MiniZip - Compact and Cheap Power for your Lego Creations!

[Omikron]

I have used something very similar with a single PF M motor. After running for an extended period of time, the motor started slowing down and smelling funny - any idea why?

You have a very unique perception of "fun"

[1nxtmonster]

15$ for a wire? ಠ_ಠ

Yeah, that price is kinda ridiculous. After the kickstarter I'll sell them on my website for $10 or $11,

I have used something very similar with a single PF M motor. After running for an extended period of time, the motor started slowing down and smelling funny - any idea why?

No clue why that would have happened, did some of your wires short out? I've had no problems myself so far.

[Sariel]

I'm not sure how to check that. Oh, I also had a tiny button switch between the battery and the motor.

[1nxtmonster]

Wires were soldered and properly insulated with heat-shrink tubing?

[Sariel]

They were, as far as I can tell.

[Paul Boratko]

15$ for a wire? ಠ_ಠ

On Ebay, easily...

[1nxtmonster]

They were, as far as I can tell.

Well, that's certainly strange then.

[1nxtmonster]

Just hooked the battery up to an (unloaded) L motor, after an hour it was still going at a decent speed.

[HarmanMotor]

Can't wait for this to be delivered! I'm a backer on Kickstarter and November is too far away. :D

[miguev]

Hi!

The rechargeable 9v batteries that I offer have 280 mah. I found that by charging one while the other is in use I am hardly ever without a fresh battery.

I just got my 2 MiniZip cables and tried it on a small chassis with 1 RC Buggy motor, but only had a Duracell 9V battery, the only one I could find locally. I'm regretting not getting the batteries you offer! Despite being 4x heavier, the bulky 6xAA battery pack delivers more power and makes the thing run faster, so I'm in the market for 2 batteries like yours. Could you please help me balance between a few options?

• EBL 600mAh 6F22 Li-ion Rechargeable 9V Battery (in Ebay and in Amazon, both ~$8 a piece) was the first result searching for "EBL 6F22 9V" which I copied from your batteries. Is that 600mAh realistic / believable?
  
• Ansmann E-Block (Akku, 9V Block, 200mAh) available locally (Switzerland) for ~$15 a piece (in digitec, best electronics shop I know here).
  

I'd take the 600mAh but I'm wary of them claiming such a high power, also not sure I'd really help power RC Buggy motors anyway. What would you recommend?

Thanks!

[1nxtmonster]

I have 280 mah EBL NiMh batteries. In my experience with fresh fully charged batteries the power is equal to or greater than (because of the weight savings) the AA battery packs. Here's a link:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EBL-2x-9V-9-Volt-Ni-MH-280mAh-Rechargeable-Batteries-/301033571076?pt=US_Rechargeable_Batteries&hash=item4616ffc304

Another thing to consider is that the trickle charger can charge the batteries to just above 9v sometimes. When charging for the recommended time period, I found that the batteries would reach on average about 9.25 V. This didn't hurt the batteries in any way but hey, an extra quarter volt is an extra quarter volt. If you're interested here is a link to the charger:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tenergy-T-228-Plug-in-9V-NiMH-NiCd-Battery-Charger-/291061997854?pt=US_Rechargeable_Batteries&hash=item43c4a5a11e

[DrJB]

Lego already makes a 9V battery holder (below). Ok, may be difficult to get now (there are many on BL), as it is long out of production. All you need then is a converter cable from 9V to PF.

Edited December 3, 2014 by DrJB

[2x4Studios]

awesome idea!

[DrJB]

awesome idea!

Which one? OP's or mine?

[miguev]

Thanks for the links, but I'm still torned between the 600 mAh ones and the locally available 200 mAh ones. Should I stay away from either?

[1nxtmonster]

I would think the best of those options would be the 600 mAh ones

[miguev]

Glad to hear that, thanks! :)

[Rockbrick]

Lego already makes a 9V battery holder (below). Ok, may be difficult to get now (there are many on BL), as it is long out of production. All you need then is a converter cable from 9V to PF.

I have 2 of the above boxes (one black one white) and I also have the cable on the right - though I remember trying this out a while ago and it didn't work

though I think I tried wit the the IR Receiver inbetween - it should work direct though

[Nico van Duin]

I have 2 of the above boxes (one black one white) and I also have the cable on the right - though I remember trying this out a while ago and it didn't work

though I think I tried wit the the IR Receiver inbetween - it should work direct though

I think it should work, If I remember correctly zblj made a small trialtruck with that batterypack and IR receiver some years ago.

Edited December 3, 2014 by Nico van Duin

[miguev]

Sometimes good enough now is better than better but later... so I got a cheap 250 mAh battery here and now, rather than wait much longer for a 600 mAh.

Just tried on a 5292 motor and I'm impressed! An AWD 350 grams chassis using

,

and a V2 IR receiver. I'm impressed! Performance is awesome, can't wait to try the same with 600 mAh. No point in spending $$$ in a lipo battery anymore.

[spadgy]

Lego already makes a 9V battery holder (below). Ok, may be difficult to get now (there are many on BL), as it is long out of production. All you need then is a converter cable from 9V to PF.

Ah... I just ordered two MiniZips yesterday, and then spotted this post. I have two working battery boxes of this 9V kind from the Space Monorail set already, that I'd clean forgotten about.

Oh well - I guess now I have two options for 9V batteries! I'm going to try and install the official Lego 9V batteries in a MOC I recently built (Chade's mini RC jeep) where I had to use the AAA battery box over the rechargeable one (which I don't yet own). The AAA box was too heavy (introduced too much traction and really strained the power, killing acceleration), so I'll see if I can swap it out for a 9V box tonight. I'll let people know how ell that works out!

EDIT: Apologies for my necro-bump here!

Edited November 25, 2015 by spadgy

[syclone]

Anyway the 9v battery is much smaller than the bb.

[JJ2]

Ah... I just ordered two MiniZips yesterday, and then spotted this post. I have two working battery boxes of this 9V kind from the Space Monorail set already, that I'd clean forgotten about.

Oh well - I guess now I have two options for 9V batteries! I'm going to try and install the official Lego 9V batteries in a MOC I recently built (Chade's mini RC jeep) where I had to use the AAA battery box over the rechargeable one (which I don't yet own). The AAA box was too heavy (introduced too much traction and really strained the power, killing acceleration), so I'll see if I can swap it out for a 9V box tonight. I'll let people know how ell that works out!

The 9v BB does not work with power functions unless you bridge the metal contact points with foil like this.

I believe this is what ZBLJ did on his mini tatra.

[spadgy]

The 9v BB does not work with power functions unless you bridge the metal contact points with foil like this.

Thanks JJ2! I was just about to come back reporting 'I think I've found what many of you already know'!

The 9V BB certainly powers Power Functions lights and motors direct (using the adapter cable, of course), but the moment I introduce an IR receiver into the mix, it all goes wonky, and doesn't work.

Where might I introduce that foil hack? I do a bit of poking around arcade cabinets/PCBs with a soldering iron, so I'm OK with electronics, but where would I need to add the foil. Presumably, it's right through the circuit chain connecting from battery to IR and motors. Or is it just at the first Power Functions point on the adapter cable?

[Jurss]

As i had 3 8881 battery boxes, i disasambled one, to get one connector. It is not soldered to wires. Wires are fixed in fork (V-) type connectors.

I also bought this thing

Then i just fixed the same way wires in that connector.

According to previous picture, i connected C1 and 0V with one wire, C2 and 9V with other wire. I made before measurments, where and what is.

Everything works for me, also remote control on this

http://www.eurobrick...25#entry2386848

Edited November 26, 2015 by Jurss