At what efficiency do you run your thrusters?

[Dreepa]

Just curious here.
But what is your prefered effeciency for thrusters?

What's your compromise between speed and efficiency.

[Serendipitous]

On my latest ships i aim for max speed. But overall it's more like "what can i fit here", rather than specific thruster efficiency.

[argrond]

I dunno, I didn't really calculated it to be of any particular efficiency.
If you are asking about fueling, I have mine at 9/10 full when flying, which may be considered as 90% efficiency I guess? Gives me more than enough thrusting power to fly fast.

[Serendipitous]

Originally posted by argrond:

I dunno, I didn't really calculated it to be of any particular efficiency.
If you are asking about fueling, I have mine at 9/10 full when flying, which may be considered as 90% efficiency I guess? Gives me more than enough thrusting power to fly fast.

They are more efficient the less fuel they have, meaning that they have less speed but they also consume less fuel per same amount of thrust generated.

[Serendipitous]

I guess sweetest spot would be 75% fuel reserve in thrusters. Aiming somewhere between 50 and 75 would be a goal if you want to maximize that.

[oyssoyss]

the most easy way is just to stop pump when you reach around max speed. only two wire can do the work.

[knighttemplar1960]

Except for my platforms that moves science packs from Gleba to Nauvis I don't really worry about it. The platform will sit for awhile at the destination while it loads and unloads. I figure worrying about efficiency except where it has to be efficient is like racing to an intersection so you can sit longer at the red light.

[Fletch]

Originally posted by knighttemplar1960:

Except for my platforms that moves science packs from Gleba to Nauvis I don't really worry about it. The platform will sit for awhile at the destination while it loads and unloads. I figure worrying about efficiency except where it has to be efficient is like racing to an intersection so you can sit longer at the red light.

I'm of the same mindset. As long as my single tanks of fluid have > 3k, I let them go (they will reduce thrust over halfway to destination if they leave with that bare minimum onboard).
Logistics typically have the tanks already full by the time the platform needs to fly again -- so they are 100% thrust the entire trip to pick up stuff -- then fly slower on the return trip to Nauvis where they spend most of their time orbiting (slowly unloading).

Good tip on the Gleba science runs to reduce the transport times to absolute minimums -- those shuttles need extra fluid production so they are always running at max thrust (lest the goods spoil).

[Schobbob]

full speed ahead lol

[Evilsod]

I never even considered trying to control the amount of thrust. I just let it roar, but then I've also not done a great deal of interplanetary travel yet.
Is that an option on the thrusters or something you have to control via circuits to shut them off?

[Fletch]

Originally posted by Evilsod:

I never even considered trying to control the amount of thrust. I just let it roar, but then I've also not done a great deal of interplanetary travel yet.
Is that an option on the thrusters or something you have to control via circuits to shut them off?

You'll need circuits controlling pumps between tanks & thrusters. If your fluid production/buffer storage isn't up to par, the platform will fly much slower (but much more efficiently) if there isn't enough fluid buffer stored up before you start the trip.

[Serendipitous]

Originally posted by Evilsod:

I never even considered trying to control the amount of thrust. I just let it roar, but then I've also not done a great deal of interplanetary travel yet.
Is that an option on the thrusters or something you have to control via circuits to shut them off?

No thrusters can't connect to circuit network. Just plain can't.

I just control them with how much i produce in the moment and not use tanks for fuel storage (except for early ships). Then it's much easier to figure out how much of what you need.

[Serendipitous]

Originally posted by Fletch:

You'll need circuits controlling pumps between tanks & thrusters.

Wouldn't help with the case where you need to control efficiency of the thrusters. Because in all cases where thrusters are less than full tanks would be empty.

[Dreepa]

Originally posted by Serendipitous:

Originally posted by Fletch:

You'll need circuits controlling pumps between tanks & thrusters.

Wouldn't help with the case where you need to control efficiency of the thrusters. Because in all cases where thrusters are less than full tanks would be empty.

Use pumps to stop flow, and turn on again with logic.
on off on off on off etc.
So only a bit can flow through

[Serendipitous]

Originally posted by Dreepa:

Originally posted by Serendipitous:

Wouldn't help with the case where you need to control efficiency of the thrusters. Because in all cases where thrusters are less than full tanks would be empty.

Use pumps to stop flow, and turn on again with logic.
on off on off on off etc.
So only a bit can flow through

That is harder to calculate than simply from your chemplants output. Just use enough beacons with your plants to achieve how much you need to produce. Well, at least that's how i made it.

[knighttemplar1960]

Originally posted by Fletch:

Originally posted by knighttemplar1960:

Except for my platforms that moves science packs from Gleba to Nauvis I don't really worry about it. The platform will sit for awhile at the destination while it loads and unloads. I figure worrying about efficiency except where it has to be efficient is like racing to an intersection so you can sit longer at the red light.

I'm of the same mindset. As long as my single tanks of fluid have > 3k, I let them go (they will reduce thrust over halfway to destination if they leave with that bare minimum onboard).
Logistics typically have the tanks already full by the time the platform needs to fly again -- so they are 100% thrust the entire trip to pick up stuff -- then fly slower on the return trip to Nauvis where they spend most of their time orbiting (slowly unloading).

Good tip on the Gleba science runs to reduce the transport times to absolute minimums -- those shuttles need extra fluid production so they are always running at max thrust (lest the goods spoil).

On my very first platform I calculated the amount of fuel and oxidizer used and made having at least the amount used in storage as one of the conditions to make the next trip.