Can't retract solar panels in 1.0

[RedsBone]

Whenever I put OX-4L or OX-4W solar panels on a craft in 1.0, I can only extend them once and no "retract panels" button appears. I can bind "retract panels" to an action group, but it doesn't seem to do anything.

Did they change solar panels in 1.0 so that only the gigantor ones can retract?

Edited May 5, 2015 by RedsBone
Answered

[Randazzo]

The gigantor panels and the small panels with cases can retract. The caseless panels (OX) won't retract. This was a design choice to make the heavier and more expensive panels have a reason for the weight and price.

[RedsBone]

Thank you ^^

[SlabGizor117]

You may also have been in time warp, this happens to me all the time on Mun missions on the way there, I stop(or think I did) timewarp to, probably, unfurl the solar panels, and I can't do anything. Whenever you're slowing timewarp, just spam "<" a bunch and you know you're in 1x.

[miceliux]

Noooooooo!!! I've discovered this too late! I'm going to aerobrake on Duna right now.

Fingers crossed.

[micha]

Arghs! Thanks for the answer - I must've missed this in the changelogs! Been wondering why I can no longer retract panels.

[Mango2015]

Noooooooo!!! I've discovered this too late! I'm going to aerobrake on Duna right now.

Fingers crossed.

LOL, I'm just about to aerobrake into Duna right now, and realized that I couldn't retract them, my fingers are crossed too!!!!

[tadswana]

Ha ha, just read this thread about 2h from a 30km aerobrake on Duna too... going to have a useless mining rig on the ground pretty soon I think

[Streetwind]

Well, are you up for a challenge?

Build a rover with a claw and an array of retractable solar panels, send it to Duna, drive up to your defunct mining rig and bump into it with the claw to "dock". Voilà, power supplied!

[Crown]

[...]Whenever you're slowing timewarp, just spam "<" a bunch and you know you're in 1x.

That's the professional way to do this

Noooooooo!!! I've discovered this too late! I'm going to aerobrake on Duna right now.

Fingers crossed.

If they are aligned with the airstream they are likely to survive it. So aerobraking during noon is convenient. Or if you aerobrake on the night side, you can align the solar panels into streamlined position using the sun and when the sun is blocked by Duna they will be they will be fixed in position relative to the spacecraft. Good luck on not seeing sunlight before aerobrake is over.

[...]Build a rover with a claw [...]drive up to your defunct mining rig and bump into it with the claw to "dock". Voilà, power supplied!

Mother of Sol! O.O

Can all types of resources transferred that way? If that's the case I'll never need to fiddle with this annoying docking port alignment again.

[FlyingPete]

Mother of Sol! O.O

Can all types of resources transferred that way? If that's the case I'll never need to fiddle with this annoying docking port alignment again.

I believe it acts as a docking port for all practical purposes. It's useful when you're building something like a fuel truck as you can just drive it up to anything without worrying about precise alignment. It's not really what it's intended for, but then we don't currently have fuel hoses/power cables so it's the next best thing.

Beware when using it on the surface though- if you claw-connect while focused on the vehicle without the claw, the planet surface can disappear and bad things usually happen

[Streetwind]

Yeah, the claw is a bit kraken-baity in general, the the connection is less rigid than proper docking ports. Make careful and educated choices about when to use it!

You can in fact transfer all resources though, because as with all docked vehicles, both are considered one.

[Crown]

i believe it acts as a docking port for all practical purposes. It's useful when you're building something like a fuel truck as you can just drive it up to anything without worrying about precise alignment.[...]

to the lab!!