Starting engines

[gokhotit]

I am building a generic sim. I want to have both prop and jet starters on the same switch (if that is possible). I got it to start a jet engine, but the starter goes on,off,on,off, How do I make it a steady on? It is not the switch, because the phidget value or fs value never changes, but the switch in the game goes on and off.

I cant figure out how to get a switch to start the prop engines. I can get it to read a value of 1. How do I set it up so it will read an FS value of 4?

Thanx in advance for any help.

[gokhotit]

Well, I tried to figure this out on my own. I adjusted the length value for teh starter and all it did was error. I give up. I dont know how to fix this problem I am having. If I cant get this resolved I am goiong to have to scrap the whole project. Because this was the main reason for building my sim, was to have starter switches and stuff. Im to dumb to figure it out on my own.

[gokhotit]

Matt?? Alan??

:(

[RobertoR]

I am also building an engine control section, by which I'd wish to start a dual engine turboprop like the Kingair.
I'm nearly finished with wiring, I'll let you now as soon I'll be able to perform a test.
What happened to me in the past is that when I programmed two spare buttons in an USB joystick as Engine Start command, I needed to keep pressing the buttons repeatedly until the engine finished the start cycle.

Roberto

[RobertoR]

If this may help, the following is a statement I found in Peter Dowson's FSUIPC forum:

"The starters in FS are "spring-loaded". If you don't keep writing 1 to the starter it will reset to 0. Keep writing 1 with a small delay. Ideally you should have a separate fuel switch and operate that when you seen N2% rise to 20 or 25% (varies with aircraft), but you can (incorrectly) enable the fuel first and it will work. "

This seems to confirm what I found with a programmed pushbutton: start command seems to require to be repeated to stay ON.
If there isn't any better solution, I'll take it on the hardware side: I'd make a small pulse generator with a NE555 chip, that would connect to ground cyclically the Phidget input dedicated to "Start" as long as the Start switch is on.

Roberto

[gokhotit]

Is there a way to program a repeat into the ini file?? You can fix pressing teh key multiple times by turning up the repeat slider in the assignments menu. Now that I know that I can work with that for jets. Thanx. what about getting it to start a prop engine??

[RobertoR]

Geoff, tonight I tested the engine start cycle, I used two switches connecting to ground two digital inputs of an 8/8/8 board, and the Start command works, there is no need to repeat the command, Start stays ON as long as the switch is on.
It works both on a jet and a King Air.
However, it happens that, when switching Start off, generator is switched off also.
Any idea why?
Thank you

Roberto

[gokhotit]

Alan might be able to answer that better than me. I am using a 0/16/16 board and it will not stay on for me. Is engine start commands strictly analog inputs?? Im glad it is working for you.

[alandyer]

What kind of switch are you using for start switch ?

[gokhotit]

as of right now, for experimental purposes, a on-off toggle. What would be the suggested switch?

[RobertoR]

I am also using toggle switches. For Start command I use two digital inputs (engine 1 and 2).
Does anyone know how to control, or which the offsets are, for Generator 1 and 2?
Thank you.
Roberto

[gokhotit]

Is the engine starters an analog command?? Meaning that it is impossible to program them right onto a 0/16/16??

[RobertoR]

No, Geoff, as I said, it's a digital command, I used two of the digital inputs of the 8/8/8. It should be possible to do the same on the 0/16/16.
The only drawback I'm finding is that when I switch off the Start command, the generator is switched off also. If there isn't a better solution, I'll go back to my Goflight pushbutton module for this command.
Cheers
Roberto

[alandyer]

Roberto,

Could you let me have your setting in your FS2Phidget.ini file for [START_SWITCH_1] ?

When you refer to generator, I take it you are referring to "Avionics master" within MS-FS ?

I want to try and replicate your problem.

Thanks,
Alan.

[alandyer]

Toggle switch will work best.
With momentary switch you would have to hold down.

[gokhotit]

I have a theory. Hang with me on this. If the FS value for engine start switches can be manipulated to read a value of 4, I would be able to use the same switch to start both props and jets. The only problem with this is how to get the value to reach 4. How can the value reach 4 for this switch?

[alandyer]

You're referring to Gen setting on Start switch.

Here's how you can set the FStype, and you need to set it !
The FSUIPC offsets and settings are stored in your FS2PhUIPC.ini file.
This should be in directory where you loaded FS2Phidgets.
Most probably C:\Program Files\FS2Phidget\

First make a copy (back-up) of that file.
Open file with editor such as Notepad or Wordpad.

Scroll down to entry [START_SWITCH_1].
Should look something like this.
[START_SWITCH_1]
Offset=0892
Length=2
FSType=Digital
OffValue=0
OnValue=1

Don't change Offset or Length - those are for FSUIPC - you will most probably crash Windows if you do.
FStype=Digital tells FS2Phidgets this an On-Off function.
Offvalue is FSvalue that will be sent to FS when switch is set to Off.
OnValue is FSvalue that will be sent to FS when switch is set to On.

You can create your own entries, such as:
[MY_CUSTOM_START_SWITCH]
This is value that will appear in drop-down list
You may then assign that setting to switch.

Setting OnValue=3 will start both Props.

Full entry would therefore be:
[CUSTOM_PROP_START]
Offset=0892
Length=2
FSType=Digital
OffValue=0
OnValue=3

Here is FSUIPC documenation on subject of Engine 1 Start switch:
Engine 1 Starter switch position (Magnetos),
Jet/turbojet: 0=Off, 1=Start, 2=Gen
Prop: 0=Off, 1=right, 2=Left, 3=Both, 4=Start

Offset 0892 is engine 1 start.
092A engine 2.
09C2 engine 3.
0A5A engine 4.

Strongly recommend reading the FSUIPC Offset documentation!

[alandyer]

One small correction to my previous response.
The statement
"Setting OnValue=3 will start both Props".
is incorrect.

Should read:
Setting OnValue=3 will set Both (magnetoes) on Start switch is FS.

Luckily the Chief Pilot doesn't follow this forum :)

[gokhotit]

Good news!!!! :D IT WORKS!! I can use the same switch for both props and jets, like I had planned. Roberto If you wanna keep the generators on, input your OffValue=3. That keeps the generator running. thanks for all the support. :D :cool:

See you next question :p

[RobertoR]

Thank you, Alan and Geoff, I'll try this evening.
Until now I used the unmodified setting of the INI file.

Roberto