The new Powered Up battery box
Posted by Huw,
Finally, 4 years after the introduction of the new Powered Up system in 2016 (in 45300 WeDo 2.0 Core Set), LEGO has produced a simple battery box for it!
The new component will come in 42113 Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, where there is a requirement to spin the rotors without the complexity of an app to control them.
Details are scant, but the unit appears to have two PU connectors and two switches, that I assume offer forwards / off / reverse control, which is all that's needed for the VTOL aircraft.
Now the PU system can at last be utilised in your own MOCs where simple motorisation is required, including in GBCs. However, it's not exactly small and discreet, is it...
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9x9x5. If it were any bigger, it wouldn't fit on the page.
downsides: only two PU ports
but it's a sacrifice we could make to avoid using the smartphone as a remote control
extra question, Powered-Up related: is the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller copatible with the Powered Up hubs and app?
If they sell that hub separately it would be a ludicrous price of £74.99 like the other PU Technic Hub is, I know its Bluetooth and got quite a bit of tech to it but £75 is a little bit much £60 seems about right to me.
But, unlike a Power Functions battery box, you've got to change the battery box and buy a controller/download an app. I do now have a modern smartphone, but the Kyocera DuraForce Pro 2 runs Android Oreo (on AT&T, but the Verizon version utilizes the newest one), and I know some of these LEGO apps only run on the newest versions. Given I hate using touch screens as controllers (I had a Thames and Kosmos robotics set, as well as a tiny RC car that used them as controllers), I'll have to buy the controller.
Say you bought a set that just had a battery box and motor that used Power Functions. MSRP of the wireless receiver was $15, and the transmitter $10. So, only $25 if you wanted to have remote control of the average motorized set, which wasn't much over a $100 set that had the motors. Except here, you have to buy the Powered Up! hub which is $50, and its remote control $25. $75 is 50% of what the average motorized set is. And unlike the Power Function sets, only two ports. Vs. I could daisy chain IR receivers and controllers to the battery box to control more motors. So, ridiculous in my mind. And, when I build the Osprey, I want remote control over the ability to switch from takeoff mod (VTOL) to flight.
Certainly a step in the right direction! Now to sell my kidneys to buy a single motor...
It's a start. But the size! I think a 4.5V Train battery tender would be more discrete! I mean, I don't know if I want to build it into a MOC or skim its surface looking for an uncovered exhaust port!
even if it's chonky, I like it!
With the sustainability movement at Lego, I sincerely hope R&D is finally working on a plug in solar panel. I would also love if they brought back the electric train tracks. Lego is expensive enough without the growing need for batteries.
@DaBigE said:
"With the sustainability movement at Lego, I sincerely hope R&D is finally working on a plug in solar panel."
Trouble with solar panels is indoors, in classroom conditions, and under LED or low-energy flourescent lights, they just don't work. You either need strong holiday-resort levels of sunshine or a really old scalding hot (and woefully inefficient!) incandescant desk lamp.
"The new component will come in 42113 Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, where there is a requirement to spin the rotors without the complexity of an app to control them."
So, am I correct in reading that a smart device will NOT be required to operate the Powered UP features in 42213 Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey?
Why did they dumb it down to 2 ports? It's bad enough the train hub has only 2, now Technic as well? The old PF battery box could handle more than 4 motors plus LED lights easily and also had 6x AA batteries (e.g. 8043). This is a joke for Technic lovers and MOC builders especially if you compare the size of this block.
And how much will it cost separately? I'm sure more than 20€ looking at the more than twice as expensive motors and "Smart-hubs" compared to PF equivalents.
It's not rechargeable, it doesn't have variable speed, and it's big enough to form its own gravity well.
@Joefish:
So make a hamster wheel and use another motor as a generator. And, you know, bring a large supply of hamsters...
I'm confused why not just use the battery box from the powered up train or rc batmobile as the 2 port connections are the same? This is the same size as the PF battery box, and is bluetooth so could be controlled by tablet or the physical white remote control provided with these sets. There is no mention as to whether this paperweight is bluetooth?
I find the lack of rechargeable batteries disturbing.
Perhaps these PU boxes will have the ability to accept a TBA rechargeable unit, like the one for EV3.
@ambr said:
"I'm confused why not just use the battery box from the powered up train or rc batmobile as the 2 port connections are the same? This is the same size as the PF battery box, and is bluetooth so could be controlled by tablet or the physical white remote control provided with these sets. There is no mention as to whether this paperweight is bluetooth?"
No bluetooth (notice that there is no pairing button). The bluetooth version (Technic Hub 88012) has been out for a while already and has 4 ports. To use the bluetooth version you must have an app connected and running to control it.
This new version replaced bluetooth with physical switches (in red), this allows you to use it without any app, just plug the motors and turn on. However it appears they had to remove two ports to make place for those switches.
@Joefish said:
"Trouble with solar panels is indoors, in classroom conditions, and under LED or low-energy flourescent lights, they just don't work."
I have a few solar panels that work just fine in all of those scenarios.
@bananaworld said:
"
I find the lack of rechargeable batteries disturbing.
Perhaps these PU boxes will have the ability to accept a TBA rechargeable unit, like the one for EV3."
Yes, this was officially confirmed by LEGO P-UP Team. But the release date was not mentioned. Must be super complicated to develop a Li-ion battery in 2020 that they need so much time. I don't think it will be a LiPo battery anyway but hopefully using a micro-usb power cable.
Personally I am not going to pay 100+€ for a rechargeable unit when I have my good old Eneloop rechargeable batteries which cost so much less and can be used in any electronic equipment.
Just hoping they don't discontinue Power Functions in favor of this new khm, yeah.
Lego just can’t do lights, compact motors, Battery boxes or Knees right. Goodness me.
I’m confused all round with all the different hubs and controllers
This non-rechargeable battery box costs only a little less than the PF Rechargeable Battery Box where I live, but still a full medium-small-sized LEGO set less.
I like BOOST and Powered Up, but this does not seem sustainable. I'm seriously considering grabbing some PF components from my LEGO store while I still can. The non-rechargeable PF battery box costs a small fraction of this, and with the rest of the money I can get a decent bank of Technic parts with which to start building a GBC.
So does that axle hole on the left give you speed control or only a way to move the on/off buttons?
Edit: looking at the design it's just sideways control of the switch :(
I hope for a rechargeable battery dock, compatible with USB Type C
(sorry for being enthusiast about Type C, I just got a Nintendo Switch, my first device with a USB C port)
For a GBC display you need a power supply. Is there any third party adapter?
@biffuz said:
"For a GBC display you need a power supply. Is there any third party adapter?"
For a GBC anything is obligated Lego
yes they will end ALL Powerfunctions at end of this year except the powersupply that will end 12-'21