There is only one radiator part that you need

[ShadowZone]

I did some experiments. And as it turns out, the "large Radiator panel" is more effective at cooling than the huge extending panel radiator.

Mind you, this is not me complaining. I am very greatful to Roverdude for those new radiator parts and I am glad I can now once again use vehicles with multiple nuke engine clusters without blowing up.

It just seems that those parts might need some rebalancing

Update 1: it appears I came to a faulty conclusion, see my post below.

Update 2: I made a follow up video detailing what went wrong with some additional observations. See page 2.

Edited June 27, 2015 by ShadowZone

[Alshain]

I'm not certain that your test scenarios are effective. Your parts are all connected on this same ship, I believe that means that all of the engines are being evenly cooled by all the radiators at the same time. I'm don't think that placement really matters.

[Tankman101]

Yep, radiators have their entire heat pump system abstracted into the craft. They take heat from everywhere.

[r4pt0r]

Yep, radiators have their entire heat pump system abstracted into the craft. They take heat from everywhere.

sorta like electricity, we just assume the plumbing is installed everywhere? works for me.

[ShadowZone]

I'm not certain that your test scenarios are effective. Your parts are all connected on this same ship, I believe that means that all of the engines are being evenly cooled by all the radiators at the same time. I'm don't think that placement really matters.

Aha! Well, time for more experiments, then

Udpate:

started two test craft. both probe core, mk1 tank, nuke engine. one hat the large radiator, the other the extendo-thingy. in this case the craft with the extendo thingy kept cooler.

That still leaves three questions:

1) why are cubic octagonal struts the best insulator in the world? if you use them to attach engines, they explode without transfering any significant amount of heat to the "mother part". In this case placement still matters, because even if you have radiators on the fuel tank, the attached engines (and before them the strut parts) will overheat.

2) what is causing the spontaneous overheating when putting radiators on cubic octagonal struts that got engines attached?

3) when using the giganto-panel and regular large panel: why is the part with the giganto attached to it staying hotter than the one with the single panel? if the cooling is supposed to happen evenly, then this should not be the case.

Edited June 26, 2015 by ShadowZone

[Tankman101]

sorta like electricity, we just assume the plumbing is installed everywhere? works for me.

If electricity was abstracted as much as Radiators, there would be no batteries and every solar panel added would add battery space

[Arsonik]

If electricity was abstracted as much as Radiators, there would be no batteries and every solar panel added would add battery space

Personally I think the pods should come with a considerable amount more power and batteries should be a thing reserved to special considerations and probes. A lot of the time I config edit my pods for that very reason.

[Chaos_Klaus]

1) why are cubic octagonal struts the best insulator in the world? if you use them to attach engines, they explode without transfering any significant amount of heat to the "mother part". In this case placement still matters, because even if you have radiators on the fuel tank, the attached engines (and before them the strut parts) will overheat.

I think there is different types of radiators: active and passive ones.

The passive ones just heat up with the rest of the ship and transfer heat naturally. Tha active radiators take heat from all over the ship. Every part has a certain temperature threshold. When it is reached, the active radiator will pull heat from this part, regardless of where it is placed. Radiators can saturate and will radiate les heat.

[Superfluous J]

PSA: Putting PSA at the front of your post makes you look pretentious.

Even more so when the post is demonstrated in its first reply to be incorrect.

[Goddess Bhavani]

Personally I think the pods should come with a considerable amount more power and batteries should be a thing reserved to special considerations and probes. A lot of the time I config edit my pods for that very reason.

I think TAC Life Support remedies that partially, a lot of pods have their battery capacity increased for life support duration reasons.

--

Back on topic...

There can be only one... Radiator

Or if you prefer Sylvester Stallone

There is no radiator.

I am the Radiator!

Sorry, carry on, I just can't resist

[ShadowZone]

PSA: Putting PSA at the front of your post makes you look pretentious.

Even more so when the post is demonstrated in its first reply to be incorrect.

Thanks for making yourself loook pretentious in order to make me aware that I am looking pretentious

In all earnesty: thanks for the advice, I have modified the original post.

On the other hand, the conclusion that (if used correctly) only one radiator part (used multiple times) is enough for your nuke needs is still correct in my opinion. I can get >20 minutes burn time out of my nuke cluster without the folding radiators.

[AlphaAsh]

Personally I think the pods should come with a considerable amount more power and batteries should be a thing reserved to special considerations and probes. A lot of the time I config edit my pods for that very reason.

This. Separate batteries is often responsible for part bloat. I've MMd electricity on lots of stock parts, including all pods and even nosecones. Seriously, you could fit a bloody kerbal in the standard nosecone.

[Aragosnat]

Just tried this on Kerbin. The large static radiators do not cool the parts down as fast as a small or medium rotating radiator and reach a higher temprateure before starting to cool down. From the looks of it. At least on Kerbin. The rotating radiators work better in an atmosphere.

Edited June 27, 2015 by Aragosnat

[Goddess Bhavani]

Just tried this on Kerbin. The large static radiators do not cool the parts down as fast as a small or medium rotating radiator and reach a higher temprateure before starting to cool down. From the looks of it. At least on Kerbin. The rotating radiators work better in an atmosphere.

This makes sense. Inducing airflow though the radiator makes it more effective in heat dissipation.

[ShadowZone]

I made a follow up to my original post, since the original experiment was flawed.