Engine cutouts

[oboe]

My Suncom dual throttle has spikes and dropouts when I move the handle through its motion - I can see this on the calibration routine - the bar graph disappears for an instant and then reappears as I continue advancing the throttle.

Guess what? My engine wave file cuts out momentarily as I advance the throttle.  It makes the engine sound like one desparately in need of an overhaul.

Maybe this would be an effective way to give audible feedback to the pilot about oil or engine damage?  Just code random cutouts in the playback of the engine wave file.

It's the first hardware problem I've ever had that actually adds to my immersion.  I find myself cursing my imaginary ground crew, rather than the makers of my throttle (may Suncom R.I.P.).

[Steven]

I get that same thing, but with a CH stick.  80% of the time things work fine, but every so often something bad is occuring.  And it does sound exactly like the engine is missing or something.  At other times, my view will stick looking 6-o'clock or I'll get stuck in a certain bank/direction for a second or two.  I kinda think it makes for even greater interesting flying having to deal with that stuff.  Especially in a dogfight...WEP cuts out...hit it again... it cuts out again...hit it again...throttle went out, keep turning but slide throttle back and forth until it catches and at 100% again.  LOL

[devious]

Had the problem of cutting out of WEP, too, caused by my Saitek throttle's wobbly output. So when I calibrate my throttle, I move it only from 0 to about 80% of it's movement range. That way, when I give full throttle in-game, it's output will always be right on top of the chart - no more punching WEP again and again.

[Turbot]

Originally posted by oboe
My Suncom dual throttle has spikes and dropouts when I move the handle through its motion - I can see this on the calibration routine - the bar graph disappears for an instant and then reappears as I continue advancing the throttle.

Guess what? My engine wave file cuts out momentarily as I advance the throttle.  It makes the engine sound like one desparately in need of an overhaul.

Maybe this would be an effective way to give audible feedback to the pilot about oil or engine damage?  Just code random cutouts in the playback of the engine wave file.

It's the first hardware problem I've ever had that actually adds to my immersion.  I find myself cursing my imaginary ground crew, rather than the makers of my throttle (may Suncom R.I.P.).

Your pots (potentiometers) are in need of replacement.  You are going to have to hunt down the part.  I am about to do the same myself - perhaps upgrade to higher quality pots.   If my soldering iron exploit goes well I will try to remeber to post.

Question  I bet it is mostly just the left throttle right?   BTW you do know you can configure that for dual throttles with AH?

[oboe]

Yep, the dual throttles are very fun.

Neither of axes in the throttle seem to work real well, but the Z-axis seems the worst.

I heard SUNCOM pots were unreplaceable though?   Mine didn't last more than a couple months of average flying...

[Turbot]

I was able to repair my existing pots.  You have to be very careful not to break anything, but you can get to them pretty easy once you get it apart.  The pots are actually pretty strudy but they get loose, and I think the grease they used didnt help much.   I recrimped mine and re lubricated them - works better than when I first got it now.

[Tac]

I opened my suncom dual throttle (love it) when it began spiking.. saw a lot of little electronic cards.. unscrewed them, took them out, dusted them.. didnt know what else to do, im a total klutz when it comes to mechanical stuff.

[oboe]

This is getting to be more of a hardware thread, but I have solved my spiking problem (probably temporarily) - just by disconnecting the joystick to USB converter, hooking it up without the converter (worked terribly and didn't recognize the throttle had 2 axes).   When I hooked it back up with the USB converter, everything was fine and stable.

Been OK for a few days now...

[Turbot]

Originally posted by Tac
I opened my suncom dual throttle (love it) when it began spiking.. saw a lot of little electronic cards.. unscrewed them, took them out, dusted them.. didnt know what else to do, im a total klutz when it comes to mechanical stuff.

The potentiometers are of a slider design.  They are installed adjacent (i think just below) the large bolt that holds the throttle levers together and provides the tension adjustment.  There is one for each lever

The pots are shiney 1.5 inch long metalic retangular boxs with two wires going to each thru a brown non-conductive bottom cover.  Installed all you can see is the brown bottom of the pot  held in with black plastic  hooks that are molded into each throttle lever itself.  You have to spread the hooks apart carefully while pulling the pot out with needle-nosed plyers or something similar.  

Then you can work on the pot.

[Tac]

*blink*

huh?

Man I gotta post a pic of the stick so you tell me what's what hehe.

in the meantime, what do you mean by "working on the pots"?

I cant think of anything I can do to that thing other than brush the dust away.. its all either an electronic card or its fused to the joystick casing.