Narrative:

During taxi out we received a level one alert indicating the AC tie #1 off. A no takeoff alert. We stopped the airplane on the ramp and called the maintenance coordinator. He asked us to put the electrical system in manual and turn off the #1 generator. We complied as directed. The #1 bus paralleled to #2 and #3 generators. He then asked us to turn the generator back on. We did. We were then asked to go back to automatic on the electrical system. We did and the alert returned. The maintenance coordinator then stated we could dispatch with the #1 generator off. We then directed to return the system to manual and turn off the #1 generator. That was accomplished and with the absence of any alerts we were told we were 'good to go' and issued a deferred maintenance control number. However the maintenance coordinator did not finish reading to us all the information contained in the deferred maintenance and the airplane was dispatched with the #1 generator off and it should have been disconnected. At the time we assumed that the AC tie bus 'problem' was finished and the aircraft was being dispatched with the #1 generator off. We assumed dispatch was aware of this because of the issuance of the deferred maintenance control number and the maintenance coordinator's initials. We then made a normal takeoff on our way to our destination. Sometime later into the flight we received an ACARS message to 'return to the gate and have maintenance disconnect the generator idg (integrated drive) and confirm disconnect,' or words to that effect. I initiated a call to maintenance via VHF to inform them we had departed and confirm they wanted the idg disconnected. I was instructed to disconnect the idg. We pushed the idg disconnect switch but did not receive proper confirmation of disconnect and advised maintenance of that fact. I told maintenance that the generator was still indicating 402 cycles and 0 volts. Confirming no disconnect. I asked if we should return to our point of takeoff but was told that 'it's a new generator,' it had just been installed and we should continue to destination.' the other pilot and I discussed the situation and concurred with the flight continuing to destination. We also discussed the location of the several suitable divert airports along our intended route of flight if we had any further electrical problems. The remainder of the flight was normal and we assured the appropriate logbook entries were made at the conclusion of our flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 CREW WAS GIVEN INCORRECT MEL DEFERRAL INFO BY THE ACR MAINT CTLR IN TAXI OUT.

Narrative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

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.