Levo Gen 2 2020 Levo Dead! (wont turn on)

KrisScott1990

Member
Jun 14, 2020
77
43
Edinburgh
Hi Guys,

My Levo wont turn on from the TCU now.

Dropper was playing up so took it out and in the process i dropped the cable down the seattube. Managed to fish it out and pull it up but took some pulling. Thinking maybe knocked something loose.

While doing this i then cleaned the bike (No water) and blead brake etc. Took of motor cable and cleaned all the gunk out.

Im swaying towards batery cable or somethiing to do with the TCU cables. is there any connectors ontop of the motor i could have pulled with the Dropper cable?

Time to send it into a shop or should i take a look?

Thanks
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,544
5,036
Weymouth
The dropper cable goes down the seat tube to the top and rear of the motor and there has a loop.....it then goes through the arm below the shock into the top tube. The TCU cable goes from the TCU to a couple of connectors, then though the arm below the shock and into the bottom of the seat tube in the same area as the loop of dropper cable I described previously.
You may well therefore have pulled the TCU cable. There are 3 connection points to check and all easy to do. First the connection of the TCU cable into the back of the TCU......then the connectors in the top tube and finally the connection into the back of the motor PCB next to where the main battery cable plugs in.
You just need to remove the TCU to check the first two. It sounds like you already have the crank and motor cover off to check the connection at the motor PCB.

If all that is OK, check your main battery cable for damage on the motor end cap. If it is the older version of the cable, the chances are it has cracked. That usually results in a short rather than a disconnect however. If you have removed it, make sure you have replaced it properly.....ie it is fully pushed in and the retaining clip has locked it in place.
 

KrisScott1990

Member
Jun 14, 2020
77
43
Edinburgh
The dropper cable goes down the seat tube to the top and rear of the motor and there has a loop.....it then goes through the arm below the shock into the top tube. The TCU cable goes from the TCU to a couple of connectors, then though the arm below the shock and into the bottom of the seat tube in the same area as the loop of dropper cable I described previously.
You may well therefore have pulled the TCU cable. There are 3 connection points to check and all easy to do. First the connection of the TCU cable into the back of the TCU......then the connectors in the top tube and finally the connection into the back of the motor PCB next to where the main battery cable plugs in.
You just need to remove the TCU to check the first two. It sounds like you already have the crank and motor cover off to check the connection at the motor PCB.

If all that is OK, check your main battery cable for damage on the motor end cap. If it is the older version of the cable, the chances are it has cracked. That usually results in a short rather than a disconnect however. If you have removed it, make sure you have replaced it properly.....ie it is fully pushed in and the retaining clip has locked it in place.
Thank you, will check all connections. I have unplugged everything in case of water ingress.

if it has shorted does that mean new tcu or motor?

anything else to check?

spokento local spec dealer who I never bought the bike from. They said I have to pay labour is this right if it’s a warranty claim?
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,544
5,036
Weymouth
If the main battery cable is shorted you need a new cable ( not a TCU or motor!) . What version of the cable have you got? Show a picture.
 

KrisScott1990

Member
Jun 14, 2020
77
43
Edinburgh
If the main battery cable is shorted you need a new cable ( not a TCU or motor!) . What version of the cable have you got? Show a picture.
Will post one later once I’m home.
How easy is it to get one? Price? Leadtimes? Or is this a warranty thing? How do you diagnose the battery cable?
 

KrisScott1990

Member
Jun 14, 2020
77
43
Edinburgh
ED257877-5E3C-4B25-B946-195B19453B96.jpeg
2B2077EC-861A-4F74-9074-FE784FC13077.jpeg
 

KrisScott1990

Member
Jun 14, 2020
77
43
Edinburgh
that is the latest cable and it looks fine. Looking for a cable pulled out as I described before seems your best bet.


Ive check and everything is okay. PCB board on motor 3 cables in there (Battery Harness, TCU Cable and Speed Sensor Cable. All OK.

Under TCU two cables come out of it (One connects down the tube back to Motor and other connects to Handlebar controller. Both OK.

Not sure were else to look
 

KrisScott1990

Member
Jun 14, 2020
77
43
Edinburgh
Update : cleaned all connections, blown out, made sure clean and dry and still dead.

bave removed tcu and battery harness abs left on radiator over night.
All other cables disconnected.

will rebuild tomorrow. If still no power it’s getting dropped off at the shop.
 

KrisScott1990

Member
Jun 14, 2020
77
43
Edinburgh
SOLVED!!!

It appears the TCU needed replaced, corrosion insire the connnector to the motor and a pin broken :)

Replaced today under warranty and back on two wheels again
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,544
5,036
Weymouth
.....I thought you checked all connections!!
Pleased it is sorted for you. With any electrical problem 99% of the time it is a connection.
Make sure you protect your new TCU. first ensure the USB port is fully closed. Then tape up the TCU ensuring you also wrap where the connections go into the TCU. Also tape up the 2 inline connectors that are in the top tube. Preferably create a gasket between the TCU and the frame. You can do that with a "plastic" gasket ( ie its in a tube). Put a smear of grease on the frame side first. The gasket will then stick to the underneath of the TCU but not the frame so you can easily remove the TCU if you need to in the future.
 

KrisScott1990

Member
Jun 14, 2020
77
43
Edinburgh
.....I thought you checked all connections!!
Pleased it is sorted for you. With any electrical problem 99% of the time it is a connection.
Make sure you protect your new TCU. first ensure the USB port is fully closed. Then tape up the TCU ensuring you also wrap where the connections go into the TCU. Also tape up the 2 inline connectors that are in the top tube. Preferably create a gasket between the TCU and the frame. You can do that with a "plastic" gasket ( ie its in a tube). Put a smear of grease on the frame side first. The gasket will then stick to the underneath of the TCU but not the frame so you can easily remove the TCU if you need to in the future.
I did! tbh i think it was water ingress somewhere which stopped it working. Becasue the TCU has never been disconnected ebfore the bike died. I think the TCU was maybe just died after removing it to check it all :)
 

bjmc

Member
Dec 17, 2019
9
7
California
Recently I couldn't get my 2020 Turbo Levo to turn on. The problem was that the charge port door was not completely closed - even though it looked properly closed. I had to whack it pretty hard. Worth a try!
 

Paully

New Member
Jan 20, 2021
2
0
New Zealand
You would think by now they would have designed a better connector than this pos nothing but problems first sign of corrosion starts playing up push the pins the wrong way it plays up come on specialised about time you got a new design
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,544
5,036
Weymouth
You would think by now they would have designed a better connector than this pos nothing but problems first sign of corrosion starts playing up push the pins the wrong way it plays up come on specialised about time you got a new design
Luna Cycles would not agree. They sell a variety of connectors for Ebikes. This is how they rate the Rosenburger
"Rosenberger Female bare adapter cable, perfect for those who are looking to replaced their charging cables with a magnetic setup, or if you are looking for the utlimate magnetic connector. "
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,544
5,036
Weymouth
I use a cap to cover the Rosenburg plug on the charger when not in use. When charging the bike I transfer the cap to the motor/battery cable plug. All of the connectors are cleaned with contact cleaner 2 or 3 times a year. The female battery/motor rosenberger plug seal is lubricated occasionally with silicone lube to keep it flexible and make connection easy. The area behind the seal is smeared with grease to aid waterproofing.
Never had any problems with it over 2 years and all contacts are pristine/no corrosion.
 

Paully

New Member
Jan 20, 2021
2
0
New Zealand
I use a cap to cover the Rosenburg plug on the charger when not in use. When charging the bike I transfer the cap to the motor/battery cable plug. All of the connectors are cleaned with contact cleaner 2 or 3 times a year. The female battery/motor rosenberger plug seal is lubricated occasionally with silicone lube to keep it flexible and make connection easy. The area behind the seal is smeared with grease to aid waterproofing.
Never had any problems with it over 2 years and all contacts are pristine/no corrosion.
I’ve had the Bosch on my old Scott 2016 done absolutely nothing to it hasn’t missed a beat?
 

RUNDCM

Member
Oct 26, 2019
7
2
Maryland
Recently I couldn't get my 2020 Turbo Levo to turn on. The problem was that the charge port door was not completely closed - even though it looked properly closed. I had to whack it pretty hard. Worth a try!
I did same - over time you can damage the battery port, & charging port on power cable in addition smashing the tiny underengineered tabs in the battery’s charging port which is not replaceable according to Specialized. Not recommend you slap the door - you’ll be in for a world of problems down the road .
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,544
5,036
Weymouth
Whack it hard? Unbelievable!! The connection really could not be any simpler. I can only assume one of the spring loaded pins was stuck due to the connection port not being clean. By whacking it the pin sprung free................what it did not do was deal with the source of the problem so it is likely to re-occur. Toolkit option No1 ( hammer) is rarely if ever a solution to an electrical problem!!
 

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