BuWizz - High Performance LEGO Power Functions Controller and Battery

[aFrInaTi0n]

On 11/30/2022 at 10:45 PM, gyenesvi said:

However, configuration of the controls would still require connecting to the Buwizz unit from the mobile app first, but that's no big deal I guess.

Only thing I can think of missing: How to save the Mappings from the inputs to the outputs (with all the details of their settings, rampup etc pp)?
This is done in the app and I reckon there won't be that much space / it generally a  bad idea to write configuration-files in there..

 

@wower plus the biggest pro for the MK remote set with the hardware controller: The range (also in comparison to BW)

Edited December 3, 2022 by aFrInaTi0n

[wower]

2 minutes ago, aFrInaTi0n said:

 

@wower olus the biggest pro for the MK remote set with the hardware controller: The range (also in comparison to BW)

definitely correct - better range than any other stuff (incl. buwizz)!

I really love that mouldking set, got 3 already (1 modified with higher voltage, 1 taken apart to make it small enough to hide it in lego catamaran hull). So cheap - buy it :-D

[aFrInaTi0n]

3 minutes ago, wower said:

definitely correct - better range than any other stuff (incl. buwizz)!

I really love that mouldking set, got 3 already (1 modified with higher voltage, 1 taken apart to make it small enough to hide it in lego catamaran hull). So cheap - buy it :-D

I am stocked already since a long time... https://bricksafe.com/files/aFrInaTi0n/mk-components/Hitian_2.jpg (not linking the picture to be rendered in here..)

Edited December 3, 2022 by aFrInaTi0n

[wower]

23 minutes ago, aFrInaTi0n said:

I am stocked already since a long time... https://bricksafe.com/files/aFrInaTi0n/mk-components/Hitian_2.jpg (not linking the picture to be rendered in here..)

where did you buy them? I always found it a bit intransparent which exact version of the MK 4 port set you got (there are different boxes, some can prop. steerings with certain servos, others can't.. and there are multiple different remotes also).. quite a jungle :-)

I bought this one: https://joooooy.com/collections/pf-parts/products/mould-king-m-0019-6-0-module

and this one https://joooooy.com/collections/pf-parts/products/mouldking-4-chanels-stepless-speed-regulator-rc-bat-4-0

Edited December 3, 2022 by wower

[aFrInaTi0n]

14 minutes ago, wower said:

where did you buy them? I always found it a bit intransparent which exact version of the MK 4 port set you got (there are different boxes, some can prop. steerings with certain servos, others can't.. and there are multiple different remotes also).. quite a jungle :-)

I bought this one: https://joooooy.com/collections/pf-parts/products/mould-king-m-0019-6-0-module

and this one https://joooooy.com/collections/pf-parts/products/mouldking-4-chanels-stepless-speed-regulator-rc-bat-4-0

Spoiler

Hitian.com can be recommended - not for sets but for electric componens they are best price with their shipping costs imho

What I know is available:

3.0 (the big thing containing battery and two motors with an older smaller remote, just 2 channel inputs will be interpolated into kind of "tracked steering")
4.0 with digital remote (the little white one from my video)
4.0 with analog remote (the big one of yours)
6.0 with analog remote

- Analog remotes between 4.0 and 6.0 are not compatible to each other
- 3.0 can be controlled with the 4.0 small hardware remotes if I am not mistaken

[2GodBDGlory]

4 hours ago, wower said:

PS: connecting the cheap mouldking to a higher voltage battery worked for me (was discussed somewhere here in that forum already)

Only in the 9V range, though, right? I wish there was a way to get the full 11+ voltage output Lego motors can handle with physical, proportional control. It seems like you can't really get all three of those together as an integrated system, so Buwizz + BC2 is really the best it gets. Buwizz is too expensive for me, so I'm still waiting for China to come up with something!

[wower]

47 minutes ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

Only in the 9V range, though, right? I wish there was a way to get the full 11+ voltage output Lego motors can handle with physical, proportional control. It seems like you can't really get all three of those together as an integrated system, so Buwizz + BC2 is really the best it gets. Buwizz is too expensive for me, so I'm still waiting for China to come up with something!

9.6 yes (so fully charged >10) 

I think proper haptic feedback from analog remote is worth sacrificing 1-2V :-) Plus it's (a lot!) cheaper..

[aFrInaTi0n]

2 hours ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

Only in the 9V range, though, right? I wish there was a way to get the full 11+ voltage output Lego motors can handle with physical, proportional control. It seems like you can't really get all three of those together as an integrated system, so Buwizz + BC2 is really the best it gets. Buwizz is too expensive for me, so I'm still waiting for China to come up with something!

As a 3Cell LiPo has a nominal voltage of 11.2V, they can theoretically be connected to a MK remote, one german guy tested it with dc power supply and his test results were, MK can work up to 11-12V Volts before it kicks out. But I guess using the driver ICs without any passive heatspreaders may result in fast coming damage..

@2GodBDGlory I am with you.. Not really understanding why CaDA with DoubleEE in the background not creating a brick-compatible housing for a regular rc receiver, another one for an ESC and regular rc hobbies connectors for batteries.. This would be so %$^# awesome + modular.. :D

Edited December 3, 2022 by aFrInaTi0n

[gyenesvi]

It seems that the cold unfortunately amplifies the problem of the battery shutting down. My model that worked fine in the summer just keeps shutting down now.. Does that make sense? I knew batteries go down faster in the cold, but could this also be related?

[Toastie]

1 hour ago, gyenesvi said:

that the cold

Define "The Cold"

LiPo's (you are talking about LiPo's, don't you?) do have issues at low temperatures. Low needs to be known, though. Some believe 19°C is intolerable in a living room, others sleep well below 10°C. So what is the environment and battery type you are using?

Best,
Thorsten

[gyenesvi]

9 hours ago, Toastie said:

Define "The Cold"

LiPo's (you are talking about LiPo's, don't you?) do have issues at low temperatures. Low needs to be known, though. Some believe 19°C is intolerable in a living room, others sleep well below 10°C. So what is the environment and battery type you are using?

Best,
Thorsten

Oh, true, I forgot to define that :) It was around 0°C. My hands definitely froze on the touchscreen.. And yes, Buwizz has LiPo's in them I believe.

In the same weather, my Phondly LiPo inserts for the Technic hub did not have any problem after an hour of play though.

[Toastie]

9 minutes ago, gyenesvi said:

It was around 0°C

Tough environment for your LEGO builds! Sounds like fun though - cool.

Well, that is not that cold - LiPo's still should work fine. However, they do age as well, as you know. When a LiPo has done quite some work (#charging/discharging cycles, charging procedure, and current you are drawing during operation - sustained as well as peak), it may show poorer performance with falling temperatures. 

This will be more pronounced at lower capacity LiPo's.

So yes, that behavior could very well be, depending on the history of the LiPo pack.

Best,
Thorsten

[gyenesvi]

57 minutes ago, Toastie said:

Tough environment for your LEGO builds! Sounds like fun though - cool.

Just went out to play on a sunny day, and tried to make some videos..

57 minutes ago, Toastie said:

So yes, that behavior could very well be, depending on the history of the LiPo pack.

My Buwizz unit is not that old and I haven't used it that much, it's the first model I built with it. It's probably not dependent on the history of it, since Buwizz units have this known problem of shutting down completely (to avoid permanent damage I guess) when trying to draw too much current (two buwizz motors in a faster model on a single buwizz unit). They currently need careful gearing and proper ramping up of the speed to avoid the shutdown. I was wondering if the cold can amplify this phenomenon, i.e. if the shutdown can kick in earlier, even when motors are not drawing that many amps.

[aFrInaTi0n]

19 hours ago, gyenesvi said:

It seems that the cold unfortunately amplifies the problem of the battery shutting down. My model that worked fine in the summer just keeps shutting down now.. Does that make sense? I knew batteries go down faster in the cold, but could this also be related?

You wouldn't believe, but the sweat temp spot for LiPos to be operated is at 39°C.

The lower the temperatures, the slower the chemical reactions can happen in the accumulators, which results in easily happening shortages & possible damage towards the batteries... So I wouldn't recommend to use LiPos below 10°C environmental temperatures. (Or if you know they will heat themselves up by usage due to huge allowed power drains, one may operate them in lower tmp environments).

Edited December 20, 2022 by aFrInaTi0n

[ScT]

The cold will amplify the issue as the batteries simply can't deliver as much during that weather.

I run RC Cars with 2x 3s LiPos, in the cold, the runtime is drastically lowered and power output is noticably reduced. However, if the battery is kept warmer (say, in a car that generates a lot more heat) the batteries appear to last longer.

For the record, i was out in -11'c last week with those batteries, and they didn't last as long as normal.

[aFrInaTi0n]

Some generic LiPo Guidance for low temperatures: https://www.gensace.de/blog/temperature-affect-lipo-battery-performance/ (took the first google result which read well, there may be others - better ones)

But I really wouldn't recommend to anyone to operate LiPos below 10°C - even if they "seem to work" you may harm your battery in the long run.

By the way: Don't know if everybody here is aware of the stepping-back from Fortronik d.o.o. in regard of their "changeable batteries"-support-advertisment with which they attracted people initially (read on here to see the percentages which will be granted on buying a new replacement units for yourself if you have a damaged battery).
Big bummer it is - at least for me this is another huuuuuuuge list of CONs of their lacking "..." (I can't tell what they are missing, but I as a customer am already very tired of their BS marketing / also not giving any real product support as we can see from their DEV Roadmap..).

[Toastie]

6 hours ago, aFrInaTi0n said:

You wouldn't believe, but the sweat temp spot for LiPos to be operated is at 39°C.

Huh? Really? 39°C of what, the equilibrated environment (Lipo and surrounding) or the internal temp in the LiPo "box"?

Never heard of that. Once LiPos are doing chemistry (either charge or discharge) they generate heat for sure. So once you fire up a LiPo it gets "warm". Never heard of 39°C as sweat spot though ... this could be used as optimization temp for both, juice in or out.

Best,
Thorsten

[aFrInaTi0n]

(Dis)charge temperatures as a result of the chemical reactions will work best around 39°C (I interpret it at the inner temp of the batt itself on maximum specified discharge rate). All serious sites should give those as the optimal (inner) temp.

Thing with low temps (below 10°C~) is, that the chemical reactions take time to warm itself up, but this depends on the discharge rate & its a small an uninsulated device which easily will have the thermal output being leached out of the batt before it gets comfy. In those states the batts tend to just quit with a short on higher loads which increases the risk of damaging ones' unit.

Edit: My Mini3Pro's battery wasn't recently (at temps around ~8°C) unable to deliver the voltage for the high load of "breaking" in the state of being below 20% remaining capacity, which resulted in it falling down the last two meters before the ground (luckily dampened by grass) where I expected it to just stop so I can gracefully land...  So keep the low temps as a limiting factor in mind for LiPos :D

Edited December 21, 2022 by aFrInaTi0n

[gyenesvi]

21 hours ago, aFrInaTi0n said:

You wouldn't believe, but the sweat temp spot for LiPos to be operated is at 39°C.

The lower the temperatures, the slower the chemical reactions can happen in the accumulators, which results in easily happening shortages & possible damage towards the batteries... So I wouldn't recommend to use LiPos below 10°C environmental temperatures. (Or if you know they will heat themselves up by usage due to huge allowed power drains, one may operate them in lower tmp environments).

21 hours ago, ScT said:

The cold will amplify the issue as the batteries simply can't deliver as much during that weather.

I run RC Cars with 2x 3s LiPos, in the cold, the runtime is drastically lowered and power output is noticably reduced. However, if the battery is kept warmer (say, in a car that generates a lot more heat) the batteries appear to last longer.

Thanks for the explanation, I was expecting something like this. It's good to know that it may not be too healthy to play with it in colder temperatures.

[aFrInaTi0n]

So, we are exactly 365 days behind the app / firmware Roadmap which was released for Q1/2022.
So they seem to be active liers as they just ignored multiple messages or just stated "we will do something".

Today in 2022:


So I would not recommend to buy products from that shitty company, as they don't seem to be capable to deliver good software (in time / at all) and are activly lying to their customers.

Also for the people doing advertisements for: Its your reputition, they are damaging too...
I hope this Warning here is big enough vor everybody to consider, before getting layed over by them too!

Edited February 18, 2023 by aFrInaTi0n

[amorti]

Guys, it's been a year. A year where everyone of us who spent like 300€ (I can't even remember the amount I paid now) on a bw3 with the promise of it powering two buggy motors has been disappointed.

I'm the biggest idiot, I even bought a new phone with Bluetooth 5.0 to get the extra range, that didn't work out well.

My phone actually put the buwizz app to deep sleep last week, after 6 months non use. I quit using because it keeps launching 300€ at a kerb without fail safe 

Look at the brick controller 2 thread. @imurvai fixes bugs and adds features after a week or so, he's doing this as a hobby and not selling any very expensive batteries by it.

Do better, buwizz.

Edited February 18, 2023 by amorti

[aFrInaTi0n]

@Jim as we are having clear rules in the forums, one thing to ask: Is Buwizz a LEGO product, or why is their brandname within the topics title? Isn't this already advertisment  for somehow cheating to convince users, it would be officially supported by LEGO?

As far as I know Fortronik (company behind Buwizz) already had to change their product boxes and remove all the LEGO brand names, which they put on they product-boxes in the first place..



"BuWizz - High Performanc LEGO Power Functions Controller and Battery"

1. No LEGO product
2. It may be theoretically fastly driving models - only it is no benefit if your model is going out of control / range after 20-25 meters already
3. With mine there wasn't any controller included - even Bluetooth Controllers arent working yet to be implemented...

So shouldn't it be "BuWizz - (Alternative Brand) Battery" - and nothing of the other wrong claims?

Edited February 18, 2023 by aFrInaTi0n

[JaBaCaDaBra]

1 hour ago, aFrInaTi0n said:

Is Buwizz a LEGO product, or why is their brandname within the topics title?

Same goes for that neverending cada topic.

btw

@Zerobricksis quite silent lately

Edited February 18, 2023 by JaBaCaDaBra

[HectorMB]

I share your feeling, @aFrInaTi0n. For a time now I realize that BuWizz is just a scam: false advertising, no product delivery, no answer from mails... Just to mention few aspects. I already asked them to return the products, as they're not what they claim they are or what they were to be, out at least some information about the problems still to be solved (I didn't put the bar too high, I'd say)... But, as from all mails previously written, I got no answer. 

 

Maybe the worst is that we're already scammed and I really don't think that the company give a crap about what is said here and, as they ignore the mails from many people, is possible that they don't even read them. So, they just took the money, deliver a far-from-finished-product, and forget about it. At least, this is what is derived from the experience that I have. 

 

Obviously, I will NEVER recommend anyone to spend a single cent in this. It's a scam from the beginning till the end.

 

[aFrInaTi0n]

I don't want to even mention him, as he is here as a private person, not their ambassador... He is aware of the situation already and seems to be not happy but also not in the position to change this to the better. Its About Fortronik / Buwizz product - nothing to do with Zero as a natural person!

Edited February 18, 2023 by aFrInaTi0n