Fuel cell doesn't work

[Trimix3D]

Hello everyone, I'm new here.

I use 1.7.3 and I think I have a bug with fuel cells (I don't know if it appeared with the update or not, i just noticed it) : no matter which fuel cell (the single one or the 6-pack), when I press the button to start it, it doesn't create any power and doesnt consume fuel.

I put the fuel cell directly on the fuel tank and there is no other power generator on the craft. I had mods before but I removed them long time ago, I don't really remember but I think I made a new installation after removing them so there is little chance that it is a mod related issue.

I searched on forums but it seems i'm the only one to have this issue. did I do something wrong ?

Thanks in advance for the help and sorry for my approximate english

Edited July 17, 2019 by Trimix3D

[Snark]

Hello, and welcome to the forums! 

26 minutes ago, Trimix3D said:

I use 1.7.3 and I think I have a bug with fuel cells (I don't know if it appeared with the update or not, i just noticed it) : no matter which fuel cell (the single one or the 6-pack), when I press the button to start it, it doesn't create any power and doesnt consume fuel.

Just to be clear:

• Are you saying that this is a new behavior with 1.7.3 (i.e. "I've used fuel cells successfully before, and they used to work before 1.7.3, and now they've stopped working")?
• Or is this the first time you've tried to use fuel cells and are having trouble making them work?

Not sure if this is relevant to your situation or not, but:  be aware that fuel cells only generate power if your vessel's stored electric charge goes below some threshold (like 90% or 95% or something, I forget the exact number).  So if you have a craft that's fully charged at 100% or close to it, then the fuel cells won't do anything, even if turned on, until the charge drops below that threshold.  (And when they do come on, they will only charge it up to that threshold and stop.)

So if you're over the threshold, then the fact that the fuel cells aren't doing anything is normal and expected behavior.  (The reason they're designed that way is that it's very common to have a vessel with fuel cells and solar panels, and as long as the solar panels are able to keep up, it's better not to waste fuel.  So they're designed in a way that only spends fuel as absolutely needed when solar panels aren't sufficient.)

30 minutes ago, Trimix3D said:

I put the fuel cell directly on the fuel tank

This doesn't actually matter, by the way-- fuel cells can be anywhere on a vessel and still work.

[Geonovast]

Also remember they need Liquid Fuel and Oxidizer.  They won't work with just LF.

You didn't specify, but I just wanted to mention it.

[Trimix3D]

30 minutes ago, Snark said:

Hello, and welcome to the forums! 

Just to be clear:

• Are you saying that this is a new behavior with 1.7.3 (i.e. "I've used fuel cells successfully before, and they used to work before 1.7.3, and now they've stopped working")?
• Or is this the first time you've tried to use fuel cells and are having trouble making them work?

Not sure if this is relevant to your situation or not, but:  be aware that fuel cells only generate power if your vessel's stored electric charge goes below some threshold (like 90% or 95% or something, I forget the exact number).  So if you have a craft that's fully charged at 100% or close to it, then the fuel cells won't do anything, even if turned on, until the charge drops below that threshold.  (And when they do come on, they will only charge it up to that threshold and stop.)

So if you're over the threshold, then the fact that the fuel cells aren't doing anything is normal and expected behavior.  (The reason they're designed that way is that it's very common to have a vessel with fuel cells and solar panels, and as long as the solar panels are able to keep up, it's better not to waste fuel.  So they're designed in a way that only spends fuel as absolutely needed when solar panels aren't sufficient.)

This doesn't actually matter, by the way-- fuel cells can be anywhere on a vessel and still work.

Thanks for your response. First, it's the first time I use fuel cells so I don't know if it's related or not with the update.

And thanks for your clarification about the power level when it activate. I have only tested it when my vessel was high on battery, so that's maybe the cause of my porblem. I'll give it a go with less battery and see if it work.

Edited July 17, 2019 by Trimix3D

[Trimix3D]

Okay you were right @Snark

The fuel cell didn't work because i had more than 95% of electric charge and under this number everything work properly.

Thanks for the help !

Edited July 17, 2019 by Trimix3D