Issue with asparagus staging with final pair/stage having inequal fuel

[cup a joe]

Okay so I am having an issue with asparagus staging, and this has been happening with all of the craft (two) that I have used this on.

I am doing a Kerbin X style staging using six boosters in pairs of two. All the details i can provide upon request. I can say with an 80% certainty that I have it all configured right. (I am familiar with the game by now but I still have much much to learn, and the arrows get fuzzy on the fuel lines (I have checked though))

All the boosters are feeding their fuel to the mainsail's tank (I did this with symmetry and made sure they all connected).

The first pair is routing fuel to those next to them (right and left).

On the right ones, fuel is being routed to their right (which is the tank to the left of the opposite fist stage booster).

Everything works out and is nice and even until the last pair.

The fuel is slightly uneven when the last pair is all alone ;.;l, But one is losing fuel at a much higher rate. I think it runs out twice as fast. I have been prematurely jettisoning them, as I can make it to orbit and everything just fine by the time one of them has run out of fuel. But I would much appreciate it if I didn't have to.

Help meh!

Edited October 5, 2015 by cup a joe

[DeMatt]

You almost certainly have a wayward fuel line. I'd bet that while you were placing them, you missed removing an incorrect one at some point.

Easiest way for somebody else to find it is for you to post the .craft file for download.

[mhoram]

Do you have any tanks of the following configuration:

T1 -> T2
|     |
v     v
T3 -> T4

The two different lines from T1 to T4 are problematic.

Best way for us to check would be if you could provide the .craft file.

Here is a thread explaining all fuel flow rules: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/64362-Fuel-Flow-Rules-%280-23%29

[monstah]

Sometimes a fin or cubic octogonal strut gets in the way after you put the lines and splits one, rendering it useless (i.e., it becomes attached to the fin instead of the tank).

Or sometimes I make an adjustment to the fuel line, only to find out I wasn't in symmetry mode and there's a fuel line in one tank only. IMO, that's the most likely; check all your fuel lines!

Also, you don't need the first dropped boosters to feed both the next boosters and the central stack; have them feed the next boosters, and the next boosters feed the central stack.

[cup a joe]

I will upload the craft file either tonight or tomorrow. Can't access my pc now.

Notes: l think I may be having this problem in other craft, so keep that in mind. My memory may be faulty though.

I will check about my fins, but all the fuel lines are connecting properly to the center (I used symmetry) and all the lines are connecting to the correct tanks. Albiet potentially improperly.

Mhoram, I don't quite understand what you are saying. Can you explain your diagram and what T1-4 means? Do you mean tiers? There are no other and inner ones, they are in a circle.

Thanks guys so much, and remember l'm still learning about the game itself, and not how most effectively to play it, dont judge my rockets though they may suck but tips are welcome. This rocket btw is a kerbin system refueler.

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Also I'm on mobile so if you got a bunch of replies, I'm sorry I can see them.

[ForScience6686]

I would focus on the booster that is not draining fast enough. You should also only be connecting booster to booster with your final boosters connecting to the central tank. There is no need to connect all boosters to the center tank unless you are onion staging.

[tseitsei]

Your fuel lines are wrong.

You shouldn't put every tank to feed the middle tank as you did. That creates sort of "loop" of fuel flow that ksp cantreally handle reasonably.

You should do it like this:

1. PUT ON 2x SYMMETRY AND KEEP IT ON!

2. Place fuel lines from any of the outer tank to the neighbouring outer tank. Let's say the one on the right of the first tank

3. Place fuel lines from the tanks you ENDED your first fuel lines to the remaining outer tanks.

4. Then finally place fuel lines from those tanks to the center tank.

5. Make sure everything is symmetric and that staging is correct

[BudgetHedgehog]

Pictures say a thousand words:

All radial tanks should be attached to the central stack, but the fuel lines should follow these arrows. S[X] is the stage number - drop S4 first, then S3 and S2 is the final pair to go before S1, the main stack, is left alone.

[Alshain]

You can't do that tseitsei. You can't place fuel lines in 2X symmetry to parts that were placed in 4X+ symmetry. The game simply won't allow it. You either place the fuel lines in 1X symmetry or place the tanks in 2X symmetry.

[mhoram]

Mhoram, I don't quite understand what you are saying. Can you explain your diagram and what T1-4 means? Do you mean tiers? There are no other and inner ones, they are in a circle.

Having four tanks T1, T2, T3, T4 and connecting them in this configuration

- Fuel line from T1 to T2

- Fuel line from T2 to T4

- Fuel line from T1 to T3

- Fuel line from T3 to T4

creates problems.

[cup a joe]

So everyone has generally been recommending that I only need the last pair to feed the center tank. Which is fine, but that doesn't explain why one is getting fed more quickly. I will see about uploading my craft file, I have never done that before but I will just ask my trusty friend google about that. Mhoram, and dematt said things about bad configurations. But again thanks everyone for your help.

Are there any mods that can help me with this?

Also again, I am doing a kerbin X style of staging, not onion staging.

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I am busy today so I can't get to it immediately.

Thank you guys so much.

[ForScience6686]

Well by your description, you are running fuel lines from all tanks to the central tank as well as to each other which is probably causing a fuel loop issue. If you continue to have issues my guess is a fuel line is not placed properly or the wrong direction. Another possibility, maybe you've accidentally drained a tank in the vab and forgot to fill it back up, I've been guilty of this a time or two, but not when handling booster stacks. Or maybe you've accidentally locked a tank.

[cup a joe]

Thanks to everyone who posted. I fixed the issue myself. Apparently KSP was just not liking my fuel line set up and there was a extremely tiny fuel line which was very old in the build that was adding an unwanted connection. I also know now that only the final stage needs to fuel the inner/main stage and not all of them. Thank you!!

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Now how do I close this thread? XD

[ForScience6686]

Congratulations! Those pesky fuel lines!

I believe you go to edit on the original post and change the prefix at the top.