Unfortunately I don’t have a meter.

there is a light on the charger that is no longer lighting up indicating that the charger is dead. But appreciate this is not conclusive.

It may be worth buying a meter, Amazon (prime)£7.99 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mercury-600-101UK-Handheld-Multitester-Multimeter/dp/B00LEHK23I/ref=asc_df_B00LEHK23I/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=231965104222&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=904304744606292708&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007341&hvtargid=pla-423183568457&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

Or Screwfix.com £9.99 https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-mas830b-digital-multimeter-600v/75337?tc=JB3&ds_kid=92700055262507126&gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1244066&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0YD4BRD2ARIsAHwmKVnLhkM012SBJkwUrTxqobCgI40kEghDJgSTXTQt8rdk-OdB5FX4KyMaAnbSEALw_wcB

either would be suitable. The charger you linked appears suitable. More expensive chargers are likely to be more reliable though not necessarily any better at charging. I have the same battery and charger, happy to assist if I can.

Thanks. Charger has arrived and my battery is now fully charged, so issue is definitely with the original charger.

Is there much benefit from getting a smart charger? Is there much benefit from keeping the battery charged at less than 100% if it is not being used for longer periods?

Interesting. I'm assuming the BMS needs power to balance the cells whilst charging, hence the requirement to turn it on.

 

I wonder why mine charges when it's turned off. I'd better read my instructions....oh wait, I never got any!

It's not nearly as complicated as that. Imagine a row of buckets, each with a small hole drilled in them at the same height. You can fill all the buckets to a different height, but any that are filled to above the hole will drain down to the level of the hole, so end up with the same level. Any below the level will stay where they are, but if you come along and put another sploosh in each, eventually they'll all be level.

 

That's how your cells are balanced. Instead of water, it's electric charge, the height of water is the voltage and the holes are bleed resistors that are opened when the voltage goes above a threshold value of about 4.17v.

Thanks. Charger has arrived and my battery is now fully charged, so issue is definitely with the original charger.

Is there much benefit from getting a smart charger? Is there much benefit from keeping the battery charged at less than 100% if it is not being used for longer periods?

 

Did you check the for an internal fuse or check the plugs fuse ?

One reason why a simple £5 meter is an essential item to have.

Did you check the for an internal fuse or check the plugs fuse ?

One reason why a simple £5 meter is an essential item to have.

 

I have checked the plugs fuse by using that cable on my laptop charger, but haven't checked for an internal fuse in the power block. If i get chance i may try and open it up to look inside.

Thanks for the multimeter advice, will pick one up form Screwfix when i am there next.

 

PS, is there any benefit on getting a 'smart charger'

PS, is there any benefit on getting a 'smart charger'

 

No because they don't carry out balancing, only a bms or manual intervention can balance cell groups.

 

If one wants to limit charging voltage you need a smart bms for the battery to guarantee balancing is met, though good cells should remain in balance if you manually charge to lower voltage. To do this one needs to be able to recognise tell tale signs of battery imbalance as well as knowing your batteries characteristics in use.

Edited July 8, 20205 yr by Nealh

Thanks. Is it not beneficial to charge to 80% or less when you dont need the capacity and charge to 100% occasionally to ensure cells are balanced?

Regarding the TSDZ2 crank, what spec is it? I’m passing a few bike shops this afternoon but don’t have the crank with me...

BUMP

 

Could we pls have an update on the OPs crank arm situation? I’ve done 50 miles on my newly converted bike with TSDZ2 and the left crank arm is coming loose constantly :-)

Its a design fault of this motor some lh pedal arms are poorly cast, Loctite and nip nut up do not over tighten as the thread strips had to replace arms with bafang or shimmano steps versions

Its a design fault of this motor some lh pedal arms are poorly cast, Loctite and nip nut up do not over tighten as the thread strips had to replace arms with bafang or shimmano steps versions

 

Thank you. I will try to tighten with a better tool but if unsuccessful in the long term I will try different crank arms.

 

Does damage from riding with loose crank arms (aside from inconvenience of retightening) affect arms only or motor as well?

 

Wondering what the risk is in holding off a little longer…

The steel shaft [motor] is a problem if it has damage to the square taper, its a new shaft full motor strip

The thread 8mm strips out if abused , have re-tapped and used a longer bolt

The steel shaft [motor] is a problem if it has damage to the square taper, its a new shaft full motor strip

The thread 8mm strips out if abused , have re-tapped and used a longer bolt

Thank you!

Hi, it seemed that the crank arm was of a softer metal than the shaft. When it loosened the damage was done to the inside of the crank arm meaning that after re-tightening it constantly became loose again.

I have found these are good hex keys for tightening:-

 

https://www.toolstation.com/draper-expert-soft-grip-t-handle-hex-key-set/p49663

Hi, it seemed that the crank arm was of a softer metal than the shaft. When it loosened the damage was done to the inside of the crank arm meaning that after re-tightening it constantly became loose again.

I have found these are good hex keys for tightening:-

 

https://www.toolstation.com/draper-expert-soft-grip-t-handle-hex-key-set/p49663

 

Thank you for the update. I hope you are still enjoying your motor!

I literally had the same problem this morning! Huge pain and left me stranded to take the dreaded tube and had to ditch my bike.

People don't seem to understand how crank-arms work. theye're meant to be soft aluminium and the crank shaft is meant to be hardened steel. When you tighten the bolt, the aluminium squishes to take the exact form of the shaft. As it squishes, the aluminium work-hardens as well so will keep the correct shape and not squish any further. When you tighten the bolt it must be enough to squish the aluminium, otherwise the aluminium will stay soft and start to wobble after some miles. It's not the bolt that comes loose, it's the aluminium. The solution is to tighten the bolt to 40Nm, which is a lot - not something you can do with a multi-tool.

 

If your arm comes loose, the wobbling will change its work-hardened shape, so it will no longer fit correctly. The best solution is to heat it right up to anneal the aluminium, which takes it back to its start condition.

Unless you are an experience mechanic of some sort used to tightening things, I very much doubt that without a torque wrench you'll be able to 'guess' the 40nm torque required for the crank bolts.

 

I've cycled in excess of 6,000 miles on my main TSDZ2 bike and after some intial loosening of my cranks, I bought a torque wrench and was suprised how far short of the required torque I'd been tightening to.

 

Now I no longer have problems but even so and out of good practice, I periodically (as in every few months maybe?) check for tightness on all fixings on the bike, not just the cranks and yes, the cranks nearly always need a bit of a 'torque top-up' but never by much and certainly not enough that I've 'felt' any crank arm movement when cycling.

When I fitted my tsdz2 to the Ute I didn't use a torque wrench, but simply tightened them to spanner tight then gave them a good 1/4 turn and helping hand with a small clubby . Not come lose yet in a couple years of riding.

What is it about these TSDZ2s? Not only do owners have to contend with screw anxiety, shaft snap anxiety, moisture ingress, pedal high-q factor, overheat and melty blue gear anxieties (among others), now they've got crank anxiety... An aluminium crank arm has never fallen off my Bafang BBS01B, and I didn't even tighten them all that much - about half a moderate oik's worth, if that, no taps with a mallet or anything else. I haven't tightened the cranks since installation. Over 4,000km and nothing has fallen off.

 

Hope the TSDZ8 is a better manufactured motor! It looks like a Bafang, so that's a step in the right direction.

Edited March 5, 20242 yr by guerney

The same applies to BBS cranks s it does TSDZ, if not tightened enough they will loosen or come off. My old BBS01 came off after the bolt came out.

The same applies to BBS cranks s it does TSDZ, if not tightened enough they will loosen or come off. My old BBS01 came off after the bolt came out.

 

I was going to write "Maybe I'm like, really strong or something", but suddenly remembered that those bolts, like nearly all the others in the BBS01B kit, arrived tipped with a bit of blue threadlocker, which might help prevent crank arms falling off? Or perhaps I really am stronger than I think I am, or TSDZ2s are very inconsistently manufactured, or manufactured consisently badly.

 

Forumites who don't appear to experience too many problems with TSDZ2s, use theirs at low power. Some like yourself, after making a few modifications.

Edited March 5, 20242 yr by guerney

That's because maybe the TSdz doesn't need the same effort as the BBS.

That's because maybe the TSdz doesn't need the same effort as the BBS.

 

On my 20" wheeled folding bike at least, once the BBS01B's cadence sensing is activated (it can be set to fast activation in firmware), it shoots off and continues with laughably minimal effort.

Edited March 5, 20242 yr by guerney

What is it about these TSDZ2s? .........

I like the TDSZ2 because the torque sensing ride feel is what I wanted, it's a simple as that (along with the mid mounting position which I prefer to a hub).

 

The motor is made to a low price point and I suspect designed for a 'use case' more akin to urban riding that carrying some 120Kg giant across mountainous desert and yes, the TSDZ2 does seem to have a list of generic problems, not all of which effect all riders and all motors and non of them for me have been more than mild irritants and all simply resolved.

 

6,000+ miles on and no sign of my Blue Gear wearing nor anything else that I'm aware of and my particular motor is quieter than my fellow riders on Bosch Active Line, Shimano Steps, Mahle X35 and Fazua, (but I know that not all TSDZ2 are that quiet).