Are you looking for an easy way to control AC or DC branch circuits from your Cerbo GX? Shelly Home Automation devices may be your answer. Victron supports Shelly integration, and adding Shelly devices to your Victron system is painless and wire-free.
Using a Victron Cerbo GX, you can have simple control of Shelly devices from your GX Touch screen or through the VRM. Don't have a Cerbo yet? Check out our complete bundles with Cerbo included or add one with our Build Your Own Bundle.
Victron and Shelly Gen2 or newer WiFi & Ethernet devices are integrated. A Plus Plug Gen4 is ideal for control of AC devices, for example when using the AC heating element in your Isotemp water heater as a backup for non-driving days. DC options include the Plus RGBW PM for LED dimming or a 1 Gen4 for on/off control of DC branches such as your water pump circuit. With many Shelly devices, you can geek out with power monitoring capability. How close was your load calculation to your actual usage, or what steps do you need to take to preserve battery capacity? Now you can know!
To take advantage of Victron and Shelly integration, all devices need to be on the same network. This network is typically the Starlink or mobile router WiFi in your rig. You’ll also need to have your Cerbo updated to Venus OS v3.70 or later.
Cerbo GX & Shelly Integration Walkthrough
It’s really easy! Device discovery is automated. You will be switching circuits on & off from your touch screen in just a few simple steps.
Start with the Shelly Smart Control app for initial setup. The app finds devices using Bluetooth automatically once they are powered. Put your Shelly device on the same WiFI network as your Cerbo.
While you’re in the Smart Control app, you can also set up timers and schedules, for example to turn your LED lighting automatically on at dusk. These features can work in conjunction with the simple on/off controls from your GX touch.
Victron & Shelly devices automatically communicate on your network using a protocol called mDNS, which is also used for self-discovery by many home devices. mDNS is typically enabled by default on routers, so you shouldn’t have to call your IT team (or our tech support) to get connected.
From your Cerbo GX touch screen, navigate to Settings -> Integrations -> Shelly Devices. Depending on the order you powered things on, you may need to Press to refresh. Discovered devices will be listed, then you can use the slider to enable each device. Shelly devices default to disabled for security purposes.
Using your Shelly Device From Your Cerbo Touch Screen
Control and monitoring of a Shelly device is easy once integration is enabled.
All of the main GX Touch navigation pages (Brief, Overview, Levels, Notification, and Settings) have control icons in the top-left corner of the screen. The leftmost rounded slider icon is the quick access control for devices such as a MultiPlus. To the right of the quick access control is a rectangular slider icon for Switch control, and this is where you’ll find the Shelly device controls.
The Switch menu also includes the built-in Cerbo GX relays. Maybe you used a Ruuvi sensor and followed our blog to set up a temperature-controlled fan, and if so that relay status shows up on the Switch menu. Shelly devices show up on the Switch menu for easy on/off control of circuits.
Each Shelly device also shows up on the Settings -> Devices list once they are enabled. All of the available Shelly details can be viewed here, including power monitoring data if supported by your device.
And yes you can change the display name of your Shelly to suit your fancy. Under Settings -> Devices -> [default Shelly name] -> Device, type in your desired Name.
Example: Control Your Isotemp Water Heater
We’re big fans of using Isotemp water heaters to get free hot water from the van’s engine coolant. When you need the Isotemp AC heating element as a backup for heating water after a few days of boondocking, using a Shelly makes it easy.
Leaving the Isotemp AC element on would waste your precious battery bank. And turning on the water heater too soon after driving can cause the annoying internal thermal cut-off to trip, requiring access inside the Isotemp cover to press the reset button. We like to make things easy with simple control from the touch screen, so plug your water heater cord into your GFCI outlet using a Plus Plug US Gen4. You can turn the water heater on with a button click instead of flipping a circuit breaker or reaching to physically plug it in. You may also wish to use the Shelly Smart Control app to set up a timer for your water heater to ensure that the heater element only stays on for an hour or so (more than enough to re-heat your tank). Using a timer, your Shelly will automatically turn off so you don’t have to worry about forgetting and leaving your water heater on AC & depleting your battery bank!
Resources
A Victron Cerbo GX communication center can be added to your existing system or our electrical bundles. A Cerbo and GX Touch screen are even included in our complete bundles that come pre-configured with every component, wire, terminal connector, and fuse to build your system.
- 12 Volt “Trail Blazer” with 942Ah of lithium power, a 3000W inverter, and dual 50A DC-DC chargers
- 12 Volt secondary alternator “Road Runner” with 900Ah of Victron Lithium NG power, a 3000W inverter, a 50A DC-DC charger, and a dedicated high-output secondary alternator
- 24 Volt coming soon
- 48 Volt secondary alternator “Grid Slayer” with ~14.4kWh of Victron Lithium NG power at 48V, a 3000W inverter, and a dedicated high-output 48V secondary alternator
Have Victron questions? We are always happy to help, so please contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Victron devices work with Shelly?
Victron Cerbo GX, Ekrano GX, Venus GX and integrated GX systems support Shelly integration.
What Venus OS version is required for Shelly integration?
Your Cerbo GX must be running Venus OS v3.70 or greater.
Which Shelly models work with Victron?
Shelly Gen2 and newer Wi-Fi/Ethernet devices are supported. Shelly devices include the Plus Plug S, Pro 4PM, Pro 1PM, Pro 3EM, 1 Gen4, 1PM Gen4, Mini 1PM Gen4, Mini 1 Gen4, Dimmer Gen3 and Plus RGBW PM.
Which Shelly models are best for DC circuits?
Shelly devices with dry-contact relay outputs like the 1 Gen4 can be used to control DC circuits.
Do I have to have internet access to control my Shelly device?
No. Local (LAN) connectivity over WiFi is required for your Cerbo and Shelly devices to work. Internet is only required if you wish to access your devices remotely, such as through Victron Remote Management or the Shelly Cloud.
Additional Resources
Check out the Victron & Shelly webinar: Integration Essentials.
Explore the Shelly Victron Knowledge Base.
