Making Lego Power Functions Cables / Adapters
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- Опубликовано: 6 окт 2024
- This video will tell you everything you need to know to make your own LEGO Power Functions cables. I also show how to make adapters to power PF components from a 9v source.
Links to BNTechGo wire. You can order 4 conductor wire as well as 2 conductor also just make sure it is 24 gauge. I prefer the 6 conductor wire since it is the best value.
US
www.amazon.com...
UK
www.amazon.co....
This is the link to the PF connectors BEWARE YOU MUST MAKE SURE YOU ORDER THE CORRECT ITEM! The link will default to another item, this is out of my control. Make sure the "color" is set to "10pcs. ports".
www.aliexpress...
My tutorial for repairing 9v cables
• Replacing Lego 9v Wire...
More information on powering PF components from a 9v train speed regulator
• Power Functions IR rec...
More information on modyfying the 9v train speed regulator to produce more current (More Power!)
• Upgraded Lego 9v Train...
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Thank you. I have been looking for this wire for so long. Your procedure and cautions are also appreciated. Will try to do same with EV3 and Spike. Cheers
Great stuff! Way more going on in the power function vable then you might think
And in the cables too! I know I know, autocorrent right? 😛
I am so grateful for this video; you've covered everything
Thanks! Actually I covered the PF reversing aspect in another video focusing on running dual motors. You can just flip the connector over, it's that easy. There are no connections made inside the motor to the outer pair of wires so there is no worry of a short. The official PF connectors can be a pain to snap apart so I usually just cut them off and snap on a third party one. That also serves as an indicator of which motors in my collection are reversed, whether or not the PF connector has a Lego logo on it or not 😁
Thanks ! The link to the silicone wire on Amazon was super helpful. I repaired all my 9V train track connectors in a few hours.
Nice! Glad to help!
made my 1st pf cables today. 3ft in length. I used 26 gauge. thanks for the guide.
Awesome! I haven't really experimented with wire gauge. I would go any larger than 24, but I like having the headroom for current / wire length
24 awg def ideal for PF. For PU motors, 26 awg is ideal
What a coincidence, I just looked up the power functions connectors online and bought some and now stumbled upon your video showing how to wire them up! Thanks!
And thanks for the links to some proper wire, now I won't have to spend time searching for that too xD
Btw. have you tried some of the different types of "power functions" motors you can get online? some of the non-standard types such as the micro motor or some of the RC servo motors?
I've bought a couple of each to test out to see if they can give me something different than the original line. Particularly the micro motor one is intriguing since it will make for some really compact designs.
I've also found some micro 2/3 way pneumatic solenoid valves. Not directly compatible with lego, but I'm thinking of 3D printing some adapters for them so they can be mounted on lego. proper Remote control of pneumatics is something lego have always missed IMO and will be neat if these works great.
Thanks! Yes the right wire makes ALL the difference. It took me almost 10 years to find this wire when I was repairing 9v cables. I have a video on the third party PF servo motors, there are a few differences. I have a PF micro-motor coming in the mail any day now 😀. I have seen the MindSensors solution for pneumatic valves. I have tons of Lego motors so I typically use them to control the valves. I'd be interested in seeing your solution! Here's a link for the PF servo video, I use them quite a bit for controlling monorail tracks.
ruclips.net/video/Im0BLmY1QKA/видео.html
Excellent presentation, thank you!
Totally love the tutorial (as well as your other tutorials on repairing the wiring & sensors: easy to follow and beautiful result). I was wondering if it would be doable to drill two small holes in the back end of the PF connector through which the center wires can be pushed through to connect an old 9V connector. What's your thought on this? how would the orientation of the 9V connectors need to be?
Thanks! I'm not sure what you mean about drilling the holes though, are you talking about a wire with three connectors?
@@BatteryPoweredBricks Yes, indeed, to make a cable that fits both PF and old 9V system, since I have only a limited number of connectors. Do you perhaps know where to buy the old 9V connectors?
I haven't found a source for 9v connectors besides buying used cables online. I haven't even found the hybrid connector that was on the official extension cable for the PF system. As for the custom cable you described, I think it would be easier to just splice the wires on the outside of the connector. It may be possible, these connectors can be a pain in the butt without drilling holes 😬
Next thing we know this guy will build a Scout Multimeter. ⚡️
Don't give me any ideas 😅 I have too many projects!
How to repair 9v wires seven months ago, now power function. Do you plan a future session on Wedo/PoweredUP - NXT/EV3 wires? Thanks for sharing your expertise!
I can do NXT/EV3 at some point. I already bought some of the cable ends when I made a Mindsensors order. The WeDo / PU wires may present a challenge for several reasons 😬. Thanks for the kind words!
Do you know what each cable does within the PU cable strip? I'm thinking of making extensions for the PU motors and connect them to an Arduino for better control. For that I would need to map each cable correctly to Ground, Voltage etc and also readout the rotation encoder sensor.
C1 & C2 = Control Line 1 and Control Line 2
Gotta take another opportunity to commend the comprehensive and inspiring content on this here channel. I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of those wire rolls on Amazon UK and it's a huge relief to know that the cables can be fixed manually, without even compromising the authentic look. On behalf of the LEGO community, thank you!
Edit: Possibly a bit off topic, but I've been tempted to buy one of those old RCX controllers (mainly since the EV3 isn't very compatible with 9V accessories) and wanted to ask about its memory capabilities. I have read that it has no persistent memory, that it requires any firmware updates and programs to be re-transmitted when the batteries or power supply is removed. Do you know if this is true for all versions of the controller?
Thank you! I've never really been much of a builder myself so this is my contribution to the Lego community. Comments like these make it all worth it 😀. The Mindstorms RCX will never be off-topic here 😅. There are 3 externally identifiable versions of the RCX and the only difference is the older 1.0 has the power jack (which is a definite plus) and the 2.0 version can communicate with the Spybotics PBricks. Besides that they are all identical and can run any firmware first or third party. If you replace the batteries in a timely manner (within a couple minutes or so) the firmware and programs will be preserved. The older version with the power jack can be plugged in for as long as needed to preserve the memory as well (as long as the power doesn't go out). The RCX was / is the best option in my opinion for integrating into brick built models, I've seen some amazing MOCs using it to add a bit of motion to a display. I'm quite fond of David Koudys Classic Space MOCs with little cranes that move around 😁
@@BatteryPoweredBricks Wow, that's even more peculiar 😲 So the memory kind of fades away when the power source is removed (layman's guess is a capacitor at work). I suppose it's a slight perk to be able to swap out the batteries, or the power cord even within a short time frame. It's pretty intimidating even before solving the matter of running the programming software on a contemporary computer. I'm fairly confident I can find a VM or some such to get it working, between the learning resources here and the rest of the web 😁 That aside though, what really scares me is having to keep a computer close by, say at a convention. The EV3 (and I'm guessing NXT) gets you real spoiled with flash memory and all that good stuff. The problem I'm having with it is powering 9V lights in an adequate manner. There seems to be a way to get the 9V motors running properly, by alternating between two unregulated motor blocks with slightly different power percentages, but it only causes the lights to flicker. Think I might order one of those RCX bricks still. It seems to be bundles of fun! I'll check out that space MOC too. Should be a perfect theme to motorize 😃
Edit: Yeah, I bumped into a video the other day with that grand space MOC with monorails running all over the place. Holy moly, that's a LEGO dream that could bring a person to swift bankruptcy 🤑
You can check out my video about BricxCC, it can be used to program just about any Lego PBrick. RCX, Scout, Spybotics, NXT and Cyber Master. It can run on a modern PC and I've had no issues using it on Windows 10. The easiest solution is to get a serial IR tower to talk to the RCX and use a serial to USB adapter if your PC or laptop doesn't have one (the USB tower doesn't have a 64 bit driver). Programming using NQC is pretty easy to learn, sometimes easier than the Lego software. I've never tried to run 9v motors or lamps from an NXT or EV3, I didn't know it wasn't straightforward. Yeah if there were monorails everywhere there's a good chance that was Dave's work 😅. He never had a dark age so he's acquired quite a bit over the years!
Excellent, I'll check it out! Thanks for taking the time to read through all of that 😅 I reckon it won't be as easy when the channel blows up and every Joe wants a word 😁
We'll see 😅. Even just today I've had messages flying all over the place, all part of the hobby for me. I could talk about Lego Mindstorms / DACTA / Trains forever 😁
What is the part number to the official LEGO cable? Thanks
neer knew i would get around to doing this buuut tysm u saved my L motor from being thrown away the internal contact thingy got bent (it broke inside so i took contacts off the top and plopped them in the bottom lmfaooo)
Whatevers clever! I've already learned the lesson, never ever throw away broken Lego electronics 😅
@@BatteryPoweredBricks lost two of those dang tiny metal contacts though
Great video! I was wondering... Is there any chance to build a cable that has the original lego square connector on one side and a USB male connector on the other one? I wanted to find a way to avoid to waste so many AAA batteries! I have 4 motorized sets and to run them all at the same time, I need 24 AAA batteries!! More, with a USB connector, it would be possible to connect it to a smart plug and start your set with your vocal assistant (Alexa, Google Home, etc..)
I'm sure someone has made such a cable but I wouldn't just connect the motor directly to USB. If you want to eliminate the batteries I'd just get an old Mindstorms RCX (1.0 with power jack) or a train speed regulator. You could try the USB option I'd just be worried about frying something, Also it would only be running at about half the voltage from USB
@@BatteryPoweredBricks Thanks for your reply! The RXC is a very good suggestion, the only "problem" with that would be about powering up, I should I do it manually.. My need is to gather all the motor to a single power source (a power supply to be connected to a wall plug). I found something about it and the best solution I found includes a lego connector to male USB cable, a 9Volts - 2A power supply and an adapter which is female USB on one side and female 5,5 jack on the other. I'm also worried about frying the motors in this way, but talking with a friend who is an electrical engeneer, he told me that the important thing is to stay under the 9 volts of output power. So I can start with using a 9V power supplier, my main doubt is about the electrical absorption: how many mA does each M motor need to run properly? I found no exact data anywhere, someone says that 300 mA are enough but I'm not sure.. If it is correct, the power supply 9V 2A would be perfect! Do you know which is the actual mA consumption of a M Lego motor?
@@Filopat79 You can check out Philo's website for motor characteristics. The current usage will depend on the load but even stalled they max out at 800ma. www.philohome.com/motors/motorcomp.htm
Oh, I didn't realise one end had to be flipped.
Yeah it's one of those thing that's easy to miss but super important for anything using the 9v supply like IR receivers / servos
Yay Lego motor
can you not take a defect powerfunctions baterrybox and take out that connector and put it in the 9V train transformator
Hmm that could be an option, its really thin though. Not sure it would stay in place. Still rolling ideas around in my head, I'll add this one 😅
Got any good recommendations on a matching cable for 4.5/ 12 volt plugs?
I've personally never had a need. I have a good bit of 4.5v wires, but no 12 volt stuff. I'll keep an eye out and let you know if I find anything
How do you take the grey connectors apart if you have a short?
I guess I haven't tried with these exact connectors, I have gotten another third party connector apart. I just went between each clip prying up over and over with a screw driver. It felt like I wasn't getting anywhere but I eventually got it. I haven't had any shorts with these yet so I haven't tried to take them apart
What does the beeping represent?
The beeping is the multimeter indicating continuity. If I touch the metal contact and wire and it doesn't beep that means there is a break somewhere
Could you use those extension chords to connect 2 8881 battery boxes, enhancing battery runtime?
Yes and no? I see conflicting information. Some say it's ok as long as all the batteries are identical and with the same charge / battery level so they don't feed into each other. Theoretically you'd have more current potential, but if using an IR receiver you'd be limited by it before the battery box. As for enhancing runtime, I'd probably look into some high capacity rechargeable batteries. What's the application? Trains? RC models?
@@BatteryPoweredBricks Application would be RC models. High capacity rechargable batteries are an option I consider (I found up to 2850mAh) but since NiMH rechargables only have 1.2V (=7.2V total) they deliver less power than 1.5V (9V total) Alcaline non-rechargables. As for recharble boxes, I haven't really found any which deliver good power over for an acceptable time for a reasonable price.
I wonder if they still make the 8 AA size cell 9.6v battery packs for RC cars. They used to be pretty popular back in the day. If their peak voltage is maybe 11 volts or less that could be an option 🤔. They do have 7 C size cell NIMH packs. Maybe this is something I could do some testing with
i would much rather recommend you use a custom hookup cable and a 2s lipo or something similar, you can use a 3sLife battery as well since those are like 9.9v fully charged rather than 12.6 of the lipo variant, that will give you MUCH greater current capability, and be much simpler.
Theoretically you can connect two batteries in parallel, the main problem ur going to run into is charge state, when batteries are directly connected that is. Two batteries in parallel need to be in a very similar state of charge otherwise they self level, which can be bad. However when there is circuitry inbetween, as there is in this case, its a lot more complicated, im not familiar enough with this stuff to say what would happen if you did it though.
@@BatteryPoweredBricks 3s LiFe batteries are a great option for 9v purist, when fully charged they're like 9.9v iirc.
Anybody tried this with 4wire wire flat telephone cable? I got loads laying aroud.
Now that I've tried silicon insulated wire I won't bother with anything else. The soft insulation makes it easy for the blades to pierce the wire. Also it's thin to maximize the gauge of the conductor. Not saying the telephone cable won't work but I've tried many different wires over the past 10 years before finding this stuff
@@BatteryPoweredBricksthank you
Incase anybody was wondering: No it does not work, the wire insulation is to thinn. If you measure continuity it'll work but when you place it on a another connector the metal bits will (ever so slightly) be puched inward and do not give a good connection #nowyouknow
How about you sell some of these on an eBay store? I’d give ten each for these 9v to PF cables! Don’t make me beg. Please. I need my dignity.
The main problem with that plan is there is a limited supply of 9v connectors out there. I used to have a few hundred but I'm down to a couple dozen. I'll have to start pulling them from projects I've built. I use quite a lot of them 😅
Look at those nails