BuWizz - High Performance LEGO Power Functions Controller and Battery

[HectorMB]

On 2/12/2024 at 6:43 PM, MisteryMan said:

Here's the direct APK link: Legacy App – support for Powered UP

It's on the support page: BuWizz support

Thanks!!!

 

I also found a bug in the updated up (didn't have such problem in the previous version). I'm driving a model with 2 bw3 units, gearbox, steering and differential control. The driving and the differential control work just fine. The gearbox and the steering have no problem for the calibration, but once I try to drive the model, those controls are dead. 

I re-made the setup and restarted midweek and app few times, but still the problem persist. Any idea?

 

Many thanks in advance!

Edited February 13, 2024 by HectorMB

[Alex Ilea]

14 hours ago, HectorMB said:

Thanks!!!

 

I also found a bug in the updated up (didn't have such problem in the previous version). I'm driving a model with 2 bw3 units, gearbox, steering and differential control. The driving and the differential control work just fine. The gearbox and the steering have no problem for the calibration, but once I try to drive the model, those controls are dead. 

I re-made the setup and restarted midweek and app few times, but still the problem persist. Any idea?

 

Many thanks in advance!

I had this bug happen to me before the update, with the same set-up. You need to change the ports around. Sometimes the app is drunk.

[dustblue]

14 hours ago, HectorMB said:

Thanks!!!

 

I also found a bug in the updated up (didn't have such problem in the previous version). I'm driving a model with 2 bw3 units, gearbox, steering and differential control. The driving and the differential control work just fine. The gearbox and the steering have no problem for the calibration, but once I try to drive the model, those controls are dead. 

I re-made the setup and restarted midweek and app few times, but still the problem persist. Any idea?

 

Many thanks in advance!

Did you put center steering and gearbox control in two different bw3? That maybe the reason(known bug). Try put them on the same bw3.

[HectorMB]

I tried many configurations already. I got one working but went south when found that I had to update the bw with the latest firmware. Now, I have another -known- issue that's that when I start driving, the steering turns abruptly and loses the center. The gearbox doesn't work at all. All despite correct calibration. 

 

Edited February 15, 2024 by HectorMB

[dustblue]

On 2/13/2024 at 3:00 PM, dustblue said:

Encountered another big bug of the app:

Yesterday when playing the buwizz app, it suddenly forced quit(on iphone), after started it again, it wouldn't drive anymore. I can still calibrate servo but just cant drive anymore, even creat new profiles didn't work. 

When I drive it stays in connecting buwizz even when all buwizz 3 are solid green light:

Notice I have gauges in this layout but all disappeared, no matter in controller mode or phone mode.

Anyone encountered this? Do I have a choice other than reinstall the app(recreating all the profiles is pain in the megablocks, save profile and importing just desn't work properly)? @Zerobricks Sent support email yesterday no reply yet. Thought here maybe quicker, and you guys deserve to know this issue anyway.

Update: obviously no one has a clue including buwizz support. So I have to reinstall the app and make every profile again... 

[Mantarri]

So I got my Technic hub and installed the APK for the legacy app that says it supports Powered Up, but no dice; it doesn't detect the hub no matter how many times I hit refresh, while it will detect the BuWizz 2 right away. The Technic hub is picked up by the SBrick and LEGO PUP apps, so I'm a bit lost.

[Aleh]

Hello there! I've received a new batery for my BuWizz 3.0, so the problem gone. How to adjust angular https://rebrickable.com/parts/69730/motor-large-angular-position-light-bluish-gray-housing-black-wire/ motir in Buwizz application?

All motors work while this does not 
Maybe some special adjustment is required?

[Aleh]

Is it possible to adjust any PU motor through the buwizz application to work exact as a Servo motor (90 degree turn to any side, return to center). IF return to center geature is ok, how aout 90 degree rotation?

[aFrInaTi0n]

Asking myself... didn't Fortronik gave us their vows for performing better in regard of software development and communications?!

Just asking as several month went by with the regular expected old behavior of them of just doing nothing?

This company is even worse than LEGO lol...

 

Edited April 15, 2024 by aFrInaTi0n

[mudseason]

Hello,

I'm really struggling with servo calibration.

I have build a MOC (kind of racing prototype) using a PU Large motor for steering.

The MOC is powered by two Buwizz 3.0 as I use the 4 PF ports to power 4 buggy motors.

After having spent some time with the servo calibration failures (half turn and then nothing else) I eventually found out a working PU port.

Despite the calibration being successfully completed (+90, -90 then center).

I have two main issues:

- it seems I'm only able to use the steering if I connect the Xbox controller.

- Once I drive the MOC, the steering does not return to its zero position when I release the joystick. It only goes towards the center a little bit.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

 

 

[Zerobricks]

Can you post a photo of the model, especially the steering mechanism? Might be a mechanical issue with underdesigned steering mechanism.

[HectorMB]

I have indeed the same issue than @mudseason. Quite often, after calibration, wheels turn que violently and get stuck into that position. The calibration goes always fine, it's just before finishing it. 

[msk6003]

If you use multiple buwizz, try to connect steering motor on buwizz which connected first. Mine is work well after that.

[Jurgen Krooshoop]

After watching many of Zerobricks' video's I decided to buy 2x BuWizz 2.0 bricks (because currently I do not have any PU motors).

The manual states that 1 BuWizz 2.0 can drive one RC buggy motor at full power, so I built an offroader using 2x BuWizz 2.0 and 2x RC buggy motors.

However the overcurrent protection is kicking all the time. And the vehicle is not even close to the speeds you see in the BuWizz videos.

For a product that is marketed as "The Fastest Brick" I'm quite disappointed.

Also one of the Buwizz bricks takes a lot longer to charge than the other one.

Is this normal? Are my BuWizz bricks faulty?

Did I make a mistake in getting the 2.0 instead of the 3.0?

 

[gyenesvi]

10 hours ago, Jurgen Krooshoop said:

However the overcurrent protection is kicking all the time.

With only 1 buggy motor on each Buwizz 2.0, that's strange, should be able to drive it without problem I think. Do you mean it's shutting down, or just slowing down? What software are you using? If Buwizz App, did you try setting the max amps?

10 hours ago, Jurgen Krooshoop said:

Did I make a mistake in getting the 2.0 instead of the 3.0?

I think for builds with at most 2 buggy motors, a single 3.0 could have been more economic (and requires less space as well), though you'd have to buy at least a PU L motor for the steering, but still seems cheaper than 2x 2.0 units. But the 2x 2.0 can be used in two smaller models, so it's up to your needs.

[Jurgen Krooshoop]

On 5/1/2024 at 11:51 PM, gyenesvi said:

With only 1 buggy motor on each Buwizz 2.0, that's strange, should be able to drive it without problem I think. Do you mean it's shutting down, or just slowing down? What software are you using? If Buwizz App, did you try setting the max amps?

I'm using the standard BuWizz app. I haven't found where I can set the max amps. Maybe it's not possible with 2.0. 

Quote

I think for builds with at most 2 buggy motors, a single 3.0 could have been more economic (and requires less space as well), though you'd have to buy at least a PU L motor for the steering, but still seems cheaper than 2x 2.0 units. But the 2x 2.0 can be used in two smaller models, so it's up to your needs.

That sounds like good advice. I think I'm going for the 3.0 after all and use the 2.0 for smaller models or models that draw less current.

Edited May 4, 2024 by Jurgen Krooshoop

[Alex Ilea]

On 5/1/2024 at 7:15 PM, Jurgen Krooshoop said:

 

The manual states that 1 BuWizz 2.0 can drive one RC buggy motor at full power, so I built an offroader using 2x BuWizz 2.0 and 2x RC buggy motors.

However the overcurrent protection is kicking all the time. And the vehicle is not even close to the speeds you see in the BuWizz videos.

For a product that is marketed as "The Fastest Brick" I'm quite disappointed.

Also one of the Buwizz bricks takes a lot longer to charge than the other one.

Is this normal? Are my BuWizz bricks faulty?

Did I make a mistake in getting the 2.0 instead of the 3.0?

 

It depends a lot on the model you make. Big tyres, direct drive will with buwizz motor will cause a very fast overload of the motors and quick shutdown. 

In my experience, you can direct drive 1 buwizz motor with 50 mm wheels, and two with 60-70mm. Anything more you need gear reduction....

[Jurgen Krooshoop]

3 hours ago, Alex Ilea said:

It depends a lot on the model you make. Big tyres, direct drive will with buwizz motor will cause a very fast overload of the motors and quick shutdown. 

Yes, of course.

The model has a 2-speed gearbox. In the high gear, it has a gear reduction of 4.167 and in the low gear a reduction of 10.4 (assuming the planetary gear hubs have a reduction of 5).

And it uses the large wheels from the Claas Xerion.

As long as I'm only using the low gear, everything seems to go just fine. As soon as the high gear is selected, the power dropouts are very frequent.

The weird thing is, as soon as it starts cutting power in the high gear, it consequently also negatively affects the performance in the low gear.

I've ordered Buwizz 3.0 and some Buwizz motors, hoping to do some more testing in the future (like using the BuWizz motors instead of the buggy motors with the Buwizz 2.0 and using the buggy motors with the Buwizz 3.0).

[Alex Ilea]

17 minutes ago, Jurgen Krooshoop said:

Yes, of course.

The model has a 2-speed gearbox. In the high gear, it has a gear reduction of 4.167 and in the low gear a reduction of 10.4 (assuming the planetary gear hubs have a reduction of 5).

And it uses the large wheels from the Claas Xerion.

I've ordered Buwizz 3.0 and some Buwizz motors, hoping to do some more testing in the future (like using the BuWizz motors instead of the buggy motors with the Buwizz 2.0 and using the buggy motors with the Buwizz 3.0).

Yeah, with those wheels and old buggy motors, you're asking for it really. The old motors are quite inefficient compared to BW ones. 3.0 unit and BW motors works really good, and you should not have any problems with such a big model.

 

The 2.0 unit, in my experience works best in mini racers, trains, mini trial trucks, etc... It is just much worse than the 3.0 for powering big models (unless you use PF motors for drive, which it can comfortably power)

[Jurgen Krooshoop]

 

On 5/5/2024 at 12:47 PM, Alex Ilea said:

The old motors are quite inefficient compared to BW ones.

The old buggy motors were replaced by BuWizz motors, and man, does that make a difference!

My rating for the model went from "disappointing" to "lots of fun".

So after all the problem was the the use of the old buggy motors, the BuWizz motors perorm a lot better indeed.

On 5/5/2024 at 12:47 PM, Alex Ilea said:

The 2.0 unit, in my experience works best in mini racers, trains, mini trial trucks, etc...

I tested one of the 2.0 units in Madoca1977's buggy, which uses 2 PF L-motors to directly drive the rear wheels, and the BW 2.0 had absolutly no problem with that.

[aFrInaTi0n]

As all LEGO PF motors are brushed: The brushes may just be EOL... from the internet "The most obvious symptoms of bad motor brushes are poor performance, loss of power, sparking, and a burning smell.".

(also a reason why I can't ever understand why anybody would buy a used LEGO motor produced from 20years ago with no possibilities to change the brushes ever..)

Edited May 9, 2024 by aFrInaTi0n

[gyenesvi]

I'm trying to use Buwizz app to control my model with an Xbox controller from an Android phone. The joysticks work, the D-pad works, and most of the buttons work (the Y button does not work), however, I cannot make the trigger and the shoulder buttons work. Furthermore, if I program the L1 button (should be the left trigger), then the Y button starts to work. Something seems mixed up. Anybody had similar problems? Anybody managed to make the triggers work?

Another problem I have is that it does not seem possible to make the joystick and a trigger control the throttle at the same time, but with different max power (say joystick 70%, trigger 100%). Should that be possible? BC2 can do that easily..

[Alex Ilea]

4 hours ago, gyenesvi said:

I'm trying to use Buwizz app to control my model with an Xbox controller from an Android phone. The joysticks work, the D-pad works, and most of the buttons work (the Y button does not work), however, I cannot make the trigger and the shoulder buttons work. Furthermore, if I program the L1 button (should be the left trigger), then the Y button starts to work. Something seems mixed up. Anybody had similar problems? Anybody managed to make the triggers work?

I am using an Ipega PG 9217 and it works really good with it, even though the app is not made for that controller shape (I guess the buttons and joystick have the same codes).

Some of the controller buttons don't match the app, but they all work.

[gyenesvi]

On 5/24/2024 at 2:20 PM, Alex Ilea said:

Some of the controller buttons don't match the app, but they all work.

What do you mean by that? Are they mapped to other buttons?

Only using the app the second time but already getting really pissed off with it. Besides being full of stupid bugs (such as the app turning off the screen after every few minutes and losing connection, starting drive mode without servo calibration freezes the whole app on the screen that says that the servo must be calibrated, steering is still jerky as hell, etc), it sometimes does not stop the model when I release the joystick, crashing into everything, which can be a real problem when driving with 4 buwizz motors; my second crash in about half a minute resulted in breaking a (rare/costly) flip-flop beam. Thanks.

[Alex Ilea]

6 hours ago, gyenesvi said:

What do you mean by that? Are they mapped to other buttons?

Only using the app the second time but already getting really pissed off with it. Besides being full of stupid bugs (such as the app turning off the screen after every few minutes and losing connection, starting drive mode without servo calibration freezes the whole app on the screen that says that the servo must be calibrated, steering is still jerky as hell, etc), it sometimes does not stop the model when I release the joystick, crashing into everything, which can be a real problem when driving with 4 buwizz motors; my second crash in about half a minute resulted in breaking a (rare/costly) flip-flop beam. Thanks.

Yeah. I don't know exactly the names of the buttons, but the right trigger finger 1 (controller) works on right trigger finger 2 in the app.

 

I usually when build a new model (new profile) I spend 30-50 minutes to make the steering calibration work. It sometimes doesn't work (switch the ports then), sometimes it doesn't center, sometimes it's too aggressive ( this can be changed in steering module settings, at the bottom. There are 3 presets for heavy-med-light, it's worth experimenting with these). 

 

I seem to not get that many lost connections, only rarely. It's bluetooth after all.