BuWizz - High Performance LEGO Power Functions Controller and Battery

[Odinkuijpers]

If I understand correctly, you can now use the PU L motor for way more precise steering than a PF servo and use 2 Buggy/Buwizz motors at full power from a single BW 3.0 brick! Definitely worth the extra money!!!

[Zerobricks]

1 hour ago, Odinkuijpers said:

If I understand correctly, you can now use the PU L motor for way more precise steering than a PF servo and use 2 Buggy/Buwizz motors at full power from a single BW 3.0 brick! Definitely worth the extra money!!!

Exactly, that was one of the goals, more power for the motors and a higher precision with the PU system.

[dlee98]

What's the best guess on release date for Buwizz 3?

[Zerobricks]

We plan to do the first test production and if all goes well start sending first products on the 16th.

[HectorMB]

Hi, 

Sorry to insist, but a single BuWizz 3.0 will be able to handle at full power 2 BuWizz motors AND additional motors his PU ports ? In such case, do you have any idea which motors could be added to the 2 BuWizz motors maintaining the full power in all of them? Or, by the contrary, any additional motor would prevent to develop 100% power in all motors implied?

[Zerobricks]

That's not an easy to answer question, it totally depends on the types of motors, their loads, etc... But from tests I just made today a single 3.0 can fully power 2 of our motors + steering + LED without issues when accelerating hard.

[HectorMB]

Makes sense, thanks. It seems that two buwizz motors, with a high load will be close to the full capacity of the brick, which is already something! ;)

[Scoar Sonander]

Hey! 

Is there anybody who has bought Buwizz 3.0 and can give it some feedback? I haven't been able to find any reviews about it yet...

And also: Can you control a PF M or PF L motor like a servo motor with Buwizz 2.0?

Thanks!

[Milan]

5 minutes ago, Scoar Sonander said:

Hey!

Let's wait until there is a review for 3.0
Until then, post in this designated thread.
I have merged your topic with the main one.

[Zerobricks]

2 hours ago, Scoar Sonander said:

Hey! 

Is there anybody who has bought Buwizz 3.0 and can give it some feedback? I haven't been able to find any reviews about it yet...

And also: Can you control a PF M or PF L motor like a servo motor with Buwizz 2.0?

Thanks!

You can't control PF motors (except the servo) as servo motor since they don't have any position sensors. Only (some) Powered Up, Spike, boost, etc... motors have that ability.

[Scoar Sonander]

OK! Thank you! 

 

[HectorMB]

I have a question regarding the app. Would it be updated once the buwizz bricks are delivered, I mean, at the same time? Or may we expect some delay between the delivery and the availability of the app?

I would be strange to have the bricks without the app to squeeze them! ;)

[Zerobricks]

There will be a beta test first and once things are working ok, the app will be released as an update to the exisiting version.

[HectorMB]

Thanks a lot! Looks reasonable. 

Regarding the BuWizz brick delivery; how it was the issues-solving round? there's any expected delivery date?

ps: yes, i'm truly forward having these on my hands ;)

[frechettemj]

In theory, could the Power Function output on the Buwizz 3.0 be used to power an Sbrick? I'm building a large crawler crane, and it has two Control Plus motors and three PF motors. 

Edited April 1, 2021 by frechettemj

[kbalage]

1 hour ago, frechettemj said:

In theory, could the Power Function output on the Buwizz 3.0 be used to power an Sbrick? I'm building a large crawler crane, and it has two Control Plus motors and three PF motors. 

It works with 2.0, I'm sure it should work with 3.0 as well. As an alternative you can also get a PU -> PF adapter for that 3rd PF motor, then you don't have to control BuWizz 3.0 and SBrick separately.

[HectorMB]

Nevertheless, given the prices of the adaptors, I found better to get pu motors instead of the adaptors...

[kbalage]

Here's my unboxing and first impressions video about the BuWizz 3.0 Pro. The app used is still a beta version and the firmware will also receive updates so don't expect a very in-depth review, it's more like an overview of the features and possibilities. More content will come soon!

 

[amorti]

One of my two buwizz 2 couldn't hold a connection, and was rattling. The aerial had fallen off. Looks like it's just plonked on the board and blob-soldered, there's not even a hole for the wire to pass through. Anyone else had this happen?

Not sure whether to try and fix it myself or not. It's under two years old so I guess this is still in warranty.

Emailed support on Friday, let's see what they say. 

Btw, do we need a new thread for buwizz 3?

[Scoar Sonander]

Milan says we should keep all buwizz to this thread. 

And it's great to finally get a video review for this! Thanks RacingBrick! 

Edited April 11, 2021 by Scoar Sonander

[Toastie]

I have been thinking about this quite a while, so it is time to ask.

1. BuWizz is not considered a clone type thing, but an addition to the range of LEGO hubs, right? I mean, this is electronics within a plastic case that may be considered, well, copied. There is a lot of flak that Chinese copy cats are getting, but this is different, correct? They do this one electronic thing and this is good, because it adds to the line of devices? They don't copy, they develop, correct?
    
2. The case of the BuWizz 3.0 brick is of the same size as before (1.X, 2.X) . Presumably there is a LiPo battery inside, maybe not. In another thread the output of that brick was:
   "Buwizz 3.0 is a monster (from their website) each power functions channel has a continuous electrical power output of 48 watts (peak 60) while the total output for 1 brick is rated at over 100watts"How on earth is this possible? Is it me or is there a different interpretation of "sustained"?

I am really interested in this!

Best
Thorsten

[amorti]

48w gets a little easier once you're doing it at 12v. At that point it's "only" 4 amps. 

Not quite sure what you're getting at wrt Chinese clones? Buwizz was the first Bluetooth Lego Controller and while there are now several Chinese clone brands offering similar and MouldKing and CaDA boxes both happily give more constant current than a Buwizz 2 (only by my own experience comparing the two, no scientific measurements here and idk about buwizz 3), none of them offer anything brand new as buwizz did. They also all have tiny battery capacity by comparison, and none are supported by brickcontroller2, which is a huge difference because driving models on a touch screen is rubbish.

Where it does get interesting is MouldKing's newest crane set comes with an analogue remote control and a box which basically does everything a Buwizz 2 does. That's something new.

That same MouldKing set has a battery box with not 4 but 6 pf ports. And each of those has not 4 but 6 terminals on it. I have no idea what the extra two terminals do, but it seems interesting that powered up uses six ports with the additional two used for position sensing.

Edited April 11, 2021 by amorti

[Odinkuijpers]

24 minutes ago, amorti said:

Where it does get interesting is MouldKing's newest crane set comes with an analogue remote control and a box which basically does everything a Buwizz 2 does. That's something new.

That same MouldKing set has a battery box with not 4 but 6 pf ports. And each of those has not 4 but 6 terminals on it. I have no idea what the extra two terminals do, but it seems interesting that powered up uses six ports with the additional two used for position sensing.

Do you have a link to this MK set?

[amorti]

2 minutes ago, Odinkuijpers said:

Do you have a link to this MK set?

Not on the main forum mate.

[Toastie]

32 minutes ago, amorti said:

once you're doing it at 12v. At that point it's "only" 4 amps. 

Sure!

But the battery needs to supply that wattage - it simply does not change. What changes is the power dissipation in the wires and electrical contacts. Maybe even in the motor itself. However: The battery has a certain capacity. How many amps can you draw from a LiPo "sustained"? The operational time must come down considerably at this rating (50 W).

Also: I have learned both theoretically as well as the hard way that when you stress a LiPo - and drawing 4 amps at 12V is "close" to shortening it, you want to be careful. All that will be built into the BuWizz box, essentially, you "just" have to monitor the temperature increase in the LiPo pack - and then limit current. But this brings me back to: What does sustained mean? Just assume some train heads will dive into BuWizz3.0. These folks run several PF XL motors to haul really heavy trains, with a lot of friction. Now, is this a scenario for BuWizz3.0? Or is it more the "reserve" in it? In terms of: When you need power, you get it, but only for so long? Or does this brick simply crank out long term 50 W until battery capacity (Ah) is drowned?

As said: I am learning here!

Best
Thorsten