Huey cannot restart - low voltage (104th)

[Hovis]

Hi, I've had this problem all day and I can confirm it is only me.

 

Flying on the 104th Phoenix server and I can start up fine, no problems. When I get the FARP I shut down to refuel, following correct shut down procedure. However when I go to startup once again my main generator voltage meter is reading between 9-12 volts. Nowhere near enough to start the engine. Pressing the engine start button will cause the meter to read 1-2V and I barely pass 3% N1. Will not go higher. Attempting this twice will cause everything to flicker, resetting the low rpm audio warning. Basically draining the entire chopper of power. Shutting down all radios, lights, transponder, altimeter and heaters give me another 1.5-2V but thats it

 

Worth mentioning 1/3 times the 1st attempt to restart showed 15-20V and I reach 9% N1 but no higher, fiddling with cyclic did not work.

 

Oh and I did everything in sync with a friend in same position, same FARP, different chopper (obviously) and he started no sweat.

 

Am I unlucky? Am I missing something?

Help

[Robert31178]

I would try setting an ICS button on your HOTAS ad calling the ground crew like that, you can get them to do anything except repair an A/C with it still running.

 

Also, you could go on ground power before you power down, I have gotten into the habit of doing that just about every time I hop in the Huey.

 

~S

[Kang]

This is usually only a problem in the cold. Check on the outer air temperature gauge and, as Robert pointed out, request ground power if necessary.

[trippylummox]

Yeah, I've had this happen on occasion. Usually only in the cold, but not always. Rare for me.

[Hovis]

Thanks for replies, so the cold is the culprit, There was snow around.

 

What gets me is I had pilot heat and engine de ice on while flying but my wingman had no issues whatsoever

[Robert31178]

Ooooh.....well in that case.....Pitot heat KILLS your batteries!!!

 

Yep, make sure to keep that and de-ice OFF unless running. De-ice is on the checklist for after start up for a reason!! My unit runs a lot on winter maps during the winter (real time weather it seems, I'm not tech) and as before I have made it a habit to go on ground power the second I get in the helicopter, and the second I touch down for anything extended. I've even been sitting in a field waiting for my CAS buddies to clear a path for me to recover a downed pilot and had my DC Gen light on the enunciator panel come on.

 

Kinda a similar topic question, but does it replicate the door gunners drawing power too? the mini's are electrically run, so in real life they would also be drawing power. not sure if the game simulates that, but if so it would be another draw on the system.

 

Best bet is just to get into the habit of going on ground power. I even do it when repairing since that takes a few minutes. I have had killed batteries from sitting for a repair and not dong anything but shutting down the fuel and throttle. (checklist, I know, but in this game I was young once, and retarded....)

 

~Rob

Edited March 22, 2017 by Robert31178

[Deezle]

You don't have to shut down to refuel.

[Chic]

I wonder why your friend next to you had no problem. Was he on GP??

[Jafferson]

INVTR switch-MAIN ON ?

[Robert31178]

INVTR isn't on prior to start up per checklist, it you turn it on after you're running. do you mean turn it off to not draw form the battery?

[Jafferson]

INVTR need to be on after engine run up and during the flight, or you drain the Battery empty.

[Robert31178]

From the checklist found in the TM 55-1520-210-10

 

8-21 Before Starting Engine, item 2.I.2: NVTR switch - OFF, followed in the next subsection by "Ground power unit - connect for GPU start"; there is nothing after this denoting anything special to be done if not using GPU, so on to......

 

8-22 Starting Engine, items 1-5 are starting the turbine through NI 68%-72%, followed by item 6: NVTR switch - MAIN ON, followed by a GPU disconnect and run up to operating RPM's.

 

Now granted, I'm no Huey pilot, but I can read a checklist just the same.

Edited March 29, 2017 by Robert31178

[Kang]

INVTR need to be on after engine run up and during the flight, or you drain the Battery empty.

How does that work? Without any inverter running all of the AC-powered instruments don't work, obviously, but I don't see how they should run on battery power instead. I can see what you said happening if you don't switch on the DC Generator, of course, but why the inverter?

[Jafferson]

Sorry if im wrong and correct me, i remamber this Problem wehn i started lerning the huey.

One time my inverter was off and after shutdown the Battery was empty. But may be the Problem is someting els?

 

 

I learned to make the startup like in the Manual discribed, and never had Battery Problems again.

The running System shold provide enough power to run the System with Battery switch off.

 

 

My be i forgot this as well...

C. STARTER-GENERATOR SWITCH The STARTER GEN switch is located on the DC POWER control panel. The START position permits the starter-generator to function as a starter. The STBY GEN position permits the starter-generator to function as a generator.

It would be nice if someone can explain in Detail how the electrical System charges the battery.

[Sandman1330]

It's the starter-generator that charges the battery. If it is left in starter mode after the start cycle is complete, your battery will not charge. All systems will run off the battery, even in flight.

 

Same if the generator fails / is damaged (not sure if DCS models this)

[Kang]

Interesting. Shouldn't both DC generators be charging the battery, though? The point of setting the 'Starter' to standby generator being that it'll take over if the main generator fails? That's at least how I understand Fig 6.2 in the manual.

[Sandman1330]

Yup, looking at the manual I think you're right.

 

I fly the twin Huey (well, the 412 - but essentially the same), and there is no standby gen. Just one starter/generator per engine, which provides the same redundancy. Forgot the single Huey had the standby.

[Jafferson]

Thank You Sir