Using a real magneto start switch with FSX

[Kerbo]

Ron,
You are a wizard with the drawings, thanks.

[AK Mongo]

I haven't hooked it up yet but it looks like I found the necessary pairs of contacts to connect to my input board for all the positions. When I verify it is working I will post what I did.

William,
Did you ever get yours working, and what did you do? I just received a cheap one from Ebay today, and would love to use your solution.

Reid

[Tom_G_2010]

I am working on the same issue for my 172 sim. I decided to remove the back cover off the ignition switch and found that their are three triangular shaped contacts inside and I am thinking about replacing the back cover with a piece of printed circuit board cut to fit and etched to create independent switch contacts for each function. If it works I'll post pic's. May be a few weeks though . . .

[iwik]

Hi Guys,
If you have the real switch with the spring Start option, the start switch is isolated(found with multimeter). The remaining contacts appear as a 2 bit code.
That is 4 combinations 00 01 10 11,i then used a ic to decode. Use each for Off Lmag R Mag and Both or You can either place resistors across these switches and as a result of what switches are closed the output will change and can be fed into an analogue input and decoded by your software. Its been a while since i did my one but above is the jist. You dont have to modify the switch.
Les

[AK Mongo]

Hi Guys,
You can either place resistors across these switches and as a result of what switches are closed the output will change and can be fed into an analogue input and decoded by your software. Its been a while since i did my one but above is the jist. You dont have to modify the switch.
Les

This is an interesting idea Les, but can you assign the mag functions to an analog input? Would the size of the resistors matter? I would probably use an axis on the BUO836x.
Anyone know if it could be used as is with FSUIPC, and in effect have multiple keypresses for each position, but only have fsuipc give the command based on the combination?

Reid

[Ronson2k9]

One thing you will need to do Reid is check the continuity first as you have a used switch 'pretty cheap' from ebay so before going through the pain of getting it to work I would make sure the switch is in good working order first. As the spring is what most important part that's why I thought of the bypass. This takes all the switch action out of the switch itself and puts it somewhere you can control it easier. If your mag switch goes bad then you will end up with the bypass anyway. I know they must be built to take a ton of use but you never know..

Just my thoughts.

[AK Mongo]

Absolutely right, Ron. I will be doing that tonight. Probably do some testing with it and fsuipc as well to see if the inputs matter. Fsuipc may just be able to see the grounding of several inputs at once and "interpret" them as a single command. Wont hurt to try at least.

Reid

[iwik]

Hi Reid,
If you look at page 48 of Fsuipc Users Manual it explains how to do it. Basicaly you can use up to 10 zones of an axis to trigger an event that a button
or switch operates. I havnt used it like this but a friend of mine who used resistors across the switch idea with SIOC.
Resistor choice should be such that gives a reasonable zones.
My hookup with the IC fed into i/ocards input. So if you are using 836x cards then Petes method should work.
Hope this helps.
Les

[AK Mongo]

I am working on the same issue for my 172 sim. I decided to remove the back cover off the ignition switch and found that their are three triangular shaped contacts inside and I am thinking about replacing the back cover with a piece of printed circuit board cut to fit and etched to create independent switch contacts for each function. If it works I'll post pic's. May be a few weeks though . . .

Tom,

Mine appears to have the three wedge shaped contacts as well. It looks like it will be possible to modify it easily by leaving out 2/3 of the triangular pieces, reducing the remaining piece to 2 contact "dimples, drilling a hole through the switch back between the existing BAT and R mag GRD, adding a contact in the hole, taking off the jumper plate between the GRD and R contact and adding a washer or other conductor for the center ground to the inside of the plate to create a circular Grnd contact.

Connections will then be:

Switch(as viewed from back clockwise)-----sim

S-----Start
Bat-----Both
New contact-----L
GRD-----R
R-----Off
Center GRD---to ground on i/o card

The remaining contacts will be unused.

This solution appears like it will work mechanically and electrically.

Sounds like a lot, but I think it will work. Will report results in 24 hours.

Reid

[Cessna172sim]

We are also using a real magneto switch. I can ask from my brother how connected it.

Some parts in the test bench:
http://www.lentosimulaattori.1g.fi/k...s/181_8102.JPG