • Normal internet RJ45 port

   • VE.Bus ports for MultiPlus units

   • VE.Can ports for shunt and MPPTs with terminators

   • BMS Can ports for non-Victron batteries

   • Three VE.Direct ports for smaller devices

   • HDMI port and USB ports for screen and expansion

2. 2

   Step 2: Connecting the Cerbo to mobile phone and internet

   I connect a regular power cable to the Cerbo so it turns on and the indicator lights go on. I check if the wifi access point and Bluetooth lights are burning, and press the small button on the bottom if they are not to turn them on. Next, I download the Victron Connect app on my phone, click on the Cerbo, and enter the password found on the sticker on the side of the unit.

   I then go to wifi settings and connect to the V-nus network using the SSID name and password printed on the Cerbo's side sticker. Once connected without internet, I open the router management settings, rotate the screen, and scroll down to wifi to connect to my home network. Finally, I check the firmware version and online updates to ensure everything is up to date, making the Cerbo ready to mount in the Victron setup.

3. 3

   Step 3: Mounting the Cerbo and wiring power to the busbar

   I mount the Cerbo in the empty space between my cable ducts, which allows me to route cables easily throughout the cabinet. Because I am not a fan of large cable lugs on fuses that create extra resistance, and because the Cerbo does not consume much power, I replace the large cable lugs with small ones. I cut the small cable shoes off, strip the wires, slide on the small cable lug, and crimp it.

   I then mount the cables onto the busbar using the small original screws that hold the busbars to the frame, using 48-volt power from the busbar to feed the Cerbo. Because I have a lot of excess cable between the busbar and the Cerbo, and space in the cable ducts is limited, I shorten the cable significantly before routing it to the Cerbo.

4. 4

   Step 4: Connecting MultiPlus units with UTP cables

   I save the connectors from the bag of parts supplied with the Cerbo for future use by keeping them in their ports even though they are not in use yet. For the VE.Bus connections to the MultiPlus units, standard PC UTP cables work just fine instead of the blue Victron cables. I make an opening in the housing, push the UTP cable through, and plug it into the VE.Bus port.

   I repeat this process by making small openings in the cabinet and routing UTP cables through each MultiPlus unit and back into the VE.Bus ports. The SmartShunt should also connect to the Cerbo with a VE.Direct cable through the cable duct, but I do not have that cable in stock right now.

   What I used

   Item	Amount	Notes
   PC UTP cable	1	Standard internet cable used for VE.Bus connection

5. 5

   Step 5: Checking cable duct capacity and potential space issues

   I notice a potential problem because my cable ducts are already quite full of wiring, and much more needs to be added. Each MultiPlus unit requires two 70 mm2 cables for positive and negative, meaning six thick cables must fit into the cable ducts. The top cable duct is getting full, and the positive cables near the Lynx distribution bar come out above the duct, so I may need to replace the top and bottom ducts with thicker ones.

   To find out for sure, I will wire everything without putting the duct covers on first, allowing me to physically see how much space I lack and which ducts need replacing. I also ask viewers to leave a like or comment to support the channel and help me continue making videos in our mutual learning process.

   What I used

   Item	Amount	Notes
   70 mm2 cable	6	Two cables per MultiPlus unit for positive and negative

6. 6

   Step 6: Takeaways

   • The Victron Cerbo acts as the central brain controlling the entire home battery setup and can automate relays based on conditions.

   • The Cerbo can be powered directly from a 8 to 70 V DC source like a busbar without an adapter.

   • Standard PC UTP internet cables can be used instead of expensive blue Victron cables for VE.Bus and BMS Can connections.

   • Replacing large cable lugs with smaller ones avoids extra resistance when connecting low-draw devices to the busbar.

   • Testing wiring without duct covers helps assess actual space shortages before finalizing thick cable runs.