L:vars for the Circuit Breakers

[SimPlyFlying]

Hi,

Planning on a GA simpit build project and am considering basing it on the C182 and using all the capability within the A2A C182 addon aircraft. There seems to be some advantage in using this addon as there are published LVars for included panel functions. I have read that the circuit breakers are functional but the doco on LVars I can find do not list any associated with circuit breaker status? Are there any LVars available but have not been included in published lists? If not is this something that will be updated and made available?

Keith

[Nick - A2A]

Hi Keith,

There are L:Vars for the circuit breakers (you can see them if you search this text file for "breaker"). However, I never had much success getting them to function in the 182. In A2A's 172, things seem to work a little differently, so simply setting (for example) "L:BreakerGaugesEngine" to 0 would trip the breaker and setting it back to 1 would reset it.

Not sure why this didn't work in the 182 last time I tried. Maybe the corresponding "Cap" L:Var (in this case "L:BreakerGaugesTurnCoordCap") is needed here?

Would be interested to hear if you have any success in using these...

Cheers,
Nick

[SimPlyFlying]

Thanks for the info. Did you use some tool to export that list from a running FSX instance? Well its good good news that I may be able to implement circuit breaker functionality. Its very early days for my project (still in pre planning) but I will enter any details on this subject here, just may be a while. Not sure how to or where to document my project details for ideas to pass on or lessons learned (maybe a website or some flightsim forum).

Keith

[alioth]

Interesting subject.

Im building a cockpit for the comanche. Lot of work done, and a lot of work to do.
I found the lvars for the comanche.

With "Linda" program is easy to find the lvars. And you can change its value to see if something happen in the simulator. All in real time. A very useful tool.

I use Linda to find lvars.
Put lvars values in offsets, that can be read with link2fs and Arduino.

The second part is how to make the circuit breakers. I am in this phase.
You can use real circuit breakers but you must get some of them with low activation current. No more than 0,5amps. I wouldn't use more current. Can be dangerous. And they wont jump exactly when you want. they can take their time.

I am thinking in other way, building a replica with a servo, springs, and a momentary push button. I will post it when i have one mounted.

Arturo.

[SimPlyFlying]

Do you have details of your cockpit build? Design, features, techniques etc.

As for The breakers ... can they be implemented using small solenoids? Rather than servos?

[alioth]

Do you have details of your cockpit build? Design, features, techniques etc.

As for The breakers ... can they be implemented using small solenoids? Rather than servos?

Solenoid can be use, yes!. But you have to find a way to rearm it:

- Lvar breaker goes to 1 -> you read the lvar
- Use a microcontroller (Arduino in my case), to feed the solenoid. And solenoid moves
- Now you want to rearm the solenoid. you have to tell the microcontroller to cut current to the solenoid. But how? you have to push a button to tell it to the microcontroller. Where do you put this button? built in in the solenoid?
Not an easy one. But it can be done.


The way I think is a bar with a spring. The servo engage the bar to be IN. When lvar =1 then servo moves and desengage the bar, and the spring make it to go out. To rearm the bar, push it and at the end it pushes a button, which makes the servo engage the bar.

I will test same ways:
-real circuit breaker. I will test 0,5amp. http://www.mouser.es/Search/ProductDeta ... 2A22B10-7M
-servo-spring
-solenoid


Im using real instruments with mods to interface them with arduino, and some old instruments from an ast-300 simulator. I started to work with them 10 months ago. LOT of work made.
Here is a vid with most of them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32eJJOIoW40&t=300s

For engine gauges, I have made a vm1000c engine monitor with Air Manager software:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgtQET18R8U&t=18s

Im using GTN 750 software from flight1tech.
vm1000c and gtn750 will use a display behind the panel.

Buttons, levers... are the easy part. I will make at the end, when I have the laser cut panel.


Arturo.