15. RV-C Support
15.1. RV-C Introduction
Starting with Venus OS firmware v2.90, Victron supports the RV-C protocol.
What is the RV-C protocol?
The RV-C (Recreation Vehicle-CAN) protocol is to RVs what NMEA 2000 (also known as N2K) is to boats: a communication
protocol based on CAN-bus (Controller Area Network bus) and used primarily in RVs in the US to enable RV devices and
appliances to communicate and work together.
There are two basic functions, RV-C out and RV-C in.
• RV-C out allows control and monitoring of compatible Victron devices from a RV-C control panel.
• RV-C in allows receiving data from one or more compatible RV-C devices to be displayed on the GX device.
In summary, when this feature is enabled with the GX device connected to an RV-C network, an RV-C control panel can read
Victron data, e.g. from a BMV or an inverter/charger and display it to the user or even control some of them. Compatible RV-C
devices are displayed on the GX unit at the same time.
RV-C is built upon SAE J1939.
15.2. Limitations
VE.Can devices
The RV-C and VE.Can protocols are not compatible with each other: a VE.Can port on a GX device can be configured to the
VE.Can profile or to the RV-C profile, not both at the same time.
Using a GX device with just one fully functional VE.Can port means that there is a limitation to what devices can be used in the
system when connection to RV-C is a requirement.
Typical RV-related products, which therefore cannot be used in the situation described above:
• the Lynx Smart BMS cannot be used as it needs to be connected via VE.Can. Use a VE.Bus BMS instead (connects to the
VE.Bus port).
• the Lynx Smart Shunt cannot be used, use a SmartShunt instead (connects via VE.Direct).
• the Wakespeed alternator regulator cannot be connected to the monitoring by the GX device.
• higher power MPPT charge controllers must be connected using their VE.Direct connection. Not on a VE.Can network.
Depending on the system, this currently also limits the selection of a suitable GX device:
• Color Control GX (CCGX), MultiPlus-II GX and EasySolar-II GX: has only one VE.Can port, thus it can be configured for either
VE.Can or RV-C, not both. And because of this you can’t for example make a system with a Lynx Smart BMS (which need to be
connected on a VE.Can port) and have it connected to RV-C at the same time.
• Cerbo GX & Cerbo-S GX: current generation has only one (fully functional) VE.Can port. Same as above, it's either VE.Can or
RV-C, not both.
In mid-2023 we expect the launch an improved Cerbo GX revision with two fully functional VE.Can ports instead of one fully
functional and one limited to BMS-Can only.
Please note that the BMS-Can port on the Cerbo GX is limited and cannot be used as RV-C port.
• Venus GX: has two VE.Can ports. So can be connected to both, VE.Can and RV-C networks at the same time.
• Ekrano GX: has two VE.Can ports. So can be connected to both, VE.Can and RV-C networks at the same time.
15.3. Supported Devices
Venus v2.90 adds RV-C out support for the following products:
Color Control GX Manual
Page 96 RV-C Support
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