Install the Software Stack

This guide will walk you through setting up the CAN-to-MQTT bridge, importing the Node-RED project, and verifying that Home Assistant discovers your RV’s devices.

Prerequisites 1. Install Add-on 2. Import Flows
Home Assistant dashboard example

Prerequisites

Before you begin, please ensure you have the following up and running:

If you use an external MQTT broker, make sure you have the hostname, port, and credentials available. You will need to update the MQTT configuration nodes in Node-RED accordingly.

1. Install the CAN to MQTT Bridge Add-on

This add-on is the critical link between your hardware and the software. It listens for raw RV-C frames on the CAN bus and publishes them to MQTT, and vice-versa.

Add the Custom Repository

  1. Navigate to Settings → Add-ons → Add-on Store in Home Assistant.
  2. Click the three-dots menu (⋮) in the top right and select Repositories.
  3. Enter the following URL and click Add:
    https://github.com/Backroads4Me/ha-addons
  4. Close the repository manager. The "Backroads4Me Home Assistant Add-ons" repository will now be at the bottom of the store page.

Install and Configure the Add-on

  1. Find the CAN to MQTT Bridge add-on in the new repository section and click to install it.
  2. Go to the Configuration tab. Set your CAN interface (e.g., can0) and bitrate (250000 for standard RV-C).
  3. Verify the MQTT connection details. If using the Mosquitto add-on, the defaults are usually correct.
  4. Go to the Info tab, enable Start on boot, and start the add-on.
Placeholder: A screenshot of the add-on configuration page would be helpful here to show the user what to fill in.

2. Import the Node-RED Project

The Node-RED flows contain all the logic for decoding RV-C data, creating Home Assistant entities, and encoding commands.

Import the Flows

  1. Download the main flows file from the RV Link repository: flows.json.
  2. Open the Node-RED interface in Home Assistant.
  3. Click the hamburger menu (≡) in the top right and select Import.
  4. Select the `flows.json` file you downloaded and import it. Choose to import into a "new flow" to keep it organized.
  5. Important: You will also need the DGN (Data Group Number) lookup table. Download dgn-summary-table.json.
  6. Place this file in a location accessible to Node-RED, such as `/share/node-red/`, and update the "Read DGN table" file-in node in the "Config" flow to point to the correct path (e.g., `/share/node-red/dgn-summary-table.json`).
  7. Click the Deploy button in Node-RED to save and activate the flows.
Note: The repository URLs are placeholders. You will need to replace `[OWNER]/[REPO]` with your actual GitHub username and repository name once the project is public.

3. Verify the Integration

Once the add-on is running and the flows are deployed, devices should start appearing in Home Assistant automatically.

Check for Incoming Data

  • Use an MQTT client (like MQTT Explorer) to connect to your broker and subscribe to the can/raw topic. You should see a steady stream of messages.
  • In Node-RED, enable the "Decoded" debug node in the "CAN message routing" group to see the parsed RV-C data.
  • In Home Assistant, navigate to Settings → Devices & Services → Entities and search for newly created entities (e.g., `light.switch_`, `sensor.tank_`).

Test Outgoing Commands

  • Add a discovered light or shade to your Home Assistant dashboard.
  • Toggle the device. You should see the physical device in your RV respond.
  • In your MQTT client, watch for a message to appear on the can/send topic when you issue a command.
  • The device's state in Home Assistant should update to reflect the command.
Home Assistant dashboard showing discovered RV Link entities
Your discovered devices will appear as entities, ready to be added to a dashboard.

4. (Optional) Use the Example Dashboard

To help you get started faster, an example Home Assistant dashboard configuration is available. It provides a clean and functional layout for most of the entities that RV Link creates.

Dashboard Repository

You can find the YAML configuration for the dashboard in this repository:
https://github.com/Backroads4Me/rv-link-dashboard

Follow the instructions in the repository's `README.md` to add the dashboard to your Home Assistant instance.

Dashboard Dependencies

This dashboard relies on a few other community add-ons and integrations for its appearance and functionality. You will need to install them for the dashboard to work correctly.

Frontend (HACS)

Backend (Add-ons)

  • Mosquitto: Required for all MQTT communication.
  • HA Victron MQTT: (Optional) If you have Victron energy components you wish to integrate.

Troubleshooting

No Data on can/raw

  • Check the logs for the CAN to MQTT Bridge add-on for any errors.
  • Verify your CAN wiring, including CAN_H/CAN_L polarity.
  • Ensure the CAN interface name (e.g., `can0`) is correct in the add-on configuration.
  • Confirm the bus has exactly two 120Ω terminators.

No Entities in Home Assistant

  • Verify that the Node-RED flows are deployed and running without errors.
  • Check that the MQTT configuration nodes in Node-RED are correctly pointing to your broker.
  • Ensure that MQTT Discovery is enabled in your Home Assistant configuration.
  • Use an MQTT client to check that discovery messages are being published to topics like homeassistant/light/.../config.

Setup Complete!

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