Engine dies when magneto switch is set to right magneto

[metzgergva]

Hello Pete.

Setup is FSX PC for running FSX and a slave PC for running the gauges and switches in the panel. FSUIPC4, Version 4.853

I have an original rotary magneto switch for each engine (4). The position clockwise is OFF-RIGHT-LEFT-BOTH (which is a bit strange I know) . As the OFF position is not a contact, I have tried the following assignment for engine 1 when controll is pressed:

BOTH - MAGNETO1 BOTH

LEFT - MAGNETO1 LEFT

RIGHT - MAGNETO1 RIGHT

In addition on

RIGHT - MAGNETO1 OFF when releasing the button, so that when I go to OFF the engine would die, and when I go to LEFT the MAGNETO1 OFF command will be immediately overwritten bei MAGNETO1 LEFT and the engine should continue to run.

Now unfortunately whenever I go on position RIGHT, the engine dies.

So I have deleted the additional assignment, but it does not help.

If I go from BOTH to LEFT the engine continues and I can see in the original FSX engine panel that the switch there is switching correctly to LEFT.

Once I go further to RIGHT, the engine dies and I can see that in the orignal panel the magneto switch jumps to OFF.

So I thought maybe a problem with that aircraft panel and loaded the default DC-3 and same result: Selecting MAGNETO to RIGHT the magneto switch in the panell changes to OFF.

This is the same for all 4 engines (2 on DC-3).

Hope you have an idea where to look for the solution.

[Pete Dowson]

Setup is FSX PC for running FSX and a slave PC for running the gauges and switches in the panel. FSUIPC4, Version 4.853

Time to update, then. Support for 4.85x ceased when 4.86 was released.

I have an original rotary magneto switch for each engine (4). The position clockwise is OFF-RIGHT-LEFT-BOTH (which is a bit strange I know) .

No, not strange really. That's how Cessna does them, and Piper too I think.

As the OFF position is not a contact, I have tried the following assignment for engine 1 when controll is pressed:

Now unfortunately whenever I go on position RIGHT, the engine dies.

Sounds like the switch you are using only has a momentart contact, so it goes on and off for each position? but if that is the case there should be a connection for the OFF position, or it would be unusable.

Have you verified what is happening by using the Button and Event logging options in FSUIPC?

Once I go further to RIGHT, the engine dies and I can see that in the orignal panel the magneto switch jumps to OFF.

Ah, then it certainly sounds like you actually have the wrong assignment. Try the logging. If you don't understand the log, paste an extract here so I can see what is happening. But please update FSUIPC first.

Regards

Pete

[metzgergva]

I have veryfied a couple of times what showes in FSUIPC when I actuate the switch. I have not looked into lgging. My un derstanding is that the switch is working like a regular switch, so that the contact is closed when in the LEFT, RIGHT, BOTH position. But I can veryfy that in the controls setup of the USB digital card. Will look into this next weekend. Thank you for the tip!

[Pete Dowson]

I have veryfied a couple of times what showes in FSUIPC when I actuate the switch. I have not looked into lgging.

Logging is always a useful way of seeing what is going on. You could also, of course, actually check that the FS controls you are assigning to actually do what they appear they should do by their names. There are a number of instances where Microsoft have got them mixed up. e.g. possibly the "OFF" actually does the "Right" and vce versa? I shall check that here and now ...

... No. In FSX with the default Cessna 172, Off does go Off and Right does go Right. But, oddly, on pressing "Left" after "Right", it goes to "Both" not Left. It only goes to Left from Both. Weird.

Anyway, you'll need to do the logging yourself to see what is happening. As I did, testing controls by direct assignment to keypresses would help work it out too.

Regards

Pete

[metzgergva]

Thank you Peter for your support. I will check this out on my side too. If these errounous sequences occur, it will be a challenge to find a way to get it right. As said, on the default DC-3 I have seen the same than in my Constellation Sim. We'll find it.

[rjfon1]

Hi Metz and Pete. Firstly listen to Pete regarding logging. Solved a problem I had last week. As far as the Magneto Switches are concerned, from memory, they don't work like conventional switches. I have an Aerocommander that I'm converting to a sim and was actually looking at my Bendix switches today. From memory, they work opposite normal switches. ie: they go to ground to make safe. If you want the left only operating, it grounds the right magneto. If you select 'off', it grounds both magnetos. It does this so if the prop is swung accidentally by a person , or say a vehicle hitting it, it won't start. The issue is, is this done at the switch, or is it done at a relay which would mean it could be a Normally Open, or Normally Closed switch. Easiest way to work it out, pull out a multimeter.

[metzgergva]

Sorry it took some time to check things out. My magneto switch has closed contacts for position Right-Left-Both and no contact for Off.

I have turned magneto switch engine 1 in the following sequence:

BOTH-LEFT-RIGHT-OFF-RIGHT-LEFT-BOTH

The USB interface is "Joystick 0" and the buttons are:

BOTH = Button 0

LEFT = Button 21

RIGHT = Button 20

OFF = Button not assigned

So I checked the logging and this is the content:

I added comments in color as the first part seem to work correct but switching back from OFF to BOTH there are actions missing and in wrong sequence???

The engine died during the secon phase.

********* FSUIPC4, Version 4.853 by Pete Dowson *********

Running inside FSX on Windows 7

Module base=667B0000

User Name="Alexander M. Metzger"

User Addr="alexander@metzgergva.de"

FSUIPC4 Key is provided

WideFS7 Key is provided

593 System time = 23/04/2013 21:51:00

624 FLT UNC path = "\\AMM4\Users\Alexander M. Metzger\Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\"

655 Trying to connect to SimConnect Acc/SP2 Oct07 ...

655 FS UNC path = "\\AMM4\FSX\"

905 LogOptions=00000000 00000001

905 Wind smoothing fix is fully installed

905 G3D.DLL fix attempt installed ok

905 SimConnect_Open succeeded: waiting to check version okay

905 Trying to use SimConnect Acc/SP2 Oct07

13946 Running in "Microsoft Flight Simulator X", Version: 10.0.61472.0 (SimConnect: 10.0.61259.0)

13946 Initialising SimConnect data requests now

13946 FSUIPC Menu entry added

13993 \\AMM4\Users\Alexander M. Metzger\Documents\Flight Simulator X Files\LSGG_HP-RWY05.FLT

13993 \\AMM4\FSX\SimObjects\Airplanes\Lockheed_L1049_SCFA\L1049_v2.7_sim.AIR

15350 System time = 23/04/2013 21:51:15, Simulator time = 11:47:36 (09:47Z)

15350 Aircraft="Lockheed C-121C SCFA Breitling"

48407 Starting everything now ...

48407 Using "C:\Program Files (x86)\GoFlight\GFDEV.DLL", version 2.2.1.0

48407 GoFlight GF46 detected: 1 device

48423 AES Link established

49608 Advanced Weather Interface Enabled

134551 LogOptions changed, now 40000000 00000001

140760 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=0, Btn=0, Released ==>BOTH released

140853 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=0, Btn=21, Pressed ==>LEFT active

140853 [buttons] 30=P0,21,C65929,0

140853 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65929, Param=0

142398 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=0, Btn=21, Released ==>LEFT released

142398 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=0, Btn=20, Pressed ==>RIGHT active

142398 [buttons] 42=P0,20,C65928,0

142398 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65928, Param=0

143646 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=0, Btn=20, Released ==>RIGHT released (switching to OFF)

146157 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=0, Btn=20, Pressed ==>RIGHT active (switching from OFF to RIGHT)

146157 [buttons] 42=P0,20,C65928,0

146157 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65928, Param=0

147452 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=0, Btn=21, Pressed ==>LEFT active (now this is strange as RIGHT release should have come first but shows up later)

147452 [buttons] 30=P0,21,C65929,0

147452 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65929, Param=0

147452 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=0, Btn=20, Released ==>RIGHT released (RIGHT active is missing in sequence)

148778 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=0, Btn=0, Pressed ==>BOTH active

148778 [buttons] 29=P0,0,C65930,0

148778 FS Control Sent: Ctrl=65930, Param=0

148778 Button changed: bRef=0, Joy=0, Btn=21, Released ==>LEFT released (this should have come when switching from LEFT to RIGHT higher up and RIGHT active is missing at all)

199759 Sim stopped: average frame rate for last 63 secs = 57.8 fps

205375 LogOptions changed, now 00000000 00000001

228495 System time = 23/04/2013 21:54:48, Simulator time = 11:49:00 (09:49Z)

228495 *** FSUIPC log file being closed

Average frame rate for running time of 81 secs = 56.9 fps

G3D fix: Passes 9941, Null pointers 0, Bad pointers 0, Separate instances 0

Memory managed: 205 Allocs, 205 Freed

********* FSUIPC Log file closed ***********

[Pete Dowson]

********* FSUIPC4, Version 4.853 by Pete Dowson *********

You are using an old unsupported version of FSUIPC. Please update.

I added comments in color as the first part seem to work correct but switching back from OFF to BOTH there are actions missing and in wrong sequence???

No, they appear to be all there BUT in one direction your switch seems to be break-before-make, and in the other direction is it make-before-break, so that, in the latter case, if you have "release" of the Right selection to indicate 'Off', you'll also get it when turning back from Off to Right.

There are two possible ways aroud this as far as I can see:

1. When you want "Right" from "Off", turn to Left first then back to right.

2. Make the Off assignment conditional on the Right button being released.

The latter method involvs a little editing in the FSUIPC INI file. Check the section "Compound button conditions" n the Advanced User's Guide. If you don't understand it, get back to me with your current INI file button section.

Regards

Pete

[metzgergva]

Thank you Pete. Need to check if this is the same behaviour on all four switches and then will check your suggestion on "Compound button conditions".

[metzgergva]

Hi,

I could overcome the problem of the wrong sequencing when switching from OFF to RIGHT to LEFT to BOTH and the engine dying from RIGHT to LEFT by activating the repeat function on the LEFT position. By that the "delayed" OFF from releasing the RIGHT button is immediately overwritten by the repeated LEFT command.

Thanks again!