Using a key + removing ECU still causes meltdown?

[[TH]-ShockBlade]

I've seen so many people on youtube simply disabling the ECU and then the fuel pipes with the key, then removing the reactor safely, but 'every' time I try, as soon as I disable one, the other will set off the reactor meltdown timer when I disable it.

ECU -> Key = Meltdown begins
Key ->ECU = Meltdown begins.

NO matter what I do, its always the same, and yet I see clips of people doing it without any trouble all the time, even with the latest update.

I am doing the very hard ships.. is it just a 'feature' that you're f*cked no matter what or am I doing something wrong?

[Iron Vilkas]

Those videos are likely from before the first patch. Emptying coolant will now always trigger a meltdown. It is the last step you should take before pulling the core to the barge. Apparently this is the way that the devs intended the process. If you want a more up to date process, look for YT videos that are less than a week old.

[Mazian]

Yes

The 'proper removal order' is:

Edit, inserted a new Step 1 to add clarity

1. Strip exterior of ship and front of ship to permit you to pull the ECU and Reactor forward (away from the rear ship casing). Do this by clearing everything forward of the Reactor and ECU, then tether the ECU and Reactor to the hab-jack. As long as the ECU and Reactor portion of the ship is disconnected from the rear of the ship, it will pull forward and expose the Reactor for careful deconstruction.

2. Use a key, or all three fuel vent levers on the engines (in quick succession)-- remove fuel from fuel pipes

3. Deconstruct everything around the reactor so that you can easily disassemble it (Do NOT do ECU next.)

4. After you have removed the reactor (it will start to meltdown only after the last reactor shield panel is removed, or if the top/bottom of the reactor casing becomes disconnected) and tethered it to the barge THEN AND ONLY THEN go after the ECU internal components

5. After the ECU internal components are removed, then disconnect ECU from wall (Stinger preferred for safety), then remove and tether ECU to barge.

[Mazian]

Edit, inserted a new Step 1 to add clarity in previous post. Please refresh.

[Mazian]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2152619626
(Uploaded, SD version processed, HD version processing at time of posting this link)

[Enorats]

Originally posted by Mazian:

Yes

The 'proper removal order' is:

Edit, inserted a new Step 1 to add clarity

1. Strip exterior of ship and front of ship to permit you to pull the ECU and Reactor forward (away from the rear ship casing). Do this by clearing everything forward of the Reactor and ECU, then tether the ECU and Reactor to the hab-jack. As long as the ECU and Reactor portion of the ship is disconnected from the rear of the ship, it will pull forward and expose the Reactor for careful deconstruction.

2. Use a key, or all three fuel vent levers on the engines (in quick succession)-- remove fuel from fuel pipes

3. Deconstruct everything around the reactor so that you can easily disassemble it (Do NOT do ECU next.)

4. After you have removed the reactor (it will start to meltdown only after the last reactor shield panel is removed, or if the top/bottom of the reactor casing becomes disconnected) and tethered it to the barge THEN AND ONLY THEN go after the ECU internal components

5. After the ECU internal components are removed, then disconnect ECU from wall (Stinger preferred for safety), then remove and tether ECU to barge.

It sounds to me like you're salvaging the entire front 3/4 of the ship before getting to the reactor, and then you're taking the entire reactor cage apart.. and the reactor casing, before finally pulling the reactor itself forward and then down to the barge.

That's not really the best way to do that.

Go into the ship's crawlspace. Pop off the nacelles, then go out and pop off the thruster caps. Go back in, and disintegrate the purple block things between the fuel valve levers and the thrusters. The vent levers can fail, this way removes that risk. Remove the thrusters. Disintegrate the fuel pipes under the reactor. Cut the keel free for the entire rear-central portion of the ship, then tether that to the wall of the shipyard behind the ship.

You now have the rear end of the ship removed, and the reactor is held in place only by the coolant pipe. Go inside, remove the coolant from the ECU, then quickly disintegrate the coolant pipe under the reactor. Pull the whole thing out through the bottom, and right to the barge below (which it'll already be headed towards anyway). No need to take the reactor apart, or the cage that held it.

You may be able to simply cut the things I specified disintegration for, but I've not tried that way yet. I was told that cutting could cause disaster.. so, yeah. Might go boom?

[Procrastinating Gamer]

Originally posted by Enorats:

Go back in, and disintegrate the purple block things between the fuel valve levers and the thrusters. The vent levers can fail, this way removes that risk.

I would probably proceed assuming that disintegrating those pieces causes a fuel explosion and the lack thereof at the moment is a bug. I mean if we get in the habit of melting them out then we'll have a harder time adjusting when the laser sets them off like a box of fireworks.

[Peacemonger]

I'm confused now. Taking out ECU first works just fine for me.

My usual order is:
1. Open ECU
2.Strip hull
3.Clear middle
4. Cut reactor free
5.Pull reactor with thrusters attached forward.

Now I detach the thrusters and only when the third thruster is detached will the reactor start to melt down. Now I just need to pull it straight down, easypeasy. Has not failed once so far.

[Procrastinating Gamer]

Originally posted by Pari Passu:

I'm confused now. Taking out ECU first works just fine for me.

My usual order is:
1. Open ECU
2.Strip hull
3.Clear middle
4. Cut reactor free
5.Pull reactor with thrusters attached forward.

Now I detach the thrusters and only when the third thruster is detached will the reactor start to melt down. Now I just need to pull it straight down, easypeasy. Has not failed once so far.

I think what triggers the meltdown now is when both lines to the reactor - the fuel and coolant lines - are cleared. Disable the ECU but leave the fuel lines full and it won't meltdown, likewise if you clear the fuel lines but leave the ECU connected and running.

[Smidge204]

Originally posted by Shadow88:

I think what triggers the meltdown now is when both lines to the reactor - the fuel and coolant lines - are cleared. Disable the ECU but leave the fuel lines full and it won't meltdown, likewise if you clear the fuel lines but leave the ECU connected and running.

This is confirmed to be a bug; Reactor meltdown is supposed to trigger ONLY on loss of coolant, regardless of fuel state.

Originally posted by Enorats:

That's not really the best way to do that.

The best way is the way that's fun or convenient for the player.

That said, I usually do it Mazian's way; though the cockpit assembly can be left alone for later. The only thing holding the reactor in place on the cargo Gecko is the coolant and fuel pipes; once the walkway is cut or removed, and the outer hull is compromised or removed, the whole ship can be slid apart with the reactor attached to the front half and the airlocks/reactor cage etc to the rear half. It's really not a huge deal and if you wanted to you can get the reactor out within one shift. I don't see the need to rush like that, but you can do it.

Also as was mentioned already, your method has a very high risk of explosion... just use the utility key to drain the fuel.

[Enorats]

Originally posted by Smidge204:

Originally posted by Shadow88:

I think what triggers the meltdown now is when both lines to the reactor - the fuel and coolant lines - are cleared. Disable the ECU but leave the fuel lines full and it won't meltdown, likewise if you clear the fuel lines but leave the ECU connected and running.

This is confirmed to be a bug; Reactor meltdown is supposed to trigger ONLY on loss of coolant, regardless of fuel state.

Originally posted by Enorats:

That's not really the best way to do that.

The best way is the way that's fun or convenient for the player.

That said, I usually do it Mazian's way; though the cockpit assembly can be left alone for later. The only thing holding the reactor in place on the cargo Gecko is the coolant and fuel pipes; once the walkway is cut or removed, and the outer hull is compromised or removed, the whole ship can be slid apart with the reactor attached to the front half and the airlocks/reactor cage etc to the rear half. It's really not a huge deal and if you wanted to you can get the reactor out within one shift. I don't see the need to rush like that, but you can do it.

Also as was mentioned already, your method has a very high risk of explosion... just use the utility key to drain the fuel.

There's absolutely no risk of explosion, unless that's somehow a bug. Cutting the fuel lines when filled with fuel blows them up, but whatever that doodad is that's connecting the fuel lines to the thrusters can be removed safely, which not only releases the thrusters but also clears the fuel from the fuel lines.

[Smidge204]

Originally posted by Enorats:

There's absolutely no risk of explosion, unless that's somehow a bug.

That certainly does not sound like intended behavior, and I agree that damaging those components before flushing the fuel will, in some future update, result in hilarity.

(FYI It's also slower than just using the key, so I don't see the point anyway.)

[[TH]-ShockBlade]

Thanks for the help and replies everyone, but after trying everything suggested here, I'm still having the same problem.

No matter what order I do it in, as soon as I pull the last coolant piece from the ECU, the reactor starts to melt down, regardless of if the ship mostly dismantled or its the first thing I do, so I guess it's just bugged.

No worries, the game is still awesome, and its in early access. I can just leave the ECU for last for now and go about my ship breaking duties as normal.

[Smidge204]

Originally posted by TH-ShockBlade:

as soon as I pull the last coolant piece from the ECU, the reactor starts to melt down

According to the devs, This is 100% the intended behavior.

The bug is that the reactor doesn't start melting down unless the fuel is also drained.

[[TH]-ShockBlade]

Originally posted by Smidge204:

Originally posted by TH-ShockBlade:

as soon as I pull the last coolant piece from the ECU, the reactor starts to melt down

According to the devs, This is 100% the intended behavior.

The bug is that the reactor doesn't start melting down unless the fuel is also drained.

Ah ok, now my intended plan to leave the ECU for last is.. still what i'm going to do from now on.

Thanks for the clarification.

[Tribersman_FR]

I remember the reactor having a lot more hitpoint if disengaged in a certain way, can someone tell me how to have the longest lifetime for it?