OX-4x solar panels won´t retract

[rudi1291]

The OX-4x solar panels (2x3 and 1x6) dont show the the option to retract. The shielded versions and the Gigantor work, i think this is a bug

Edit: Tried assigning them to an actiongroup. They show the option there, but wont do it

Edited May 4, 2015 by rudi1291

[Capt. Hunt]

not a bug. that's how they're supposed to work now. The fact that we still have action group commands for them is a bug.

[RexKramer]

This is not a bug, but rather intended behavior. The non-shielded solar panels are now not retractable, which is noted on their description in the VAB/SPH. This is probably to further differentiate them from the shielded solar panels, which cost more and weigh a little more.

The button to command panel retraction should probably be removed from the pop up menu as well as the action group menu, and I would imagine that will occur in a future update.

[rudi1291]

If this is intended, its weird. Why can the shielded version be retracted, but the unshielded version can´t retract? Anyway, thanks for the info

[impyre]

As said before, it's simply to distinguish them from a game design perspective. If you want to logic it into submission, you could reason that the un-shielded panels were never designed to reenter... and thus have no need of being retracted. Or perhaps you could reason that in order to save weight and cost on the un-shielded panels... in addition to ditching the case... they also only provided hardware to extend (simpler mechanical design if it only goes one way... unfolding is much easier than folding) thus saving weight and cost.

[Renegrade]

If this is intended, its weird. Why can the shielded version be retracted, but the unshielded version can´t retract? Anyway, thanks for the info

This was a design inspired by stupid_chris' stock rebalance (although I believe the actual non-retractable bit came from one of the contributors in the thread to be exact).

Basically, with the stats assigned to the panels, there's otherwise no point to using the shielded variety as they have the same ec/s rating, but they are heavier and more costly as was noted above. So, an efficient design would NEVER use the shielded panels. The logic that was followed was probably something along the lines of "well, the panels are the same size and material, so changing the ec/s wouldn't make sense". It's not a terrible concept. It is possible to make certain mechanical designs lighter by making them one-way only. With this design, just use the shielded panels for long term installations that may want to extend/retract (stations, long term manned tugs that might dock), and the unshielded ones for one shot deals (things that get staged away and destroyed, permanent satellites that will never need to retract 'em, etc).

My own rebalance patch instead increased the power output of the shielded panels to match their mass (in terms of ec/s per tonne) under the assumption that the material is slightly better in the shielded panels.

[Capt. Hunt]

I think the idea is to encourage you to use the shielded panels on craft that you might want to retract the panels on. Previously there was no real difference aside from weight, so most people didn't use the shielded panels at all.

edit: renegade ninja'd me