1.Overview

Fuselink is a small USB-attached device that lets your Victron Cerbo GX read fuse-state information from a Victron Lynx Distributor chain. Without Fuselink, the Cerbo's built-in Lynx Distributor fuse pages can only be populated by an expensive Lynx Smart BMS. Fuselink lights up the same UI pages using inexpensive hardware and a clean USB install flow.

It is read-only by design: it cannot send commands to anything on the bus and is explicitly designed not to participate in charge-control logic, so it can't affect your chargers or your battery.

2.What's in the box

You will also need a standard Victron RJ10 (4P4C) cable to connect Fuselink to your first Lynx Distributor. These ship with every Lynx Distributor, and Fuselink is designed to reuse one you already have. If you need a fresh one, any 4P4C straight-through cable will do (3–5 m is a good length).

3.Installation

Designed for first-time installers. Five steps, around two minutes:

Install flow
  1. Press the button once. The LED turns blue — Fuselink is now in install mode, presenting itself as a USB stick.
  2. Plug it into the Cerbo GX using the supplied cable, then cycle power on the Cerbo. On boot, Venus OS detects the new USB storage and runs the driver installer automatically.
  3. Press the button again. The LED turns green — Fuselink is now in run mode, presenting itself as a USB-serial device.
  4. Connect the RJ10 cable between Fuselink and the first Lynx Distributor. Daisy-chain additional distributors as required.
  5. Open the Cerbo UI. The Lynx Distributor pages appear in the standard menu. Tap any fuse to give it a name.

4.Wiring the distributor chain

Four distributors with DIP switches set to 0, 1, 2, 3

One Fuselink supports up to four Lynx Distributors on a single RJ10 chain. Each distributor must have a unique I²C address (0, 1, 2 or 3), set with the 2-way DIP switch on the back of the distributor.

DIP switch 1DIP switch 2AddressDistributor letter in Cerbo UI
OFFOFF0A
ONOFF1B
OFFON2C
ONON3D

Order on the physical chain does not have to match the DIP-switch order — distributors are identified by address, not by their position on the cable. We recommend setting addresses sequentially from the Fuselink end, just to keep things tidy.

USB power budget

A standard USB port supplies 500 mA. Fuselink itself draws ~80 mA in run mode, and each Lynx Distributor's logic supply pulls 20–40 mA from the chain. Worst case for four distributors: about 240 mA — well within budget. No external 5 V supply is required.

5.LED reference

ColourBehaviourMeaning
BlueSolidInstall mode — Fuselink is a USB mass-storage device. Plug into Cerbo and reboot to install the driver.
GreenSolidRun mode — streaming fuse data to the Cerbo over USB-serial.
GreenQuick blink (1 Hz)Run mode and reading a distributor — normal operation.
AmberPulsingWi-Fi recovery mode — connect to the captive portal to update firmware.
RedSolidFault. Unplug, wait 5 seconds, plug back in. If it persists, see Troubleshooting.
RedSlow blinkRJ10 chain found, but no distributor responded. Check DIP switches and cabling.
NoneNo power. Check the USB cable and Cerbo port.

6.USB modes & the button

Fuselink has three modes, toggled by the front-panel button:

ActionMode entered
Short press (in run mode)Install mode (USB mass-storage)
Short press (in install mode)Run mode (USB-serial)
Hold for 5 secondsWi-Fi recovery mode
Hold for 10 secondsFactory reset — clears stored Wi-Fi credentials and returns to install mode

7.Firmware updates

  1. Hold the button for 5 seconds. The LED pulses amber.
  2. From a phone or laptop, look for a Wi-Fi network named fuselink-setup and join it.
  3. A captive portal opens. Pick your home Wi-Fi network and enter the password.
  4. Fuselink connects, checks https://fuselink.uk/firmware/latest.json, and downloads the latest firmware if there's a newer version.
  5. It reboots into run mode automatically.

Wi-Fi credentials are stored on the device so subsequent checks happen automatically on demand. You can clear them with a 10-second button hold.

8.Troubleshooting

Fuse pages don't appear in the Cerbo UI

"No power on busbar" status on every distributor

The distributor is responding to Fuselink (so the I²C side is healthy) but reports no 48 V/24 V/12 V on its busbar. Check your main DC connections to the distributor's busbar.

Red LED, slow blink

Fuselink is in run mode and trying to read the chain, but no distributor at any of the four addresses (0–3) replied within the timeout. Check the RJ10 cable and that at least one DIP switch is set to a valid address.

Red LED, solid

Internal fault — usually a transient. Unplug, wait five seconds, plug back in. If it persists for more than two power cycles, contact support with the LED behaviour and your Cerbo's Venus OS version.

Wi-Fi recovery portal won't appear

Make sure you held the button for at least 5 seconds and that the LED is pulsing amber. Some phones cache "captive portal: no internet" warnings — try forgetting the fuselink-setup network and reconnecting.

9.Specifications

USB connectorUSB-C, USB 2.0 Full-Speed
Distributor connectorRJ10 (4P4C), Victron-compatible pinout
PowerBus-powered, 5 V via USB
Current draw (run mode)~80 mA
Current draw (Wi-Fi recovery)~180 mA peak
Distributors per unitUp to 4 (DIP switch addresses 0–3)
Operating temperature–10 °C to +60 °C
EnclosureVented ABS, IP30
Wi-Fi2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g/n, used only in recovery mode
Dimensions~60 × 30 × 14 mm
Weight~22 g (excluding cable)

10.Safety & compliance

Fuselink is a low-power 5 V USB device with no exposed conductors and no path to the high-current DC side of your Lynx Distributor. The RJ10 port carries only logic-level signalling and the 5 V supply from the distributor.

Do not modify the device or operate it outside the temperature range above. The device is for indoor use only.

Fuselink is a read-only telemetry source. It cannot inhibit charging, change BMS state, or affect inverter behaviour.

11.Warranty & returns

Warranty: 12 months from delivery, covering manufacturing defects. Excludes damage from misuse, modification, or operation outside the documented specifications.

Returns: 30 days, no questions asked. Send the unit back in any condition with the original cable; we refund the full purchase price (you cover return postage).

To start a return or warranty claim, email support@fuselink.uk with your order reference.

Fuselink is an independent product. "Victron Energy", "Lynx", "Lynx Distributor", "Cerbo GX" and "Venus OS" are trademarks of Victron Energy B.V. and are used here only to describe compatibility.