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FS2004 Electrical Problem

Messages
1,468
Country
italy
On DM's Super VC10 model the generators come on automatically during engine start. I cannot find how that is controlled. Is it something automatic in the sim? There is nothing in the cfg file nor are there any "gauges" that control it. I am setting up an electrics panel with the relevant switches to engage/trip the generators etc., So I need to find a way to do it manually. Any ideas welcome.
 
Messages
2,077
Country
us-ohio
KEY_TOGGLE_ALTERNATOR# (1,2,3,4)

To know if it's on and/or enabled:
GENERAL_ENGINE#_GENERATOR_SWITCH - the switch is on or off (1/0)
GENERAL_ENGINE#_GENERATOR_ACTIVE - the actual generator is running (1)
 
Messages
1,468
Country
italy
Thanks W,
The problem is this code though.
Code:
<Element>
      <Select>
         <Value>
(L:DM START INIT,number) 5 &lt; if{


(A:GENERAL ENG GENERATOR SWITCH:1,bool) 0 == if{ 0 (&gt;K:TOGGLE_ALTERNATOR1) }
(A:GENERAL ENG GENERATOR SWITCH:2,bool) 0 == if{ 0 (&gt;K:TOGGLE_ALTERNATOR2) }
(A:GENERAL ENG GENERATOR SWITCH:3,bool) 0 == if{ 0 (&gt;K:TOGGLE_ALTERNATOR3) }
(A:GENERAL ENG GENERATOR SWITCH:4,bool) 0 == if{ 0 (&gt;K:TOGGLE_ALTERNATOR4) }

10000 (&gt;L:AP ALT VAR, number)

}
</Value>
      </Select>
   </Element>
This is the only occasion that your code snippets can be found. There are no other xml files containing anything similar. The code seems to be defunct in that (L:DM START INIT,number) 5 &lt; never actually changes from 10 ever so the code is never activated. I have deleted it from the xml gauge and the generators still come on "automatically" which is a bit strange hence the query. If I can't solve this is there a way round whereby I can "block" the apparent auto generator start with the switches?
 

Heretic

Resource contributor
Messages
6,830
Country
germany
When started manually with the generators disconnected, they shouldn't come on automatically.

Look somewhere else for some other code that might control them.
 
Messages
1,468
Country
italy
When started manually with the generators disconnected, they shouldn't come on automatically.

Look somewhere else for some other code that might control them.

That's the rub Bjoern. There appears to be nothing at all. No other code. So how the generators are starting up is a mystery.
 
Messages
1,468
Country
italy
Located as part of the speed reference chinagraph pad!! DM put it it different places in different models.
 
Messages
1,468
Country
italy
:mad::mad::mad: Hmm there is still a problem. Having gone through all the xml files I have removed all traces of code that can start the generators and yet they still start-up automatically. Any ideas? Is it an FS9 anomaly?
 
Last edited:

tgibson

Resource contributor
Messages
11,327
Country
us-california
Note that if you are loading this from a saved flight that can cause the generators to turn on.
 
Messages
1,468
Country
italy
Note that if you are loading this from a saved flight that can cause the generators to turn on.
That could be a cause. I'll check it out thanks.

Unfortunately it makes no difference. The generators still automatically come on during the start-up procedure.
 
Last edited:
Messages
2,077
Country
us-ohio
It could also be the default condition of the switches since absolutely no default aircraft have them.
 
Messages
1,468
Country
italy
It is probably something along those lines W. I'm turning my mind to triggering an "off" state on start-up similar to stopping the fuel tanks being selected to "all" which is the FS9 default.
 

tgibson

Resource contributor
Messages
11,327
Country
us-california
Not on my machine. I use the same variables for the generators in a Convair 340 and they do not turn on automatically. What's more, if I load a Flight it loads those switches the way they were set when I saved the flight. So they do not come on automatically during aircraft load and they are saved in Flights. Starting the engines and flying also does not turn them on automatically.

From a saved flight:

[Engine Parameters.1.0]
GeneratorSwitch=True

Hope this helps,
 
Messages
1,468
Country
italy
Not on my machine. I use the same variables for the generators in a Convair 340 and they do not turn on automatically. What's more, if I load a Flight it loads those switches the way they were set when I saved the flight. So they do not come on automatically during aircraft load and they are saved in Flights. Starting the engines and flying also does not turn them on automatically.

From a saved flight:

[Engine Parameters.1.0]
GeneratorSwitch=True

Hope this helps,

Thanks Tom,
I can't see why it turns on automatically when the engines start. Especially since the code that did that was discarded and doesn't exist any more. So for the moment I have done a workaround until I can isolate the problem. Which is to toggle the generators off and then start them manually from the switches.
Code:
   <Element>
      <Select>
         <Value>(L:E3GEN,number) 2 &lt; (A:GENERAL ENG3 GENERATOR ACTIVE,bool) 1 == and
         (A:Electrical master battery,bool) 1 == and (L:E3GEN_running,bool) 0 == and (L:start_init,bool) 0 == and
         if{ 0 (&gt;K:TOGGLE_ALTERNATOR3) 1 (>L:start_init,bool) }</Value>
      </Select>
   </Element>
The 1 (>L:start_init,bool) ensures the code is only called once thus leaving the switches free to turn the gens on and off manually.
Code:
   <Mouse>
<Tooltip>E3 Main Gen</Tooltip>
      <Area Top="0" Bottom="30">
        <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
         <Click>0 (&gt;G:Var1) (L:E3GEN_running,bool) 1 ==
         if{ 0 (&gt;K:TOGGLE_ALTERNATOR3) 0 (&gt;L:E3GEN,number) 0 (>L:E3GEN_running,bool) }</Click>
      </Area>
      <Area Top="31" Bottom="135">
         <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
         <Click>2 (&gt;G:Var1) (&gt;K:TOGGLE_ALTERNATOR3) 2 (&gt;L:E3GEN,number) 1 (>L:E3GEN_running,bool) }</Click>
      </Area>
      <Area Top="136" Bottom="177">
         <Cursor Type="Hand"/>
         <Click>1 (&gt;G:Var1) L:E3GEN_running,bool) 1 ==
         if{ (&gt;K:TOGGLE_ALTERNATOR3) 0 (&gt;L:E3GEN,number) 0 (>L:E3GEN_running,bool) }</Click>
      </Area>
   </Mouse>
It's a bit crude but it works. This is obviously just for generator 3 as a test bed.
 
Last edited:
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