When building a Victron battery system, you need a way to distribute power from your battery bank to multiple devices — inverters, charge controllers, DC loads, and more. Victron offers the Lynx Distributor as their integrated solution, but many builders opt for standard copper bus bars instead. Both approaches work, but they suit different installations. This guide compares them in detail so you can make the right choice for your build.
What Is the Victron Lynx Distributor?
The Lynx Distributor is a modular power distribution unit designed specifically for Victron systems. It provides four fused connection points, each accepting a Mega-type fuse. The module has high-current bus bars running through it, with bolt-on connection points for your cables.
Key Features
- Four fused outputs: Each slot takes a Mega fuse (available from 32A to 500A), giving you four independently fused circuits
- Modular design: Snaps together with other Lynx modules — the Lynx Smart BMS and Lynx Shunt. Internal bus bars connect the modules without external cables
- High current rated: The internal bus bars handle up to 1000A, making it suitable for even large systems
- Clean installation: All connections are enclosed within the unit. No exposed bus bars or bolt heads
- DC voltage monitoring: Newer models include voltage sensing that reports to the GX device via CAN-bus
- Fuse status indication: LED indicators show if a fuse has blown (on CAN-bus connected models)
What Is a Standard Bus Bar?
A bus bar is simply a strip of copper or brass with multiple bolt holes along its length. You bolt cable lugs directly to it, creating a common connection point. Bus bars come in various sizes — from small 100A-rated bars for campervan builds to large 1000A+ industrial bars.
Key Features
- Simple and universal: A bus bar is just a piece of metal with holes. It works with any system, any brand, any configuration
- Available in many sizes: From 4-way 100A bus bars (under £10) to heavy-duty 12-way 600A bars
- No built-in fusing: You must add separate inline fuses or fuse holders for each circuit
- Exposed connections: Bolt heads and cable lugs are typically exposed, requiring a cover or enclosure for safety
- Flexible mounting: Can be mounted horizontally, vertically, or in any orientation
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Lynx Distributor | Standard Bus Bar |
|---|---|---|
| Fused connections | 4 x Mega fuse slots (built-in) | None — add separate fuses |
| Maximum current | 1000A (bus bar rating) | Varies — 100A to 1000A+ depending on bar |
| Number of connections | 4 circuits + 2 bus bar links | 4 to 12+ depending on bar size |
| Modular compatibility | Snaps to Lynx BMS and Lynx Shunt | Standalone only |
| Enclosure | Fully enclosed with cover | Open — requires separate cover |
| CAN-bus monitoring | Yes (newer models) | No |
| Typical cost | £150–£200 | £10–£50 per bar |
| Fuse cost | Mega fuses included in design | Separate ANL/MEGA fuse holders: £10–£30 each |
| Installation complexity | Simple — bolt cables, insert fuses | More planning — fuse placement, covers, layout |
When the Lynx Distributor Is Worth It
Larger Systems with Multiple High-Current Devices
If your system includes a MultiPlus 3000 (drawing 250A+), two MPPT controllers, and a DC distribution panel, you have four high-current circuits that all need fusing. The Lynx Distributor handles this cleanly with minimal wiring. With bus bars, you'd need four separate inline fuse holders, additional cables from bus bar to fuse to device, and more connection points (each a potential point of failure or resistance).
Professional Installations
For professional installers, the Lynx system saves significant labour time. The modular snap-together design means less time routing cables and more consistency between installations. The enclosed design also looks professional — important for customer-facing work in motorhomes, boats, and off-grid homes.
When Using Lynx Smart BMS
If you're using the Lynx Smart BMS, the Lynx Distributor is the natural companion. They physically snap together, eliminating the need for heavy cables between BMS and distribution. The internal bus bars handle the current transfer. Using a bus bar setup alongside a Lynx BMS would require external cables from the BMS output to the bus bar — adding cost, complexity, and cable losses.
Systems Over 200A
At high currents, every connection point matters. Each bolt connection adds a small amount of resistance. In a bus bar setup with separate fuse holders, you might have: battery cable to bus bar (2 bolts), bus bar to fuse holder cable (2 bolts), fuse holder to device cable (2 bolts) — six connection points per circuit. The Lynx Distributor reduces this to: cable to Lynx (2 bolts) plus the fuse contact — fewer points, lower total resistance, less heat generation.
When Standard Bus Bars Are Fine
Simple Campervan Builds
A typical DIY campervan might have a 100Ah battery, one MPPT 100/30, one MultiPlus 12/800, and a small DC fuse box for lights and USB. That's three circuits at relatively low currents (under 100A each). A pair of bus bars (positive and negative), three inline fuses, and you're done. Total cost: £30–£50 versus £150+ for a Lynx Distributor. The simplicity and cost saving make bus bars the obvious choice here.
Budget-Constrained Projects
If money is tight, bus bars let you allocate more of your budget to the components that directly affect system performance — bigger battery, better charge controller, larger inverter. The Lynx Distributor is a quality-of-life improvement, not a functional requirement. A well-installed bus bar system is just as electrically sound as a Lynx system.
Non-Standard Layouts
The Lynx modules are designed to be mounted in a specific linear arrangement. If your installation space doesn't allow a neat linear layout — perhaps the battery is in one compartment and the inverter in another — bus bars offer more flexibility. You can position them wherever makes sense for your cable routing.
Systems with Many Small Circuits
If you need more than four circuits (which is common — MPPT, inverter, DC-DC charger, DC fuse box, shore power charger, windlass, bilge pump), the Lynx Distributor's four slots may not be enough. You'd need two Lynx Distributors (expensive) or supplement with a bus bar anyway. A single large bus bar with 8–12 connections handles this more efficiently.
Hybrid Approach
Many installations use both. A common pattern:
- Lynx Smart BMS + Lynx Distributor for the main high-current circuits (battery to BMS to distributor, with MultiPlus and MPPT on the distributor)
- Bus bar for secondary DC distribution — feeding a fuse box for lights, pumps, fans, and other small loads via a single fused connection from the Lynx Distributor
This gives you the clean, modular Lynx system for the heavy lifting, with a flexible bus bar for the smaller circuits that don't individually warrant a Mega fuse slot.
Installation Tips for Bus Bars
If you go the bus bar route, follow these practices for a safe and reliable installation:
- Use tinned copper bus bars: Tinning prevents oxidation and ensures low-resistance connections for decades. Untinned copper will corrode, especially in marine environments
- Cover exposed connections: Use a bus bar with an insulating cover, or make/buy a cover. Exposed high-current connections are a short-circuit hazard — a dropped tool across positive and negative bus bars will cause an arc flash
- Torque connections properly: Loose bolts cause high-resistance joints that overheat. Use a torque wrench and check connections after the first month of use, then annually
- Separate positive and negative bars: Mount them with adequate spacing (minimum 25mm). Never stack them directly above each other where a dropped fastener could bridge the gap
- Label every circuit: Bus bars quickly become confusing if circuits aren't labelled. Use adhesive cable labels or tags on every cable
Cost Comparison for a Typical System
For a mid-range system (MultiPlus 12/2000, MPPT 150/35, Orion DC-DC, DC fuse box):
Lynx Distributor Route
- Lynx Distributor: approximately £150–£200
- 4 x Mega fuses: approximately £20–£40 total
- Total: approximately £170–£240
Bus Bar Route
- 2 x Tinned copper bus bars (positive + negative): approximately £20–£40
- 4 x Inline ANL fuse holders: approximately £30–£60
- 4 x ANL fuses: approximately £15–£25
- Bus bar covers: approximately £10–£20
- Additional short cables (bus bar to fuse holders): approximately £15–£25
- Total: approximately £90–£170
The bus bar route saves £50–£100 but requires more labour and planning. For a professional installer charging £50–£80/hour, the time saved with the Lynx Distributor can offset the higher component cost. For a DIY builder, the bus bar savings go straight into the budget.
Recommendation
If you are building a system with a Lynx Smart BMS and your budget allows it, choose the Lynx Distributor — the modular integration is worth the premium. If you're building a simpler system without a Lynx BMS, or if your budget is tight, quality bus bars with proper fusing are perfectly adequate. What matters most is that every circuit is correctly fused with appropriately sized cables — whether those fuses sit in a Lynx Distributor or in separate inline holders. Use our price comparison tool to find the best current deals on Lynx Distributors and related components.
