Tingsheng TSDZ2B, wired up but motor not kicking in

Simonh82

Finding my (electric) wheels
Feb 14, 2025
10
2
I've been building a Tongshen TSDZ2B kit. It has been a steep learning curve with quite a few snags along the way, not helped by terrible after sales support.

I've finally got it wired up and the screen has turned on but when I turn the pedels the motor doesn't kick in. At the moment I don't have the chain on, is this likely to be the issue, given it is a torque sensing motor? Does the chain need to be attached to resist the forward motion of the pedal? I think I've connected everything correctly. There must be power going to the motor as the screen gets it's power via the motor. The other connections are the control system which is a direct connection between the motor and the screen and the speed sensor, which also wouldn't work without the chain attached to move the wheel.

Whilst I'm at it I have a couple of other cabling related queries. The power connectors really didn't look like they were very good quality and the connection is certainly not weather proof. Do people try to add better connectors and how do you waterproof them?

Finally, I have hydraulic brakes and they sent a brake sensor that is just a small unit that you connect to the screen and a magnet. I'm assuming you need yo glue these in place, either side of where the break leaver moves apart. Does the magnet sit right next to the wired unit? Is epoxy the right glue for this?
 

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matthewslack

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 26, 2021
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Of course it matters! There will be a minimum torque threshold from the rider that the controller must see before it decides the rider is pedalling. It will not activate the motor until it sees that.

Be careful if you try to fool the controller: chainwheel teeth suddenly powered up can cause injury. Just put a chain on and try it the normal way.
 

Nealh

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Aug 7, 2014
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Tsdz2 doesn't work if it doesn't see a speed sensor either so yes needs the chain on.
With TSDZ2 one will get an error on start up if one activates the pedals/cranks straight away, the system on turning on needs about 30 seconds to calibrate so don't touch the pedals/cranks.
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
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The Bullets battery power connection need removing , use an XT30/XT 60 or if you like an Anderson power pole.

One doesn't really need the brake sensor fitted, I have original TSDZ2 and it doesn't need brake sensors .
 

matthewslack

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 26, 2021
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Tsdz2 doesn't work if it doesn't see a speed sensor either so yes needs the chain on.
With TSDZ2 one will get an error on start up if one activates the pedals/cranks straight away, the system on turning on needs about 30 seconds to calibrate so don't touch the pedals/cranks.
I don't know the exact behaviour of the TSDZ2 re speed sensor, but my Shimano treats it as secondary to the torque sensor when starting off. The motor kicks in immediately that torque above the minimum threshold is detected, it does not wait for the first speed sensor pulse. But if there is no speed sensor signal very soon after starting, it will stop assistance and show an error on the display.
 

Simonh82

Finding my (electric) wheels
Feb 14, 2025
10
2
Thanks for the swift replies. I have the speed sensor attached and will add the chain. I've had so many issues along the way I'm wary of moving to the next step so thought I'd test the motor without the chain but clearly that won't work.
 

saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
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The motor won't do anything unless you apply pressure to the torque sensor by using force on the pedals.

The speed sensor has to be exactly right or the motor won't work, so set it like the instructions say, but you might have to adjust the gap a bit afterwards - either more or less to get it working consistently.

Finally, do not switch on when you're already pedalling because the torque sensor does an initialisation at startup. If you have pressure on the pedals at that stage, it'll wrongly calibrate the torque sensor, so you get hardly any power.

All the connectors on My TSDZ02 and TSDZ8 are fine.
 

Woosh

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May 19, 2012
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There is a way to start the TSDZ02 on the bench, details are in the LCD manual.
Where did you buy your TSDZ2?
 

harrys

Esteemed Pedelecer
Dec 1, 2016
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On the electricbikereview.com forums, poster pedaluma says he does TSDZ2 installs without a speed sensor attached, for aesthetics and performance. You do get an error if it's connected, but if you're just wanting to see if the motor spins, that can be ignored.

I use the throttle to recently test out of the box. Should be a walk mode on your display to do that too, as Mr. Woosh says,

After working with 1 mm spacings on pedal sensors for years, that's how I first set up the TSDZ2 speed sensor. Proud of myself for a custom extender that hold the sensor that close to the spokes. It was too close. Wild speed readings, Had to turn the magnet around, facing away from the sensor to approximate a 1 cm spacing.
 
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Simonh82

Finding my (electric) wheels
Feb 14, 2025
10
2
There is a way to start the TSDZ02 on the bench, details are in the LCD manual.
Where did you buy your TSDZ2?
I don't think the LCD came with a manual. Certainly not in the box. I got it from Electric-bike-conversions.co.uk. I would have preferred to get it from you but you didn't work with the Cycle Scheme CTW provider so I went elsewhere.
 
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