BuWizz - High Performance LEGO Power Functions Controller and Battery

[Zerobricks]

Just now, Krxlion said:

Those are indeed great news @Zerobricks!

I have never before attended beta versions of Buwizz app before, is it gonna be a separate app or simply some kind of checkbox to mark in present program?

There should be a public beta avilable in the Google Play store, only Android for now.

[Jundis]

Is there already a date for the official version? :-)

[aFrInaTi0n]

@Jundis I think the more and faster we test the update, the earlier.. I would guess the end of april is aimed for the prod version, so ~3 weeks of Beta testing if everything goes well.

 

Its very easy to join, just go to the google playstore and navigate to the Buwizz App, there should be a button to participate at the beta.

[amorti]

The medium angular motor doesn't seem to have servo support yet, or am I doing it wrong?

[gyenesvi]

15 hours ago, Zerobricks said:

Good news!

There should be a public beta version of the app available over the weekend with the following updates:

• Firmware update for BuWizz 3.0 with current limiters - Fixing the issue with BuWizz shutting off when overloaded

That is indeed great news! Thanks!

15 hours ago, Zerobricks said:

• Improved Bluetooth library and connectivity - automatically recentering motors when loosing connection, etc...

I am personally really interested in this one as well. Is this also an update on the firmware? I reported a BT communication issue two times on the website and also posted it here (the firmware seems to process incoming BT messages too slowly and get overwhelmed resulting in up to few second lags) but I never received any response about it. Is there any chance that that issue was also addressed in the update?

 

[aFrInaTi0n]

Beta Update is available from the Playstore since this morning, changes are:

 

Quote

- new BlueTooth library
- new Gearbox control and modul
- added current limits in the profile settings
- disable filter for ramp up/down for BuWizz2
- disable filter for current limits for BuWizz2
- set default PF ramp up and down at 0.13s
- replace PF ramp up/down values in old profiles if set to 0

Observations so far:

- 🟨 1st Firmware Update failed on both Buwizz, second attempt with (shutting down and) restarting the App + the Buwizz unit helped - 2nd attempt went through fine.

Spoiler

1st attempt:


2nd attempt:


2nd/3rd attempt:

- 🟨 no mixed firmware mode: New App version is forcing updates of any Buwizz with old firmware, before you can use it

Spoiler

- 🟩 Profiles are being kept

- 🟥 Central Steering: First test with the medium angular motor wasn't working out. It did somehow start to calibrate, but not sure if no "endpoint" as blocker is needed to work correctly

- 🟨 Current Limits: For the PU Ports the warning comes with values greater than 2.0 A, for the PF Ports it warns already from the "1.0 A" value

Spoiler

PU Settings are ok:

PF Settings have the bug, if being adjusted:

- 🟨 UI: Bug of the Currents / Voltage - went away after some reconnects / restarts of the profile (or is 17.6 Volts the new ludicrous mode for BW3? 😂)

Spoiler

 

Edited April 8, 2023 by aFrInaTi0n

[amorti]

Confirmed about centre steering on the medium angular motor.

I found the custom settings for that, with way too many variables that give no clue what they do.

Is it really intended to only operate max 20° steering angle? Even if we pretend that's useful, it keeps resetting it to 0°

Edited April 8, 2023 by amorti

[Jundis]

Strange, I participated and updated the firmware... no gearbox module...?

[aFrInaTi0n]

App Version on Beta is 3.0.7, Nordic Firmware shall than be updated to version 3.22.

[aFrInaTi0n]

1 hour ago, Jundis said:

Strange, I participated and updated the firmware... no gearbox module...?

Nothing there for you? On Android?

[Jundis]

Okay version is now updated and running, took 3 restarts of App/Buwizz.

Maybe I got time tomorrow to tinker with the gearbox module, but right now, I can only change the PID, but I'd rather have control over how much gears I use and at which angle to change these :D

[aFrInaTi0n]

Another question for Zero, if he can answer from his alpha testing experiences: Is the new BT stack giving some additional meters in the total range?

I think I may test that this evening for myself.

[Zerobricks]

17 hours ago, amorti said:

The medium angular motor doesn't seem to have servo support yet, or am I doing it wrong?

It does, but make sure to mechanically limit the axle movement for it to calibrate properly.

3 hours ago, amorti said:

Confirmed about centre steering on the medium angular motor.

I found the custom settings for that, with way too many variables that give no clue what they do.

Is it really intended to only operate max 20° steering angle? Even if we pretend that's useful, it keeps resetting it to 0°

Again, make sure to mechanically limit the axle movement for it to calibrate properly. The motor can't find a center position without end limits. The angle you are referring to is the reduction of the whole range once calibrated. I suggest you look at the user guide and support videos.

16 minutes ago, Jundis said:

Okay version is now updated and running, took 3 restarts of App/Buwizz.

Maybe I got time tomorrow to tinker with the gearbox module, but right now, I can only change the PID, but I'd rather have control over how much gears I use and at which angle to change these :D

The number of gears/positions is automatically calculated according to the end limits. If end limits are around 90 degrees, than 2 gears, 180 degrees 3 gears and 270 degrees 4 gears. The angle is 90 degrees, since the gearbox module is  designed to work with a wave selector.

7 minutes ago, aFrInaTi0n said:

Another question for Zero, if he can answer from his alpha testing experiences: Is the new BT stack giving some additional meters in the total range?

I think I may test that this evening for myself.

I don't think there should be any affect on that, but it depends a lot on the mobile device.

[aFrInaTi0n]

Thanks for the fast reply to us from within your free time & a happy Easter!

I will retry with the angular with a limit set for both sides and report back / edit my above post.

[amorti]

20 minutes ago, Zerobricks said:

It does, but make sure to mechanically limit the axle movement for it to calibrate properly.

Again, make sure to mechanically limit the axle movement for it to calibrate properly. The motor can't find a center position without end limits. The angle you are referring to is the reduction of the whole range once calibrated. I suggest you look at the user guide and support videos.

I was trying too early, nothing had updated. First time beta testing!

Of course I know in theory how to put end stops and set up a motor as a servo.

That is good to know about the reduction.

But it doesn't work. The servo just makes a light whistling sound when I tell it to calibrate, it doesn't move towards the end stops at all.

Annoying I can't readily video it with the same phone doing the calibration :/

Edited April 8, 2023 by amorti

[Zerobricks]

Just now, amorti said:

I was trying too early, nothing had updated. First time beta testing!

Of course I know in theory how to put end stops and set up a motor as a servo.

That is good to know about the reduction.

But it doesn't work. The servo just makes a light whistling sound when I tell it to calibrate, it doesn't move towards the end stops at all.

Annoying I can't readily video it with the same phone doing the calibration :/

Try increasing the calibration power if the output isn't turning.

[aFrInaTi0n]

Also tested again, outcome is: For me the medium angular motor gets some voltage applied (one can hear the motor do some sounds) but not moving at all at several tries. Then it tells after some time it did its calibration - what it didn't.

I can create combined footage of screen recording + the Buwizz being recorded, if helpful..

Edit: @amorti Try to increase the "Centering PVM power" to 80% -> helped out for me.

Edit2: Only the calibration seems to work - partially, as the center position is not being hit afterwards... :D & also no steering function in the real controls after "successful" calibration.

Edit3: Starting over with a clean and fresh profile helped.. ✔

Edited April 8, 2023 by aFrInaTi0n

[amorti]

Idiot me decided to try re-installing the firmware. Now it's failing to transfer block 1 of Tajnik, and it feels like I've bricked this brick.

[Zerobricks]

39 minutes ago, aFrInaTi0n said:

Also tested again, outcome is: For me the medium angular motor gets some voltage applied (one can hear the motor do some sounds) but not moving at all at several tries. Then it tells after some time it did its calibration - what it didn't.

I can create combined footage of screen recording + the Buwizz being recorded, if helpful..

Edit: @amorti Try to increase the "Centering PVM power" to 80% -> helped out for me.

Edit2: Only the calibration seems to work - partially, as the center position is not being hit afterwards... :D & also no steering function in the real controls after "successful" calibration.

Edit3: Starting over with a clean and fresh profile helped.. ✔

Glad it works for you now. Those angular motors seem to need more power to start turning, which makes sense, as they are less efficient according to Philo's measuerments.

36 minutes ago, amorti said:

Idiot me decided to try re-installing the firmware. Now it's failing to transfer block 1 of Tajnik, and it feels like I've bricked this brick.

If your BuWizz gets stuck in a bootloader mode (flashing or rtating red lights) try rebooting and updating again.

[amorti]

80% is pretty violent, pulls things apart. 60% works though - it works now :)

It still kinda sucks at finding the centre.

28 minutes ago, Zerobricks said:

Those angular motors seem to need more power to start turning

I think this is the case.

With calibration power <55% it won't work, with <60% it is sometimes working. Suggest you set 60% as the minimum option.

Also it's constantly at 0.1 amps when it's "close to" the centre, and trying to make a small adjustment to find it, but I guess stiction is too high. Suggest to allow it 0.15 for that in the firmware rather than 0.1.

Edited April 8, 2023 by amorti

[Danil]

Hello! while designing, the child broke the latches on the PU ports, and now the motor plugs are falling out - can these elements be replaced or purchased? thanks in advance for advice.

[Zerobricks]

28 minutes ago, amorti said:

80% is pretty violent, pulls things apart. 60% works though - it works now :)

It still kinda sucks at finding the centre.

I think this is the case.

With calibration power <55% it won't work, with <60% it is sometimes working. Suggest you set 60% as the minimum option.

Also it's constantly at 0.1 amps when it's "close to" the centre, and trying to make a small adjustment to find it, but I guess stiction is too high. Suggest to allow it 0.15 for that in the firmware rather than 0.1.

You can tune centering parameters in the center steering module, I would increase the deadbandout boost to help overcome the sticktion. You have to play around a bit with the settings sometimes. 

[2GodBDGlory]

1 minute ago, Danil said:

Hello! while designing, the child broke the latches on the PU ports, and now the motor plugs are falling out - can these elements be replaced or purchased? thanks in advance for advice.

It might not be the best solution, but if I'm picturing the situation correctly, I'd probably just try supergluing it back in place

[Zerobricks]

7 minutes ago, Danil said:

Hello! while designing, the child broke the latches on the PU ports, and now the motor plugs are falling out - can these elements be replaced or purchased? thanks in advance for advice.

First time hearing about such issue. Your child broke all latches on all ports? The connectors are soldered to the PCB at 6 points, so replacing them is not easy... I think this question is better to be posted on support mail. 

 

[Danil]

On the 2nd port, one latch is broken, on the 3rd port, both.