Victron Lynx Shunt vs SmartShunt comes down to how your DC system is built. Both measure battery current and calculate state of charge. The SmartShunt is a standalone shunt with Bluetooth. The Lynx Shunt VE.Can is a busbar module that adds a main fuse holder and talks to a GX device. Here are the official datasheet numbers side by side.
Victron Lynx Shunt vs SmartShunt: Specs
| Spec | SmartShunt | Lynx Shunt VE.Can (M10) |
|---|---|---|
| Current rating | 300A, 500A, 1000A or 2000A versions | 1000A continuous |
| Supply voltage | 6.5–70V | 9–70V (12, 24, 48V systems) |
| Self-consumption | Under 1mA | 60mA at 12V, 20mA at 48V |
| Main fuse holder | No | Yes (CNN, ANL or MEGA), or dummy busbar |
| Bluetooth | Built in | Not listed (set up via GX device) |
| Communication | VE.Direct, VE.Smart Networking | VE.Can to GX device |
| Alarm relay | No | Yes, potential-free 3A |
| Second input | Aux: starter battery, midpoint or temperature | Temperature sensor included |
| Powers Lynx Distributor | No | Yes, via RJ10 |
| Protection | IP21 | IP22 |
| Weight | Varies by size | 1.4kg |
Sources: Victron SmartShunt datasheet; Lynx Shunt VE.Can datasheet.
What the Specs Mean
- Standby draw. The SmartShunt draws under 1mA. The Lynx Shunt draws 60mA at 12V, about 1.4Ah a day. That’s our estimate from the datasheet figure. For a van that sits for weeks, that matters. On a big boat or cabin bank, it doesn’t.
- Setup and display. The SmartShunt works straight from your phone. The Lynx Shunt is set up and read through a Cerbo GX or other GX device, so budget for one.
- System integration. In a Lynx stack, the Lynx Shunt bolts in, holds the main fuse and powers the Distributors’ LEDs. A SmartShunt needs a separate fuse holder and busbars. Note that Distributor fuse-status reporting needs a Lynx Smart BMS, not the Lynx Shunt.
- Alarm relay. The Lynx Shunt has one built in, for things like a low-SOC generator start.
Which Should You Buy?
- SmartShunt: vans, small RVs, any system without a GX device, or lowest standby draw.
- Lynx Shunt VE.Can: lead-acid or third-party lithium in a Lynx busbar system with a Cerbo GX. For Victron Lithium Smart batteries, Victron’s Lynx Smart BMS includes a shunt.
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Victron’s SmartShunt page has the datasheet and manual, or you can check the SmartShunt 500A on Amazon. Also see the Lynx Shunt VE.Can.
Worked Example: Standby Draw Over a Parked Month
The biggest everyday difference between the two is self-consumption. Using the datasheet figures:
| Monitor | Draw | Per day | Per 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| SmartShunt | Under 1mA | Under 0.024Ah | Under 0.72Ah |
| Lynx Shunt VE.Can at 12V | 60mA | ≈ 1.44Ah | ≈ 43Ah |
| Lynx Shunt VE.Can at 48V | 20mA | ≈ 0.48Ah | ≈ 14Ah |
Worked estimates: amps × 24 hours × days.
On a 100Ah van battery, 43Ah is a big share of the bank over a month in storage. On a 600Ah cabin bank that’s charged every day by solar, it’s barely noticeable. For long storage with either monitor, switching off the main battery disconnect stops all standby draw.
Two Example Builds
Camper van with a SmartShunt
A 12.8V 200Ah battery, an Orion XS DC-DC charger, a SmartSolar MPPT and a 12V fridge. The SmartShunt 500A sits on the battery negative, and every other negative lands on its system side. You read it on your phone in VictronConnect, and VE.Smart Networking can share its battery voltage and current with the solar charger for more accurate charging.
Boat with a Lynx Shunt VE.Can
A 24V 400Ah bank, a MultiPlus-II, two solar chargers and a Lynx Distributor. The Lynx Shunt VE.Can bolts between the battery cables and the Distributor, holds the main fuse and reports to a Cerbo GX over VE.Can. You read it on the GX Touch screen at the helm or remotely on VRM.
Setting Up a SmartShunt
- Fit it in the battery negative. Only the battery’s negative cable goes on the BATTERY side. Every other negative goes on the SYSTEM side.
- Connect the Vbatt+ lead to the battery positive, with its inline fuse.
- Use the Aux input if you need it: starter battery voltage, midpoint voltage on a series bank or battery temperature.
- Open VictronConnect and enter the battery capacity, charged voltage and tail current from your battery’s datasheet.
- Fully charge the battery once so the state of charge synchronizes to 100%.
Setting Up a Lynx Shunt VE.Can
- Check polarity carefully before connecting, since the datasheet lists no reverse polarity protection.
- Fit the main fuse (CNN, ANL or MEGA) or the dummy busbar.
- Connect the VE.Can cable to the GX device, with a terminator at each end of the chain.
- Configure it on the GX device: battery capacity, charged voltage and tail current.
- Set the alarm relay levels if you plan to use it.
When You Don’t Need Either
If your system uses Victron Lithium Battery Smart batteries with a Lynx Smart BMS, the BMS already has a battery monitor in its negative busbar. It reports state of charge over Bluetooth and VE.Can, so a separate SmartShunt or Lynx Shunt would only duplicate it. Systems with a third-party lithium battery, or with lead-acid batteries, are where the two shunts in this comparison earn their place.
Quick Decision Checklist
- No GX device and no plans for one: SmartShunt.
- Lowest standby draw for a vehicle that sits parked: SmartShunt.
- Lynx busbar system with a Cerbo GX: Lynx Shunt VE.Can.
- You want a built-in alarm relay: Lynx Shunt VE.Can.
FAQ
Can I use both?
You’d only need one shunt per battery bank. Two would just measure the same current.
Is the M8 Lynx Shunt still sold?
Victron says the M8 version is discontinued, and the M10 is current.
Which one is more accurate?
Both are shunt-based monitors that measure current and count amp-hours. Accuracy in daily use depends mostly on entering the right battery settings and letting the battery reach full charge regularly so the monitor resynchronizes.
Can a SmartShunt talk to a Cerbo GX?
Yes. Connect it with a VE.Direct cable, and the GX device shows its data and sends it to VRM.
Which SmartShunt size do I need?
Pick a rating above your largest continuous current. A 3,000W inverter on 12V draws about 270A, so a 500A SmartShunt suits it.
Sources: Victron SmartShunt datasheet and Lynx Shunt VE.Can datasheet; Lynx Distributor manual (victronenergy.com, accessed Oct 2026).
Related: Klein CL390 Clamp Meter Solar Panel Test, LiTime 12V 50Ah LiFePO4 Battery Review, MHPOWOS Solar Battery Trickle Charger Review, plus the Victron Energy Guide