BuWizz - High Performance LEGO Power Functions Controller and Battery

[jrx]

On 3.7.2017 at 0:51 PM, teflon said:

My kid just realized that he could use BuWizz as a battery box. His phone was dead and he wanted to drive his (mine?) trains. So he just connected the IR receiver to BuWizz and it worked without the need for running the BuWizz app. Well, perhaps it's normal for a majority but at least I was surprised.

Now I have a problem, how to get my BuWizz back.

 

Nice finding. Thx for sharing. Just when reading your post I was curious if it will work with SBricks too. And it works! So you can connect up to four Sbricks (or IR Receiver) to the BuWizz and use it as battery (also with powerbank).

And good luck getting your BuWizz back :)

[kbalage]

@jrx & @teflon - based on my experience the downside of this configuration is that you'll use the lowest power output of BuWizz, so the voltage (and motor speed) will be lower compared to the standard Lego battery box.

[jrx]

@kbalage Thx for your addition. Will have a look on this the next days.

[Void_S]

13 minutes ago, kbalage said:

@jrx & @teflon - based on my experience the downside of this configuration is that you'll use the lowest power output of BuWizz, so the voltage (and motor speed) will be lower compared to the standard Lego battery box.

Yes, and this voltage should be safe for them whereas a higher one may damage them or even burn very fast 

[teflon]

So I guess my kid discovered "Kid's mode."

And I still haven't get my BuWizz back.

[syclone]

This is very basic: PF plugs have 4 contacts as shown on Philo's page:

The IR receiver uses the C1 and C2 to control the motors , while the BuWizz uses the 9V and 0V ones. 

quote from Philohome PF presentation: 

"A few facts and tips:

Normal motors (Medium, Large and XL) as well as Power Functions light are connected only to C1/C2 lines. These lines carry electric power needed to make them turn or shine.
Power Functions servo motor gets its power from 0/9V lines, and is controlled from the state and PWM duty cycle of C1/C2 lines"

Basically , you can have 4 BuWizz outpus working independently from the Receivers connected to them, as long as the receivers use M, XL or L motors

I don't know how people haven't noticed that , because at least for me it was something very clear and the functionality with Sbrick has been proven long ago. 

 

Edited July 10, 2017 by LXF

[teflon]

Thanks for the insight. I am aware of 4 contacts and their roles, however I just never though of using BuWizz as normal battery. I agree, the discovery is not in the same league as discovering cure for cancer but regarding that the kid is 9 years old, he did a great job. And I forwarded it as curiosity, nothing else.

[jrx]

Thx for the additional informations. But I was still curious if I can get the full power out of the BuWizz. So I checked it. And yes! You can get the full BuWizz power and use it with the SBrick for example. The advantage: You get very high power and you won't run into the protection circuit. I tested it with four buggy motors connected to two SBricks under very high load. You can watch my video where I show, how I tested and how to get the BuWizz providing high power to the Sbrick.

 

Edited August 4, 2017 by jrx

[kbalage]

That's weird, I tried something similar previously (although with an older version of the app) and measured the RPM output of the motor, with the SBrick it stayed the same regardless of the setting in the BuWizz app. Thanks for sharing this, I'll redo some tests tomorrow :)

[jrx]

Good luck! For me it works just great 

[MajklSpajkl]

@jrx : Thanks, that is indeed useful information. Nice video! I was wondering how would it be running both apps at the same time, but haven't tried it yet.

[kbalage]

@jrx I did my tests today and it works with the high output through SBrick as well, thanks for the heads up! :) I did not manage to make this work previously, not sure why. What I noticed is that you need to start the BuWizz profile, and move the slider/joystick after changing the speed in order to really change the output level and then switch to the SBrick app.

[jrx]

@MajklSpajkl Thx :) I'm happy that you like the video. Have fun trying out.

@kbalage Great! Moving the slider was not necessary when I tested. The voltage changed when I switched the modes immediately. On which OS you use the App?

[kbalage]

@jrx I'm using Android

[jrx]

@kbalage So this could be the reason as I'm using iOS

[nerdsforprez]

@jrx- good video/discovery. I have never seriously considered the sbrick.  But the other popular thread we have going and this discovery has me thinking....

[kbalage]

I'm eagerly waiting for the editable profiles in the BuWizz app, it's a pain in the @ss to use the one and only profile configured for 2 units and try to play virtual piano while controlling my car :/ Despite the extra weight and the need to run both apps i think I'll use SBrick to control BuWizz until some major update arrives.

[jrx]

@nerdsforprez Thanks a lot  

@kbalage There's no need for to run both apps at the same time. After you switched the modes in the BuWizz app you can open the SBrick app and stay there as long as the BuWizz gives you energy

[kbalage]

@jrx I need to restart the BuWizz units and the app frequently as I'm usually running the units on the edge with loaded buggy motors so I'll need both running :) Not to mention the Sbrickcontroller app to be able to use a gamepad for all these :D

[DoomedACE]

9 hours ago, kbalage said:

I'm eagerly waiting for the editable profiles in the BuWizz app, it's a pain in the @ss to use the one and only profile configured for 2 units and try to play virtual piano while controlling my car :/

Yeah, I second that - When is the updated app supposed to be finished?

[jrx]

@kbalage ah, ok :)

[kbalage]

I noticed a strange behavior with my BuWizz units and the Android app yesterday - if I try to configure the app to control the 2 units simultaneously (Mobile crane profile), the app messes up the controls, e.g. if I configure only 1 unit with a slider or the joystick and the other unit is not yet configured,  it still controls the outputs of the second unit as well. Tried this on iOS, I could not replicate the problem. Tried to reinstall the Android app but the behavior is still the same. Single unit profiles seems to work ok.

If there's anyone with 2 units and an Android phone, could you please test if the mobile crane profile works for you? Not sure if the app was changed recently as my phone said it was updated 3 days ago, but the changelog in the app says the latest update was in June.

[jrx]

Can't give proper feedback to the "Two-BuWizz-Problem". But the app was update only days ago. They changed the code for the use of two BuWizz.

[Void_S]

Finally! @jrx, thank you! Now BuWizz can reveal its true power with four motors! I believe even with four buggy motors, that would be amazing...

[jrx]

29 minutes ago, Void_S said:

Finally! @jrx, thank you! Now BuWizz can reveal its true power with four motors! I believe even with four buggy motors, that would be amazing...

There's no need to believe. For sure it's possible as I demonstrated in one of my last videos. There I power four buggy motors via SBrick simultaneously - with full BuWizz-Power. Have a look at: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t86I0q_A3gY

Edited August 24, 2017 by jrx