Skip to content
Available 24/7 Emergency Gate Repair Service
Shield Gate Repair

Swing gate operator

Ghost Controls TDS2 Repair and TSS1 Service in Dallas–Fort Worth

Shield repairs Ghost Controls Heavy Duty openers — the TDS2 dual kit, the TSS1 single and solar TDS2XP installs. Their board talks in beeps: five or six mean an arm is disconnected, seven or eight mean an arm did not move and a 10-amp fuse needs checking, and complete silence on the remote is something Ghost traces to one DIP switch.

Call Now — (214) 735-4314Request a Free Estimate for Ghost Controls TDS2 repair
  • Licensed & Insured
  • 16+ Years Experience
  • Open 24/7
  • Residential & Commercial

Is this a Ghost Controls TDS2?

Ghost Controls sells its Heavy Duty series as kits: the TSS1 for a single gate and the TDS2 for a pair, with the TDS2XP as the solar dual package. Each arm is a 12-volt linear actuator. On a TDS2 the primary arm has a 6-foot cable and the secondary arm a 32-foot cable that reaches across to the control box. Ghost’s TXX1 replacement arm is listed for both the TSS1 and the TDS2 primary.

The Ghost board is distinctive once the box is open: a blue block of four DIP switches, buttons marked LEARN XMTR, SET AUTOCLOSE TIME, 1st SET and 2nd SET, JOG OPEN and JOG CLOSE, red 10-amp fuses marked F1 and F2, and separate lights for power, battery condition, status, autoclose and transmitter. The on/off switch is on the bottom of the box.

None of these kits includes a battery. You will find either a 12 V deep-cycle marine battery or Ghost’s ABBT2 battery box with two 12 V batteries. That matters for diagnosis: on a Ghost gate the battery was picked by whoever installed it, not by the factory.

  • Blue four-position DIP switch block on the control board
  • Buttons: LEARN XMTR, SET AUTOCLOSE TIME, 1st SET / 2nd SET, JOG OPEN / JOG CLOSE
  • Green POWER light (steady on transformer, blinking on solar) and yellow BATTERY CONDITION light
  • Red 10 A fuses labeled F1, plus F2 on dual systems
  • A separate marine deep-cycle battery or an ABBT2 battery box
  • TDS2: two arms, one on a 6 ft cable and one on a 32 ft cable
  • AXS1 three-button or AXP1 five-button Ghost remotes

Also labelled: TSS1, TDS2XP, TXX1

TDS2 at a glance

Compliance
System certified to UL 325, 7th Edition (per manual)
System voltage
12 VDC
Battery
12 VDC deep-cycle marine battery or ABBT2 battery box kit — not included
Current
1–2 A typical when active; 20 mA standby
Maximum gate opening
TDS2: 24 ft total span; TSS1: 20 ft
Weight vs. length
Manual chart steps down from 900 lb on the shortest leaves to 300 lb at 20 ft
Arm stroke
20 in maximum; 5.5 in minimum
Speed and range
90° in approximately 15 seconds; 110° maximum opening range
Operating temperature
−5 °F to 160 °F (linear actuator)
Arm cables (TDS2)
Primary 6 ft; secondary 32 ft
Fuses
F1 10 A (first arm); F2 10 A (second arm, duals only)
Solar
Up to 30 W of solar charging
Autoclose
6 seconds to 60 minutes
Wire runs
Up to 1,000 ft of 16 AWG stranded wire from transformer; up to 100 ft from solar panel
Remotes
AXS1 3-button included; AXP1 5-button optional

From Ghost Controls’s published documentation. Your unit’s label and manual take precedence.

What your TDS2 is doing, and what usually causes it

  • I press the remote and get nothing — no beep, no movement.

    Usually: Ghost’s first answer is DIP 3 in the right-hand position without Ghost monitored photo beams connected. After that: a battery flat enough that the board is dead, the switch off, or a remote that is not learned or cloned.

    What we do: We check DIP 3, watch the yellow transmitter light while the remote is pressed, and read the battery condition light before going further.

  • Five beeps (or six) and the gate won’t run.

    Usually: Five beeps is Ghost’s code for the first arm disconnected; six is the second arm. A loose or corroded terminal, a cut cable, or on a TDS2 damage along the 32-foot secondary cable are the usual culprits.

    What we do: With power off we remove the arm wires from the terminal, inspect and re-terminate to the color code, power up and retest, then trace the cable if the code returns.

  • Seven beeps (or eight) and nothing moves.

    Usually: Seven beeps means no movement was detected from the first arm, eight from the second. Ghost’s fix list starts with the red F1 or F2 10-amp fuse, then the arm wiring. A fuse that blows again points to a stalled arm or a binding gate.

    What we do: We replace the fuse, re-terminate the arm, and if it blows again find the reason — hinge, level, obstruction or arm motor. A dead motor means a TXX1 or secondary arm ordered in.

  • The gate closes and then bounces partway back open.

    Usually: Ghost classifies partial reopening after closing, or partial re-closing after opening, as a limit or bracket-placement issue. On pull-to-open gates the open position comes from where the brackets put a fully retracted arm.

    What we do: We check bracket positions against the retracted arm, correct them if posts or gate have moved, then re-set the extended limit with JOG and 1st SET or 2nd SET.

  • The yellow light blinks slowly and the gate crawls or stops partway.

    Usually: A slow-blinking battery condition light is Ghost’s low-battery indication. An aging marine battery, a car battery never meant for deep cycling, a solar panel shaded or short on wattage, or a tripped re-settable transformer can all cause it.

    What we do: We test the battery under load, check the green power light for charging (steady for transformer, blinking for solar), reset or replace the transformer, and size battery and panel to the gate’s traffic.

  • It reverses halfway through on a calm day with nothing in the way.

    Usually: SafeForce is sensing more effort than it allows. A leaf out of level or plumb, dry hinges, a heavy leaf without ball-bearing hinges, or a Force Setting that was never adjusted for the gate are typical.

    What we do: We unhook the arm and move the gate by hand, correct hinges and level, and only then make the small Force Setting adjustment Ghost intends.

  • I programmed a new remote and now my old ones don’t work.

    Usually: The board holds one learned transmitter. Learning a new one directly replaces the old code; every other remote has to be cloned from the learned one.

    What we do: We re-learn a single master remote and clone the rest from it, so every family remote and any keypad work together.

  • Both leaves swing open together and yank against the lock.

    Usually: DIP 4 has been moved to simultaneous open. Ghost ships it on stagger because a ZombieLock needs the leaves to open in sequence.

    What we do: We return DIP 4 to stagger, confirm which leaf is wired as the second arm, and check the lock releases before the leaves move.

TDS2 down? Tell us what it is doing — we will tell you what it needs.

(214) 735-4314

How the TDS2 works — and what that means for repair

A battery system first, an opener second

Ghost describes these as 12 VDC systems that need a charged battery in place at all times; the kit will not operate without one connected. The arms typically draw 1 to 2 amps when moving and the system idles at about 20 milliamps. Charging comes from Ghost’s re-settable AC transformer or from up to 30 watts of solar, and Ghost recommends a deep-cycle marine battery for solar. The box keeps charging the battery even with its switch turned off.

Because everything runs from that battery, an undersized battery, a worn marine battery or a borrowed car battery can make a healthy TDS2 look broken. A five-button AXP1 remote can ask the board for a battery test: one beep means good, four beeps means low.

SafeForce, DIP 3 and the gate that does nothing

Ghost meets UL 325 entrapment requirements in one of two ways, chosen with DIP 3. Left, the factory position, is SafeForce mode: inherent force limiting, which UL 325 calls Type C. Right is monitored safety mode, which requires Ghost’s monitored safety devices, such as its AXPE photo beams, operating as Type B1 or B2 protection.

Flip DIP 3 to the right without those devices connected and the board will not move the gate. Ghost’s troubleshooting guide lists that exact setting as the reason a remote press gives no beeps and no movement. It is a two-second check that belongs before any talk of boards or arms.

SafeForce also depends on the gate itself. Ghost requires the gate to be installed level and plumb and kept maintained, and describes the board’s Force Setting as a minor adjustment. A heavy leaf on worn hinges reads as an obstruction to SafeForce, and Ghost calls for ball-bearing hinges on leaves over 200 lb.

One fixed limit, one programmable limit

Each Heavy Duty arm has an internal limit switch at full retraction that is fixed and cannot be adjusted. Only the extended limit is programmed. On a pull-to-open gate, bracket placement sets the open position and the board learns the closed position; on push-to-open it is reversed.

Ghost is specific about the symptom when this goes wrong: a gate that partly reopens after closing, or partly re-closes after opening, is a limit or bracket-placement issue, not a failing arm. The limit is set by moving the leaf into position with the remote or the JOG buttons, holding 1st SET or 2nd SET until the alarm sounds, and running the gate to the opposite end, where a single beep confirms it is stored.

Dual gates: DIP 4, stagger and the ZombieLock

DIP 4 sets the opening sequence on a TDS2. From the factory it is on stagger, which Ghost says is necessary if a ZombieLock gate lock is fitted; moved right, both leaves open together. Closing always staggers regardless, with the second arm closing before the first.

Leaves that clash in the middle, or a lock that is being dragged open, can come back to this switch or to which leaf was wired as the second arm. We check the sequence against the hardware on the gate before adjusting anything else.

Autoclose, PartyMode and the one-remote rule

Autoclose is set by counting. Hold SET AUTOCLOSE TIME until the alarm sounds, count the green light’s blinks at one per second, and press again at the time you want, anywhere from 6 seconds to 60 minutes. PartyMode holds the gate open and VacationMode holds it closed from a five-button remote, and cycling the control box power switch cancels both.

Remotes catch people out. Only one transmitter is learned to the board, and every other remote is cloned from that one. Learning a new remote directly to the board stops the old ones working, which Ghost lists as expected behavior rather than a fault.

TDS2 parts we repair, adjust or replace

A failed part is not a failed operator. These are the components that actually wear or fail on the TDS2, and what we do about each.

  • TXX1 arm (TSS1, or TDS2 primary)

    Part replaced

    Linear actuator with integrated motor, 6 ft cable pre-installed; swings the leaf.

    Signs it has failed: Seven-beep code that returns after fuse and wiring checks, grinding, no travel on a free gate.

  • TDS2 secondary arm and 32 ft cable

    Repaired

    Drives the second leaf and carries power and signals back to the control box.

    Signs it has failed: Six- or eight-beep codes, cable cut or crushed where it crosses the driveway.

  • Control board and box

    Part replaced

    Runs SafeForce, limits, autoclose, charging and the receiver.

    Signs it has failed: No response with a good battery and correct DIP settings; failure after a storm.

  • F1 and F2 10 A fuses

    Part replaced

    Protect each arm circuit on the board.

    Signs it has failed: Seven or eight beeps with no arm movement.

  • Battery (12 V deep-cycle marine or ABBT2 box)

    Part replaced

    Powers every cycle; the system cannot run without it.

    Signs it has failed: Slow-blinking battery light, four-beep battery test, slow or partial travel.

  • Re-settable AC transformer or solar panel

    Serviced

    Keeps the battery charged; up to 30 W of solar.

    Signs it has failed: Green power light off, battery never showing fully charged, winter shortfall on solar.

  • DIP switches 1–4

    Adjusted

    Set pull/push, movement warning, SafeForce or monitored safety, and dual opening sequence.

    Signs it has failed: No response at all, wrong swing direction, leaves opening together into a lock.

  • Post bracket, gate bracket and tube gate brackets

    Adjusted

    Set arm geometry and the fixed retracted-limit position.

    Signs it has failed: Gate partly reopening after closing, arm binding, brackets loose on 6x6 wood posts.

  • AXS1 / AXP1 remotes and receiver

    Serviced

    Operate the gate; the AXP1 adds PartyMode, VacationMode and battery test.

    Signs it has failed: Yellow transmitter light not reacting, old remotes lost after a new one was learned.

Repair or replace your TDS2? The honest answer

A TDS2 or TSS1 is built to be repaired. Ghost sells the arm on its own and puts a limited lifetime warranty on each arm’s motor and gear assembly, so a failed arm is a part, not a new kit. Most Heavy Duty gates that seem dead turn out to be battery, fuse, DIP switch, wiring or limit problems. Replacement makes sense when the gate is outside what the kit was designed for.

Repair it when

  • Battery, transformer or solar charging faults.
  • Blown F1 or F2 fuses and loose or damaged arm wiring, including the 32 ft secondary cable.
  • DIP switch settings, limits and bracket placement.
  • One failed arm — the TXX1 covers a TSS1 or a TDS2 primary.
  • Remote learning and cloning, PartyMode or VacationMode left on.

Replace or upgrade when

  • Panel or privacy-style gates: Ghost states the Heavy Duty kits are not for them.
  • Leaves beyond the manual chart, which allows only 300 lb on a 20 ft leaf.
  • A busy shared or commercial entrance, where a battery-based do-it-yourself kit is the wrong tool and a commercial operator is the right one.
  • Board and both arms destroyed by a surge on an out-of-warranty system where parts approach kit cost — though lifetime motor and gear coverage should be checked first.
Call Now — (214) 735-4314Request a Free Estimate for Ghost Controls TDS2 repair

How we diagnose and repair a TDS2

  1. Codes and lights first

    We count the alarm beeps, note the power, battery condition and status lights, and run a battery test from a five-button remote if one is on site.

  2. Check the DIP switches against the installation

    DIP 1 for pull or push, DIP 3 for SafeForce unless monitored photo beams are installed, and on a TDS2 DIP 4 for stagger if a ZombieLock is fitted.

  3. Free the gate

    We release each arm and swing the leaves by hand, checking hinges, level, plumb and post movement. Leaves over 200 lb should be on ball-bearing hinges.

  4. Power: battery under load and charge source

    Battery voltage under load, transformer output and reset, or solar panel output and wiring length, so a power fault is not mistaken for an arm fault.

  5. Arms, cables, limits and a final safety test

    We check fuses and re-terminate arm wiring, trace the secondary cable, replace any failed part — batteries and photo eyes from stock, Ghost arms and boards ordered with the wait stated upfront — re-set the extended limits, and confirm the gate reverses on an obstruction.

Ghost Controls warranty on the TDS2

Ghost Controls publishes a Lifetime Limited Warranty on the motor and gear assembly of each arm, and an 18-month warranty on the control box, hardware and remote transmitter (TSS1 and TDS2 product pages).

  • Ghost asks owners to register the warranty online; the manual includes a mail-in registration form for owners without internet access.
  • Lifetime coverage is on the motor and gear assembly. The control box, hardware and remote carry 18 months, so a board failure on an older system is usually not covered.
  • Ghost’s manual warns that an incorrect charging setup can damage the main control board and void the warranty.
  • Full terms are on ghostcontrols.com; confirm them before assuming an arm fault is covered.

Our warranty on the repair

Every repair is backed by a clear written warranty. No hidden terms and no confusing fine print: what is covered is explained before we begin, and it is separate from whatever Ghost Controls covers on the operator itself.

What our warranty covers

The TDS2 in Dallas–Fort Worth conditions

Marine batteries in Texas heat

Ghost systems usually run on a marine deep-cycle battery sitting in a box in the sun. North Texas summers shorten lead-acid battery life, and on a TDS2 the battery is doing the work for two arms. The warning sign is the yellow battery light moving from steady to a slow blink, or gates that open fine in the morning and slow down by evening.

Wide tube gates on acreage

The Heavy Duty kits ship with tube gate brackets and hardware for 6x6 wood posts, which suits the farm and ranch entrances found on acreage north and west of the metro. A 24 ft opening means a 32-foot secondary cable crossing the drive, where mowers, livestock, tires and ground movement all work on it. The second-arm codes — six beeps and eight beeps — can lead back to that cable.

Wood posts in expansive clay

Wood posts set in clay lean as the soil swells and shrinks. Because the retracted limit on these arms is fixed, a post that moves changes where the gate stops at the open end on a pull-to-open install, and can pull the leaf out of level so SafeForce starts reversing. Correcting the post and brackets comes before re-programming.

Winter sun, hail and spring lightning

Up to 30 W of solar is plenty in July and marginal in December, when the sun sits low and days are short. Hail can crack a panel that still looks intact. Spring lightning brings surges in on long buried cable runs. Surge damage to the control box falls under its 18-month term, not the lifetime motor and gear coverage, so on an older system it is worth diagnosing carefully before buying parts.

Ghost Controls TDS2 repair across DFW & Surrounding Areas

Customer testimonials

Real Customers. Real Repairs. Watch Our Customers Tell Their Stories.

Real Shield Gate Repair customers describing the job in their own words, Ghost Controls jobs first.

Watch every customer video

Ghost Controls TDS2 repair questions

What do 5, 6, 7 and 8 beeps mean on a Ghost Controls TDS2?

Five beeps means the first arm is disconnected and six the second arm. Seven beeps means no movement was detected from the first arm and eight from the second; Ghost’s fix starts with the red F1 or F2 10-amp fuse, then the arm wiring. On a single TSS1 you will only see the first-arm codes.

Why does my Ghost gate do nothing when I press the remote?

Check DIP switch 3 first. Unless Ghost monitored photo beams are installed it must be to the left, in SafeForce mode; to the right, the board will not move the gate. After that, check the battery and whether the remote is learned or cloned.

Is the Ghost Controls arm covered for life?

The motor and gear assembly in each arm carries a Lifetime Limited Warranty. The control box, hardware and remote have 18 months. Register the warranty with Ghost and check its current terms before assuming a fault is covered.

Can you replace just one arm on a TDS2?

Yes. Ghost sells the TXX1 as a replacement for a TSS1 arm or the TDS2 primary arm, with its 6 ft cable fitted. The secondary arm has the longer 32 ft cable. The arm is ordered, and we tell you the timing before booking the repair.

What battery should a TDS2 use?

Ghost specifies a 12 V deep-cycle marine battery or its ABBT2 battery box kit with two batteries, and recommends deep-cycle marine for solar. A car battery is not built for repeated deep discharge. We size the battery to how many times a day your gates run.

Do you service the TSS1 single-gate kit too?

Yes. The TSS1 uses the same arm, board layout, DIP switches and codes as the TDS2 without the second arm, and handles a swing gate up to 20 ft. Everything on this page applies except the secondary arm, F2 fuse and DIP 4.

Request a free estimate for your TDS2

Leave your name and number, and tell us what the gate is doing. A technician will call you back. If the gate is stuck open or shut, calling is faster — someone always answers.

We'll call you back on this number — we don't sell your details to anyone.

Or call (214) 735-4314 — someone always answers.

Gate Not Working Right Now?

We answer the phone 24/7. If you are stuck, call and we will talk you through the manual release before anyone arrives. See what counts as a gate emergency.

(214) 735-4314Request a callback
Call NowText UsEstimate