How does crossfeed work? Planning for fuel transfer.

[Kuleigori]

Hi! I'm planning a space station, and wanted to know if I have to dock fuel tank to fuel tank (or any other adjacent flow mode resource) to transfer my goodies, or if I can just slap on a docking port anywhere on my ship to transfer them. Also, is there any way that I can go the other way and deliberately block resource transfer? (Not just with decouplers or docking ports)

[18Watt]

Moved to Gameplay Questions.

6 minutes ago, Kuleigori said:

wanted to know if I have to dock fuel tank to fuel tank (or any other adjacent flow mode resource) to transfer my goodies

In general, you do not need to dock fuel tank to fuel tank.  With a few exceptions, fuel will travel throughout a vessel, and get to where it needs to go.  When you dock two vessels together, the game then considers them a single vessel.

Exceptions are parts which do not allow fuel flow through them, or parts which can be set to either allow or disallow fuel flow through them.  In the VAB or SPH, the part descriptions will state if the part does not allow fuel flow through it.

9 minutes ago, Kuleigori said:

is there any way that I can go the other way and deliberately block resource transfer?

Yes, by right-clicking the part you can bring up the PAW (part action window).  From the PAW you can set parts to either allow or block fuel flow.  Some parts, such as decouplers) might be default-set to block fuel flow, but that can usually be changed if needed.

There is a game setting which may affect your ability to transfer fuel between docked vessels- 'Resource Transfer Obeys Fuel Flow Rules', or something like that.  This is normally not set to be active.  If it IS active, then you can not transfer resources (such as fuel) between components if the path is blocked by a part that does not allow fuel flow through it.

[Kuleigori]

32 minutes ago, 18Watt said:

Moved to Gameplay Questions.

In general, you do not need to dock fuel tank to fuel tank.  With a few exceptions, fuel will travel throughout a vessel, and get to where it needs to go.  When you dock two vessels together, the game then considers them a single vessel.

Exceptions are parts which do not allow fuel flow through them, or parts which can be set to either allow or disallow fuel flow through them.  In the VAB or SPH, the part descriptions will state if the part does not allow fuel flow through it.

Yes, by right-clicking the part you can bring up the PAW (part action window).  From the PAW you can set parts to either allow or block fuel flow.  Some parts, such as decouplers) might be default-set to block fuel flow, but that can usually be changed if needed.

There is a game setting which may affect your ability to transfer fuel between docked vessels- 'Resource Transfer Obeys Fuel Flow Rules', or something like that.  This is normally not set to be active.  If it IS active, then you can not transfer resources (such as fuel) between components if the path is blocked by a part that does not allow fuel flow through it.

Got it, thank you!