Modular Engine Generator Testbed
Use the Control Handle for Throttle and Clutch. Press 2 and 3 to engage them.
Start-up:
(A) Set Throttle and Clutch
(B) Set Target Stoic
( use 0.2 for efficiency in most cases, assumes 0.18 if Keypad = 0, range 0.01 to 0.6)
(C) Flip Engine Power switch
(D) Enable Radiators and Press Engine Start button (toggle, same button for Shutoff)
(E) Gearing with keys 4 and 5, 6 for 2 medium generators.
[b]Note to the Tinkerers:[/b] I'm not irrationally proud of the gearing or power output yet, feel free to make suggestions about improvements below. What I am happy with is a choice to try 3 cylinders first before moving up to 4, which made this prototype possible. I didn't bother working on any LUA engine displays until then.
An Instrument Panel to the left of the Fuel Gauge controls transfer of fuel from the Main tank to an Engine Feed tank.
Flip the bottom switch to open an air valve on the Feed Tank. The Toggle Button on the far left activates a pump to continue removing air when / if the Valve is closed (if Open, it'll be drawing some air from the atmosphere).
Flip the Automatic Refueling switch to change the Estimated Time. Estimates for Run Time are more accurate when the ECU MC settles on a value. Automatic mode will [b]only[/b] activate the Tank Air Pump if the Air Valve is Closed and the Tank pressure is above a certain value.
ZE Modular Engine Controller used, two small modifications made.
The Engine Video Monitor is using a modified MC I found here on the Workshop, getting Composite info for the engine and throttle from ZE Modular Engine MC. WIP on the LUA code by me and Google searches. Original MC: [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2641554528]https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2641554528[/url]
Throttle Setting is the moving vertical line on the Monitor near the RPS readout. Target Stoic is the moving red line in the bottom left corner.
[b]To Do[/b]
- Very basic Temperature Graph to show heating trend over time
- Larger loads ie. Batteries and Motors, probably on separate semi-autonomous "Drive" units suitable for different terrains.
- Code improvements on what's already there. I've been Lazy As Falk as in Slack with respect to things like FOR loops.
- Basic connections for external things: electric / fuel / other. The Feed Fuel Tank could probably have a selector switch for fuel tank, and a cross-feed system for the Main tank.
- Before I started this build, I was already developing a related type of control interface involving a moving Seat that has a selector system for relative position along with Helm control (if necessary), ie. Engineering Station. This would be a Subsystem for that other interface since all this Control Handle is currently doing is WASD + # 1-6, and [b]anything[/b] I can miniaturise to a Video monitor is a Good Thing.
