Poor performance or broke? Tongshen TSDZ2 36v 250W

gfmoore

100 W
Joined
May 1, 2021
Messages
172
Location
Stoke-on-Trent, UK
(I've posted a similar question in Pedelecs, but thought I'd try here as well.)

I now have built my ebike conversion using a Tongshen TSDZ2 250W and 36v 10ah battery (Yes I know I should have gone better, but I need to be legal and I couldn't afford any better.) It (now) uses the supplied 850C controller (though I had purchased a 500C controller - could that have broken the thing?)

All built, put on the static trainer and switch on. Screen comes on, check settings, everything looks fine. Start at zero assist start pedalling, middle gear - as expected. Start increasing the assist levels and definitely feel the assist and hear the noise, yipee, let's go at them hills - just outside my home and not that steep, but steep enough to give me a heart attack. (I'm 5ft 10 and 115kg and not very fit.)

I start off in assist , feel the pull and then - well it's not getting me up the hill as I had expected and hoped for. In fact even on 5 it feels as though I am the one getting my bike, motor, battery and me up the hill. At the top I'm having a heart attack (not really).

Someone asked about my general cadence. It's highish 50s according to my bike computer (Karoo).

My question is, should it be just as bad for me to get up a hill as before the motor? Are my expectations too high, am I too underpowered. How can I check if the motor is actually working properly. Unfortunately I don't know anyone round here who has an e-bike so I've nothing to compare it with.

I'm a bit fed up to be honest and wondering if I've just wasted a lot of money.

Oh here's the advanced display
IMG_20210621_085739.jpg

Gordon
 
What gears do you have to work with, and are you gearing down all the way? A mid drive is only as good as the ratio you give it.
 
Chalo said:
What gears do you have to work with, and are you gearing down all the way? A mid drive is only as good as the ratio you give it.

Yes, very important. And this is one thing I'm noticing on the ebike forums...how many times the user/poster makes no mention of the bike, trike, cargo rig, or whatever the motor is attached to. That's kind of important. OP does mention being mounted into a trainer, so I'm assuming a 2-wheeled bicycle. But as Chalo states, more info is kind of important here. Is this a 20" wheeled folding bike or a 29" wheeled road bike?...single speed?...etc.
 
Sorry folks for not posting enough info, never thought of it. It's just a 26inch wheel cheap alloy road bike.

However, the main thing is that I think (need a test ride) I've solved it. It was the thumb throttle that I never plugged in, not realising a) what is was for) b) what parcels it had come with.

I knew I had a split cable coming from motor to 950C display. In my ignorance I thought it might be for a brake sensor though the seller told me that the 850C didn't support a brake sensor?

I didn't even realise that a TSDZ2 came with a throttle, I thought it was all in the torque on the pedals and the assist levels.

I had got as far as flashing a 48volt stock firmware and connecting a 48volt battery.

As I was looking through my box of bits I noticed the thumb controller and started wondering. 3 pins, so did the unused cable split. Uhmm. Took a chance and connected it. No bang. Started cycling (on the static trainer) and going through the assist levels. There was some power. Dropped back the assist, moved the control and bam, there was the power I had hoped for.

(Again I've reported this on Pedelec too (since I originally posted my issue there) so please don't flame me for multiple/cross posts.)

But, whilst here.

What is the nature of the controller, is it just a spring loaded potentiometer?
Is there a fix so I don't need it, yet get the power.
What is the impact on the motor? i.e. should it be used for short periods only or does it not matter?

I know the answers are probably on the forum, but man you get so many hits from so many posts...I'm still looking. There is so much information that it's hard to get your head around all the permutations and possibilities.

And finally, why is the 850C controller and this throttle on such small diameter fixing rings? How do I fit it to my handlebars????? I assume they were designed for mountain bikes!

Yes, I'm ignorant, so please be gentle :)

Gordon.
 
Whilst I'm trying to get my head around this, I'm wondering how the thumb throttle is actually connected.
As I said, the cable from the motor to the display splits near the 850C display, one side has a 3 pin julet connector (now to my throttle), with a six pin julet to the 850C controller.

So is the 3 pin connected to the 850c or to the motor?

:D

Gordon
 
Thanks for these ideas Gordaon, I'll reinstall my 'dud' motor on an old 24" kids bike I have in the shed and install the thumb thottle and see if it helps or changes things. When my supplier couldn't diagnose my TSDZ2's fault from my videos they sent me a 2nd motor which works fine without the thumb throttle so it is a bit of hit and miss diagnostics for me to try.
I posted the below in another TSDZ2 forum space and got no response so I'm spreading it around...
G'day all, Thanks for your sharing over the years. I bought a 48v 500w TSDZ2 about 6 weeks ago, largely due to the strength of this community and the open-souce software developers whose work I'm looking forward to understanding one day, and was dissappointed when it didn't work. Made the 99.9 speed sensor gap error and fixed it but the best it would do is about a kilometer, and it was a great kilometer, and then a 'soft clunk' like something disengaged. If I powered the battery off, drained the circuit and the repowered up, I would get a whirring sound for a bit and then nothing. The first test ride I was on an errand and going down hill... all subsequent test runs have been uphill... I may be slow but I learn from experience ;)
Anyway, I made videos of the issue, and my supplier, Cap Rouge, replaced the motor promptly, can't fault their service one iota and they left me with the original dud for spares or... fault finding and repairing.
I'm having no mechanical issues with the 2nd motor at all... though it doesn't significantly outperform a same specced front hub I have... that is a bit disappointing... not the least reason being that the TSDZ2, as an effort amplifyer, is saying nasty things about my effort.
So, the history out of the way, I can't find any referrence to whirring sounds from TSDZ2s here, or elsewhere. I suspect the torque controller is faulty but I'm guessing. Any suggestions greatfully received.
 
Back
Top