Electricity

[Rewop]

Hey guys, 

I'm new to this game but I really enjoy it. So I'm trying to reach the mun and I actually have build a rocket what could do it but on my journey(I was orbiting Kerbin.) I noticed that I am out of electricity. I was wondering why because I added two batteries and my engine produces energy on the way to orbit. So I tuned on the engine to recharge and saw that my rocket constantly consumes 0.15 electricity while doing nothing. SAS was off, I didnt rotate or anything. I turned the reaction wheel completely off but it changed nothing. I really don't get it and would be glad if someone could help me with this. 

 

Sry for my bad english and have a nice evening. 

[sal_vager]

Hi Rewop, do you have a probe on this vessel?  Probes consume power.

If not a probe, just what is on this craft anyway ?

[Rewop]

https://pl.vc/20p94  

this one with mk1 command pod

[Snark]

Welcome to the forums!

When you have a specific question about your ship, it always helps to post a screenshot.  That way people who read your post have a better chance to see what the problem might be.

How to take a screenshot: To take a screenshot, press F1; the game saves it to the Screenshot folder in your KSP install.  Then go to http://imgur.com/.  Click on "upload image" and drag your image file to the little box.  After you're finished uploading and you can see your image on imgur.com, just copy the URL of the image location.  Then you can come here to the forum, click the "Insert other media" button at bottom right, choose "Insert image from URL", and paste the image URL you copied from imgur.com.

As for what's wrong with your rocket:  As sal_vager points out, the most likely case is that you have a probe core (also known as "unmanned command module") on your rocket.

As of 1.0.5, static radiator panels also consume continuous electricity and can't be turned off (though there's a mod that makes it possible to turn them off).

But really, your best bet is to post a screenshot if you'd like more specific help. 

 

[sal_vager]

There are radiators on the vessel, so that explains the electricity consumption, ideally you would have enough solar panels to feed the radiators.

Or, they should be togglable, which is not possible without addons in 1.0.5

[Snark]

Yeah, it's the radiators that are sucking the power.  You have a few options:

Option #1:  Just get rid of the radiators.  I don't see that they're serving any purpose.  When I look at your rocket, I don't see anything that makes lots of heat (nuclear engines, mining drills, etc.), so I don't think you need radiators.  Do you actually need them?  (One thing about KSP:  Less is more.  It's generally a good idea not to put anything on a rocket unless you really need it for something.)

Option #2:  Replace those static radiator panels (which are always on, and always using electricity, and can't be turned off) with folding radiator panels instead.  Those have the advantage that you can open and close them.  When they're closed, they're turned off, and not using electricity.

Option #3:  Install a mod that makes the radiator panels able to be turned off. 

 

Edited January 5, 2016 by Snark

[Rewop]

Thank you very much guys. I actually attached it for the reentry. Stuff on the vessel gets usually very hot while reentry and sometimes the science container explodes. Probably my reentry technique is too bad  

 

[Snark]

10 minutes ago, Rewop said:

Thank you very much guys. I actually attached it for the reentry. Stuff on the vessel gets usually very hot while reentry and sometimes the science container explodes. Probably my reentry technique is too bad  

Suggestion: Use a heat shield instead.  It's what they're for.    Heat shields are very effective.