Logic behind cabin lighting setting

[WebMaximus 372]

Does someone know what the logic is behind the cabin lighting setting when set to Auto?

 

Checking the doc it says having it set to Auto will result in the airplane's internal logic determines the brightness according to phase of flight, time of day etc but would like to know a little bit more exact.

 

Reason I ask is I've noticed that for instance when parked at my destination with a cold & dark a/c and during nighttime the cabin lighting remains ON which feels a bit odd to me when the a/c except for the cabin lighting is cold & dark.

[KriVa 307]

Cabin lights can be on when the aircraft is cold&dark, as long as the GPU is connected, there shouldn't be a problem.

[Daniel choen 23]

where is it located? the switch that you're talking on, i have never noticed that wierd.

[hopskip 253]

FMS I believe. It's for the cabin lighting.

[WebMaximus 372]

Cabin lights can be on when the aircraft is cold&dark, as long as the GPU is connected, there shouldn't be a problem.

 

You're so right, when I removed the GPU using the menu for ground connections in the FMC finally the cabin lighting went OFF. I thought it would be enough to disconnect the GPU on the overhead panel but appearently all it takes for the cabin lighting to remain ON is for the GPU to be available via the FMC menu.

 

Thanks for your help realizing this!

 

where is it located? the switch that you're talking on, i have never noticed that wierd.

 

Yes, as Trent already answered the setting for how the cabin lighting should be controlled is found in the FMC and more specific under the FS Actions menu where you can choose if you want to control it manually or have it set to 'Automatic' which I believe is it's default setting.

[Houghton11 12]

 

 

Reason I ask is I've noticed that for instance when parked at my destination with a cold & dark a/c and during nighttime the cabin lighting remains ON which feels a bit odd to me when the a/c except for the cabin lighting is cold & dark.

 

It's the groomers cleanin'

[WebMaximus 372]

Yeah, guess you're right :smile:

[rsvit 16]

Have you switched off emergency exit lights?

[WebMaximus 372]

Yes I have. What caused them to remain ON was having the GPU connected via the FMC menu.

[KriVa 307]

To elaborate on WHY this happens:

In the cabin (front attendant panel), there is a switch called "GND SERVICE". During the powerdown, when the pilots disconnect the GPU from the BUS, somebody in the cabin can hold this switch, which makes sure the cockpit and everything else is powered down, but the lights in the cabin remain operable. If this switch is then pushed again, the lights will go out.

Mind you, this will NOT work when the GPU is physically disconnected from the airplane, only when it's disconnected from the bus.

[WebMaximus 372]

Thanks, that's great fun to know!

[EdubFlyer 2]

Not to steer off topic but I also noticed that when the GPU is connected and you have the knob on the electrical panel set to BAT there is no indication of negative amps until you disconnect external power.

[WebMaximus 372]

It's really great with all these details in the NGX! I remember PMDG said prior to release that we would find new small things long after getting the aircraft and they were so right!

 

One other thing I noticed recently was how the noise from the ground equipment connected to the aircraft varies depending on if you have the door open or closed :smile:

 

[KriVa 307]

Not to steer off topic but I also noticed that when the GPU is connected and you have the knob on the electrical panel set to BAT there is no indication of negative amps until you disconnect external power.

Seems normal to me. As long as you leave the GPU connected, the plane will try to minimize battery usage.