Cerbo GX MK2 - what are the differences?

Q&A and troubleshooting
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What exactly are the differences between the “old” Cerbo GX and the new MK2 version?

Information that we got so far:

  • Same form factor
  • All 3 USB ports now fully functional
  • Isolated VE.CAN
  • RJ45 ports have been rotated for easier access to remove cables (great news!)
  • Digital inputs now accept pulse wave
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For official list of differences, see entries in table as well as footnote 26 here: Victron GX product range [Victron Energy]

It’s the same enclosure, and almost the same electronics; except for:

  • two fully functional CAN bus ports, called VE.Can 1 and VE.Can 2. Instead of one VE.Can and one BMS-Can port.
  • VE.Can 1 is isolated. On previous models, there was no isolated canbus port.
  • RJ-45 sockets have been rotated 180 degrees, so its easier to take the cables out.
  • All three USB ports are fully functional. Instead of two functional and one for power (to a GX Touch) only.
  • Digital inputs can do pulse counting.

This revision is most valuable for some very specific applications. Such as RV market in the US where a Lynx Smart BMS (VE.Can connection) as well as an RV-C port is required.

In the long run this new hardware revision will replace all Cerbos, so the name is mainly to help distinguish during the transition.

The reason for the price difference between MK1 and MK2, and no big announcement is to ensure that the limited initial stock of the MK2 only goes to those users who really need two full compatibility VE.Can interfaces.

For most users there is no big advantage to them having the MK2 over the MK1 right now, but MK1 will be phased out and replaced with the MK2 for everyone as we can increase production.

So to recap, we now have 3 models of Cerbo GX, and they are all differentiated around the CAN bus, and priced accordingly.

The Cerbo-S GX only has a single VE.Can port (note this is a significant limitation as if using a managed lithium battery).

The Cerbo GX has a single VE.Can port and a BMS-Can port.

The Cerbo GX MK2 has two VE.Can ports.

In the long run, (at this stage) we only plan to continue to produce the MK2, as stock of the other two models is used by those who don’t require both VE.Can ports and would prefer to save some money instead.

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Has the CPU been upgraded as well to the one of the Ekrano? We are using a lot of VE.Direct devices in our systems, so the limit of 15 devices has been a limitation sometimes. Would be great to have the possibility to add more to the Cerbo MK2!

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CPU of the Carbo GX remains the same, dual core.

CPU of the Ekrano GX is upgraded to quad code.

I have passed on the request to the development team that there is demand for a quad core Cerbo, but have no expectations that it is coming any time soon.

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