Victron SmartSolar MPPT VE.Can Models Explained

The Victron SmartSolar MPPT VE.Can range covers Victron’s larger solar charge controllers, from 150/70 up to 250/100, with a VE.Can port next to the usual VE.Direct and Bluetooth. VE.Can lets you chain many controllers together and to a GX device with simple RJ45 cables. Here’s what the six models offer, from Victron’s two VE.Can datasheets.

Victron SmartSolar MPPT VE.Can: Specs

	70A	85A	100A
Nominal PV power, 12V	1,000W	1,200W	1,450W
Nominal PV power, 24V	2,000W	2,400W	2,900W
Nominal PV power, 48V	4,000W	4,900W	5,800W
Weight	3kg	4.5kg	4.5kg

Source: SmartSolar MPPT 150/70 up to 150/100 VE.Can and 250/70 up to 250/100 VE.Can datasheets. PV power figures are the same for the 150V and 250V versions.

	150V models	250V models
Max PV open-circuit voltage	150V absolute max (145V operating)	250V absolute max (245V operating)
Max efficiency	98%	99%
Max PV short-circuit current (70A model)	50A	35A
Max PV short-circuit current (85/100A)	70A	70A

MC4 versions are limited to 30A per MC4 connector.

Features

VE.Can, VE.Direct and Bluetooth on every unit.
Synchronized parallel charging: up to 25 units over VE.Can, or 10 over Bluetooth.
Programmable relay: 240V AC/4A, or DC 4A up to 35V and 1A up to 60V.
Remote on/off, for example from a VE.Bus BMS.
Bluetooth sensing from a Smart Battery Sense, BMV-712 or SmartShunt.
46 days of stored trends and an optional plug-in display.
IP43 electronics, IP22 connection area. Full output up to 40°C.

Who It’s For

Multi-controller arrays on a cabin, home or large boat, where each roof face or string gets its own MPPT.
GX-based systems where you’d rather daisy-chain RJ45 cables than run a VE.Direct cable per controller.
12/24/48V systems: battery voltage is auto-detected, with 36V set manually.

150V or 250V?

Pick 150V when your strings are short and cold-weather Voc stays under 150V. Pick 250V for longer strings and longer cable runs. Run both through Victron’s MPPT calculator for your coldest temperature.

Monitoring

Each controller in a VE.Can chain shows up separately on a GX device and in VRM. Over Bluetooth, each one appears on its own in VictronConnect too.

Good to Know Before You Buy

VE.Can models cost more than the VE.Direct-only versions. Their PV and battery terminals take up to 35mm² (AWG2) cable, so plan the wiring space.

For the complete spec sheet and current manual, see the Victron SmartSolar MPPT VE.Can page.

Worked Example: How Many Panels per String?

The max PV voltage sets how many panels you can wire in series, and panel voltage rises in cold weather. Take an example panel with a 37V open-circuit voltage (Voc) and a temperature coefficient of about −0.3% per °C, a common figure for crystalline panels. Check your own panel’s datasheet.

At −10°C, that’s 35°C below the 25°C test temperature, so Voc rises about 10.5%: 37V × 1.105 ≈ 40.9V per panel.

Controller	Operating limit	Panels in series (estimate)
150V models	145V	3 panels ≈ 123V (4 would be ≈ 164V, too high)
250V models	245V	5 panels ≈ 204V (6 would be ≈ 245V, too close)

Worked estimates. Use Victron’s MPPT calculator with your panel and coldest local temperature.

Worked Example: A 4kW Array on a 48V Bank

Say you have ten 400W panels and a 48V lithium bank.

Strings: two strings of five panels for a 250/100. Each string is about 204V at −10°C, under the 245V limit.
Power: 4,000W is below the 5,800W nominal PV rating for a 100A model at 48V.
Charge current: 4,000W ÷ 52V ≈ 77A, within the 100A output.
Short-circuit current: two strings in parallel stay well under the 70A PV short-circuit limit with typical residential panels. On MC4 versions, keep each MC4 input under 30A.

Worked estimate. Real harvest is lower than nameplate because of heat, dust and wiring losses.

With a 150V model you’d need three panels per string, which turns ten panels into an awkward split. That’s a common reason to choose 250V.

Worked Example: Two Controllers vs One

A roof with an east face and a west face gets better results from two controllers than from one, because each MPPT tracks its own string’s peak. Two 150/70 units on a 24V bank, at 2,000W each, give 4,000W of nominal PV capacity, and over VE.Can they charge in sync as one system.

Choosing the Amp Rating

Divide your array’s wattage by the battery’s charging voltage. For example, 800W of panels on a 12V system is about 800 ÷ 13.5V ≈ 59A, so the 70A model (1,000W nominal at 12V) has headroom. At 24V, the same 70A model covers up to 2,000W. A bigger bank voltage gets more out of each controller.

Setup Steps

Connect the battery first, then the PV, as Victron’s manuals advise.
Choose the battery preset in VictronConnect or enter your battery maker’s voltages.
Chain the controllers with RJ45 cables on VE.Can, and put a VE.Can terminator at each end of the chain.
Connect a GX device to the same VE.Can network for one combined solar reading and VRM logging.
Update the firmware on every unit so they all match.
Set the relay if you want it to drive an alarm, load or generator signal.

FAQ

Do I need VE.Can if I only have one controller?

No. VE.Direct or Bluetooth is enough. VE.Can pays off with several controllers or a VE.Can network.

How many can I parallel?

Up to 25 over VE.Can, per Victron’s datasheet.

Can I mix 150V and 250V models in one VE.Can chain?

Both families have the same VE.Can port and support synchronised charging. Victron’s datasheets don’t restrict mixing, but keep firmware matched and check the manual for your exact setup.

What cable fits the terminals?

Up to 35mm² (AWG2), according to the datasheets.

Does each controller need its own battery sense?

No. A Smart Battery Sense, BMV-712 or SmartShunt can share voltage and temperature with the controllers over Bluetooth, and a GX device can share them across the VE.Can network.

Sources: Victron SmartSolar MPPT 150/70-150/100 VE.Can and 250/70-250/100 VE.Can datasheets; product page, victronenergy.com, accessed Oct 2026.