CANCrocodile Contactless CAN Recorder
CANCrocodile - Contactless CAN Bus Reader
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CANCrocodile - Contactless CAN Bus Reader

Do you need to log CAN bus data directly from the CAN L/H wiring harness?

Now you can - without cutting CAN wires!

The CANCrocodile contactless CAN reader parses the raw CAN data to your CAN logger via non-invasive electromagnetic fields - ensuring your warranty is kept.

We offer two options: The CH1 option includes a DB9-DC adapter, which lets you power your CAN logger and CANCrocodile via an external power supply (e.g. a vehicle battery or cigarette outlet). The CH2 option is designed for use with the 2nd port of the CANedge series.

Buy now - or read more below!

Regular price
75 EUR
Unit price
per 
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Direct CAN Bus Access DIRECT ACCESS

Skip OBD2/J1939 connectors - connect directly to the CAN wires

Contactless CAN Reader CONTACTLESS

CAN data is logged without cutting wires (warranty kept)

MINIMAL LOSS EASILY POWER

Power via the DC connector, or via the CANedge CH2 power out

Zero Slipping Fixation Grip canm8 STRONG GRIP

Perpendicular fixation ensures that the CAN wires do not slip

Plug & Play Simple Installation cannect PLUG & PLAY

Simple to set up - ready to log in seconds with your CAN logger

CAN Bus Silent Logger cancliq 100% SILENT

Works in "listen only" mode and does not affect the CAN bus



About the CANCrocodile

The CANCrocodile enables safe reading of data from the CAN L/H wiring harness (e.g. in vehicles). It can be used to connect your CAN logger e.g. when connectors are not available - or if a contactless CAN bus reader is preferred for warranty purposes.

The CH1 CANCrocodile is ideal for logging data from a single CAN network. If you need to log 2x CAN buses, the CH2 CANCrocodile can be powered via the CANedge 2nd port. You can also mix adapters - e.g. a CH1 + CH2 CANCrocodile or a DB9-J1939 + CH2 CANCrocodile etc.

use cases
CANCrocodile Contactless Reader CAN Logger



Installation

CANCrocodile Installation CAN Wiring Harness

To connect the CANCrocodile head, follow the below:

  1. Open the CANCrocodile housing
  2. Place the CAN-H/CAN-L wires on the marked surface
  3. Close the housing, engaging the latch
  4. Optionally seal the housing (recommended)

Next, connect your CAN logger as outlined (depending on whether you're using a CH1 or CH2 CANCrocodile):

CANCrocodile CAN Logger CANedge Kit

CH1 CANCrocodile

  1. Connect the CANcrocodile to the DB9 connector
  2. Connect the adapter & CANCrocodile molex
  3. Connect the DC connector to a power supply (cigarette receptacle, battery pack, wallplug, ...)

CH2 CANCrocodile

  1. Connect the CANcrocodile to the CANedge CH2
  2. In the CANedge config, enable 2nd port power
  3. Power the CANedge via CH1 (e.g. via another adapter)

Note: You need to use a manual bit rate and turn off Silent Mode of your CANedge/CLX000 when logging via the CANCrocodile.




Check out our tech specs, use cases or FAQ - or buy now!

Do you have any questions?

Contact us

We encourage you to read the full CANCrocodile installation manual before use.

GENERAL
CH1 Adapter Cable Length 15 cm (both cables)
CH1 Adapter DC Connector 5.5 mm (ID) x 2.1 mm (CPD)
CANCrocodile Cable Length 70 cm
CANCrocodile Body See drawing further below
CH1/CH2 DB9 Adapter Pins In accordance with CiA 303-1
Compatibility High Speed CAN Bus (ISO 11898-2) incl. CAN FD, SAE J1939, OBD2, NMEA, CANopen
CH1 Nominal Supply Voltage 12/24 V
CH2 Nominal Supply Voltage 5 V (matching CANedge 2nd port power out)
CH1 Current Consumption 30/15 mA
LEDs Red: Power on; Green: CAN bus data read
Termination The CANCrocodile is internally terminated (120 Ohm)
Temperature Operating temperature: -20degC to +80degC
Weight (excl. CAN logger) 100G
IP Rating IP30



CH1 Adapter pinout


DB9 (female) Function Molex DC Connector
1
2 CAN-L 4
3 GND 2 Outer
4
5
6
7 CAN-H 3
8
9 VCC 1 Center

Product Dimensions


CANCrocodile Dimensions Size

CH2 Adapter pinout


DB9 (female) Function
1 VCC
2 CAN-L
3 GND
4
5
6
7 CAN-H
8
9

Below are examples where the CANCrocodile CH1/CH2 can be useful:

Wireless CAN logger Vehicle Telematics J1939 WiFi

J1939/FMS vehicle telematics

Need access to J1939/FMS data - but lack a connector port?

In some cases, you'll need to log CAN data from vehicles with no direct connector available. Here, the CANCrocodile taps directly into the CAN bus wires. It's automatically listen-only and 100% contactless, making it ideal for fleet applications.

Machines & test setups

Need data from a machine/test setup with no external connector?

Many machine assets (e.g. in production) do not have built-in connector ports for CAN loggers. Here, exposing the CAN wires provides a simple access point for your CAN logger using the CANCrocodile as gateway. Further, the DC connector can easily be connected to a wall plug using a standard adapter cable.

Connected Vehicle Cloud Warehouse Forklift Data Battery Management
Dual CAN channel logging CANcrocodile

Dual CAN logging

Need to record data from 2 x CAN channels?

In many heavy duty vehicles you'll need to record data from two CAN channels. In this case, you can e.g. power the CANedge via channel 1 via a DB9-J1939 adapter - and use a CANCrocodile CH2 variant to log data from a raw wiring harness via channel 2.




For most standard purposes, you'll be able to use just a DB9-OBD2 or DB9-J1939 connector for your CAN logger. However, various scenarios exist where this is not an option:

  • The OBD2/J1939 connector ports may be non-existing in the specific vehicle
  • Other CAN tools may block the relevant connector port (or it may need to be free for mechanics
  • A connector port is available, but the manufacturer has set it up to not parse the CAN data through
  • A vehicle/machine may have e.g. two high-speed CAN buses - and the one you need to log from may lack a connector

Further, while the CANedge/CLX000 can operate in Silent Mode without the CANCrocodile, some users may find extra comfort in the CANCrocodile setup as this is physically separated from the system, i.e. with no electrical connection. For the same reason, the CANCrocodile adapter is often referred to as a contactless CAN reader.


For pure "listening" use cases where you need to log data, the CANCrocodile performs equally to having a direct connection (i.e. cutting the wires or connecting via e.g. a J1939 deutsch connector port).

In some cases, you may experience up to 1% message loss according to specifications. However, in our extensive testing, we found that the loss rate was less than 1 per 250,000 messages at the highest rate (1 Mbps).

If you need to log on-demand messages (rather than only broadcasted CAN data), you'll need to be able to transmit request messages to various ECUs - in which case the CANCrocodile will not work as it is a 100% contactless CAN bus reader (meaning transmission of data is impossible).

Instead, you'll need to configure the Transmit list of the CAN logger to send the relevant requests and then connect it directly (e.g. via a connector port).


When the CANedge/CLX000 is directly connected to the CAN bus, it'll typically be powered via the power supply in the CAN bus connector. However, when the CANCrocodile acts as gateway, this method of direct power supply won't work. That's why we've developed a custom cable for use with the CANCrocodile and our CAN loggers, adding a plug & play DC connector for adding an external power supply.

A simple solution is to combine this with our cigarette receptacle power supply adapter in vehicle applications - but you can also use e.g. a wallplug or a small battery packs as your power supply for some use cases.


In a standard vehicle (e.g. a car), you'll often be able to locate the CAN wires behind an OBD2/J1939 connector or the ECU ABS/ASR connector. The CAN wires are twisted and can often be recognized by their color.

For a more extensive guide, see the CANCrocodile CAN reader manual under Tech Specs.