Narrative:

We pushed back and started the engines. I ran the after start flow and the air driven generator (air driven generator) unit test did not test. The air driven generator deploys if all the other AC generators are inoperative. There is a toggle switch, on the air driven generator automatic deploy panel, that when pushed forward tests the small light bulb. When pushed aft it checks the xfer relays and controller logic. The bulb tested operational (it lit up), and the unit test did not light the bulb. There is no checklist for this test failing to light the bulb. The plane was very hot and there were complaints from the passenger about the heat by that time. I decided to taxi and rerun the air driven generator unit test again. This allowed some power to the engines and better cooling to the cabin while I evaluated my situation. I decided to fly the plane to ZZZ1 and on arrival there I asked maintenance to look at the air driven generator automatic deploy panel (where the air driven generator unit test switch is located). They had little knowledge of this switch and had no information about how the test worked or what it actually tested. I corrected 1 mechanic who said that the test was testing the squib that fires to release the air driven generator into the slipstream. They didn't have another panel in stock, so I suggested they 're-rack' the unit. Essentially they removed the panel, cleaned the plug, and reinstalled it. This fixed the problem and they said most likely the plug had been polluted by a soft drink being spilled. This was a very unusual situation. There is no guidance for a unit test failing anywhere including with maintenance personnel in ZZZ1. For any single chime amber caution with EICAS message displayed there is a QRH checklist. We looked for any guidance in the QRH and the poh for this particular discrepancy and again there is none. I then looked in the MEL and there is not anything relating to the air driven generator unit test. Once we push back for departure, we are essentially 'in-flight' and policy states we run the appropriate checklist and continue the flight, even if we are on the ground. Since there is no checklist or other guidance and we had both generators on line I decided to continue the flight to ZZZ1, in order to expedite the flight, and contact maintenance there as outlined above.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CANADAIR CL600 WAS OPERATED IN NON COMPLIANCE WHEN THE EMER AC PWR GENERATOR SYS UNIT TEST FAILED DURING PRE-START AND TAXI.

Narrative: WE PUSHED BACK AND STARTED THE ENGS. I RAN THE AFTER START FLOW AND THE ADG (AIR DRIVEN GENERATOR) UNIT TEST DID NOT TEST. THE ADG DEPLOYS IF ALL THE OTHER AC GENERATORS ARE INOP. THERE IS A TOGGLE SWITCH, ON THE ADG AUTO DEPLOY PANEL, THAT WHEN PUSHED FORWARD TESTS THE SMALL LIGHT BULB. WHEN PUSHED AFT IT CHKS THE XFER RELAYS AND CTLR LOGIC. THE BULB TESTED OPERATIONAL (IT LIT UP), AND THE UNIT TEST DID NOT LIGHT THE BULB. THERE IS NO CHKLIST FOR THIS TEST FAILING TO LIGHT THE BULB. THE PLANE WAS VERY HOT AND THERE WERE COMPLAINTS FROM THE PAX ABOUT THE HEAT BY THAT TIME. I DECIDED TO TAXI AND RERUN THE ADG UNIT TEST AGAIN. THIS ALLOWED SOME PWR TO THE ENGS AND BETTER COOLING TO THE CABIN WHILE I EVALUATED MY SIT. I DECIDED TO FLY THE PLANE TO ZZZ1 AND ON ARR THERE I ASKED MAINT TO LOOK AT THE ADG AUTO DEPLOY PANEL (WHERE THE ADG UNIT TEST SWITCH IS LOCATED). THEY HAD LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS SWITCH AND HAD NO INFO ABOUT HOW THE TEST WORKED OR WHAT IT ACTUALLY TESTED. I CORRECTED 1 MECH WHO SAID THAT THE TEST WAS TESTING THE SQUIB THAT FIRES TO RELEASE THE ADG INTO THE SLIPSTREAM. THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANOTHER PANEL IN STOCK, SO I SUGGESTED THEY 'RE-RACK' THE UNIT. ESSENTIALLY THEY REMOVED THE PANEL, CLEANED THE PLUG, AND REINSTALLED IT. THIS FIXED THE PROB AND THEY SAID MOST LIKELY THE PLUG HAD BEEN POLLUTED BY A SOFT DRINK BEING SPILLED. THIS WAS A VERY UNUSUAL SIT. THERE IS NO GUIDANCE FOR A UNIT TEST FAILING ANYWHERE INCLUDING WITH MAINT PERSONNEL IN ZZZ1. FOR ANY SINGLE CHIME AMBER CAUTION WITH EICAS MESSAGE DISPLAYED THERE IS A QRH CHKLIST. WE LOOKED FOR ANY GUIDANCE IN THE QRH AND THE POH FOR THIS PARTICULAR DISCREPANCY AND AGAIN THERE IS NONE. I THEN LOOKED IN THE MEL AND THERE IS NOT ANYTHING RELATING TO THE ADG UNIT TEST. ONCE WE PUSH BACK FOR DEP, WE ARE ESSENTIALLY 'INFLT' AND POLICY STATES WE RUN THE APPROPRIATE CHKLIST AND CONTINUE THE FLT, EVEN IF WE ARE ON THE GND. SINCE THERE IS NO CHKLIST OR OTHER GUIDANCE AND WE HAD BOTH GENERATORS ON LINE I DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE FLT TO ZZZ1, IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE THE FLT, AND CONTACT MAINT THERE AS OUTLINED ABOVE.

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.