solved Engine starters do not disengage

[intj mastermind]

I'm having an issue with the engine starters with IXEG v1.2 and XP 11.11 final.

When in the process of starting the engines, I turn an engine starter (both engines have the same problem) to GRD, N2 spins up, I introduce fuel at the appropriate time, and the engine starts up. However, the starter does not automatically disengage once N2 hits the appropriate threshold. The "Starter Valve Open" light remains on, and the physical switch on the overhead panel stays on GRD position, and N2 spins up to the mid 70s. I can manually turn off the starter switch, N2 returns to idle, and there's no issues after that.

This problem occurs with both pulling the switch with the mouse, as well as triggering the X-Plane command "Engage starter #1 / #2"  with the keyboard or a joystick button.

I've only started using the IXEG 733 with XP 11.11 so I'm not sure if the problem existed in earlier versions. The last time I flew it was with XP 10.51 and this problem did not exist.

Edited May 11, 2018 by Morten

[Litjan]

Works fine here on XP11.20vr1 - maybe there is a plugin conflict or a hardware switch or lever assigned to "starter"?

Cheers, Jan

 

[intj mastermind]

Thanks for the quick reply Jan, and you are correct. I had created a custom LUA command to take advantage of the Thrustmaster Warthog Throttle's Ignition / Motor switches.

The TM Warthog switch, like the real A-10, has 3 positions: 1) a neutral position, 2) an up "IGN" position that's spring loaded to come back to neutral upon release, 3) an a down "MOTOR" position that clicks in place until manually released (used for dry cranking in the event of a failed start / engine fire).

My idea was to use the IGN position as "GRD" to engage the starters (using X-plane's default Engage Starter command), and the permanent MOTOR position as "CONT" (using a custom LUA code). Unfortunately, it seems if I access the starter switch position as writeable DataRef, then the IXEG 733's automation cannot return the switch from GRD to OFF. Even if the GRD mode was activated by the mouse or default X-plane command and not LUA.

Here was my LUA Code:

    dataref("eng1_start_act", "ixeg/733/engine/eng1_start_act", "writeable")
    dataref("eng2_start_act", "ixeg/733/engine/eng2_start_act", "writeable")
    create_command("FlyWithLua/IXEG_733/eng1_start_cont",
                    "Engine 1 Starter Continuous (Hold)",
                    "eng1_start_act = 1",
                    "",
                    "eng1_start_act = 0")
            
    create_command("FlyWithLua/IXEG_733/eng2_start_cont",
                    "Engine 2 Starter Continuous (Hold)",
                    "eng2_start_act = 1",
                    "",
                    "eng2_start_act = 0")

I've removed this section from my custom commands Lua script and now everything works as intended.

Jan: For your next update, could you create custom commands - LEFT / RIGHT ignition switch CONT / OFF / FLT? I think my plan would work if I don't use the Dataref. This may be helpful for other cockpit builders too.

 

Edited January 4, 2018 by intj mastermind

[Litjan]

Happy that you got it to work - as an interesting side-note, there is the chance that the start switches get "stuck" in the GRD position (although I never witnessed this in 10 years of flying 737s) - so the FO has to now call "starter cutout" when they do - and if they don´t he manually moves them back to OFF (just like you did).

I have added your request for datarefs to the list, lets see what we can do!

Cheers, Jan

 

[blocks_off]

 

On 1/3/2018 at 2:25 PM, intj mastermind said:

Thanks for the quick reply Jan, and you are correct. I had created a custom LUA command to take advantage of the Thrustmaster Warthog Throttle's Ignition / Motor switches.

The TM Warthog switch, like the real A-10, has 3 positions: 1) a neutral position, 2) an up "IGN" position that's spring loaded to come back to neutral upon release, 3) an a down "MOTOR" position that clicks in place until manually released (used for dry cranking in the event of a failed start / engine fire).

My idea was to use the IGN position as "GRD" to engage the starters (using X-plane's default Engage Starter command), and the permanent MOTOR position as "CONT" (using a custom LUA code). Unfortunately, it seems if I access the starter switch position as writeable DataRef, then the IXEG 733's automation cannot return the switch from GRD to OFF. Even if the GRD mode was activated by the mouse or default X-plane command and not LUA.

Here was my LUA Code:

    dataref("eng1_start_act", "ixeg/733/engine/eng1_start_act", "writeable")
    dataref("eng2_start_act", "ixeg/733/engine/eng2_start_act", "writeable")
    create_command("FlyWithLua/IXEG_733/eng1_start_cont",
                    "Engine 1 Starter Continuous (Hold)",
                    "eng1_start_act = 1",
                    "",
                    "eng1_start_act = 0")
            
    create_command("FlyWithLua/IXEG_733/eng2_start_cont",
                    "Engine 2 Starter Continuous (Hold)",
                    "eng2_start_act = 1",
                    "",
                    "eng2_start_act = 0")

I've removed this section from my custom commands Lua script and now everything works as intended.

Jan: For your next update, could you create custom commands - LEFT / RIGHT ignition switch CONT / OFF / FLT? I think my plan would work if I don't use the Dataref. This may be helpful for other cockpit builders too.

 

 

Hi,

In your script - do you still get the same behaviour if you just leave in the 2 lines that declare the variables ? I ask as this was my experience with my LUA script - i.e. my switches got stuck and just for interest i removed the actions, leaving the assignments and still experienced the switches sticking.

 DataRef("w_733_1_start", "ixeg/733/engine/eng1_start_act","writable") 
 DataRef("w_733_2_start", "ixeg/733/engine/eng2_start_act","writable") 

- Carl