BuWizz - High Performance LEGO Power Functions Controller and Battery

[frechettemj]

Buwizz 3.0 in the superstructure and a Control + in the base. 

20210720_221201

Edited July 21, 2021 by frechettemj

[wower]

Just got my Buwizz 3.0 and I can't get the center mode to work.

I set it all up according to the manual, tried a L and a XL PU motor, both act identical, i.e.end a few ° off center after calibration and what is worse, every time I connect (or disconnect) the Buwizz the motor will spin a few turns with full speed. Also, when connected the motor will constantly received some current, i.e. make some minor noise and movements. Altogether that doesn't seem like it's working at all.

Even funnier is that the manual says such a "center-motor" needs to be mechanically rectricted to 90° both sides so in my case those restricting pieces will be kicked off with brute force once the motor connects and does its "hello-spins". Needless to say, it would destroy my model if I implemented it like that.

Cherry on top: I can't use the new Buwizz 3.0 for old PF Servo, as it will oscillate (like it did with 2.0 on fast and ludicrous mode - a bug that was never fixed).

Thanks for quick help hopefully.. if that's not solved soon I'll send it back for refund. I am not going to hope for bugfixes in promised firmware updates, which never come (never came for 2.0 at least). :-(

 

PS: Bonus question: As I am thinking to re-build a heavy 4x4 truck from PF to PU (from Buwizz 2.0 to 3.0). Will it have more force (using same motors, i.e. 2x XL for driving)?

Edited July 21, 2021 by wower

[Zerobricks]

31 minutes ago, wower said:

Just got my Buwizz 3.0 and I can't get the center mode to work.

I set it all up according to the manual, tried a L and a XL PU motor, both act identical, i.e.end a few ° off center after calibration and what is worse, every time I connect (or disconnect) the Buwizz the motor will spin a few turns with full speed. Also, when connected the motor will constantly received some current, i.e. make some minor noise and movements. Altogether that doesn't seem like it's working at all.

Even funnier is that the manual says such a "center-motor" needs to be mechanically rectricted to 90° both sides so in my case those restricting pieces will be kicked off with brute force once the motor connects and does its "hello-spins". Needless to say, it would destroy my model if I implemented it like that.

Cherry on top: I can't use the new Buwizz 3.0 for old PF Servo, as it will oscillate (like it did with 2.0 on fast and ludicrous mode - a bug that was never fixed).

Thanks for quick help hopefully.. if that's not solved soon I'll send it back for refund. I am not going to hope for bugfixes in promised firmware updates, which never come (never came for 2.0 at least). :-(

 

PS: Bonus question: As I am thinking to re-build a heavy 4x4 truck from PF to PU (from Buwizz 2.0 to 3.0). Will it have more force (using same motors, i.e. 2x XL for driving)?

As mentioned before, please send a ticked via official site for individual cases, this topic is for general chat. 

To explain center steering does indeed require a mechanical stop, otherwise the model can't possible know where center is. Like trying to park a car in a center of an endless parking lot, you can't center it unless you know where edges are.

All official Lego sets use the same process to center and there's no avoiding it. 

We do plan to add more options to the center steer module on order to limit power and adjust PID parameters. 

Regarding servo motor oscillating, we tested it and had no such issue on BuWizz 3.0. 

And yes your model should have more power due to higher available voltage and current BuWizz provides. 

Edited July 21, 2021 by Zerobricks

[ds255]

Quote

Just got my Buwizz 3.0 and I can't get the center mode to work.

I set it all up according to the manual, tried a L and a XL PU motor, both act identical, i.e.end a few ° off center after calibration and what is worse, every time I connect (or disconnect) the Buwizz the motor will spin a few turns with full speed. Also, when connected the motor will constantly received some current, i.e. make some minor noise and movements. Altogether that doesn't seem like it's working at all.

 

Me too. after many attempts, I gave up. Even after successful calibration, the motor rotates multiple times in random directions. the calibration is too strong and it breaks the model. In this form, back to center steering is useless. Buwizz team fix it ASAP

Edited July 22, 2021 by ds255

[ScT]

4 hours ago, ds255 said:

 

Me too. after many attempts, I gave up. Even after successful calibration, the motor rotates multiple times in random directions. the calibration is too strong and it breaks the model. In this form, back to center steering is useless. Buwizz team fix it ASAP

This is a strange one. I'm using the Buwizz brick as a drop in replacement for Control+ on the 42099 set. It's working flawlessly with the profile that came with Buwizz app. No random turning, returns as close to center as the Lego one did (i.e. off by a degree or two, but always the same amount).

[Samolot]

I started my two buwizz after about 2 months of non-use.

Both work that way. I tried to reset the phone . I uninstalled and reinstalled the application.

I also tried with another phone. Do you have any idea what to do?

[Alex Ilea]

11 minutes ago, Samolot said:

I started my two buwizz after about 2 months of non-use.

Both work that way. I tried to reset the phone . I uninstalled and reinstalled the application.

I also tried with another phone. Do you have any idea what to do?

Must be a bug, I had mine not used for a year and after a full charge it worked perfect. Allthought I use the old beta app for buwizz, just liked the layout the best. 

[2GodBDGlory]

14 hours ago, ScT said:

This is a strange one. I'm using the Buwizz brick as a drop in replacement for Control+ on the 42099 set. It's working flawlessly with the profile that came with Buwizz app. No random turning, returns as close to center as the Lego one did (i.e. off by a degree or two, but always the same amount).

I'd guess that the difference is that the 42099 has a very robust steering setup, that can easily stop the motor at each end, while the MOCs (I assume) using it may not be built as strongly.

It would be ideal for it to have a low power mode to use when finding the limits, though.

[HectorMB]

It also happens to me. I made a moc with the medium linear PU motor for the steering and it didn't returned to the center. At the end, I changed the motor for the old steering PF motor and all went good. I assumed that it was a flaw that could be corrected at some point soon, but I might be wrong. 

[Aerolight]

Imo the best features to add would be a trimming (step the pu motors one increment; I think pu supports 1 degree with micro stepping but idk) and an option to set the controls to move the pu motors in a set range (eg 50 degrees in both directions). 

[Zerobricks]

As mentioned before we will be expanding the center steer module to add PID values, trim, power limit, etc. options. Currently we are working on the support for the large angular motor and gearbox module so that we can fully support the Volvo loader.

[Teo LEGO Technic]

13 minutes ago, Zerobricks said:

As mentioned before we will be expanding the center steer module to add PID values, trim, power limit, etc. options. Currently we are working on the support for the large angular motor and gearbox module so that we can fully support the Volvo loader.

Woah I didn't know you're on the BuWizz team!!! Been a fan for years, great to know BuWizz is in capable hands .

[HectorMB]

1 hour ago, Zerobricks said:

As mentioned before we will be expanding the center steer module to add PID values, trim, power limit, etc. options. Currently we are working on the support for the large angular motor and gearbox module so that we can fully support the Volvo loader.

Many thanks! This is what I read before and why I decided to wait for the solution of these issues :)

[ds255]

I have a question about buwizz
After about 5 minutes of play, my model stops and does not go forward or backward. left-right control still works. Engines and buwizzs are not warm. Buwizzs does not display any signals from PU ports. The wheels move only after lifting the model from the ground or after a short time. The model weighs 1.4 kg, is usually powered by 2x 88012 lego hubs and NiZn batteries. The drive is 4xPU/XL motor and 1xPU/L on the stering. There are no problems with this configuration (it is slower than with buwizzs)
Why does the model stop after 5 minutes when is powered by 2x buwizz 3.0? Is the high gear ratio the problem? Is there something wrong with my buwizzs?
Drive photo

[Zerobricks]

PU motors have a more sensitive overcurrent/overheating protection than PF ones, so I think they are just overheating sooner due to the extra available power. 

[2GodBDGlory]

How long do you think the Buwizz 2.0 will remain available new? Will it soon be entirely replaced by the 3.0?

[Zerobricks]

1 hour ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

How long do you think the Buwizz 2.0 will remain available new? Will it soon be entirely replaced by the 3.0?

As long as there is enough demand. 

[Igor1]

I would hate to see BuWizz 2.0 ever taken off the market. Because many people still have a lot of PF electrics, and they will have to update the control units over time. Even if demand is low for a while, people will continue to buy BuWizz 2.0 as long as they have a PF electrics (I recently bought myself a few more control units 2.0).

I would even like to see BuWizz 2.1 released or something like that, which will be an improved version of the previous 2.0. It would also be possible to add high-capacity replaceable batteries, so that two BuWizz motors could be connected to one BuWizz control unit. Or if one BuWizz 2.1 had 6 PF connectors it would be very good too.

Considering the above, that the new PU motors have more sensitive protection, I personally don't yet see any reason to switch to a new Lego electrics at all. Because it is also more cumbersome and does not have parallel connectivity, which is very important for me. Probably, the new PU electrics is good only for those who have just started deal with Lego.

Perhaps my imagination is completely played out now. But I would like to see further development of the motor series from BuWizz's side. For example, a high-speed motor in the form factor of an old PF L-motor. And also your own servo motor, maybe it would be an improved version of the PF servo motor.

Edited July 28, 2021 by Igor1

[syclone]

55 minutes ago, Igor1 said:

And also your own servo motor, maybe it would be an improved version of the PF servo motor.

I'd love to see this. C+ motors (and the PF servo) are quite bulky, perhaps something similar to a RC servo but with  PF connectivity would be perfect for smaller-scale MOCs. I know you guys need to keep up with TLG's system, but all third-party electronics are PF-based, so some progress in that area too would be much appreciated!

[Aerolight]

just tried to use the pu medium linear motor (the bigger one with encoder) for centre steering, and it does not work is this a fault with my setup or is it not supported currently? 

[Zerobricks]

46 minutes ago, Aerolight said:

just tried to use the pu medium linear motor (the bigger one with encoder) for centre steering, and it does not work is this a fault with my setup or is it not supported currently? 

Not supported yet. 

[Aerolight]

Dammmm, I feared as much. I don't suppose that it will be supported soon? just I cant stomach paying >£100 for 4 L motors just to replace them with Ms in the near future.

In less annoying things, I just finished my second gen homebrew motor setup and am currently getting a sustained FIFTEEN TIMES power increase with Buwizz when compared to stock Lego m motors! (peaks at 20 times but that causes the Buwizz to brick until I plug it back in to charge)

Plan to make a video as soon as I have servos and thanks again for the quick reply. 

[keymaker]

I put together a simple frame to test motors and buwizz 3.0. Power of motors is astonishing, but I have problem with return to center steering. Front of my frame is taken from 42124, so it should not be a problem of weak construction etc. But at the current state, even with calibration, Buwizz 3.0 with L C+ motor for steering is unusable. Did you guys come across similar problmes? I saw similar posts, but maybe something has changed since then?

Edited July 31, 2021 by keymaker

[wower]

On 7/23/2021 at 3:42 PM, Zerobricks said:

As mentioned before we will be expanding the center steer module to add PID values, trim, power limit, etc. options. Currently we are working on the support for the large angular motor and gearbox module so that we can fully support the Volvo loader.

When?

You also promised firmware updates for Buwizz2 which never came (e.g. to solve the servo oszillations)

Also, when will bluetooth protocol be released (for gamepad steering via brickcontroller app - touchscreen steering has always and will always be suboptimal :-/ )

[Zerobricks]

8 minutes ago, wower said:

When?

You also promised firmware updates for Buwizz2 which never came (e.g. to solve the servo oszillations)

Also, when will bluetooth protocol be released (for gamepad steering via brickcontroller app - touchscreen steering has always and will always be suboptimal :-/ )

Please understand that currently lots of people are on holidays, I just returned from a 2 week long work-related trip

Also understand that we are a very small team trying our best, you think I as a MOC builder don't want these features and issues resolved ASAP?

Personally I'm replying to this forum at this hour out of my own good will and attacking me will just push me away.

Edited July 31, 2021 by Zerobricks