WSAL17075 – 2-CH CAN FD HAT/en

Documentation notice: This technical documentation was independently rewritten from an archived supplier source. Check technical details and commands against the product version and manufacturer documentation before use.

Summary

Technical overview of the Waveshare 2-CH CAN FD HAT (WSAL17075): a two-channel, electrically isolated CAN FD module for Raspberry Pi using an MCP2518FD controller with SPI connection.

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WSAL17075 – 2-Channel Isolated CAN FD Expansion HAT for Raspberry Pi, Multi Protections

Technical overview

Supported boards: Raspberry Pi Zero/Zero W/Zero WH/2B/3B/3B+/4B.
CAN controller: MCP2518FD; supports classic CAN2.0 and CAN FD frames, standard and extended frames, and remote frames.
Arbitration bit rate up to 1 Mbit/s; data bit rate can exceed the 1 Mbit/s limit of CAN2.0.
Electrical isolation of the CAN bus line with a 5 kV insulation rating.
Multiple protection circuits: short-circuit, ESD, and lightning surge protection; 500 W lightning surge protection per channel.
Terminal resistor 120 Ω switchable via jumper caps.
Two operating modes: both channels share one SPI line or use two independent SPI lines.
Power: external DC 8–28 V at the DC connector; alternatively powered from the Raspberry Pi.
Logic level selectable 3.3 V or 5 V via jumper; when used with Raspberry Pi (a 3.3 V system), set the jumper to 3.3 V.
Dimensions 65.0 × 56.5 mm; through-hole diameter 3.0 mm.

Commands and examples – verify before use:

sudo raspi-config
sudo reboot
dtparam=spi=on
dtoverlay=spi1-3cs
dtoverlay=mcp251xfd,spi0-0,interrupt=25
dtoverlay=mcp251xfd,spi1-0,interrupt=24
dtoverlay=mcp251xfd,spi0-1,interrupt=24

Notes and version constraints

The Rev2.1 version requires kernel 5.4.77 or later; older systems may not work.
When plugging/unplugging the pin header, gently pry with a tool to protect solder joints; pulling by hand can cause detachment.
On Bullseye, 'apt' is recommended over 'apt-get'; only Python3 is supported.
Before starting, verify that SPI is not already in use by other devices (/boot/config.txt).
CAN_H/CAN_L must be connected correctly (H to H, L to L); reversed wiring or shorts (e.g., accidental connection to the HDMI port) will prevent communication.
The number of connectable CAN devices depends on data volume and load; with high real-time requirements, possibly only 2–3 devices simultaneously – test in the specific application.
Current draw at the external connector is 20–50 mA depending on voltage; exact values should be verified for the operating scenario.

Source and revision record

2-CH CAN FD HAT - Waveshare Wiki
Source revision: 88337
Captured: 2026-08-31T03:59:18+00:00
SHA-256: 068e7fcc1cd9f6e0a95c84715f9209fe04c67fde0f8e9f646c84b4b4e9c16396