Mining Unit is MIA

[maddog59]

I dropped a mining unit on Minmus and set it running to pull ore out prior to running the converter. It was bouncing around a bit but seemed fairly stable, but when I returned a few game days later it was gone. No debris, nothing ... just the fuel rover I had parked nearby. Has anyone seen a similar occurance, or have an explanation as why it might have self-destructed (if indeed that's what happend)? Here's a picture of a similar unit - I'm planning to put this one down on Duna, hence the 'chutes, but otherwise it's pretty much the same. 

    

[18Watt]

I have had ISRU vehicles explode on Minmus when they should not have.  I don’t think being on Minmus is the common factor, but I could be wrong.  

In my case, I had an ISRU rover, with drill and converter, and more than adequate cooling.  The rover blew up while I was focused on a nearby vessel.  After loading some quick saves, I think I figured out what was going on.

Normally, once drilling or converting is complete (ore tanks are full or empty..), the drill or converter shuts down.  Then, the radiators continue to cool the vessel, if needed.

For some unknown reason, when I was focused on a nearby vessel, something different happened.  When drilling or converting was complete, the drill continued to generate heat, but the radiators stopped cooling.   Eventually the ship (rover) exploded due to overheating.

Not sure if this is what happened to you, but the fact that you said you had another vessel parked nearby sounded very familiar.

This is not normal or expected behavior, but I’ve seen it happen multiple times.  As a workaround, I now am very careful about operating other vessels in the vicinity of a vessel with ISRU equipment.  While I am doing that, I make sure that the vessel with ISRU has its equipment shut down, and is stable in temperature.

[swjr-swis]

2 hours ago, maddog59 said:

I dropped a mining unit on Minmus and set it running to pull ore out prior to running the converter. It was bouncing around a bit but seemed fairly stable, but when I returned a few game days later it was gone.

It's the vibrations, you see. It's frozen icecream (mint!) after all, a suspension. The vibration liquefies the surface and the miner gets swallowed whole. After it sinks, the still surface refreezes and regains its normal structure, and it's like nothing was ever there...

More seriously: surface structures have long had a tendency to randomly disappear. There's a ground anchor in 1.12.2 now, which might help prevent that. In EVA construction mode, place one with a docking port, and try to maneuver/land your miner with its own docking port on top.

[maddog59]

Thanks for the quick responses. In my case, I wasn't anywhere near the mining unit or the associated rover in the interval between leaving it operating and when I came back to get it converting the ore to fuel. I was on and around Kerbin, preparing a fleet of vehicles to go to Duna. Maybe three or four game days. 

I'll check out the ground anchor ... hadn't heard of it before, but sounds interesting. 

Much obliged!

[Serenity]

8 hours ago, maddog59 said:

Thanks for the quick responses. In my case, I wasn't anywhere near the mining unit or the associated rover in the interval between leaving it operating and when I came back to get it converting the ore to fuel. I was on and around Kerbin, preparing a fleet of vehicles to go to Duna. Maybe three or four game days. 

I'll check out the ground anchor ... hadn't heard of it before, but sounds interesting. 

Much obliged!

If you place the drills higher so only the very end goes underground it will prevent/reduce the bouncing effect, it might feel a bit unrealistic but Kerbal drills have that kerbal magic.

Edited August 9, 2021 by Serenity