Is there a formula for calculating optimal ballast tank size, and a circuit to better control the pumps?

[Buggy Boy]

Also, something to work out the optimal maximum flow rate of the pumps for the desired maximum vertical speed related to the ballast size. Trial and error is all well and good but such calculations will exist for real world subs, do they necessarily apply in this game?

I'm currently having a stability problem with a custom sub whereby the pumps will pump too fast resulting in the sub yo-yo-ing up and down when it should be coming to a gentle vertical stop as the vanilla subs do.

[Buggy Boy]

I fixed the yo-yo-ing at least, I just followed the advice in the official sub building guide and made my ballast so that with both tanks selected (hold CTRL and click both tanks) the optimal ballast level is as close to 0.5 as possible. I think even with compensation set in the Nav terminal anything far away from 0.5 causes problems for diving or rising the sub. Once I corrected the ballast size to be optimal the yo-yo-ing stopped (it settles when on auto / maintain position within a few seconds), One thing to keep in mind that while adjusting the size of the hulls it's important to make sure all of the hulls are the size that you want them, including the dry rooms which may be next to the ballast, I made sure the hulls had zero gap between them, so the hull outlines actually occupied the same pixel space, not just next to one another (hold SHIFT for fine control).

As for the calculations, still would be interesting to know and if there's a better ballast controller available, one that will operate faster and smarter than the default in the Nav terminal. I did find one but it looked horrendously complex and people reported peculiarities with it, possibly broken by game updates or relies on minutely accurate ballast sizing.

[dado]

Just make hulls visible, ctrl+click the ballasts, and read the values for the optimal level at the top left

[Buggy Boy]

Originally posted by dado:

Just make hulls visible, ctrl+click the ballasts, and read the values for the optimal level at the top left

I know about that, that's how I got them to near as dammit 0.5.

[shrekstyle]

Even if it is close to .5000 you still need to input the exact neutral level into the nav terminal.

It is default to 0.5000.
Having a ballast at .5000 just makes the up and down max speed more even.

You can have a ballast tank neutral level of 0.6000 and input it into the nav terminal and it will operate normally just has higher max upward speed than down.

Likewise a ballast tank neutral level of 0.4000 and input that into the nav terminal, will have a higher max down speed than up.

edit:
Also having someone on the helm will effect the time it takes to reach the maintain position position.
More visible when you flood an airlock while holding position without someone on the helm. (the sub will drop, then rise back to position faster with someone on the helm)