Integrating third-party devices via the CAN bus

Updated 9 October 2026Volty

Many devices in a camper exchange their data over a shared data line, the so-called CAN bus. Volty Pro has its own connection for this. Through it, it reads Victron devices on VE.Can and devices from other manufacturers whose data language we have already integrated, for example from Ective, EcoFlow, Bulltron and others.

How to connect

Volty Pro is connected to the CAN data line of your device with a cable that has an RJ45 plug. This is not a connection to your Wi-Fi or router.

For the data to arrive cleanly, the data line needs a termination at both of its ends, a 120Ω resistor. This termination is already built into Volty Pro. This means:

  • Volty Pro must sit at one end of the line, not somewhere in the middle.
  • Check whether there is also a termination at the other end, for example a terminator plug.

Which devices are recognised

A device only appears as a widget in the dashboard if we have already integrated its data language, in other words if it is on the list of supported devices. If the manufacturer specifies its own original data cable, use that one. The cable is then part of the intended connection.

Ampy and Switchy

Ampy and Switchy also have a CAN connection. It is prepared for later connections to other systems in the camper and is not active yet.

If you would like to integrate Ampy or Switchy into an existing CAN system, get in touch with us. We provide the technical description of the data language and set up the connection for your case.

Related questions

What can Volty Pro read?

Volty Pro brings your whole energy system together in one place. It reads battery monitors, solar charge controllers, inverters, chargers, inverter/chargers, DC-DC chargers (battery-to-battery chargers) and smart BMS (the protection electronics in your lithium battery). It connects through each manufacturer's data ports: • Victron via VE.Direct, VE.Bus and CAN • Ective via CAN • EcoFlow • Votronic via LIN • CAN and UART BMS such as Daly, JK or JBD Instead of a separate app or display for every device, you see state of charge, solar yield and consumption together on the SmartKnob and in the dashboard, even with a mix of many manufacturers. So you can pick the best from each manufacturer and still have everything in one place.

Do I have to buy the data cables separately?

No, Volty Pro comes with a ready-made cable set for all data ports, included in the box. You do not need to buy anything separately. Only where a manufacturer such as Victron or Votronic specifies its own original communication cable do you use that one, because it is part of the connection the manufacturer has specified.

Can Volty monitor a second battery?

Yes, the second voltage input (Battery 2) lets you keep an eye on an additional leisure battery. Important: this input is intended exclusively for additional leisure or house batteries, not for the starter battery or the vehicle's primary electrical system. That is outside the product specification.

Can I switch my inverter on and off via Volty?

Yes, if your inverter has a remote on/off connection or switching on and off is built into its data interface, as with the Victron MultiPlus or the Ective CSI Pro, for example. Volty Pro has a 2-pin remote output for this. It lets you switch the inverter on and off directly from the dashboard or the SmartKnob, without getting up.

Does Volty detect shore power via my EcoFlow, or do I need Switchy?

With the EcoFlow integration, Volty detects shore power via the EcoFlow, so you do not need Switchy for that. Two things only Switchy can do: detect whether L and N are swapped or the protective earth (PE) is missing, and switch 230V loads such as a heating element on their own channels with 10A each. Volty only detects shore power.

Can I connect Volty to my Victron VE.Bus?

This one is worth a closer look. VE.Bus is the data connection that Victron inverters and inverter/chargers use to talk to each other and to Victron accessories. Victron officially approves direct VE.Bus connections only for its own interfaces, so a third-party connection such as Volty Pro has no approval from Victron. We deliberately designed Volty so that nothing should go wrong. Even so, you use the VE.Bus port at your own risk.

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