Parachute Problem. Please Help.

[Rodder37]

I want to use parachutes on my lander, but I am having a problem with the chutes deploying at the wrong time.

When building the ship, I separate the chute into it's own stage away from the rest of the lander parts so when it gets to the lander stage the chutes won't open until I hit the space bar to activate the next stage.....ot at least that is what I was hoping to do.

Instead the lander stage activates and it also activates the parachute stage causing the chutes to deploy too early. I have even made a stage in between and put a strut or fuel tank there in hopes it would stop the process..... instead it activates all 3 stages and makes the chutes deploy.

I want the stage change to stop before the parachute stage so I can activate them when I want.

(I hope this all makes sence)

Thanks in advance for any help with this.

[RoboRay]

Are you using MechJeb or any other automation mods?

[wired2thenet]

There is a setting in the cfg file of the part that will auto-activate the next stage (check the decoupler cfgs). You can change that value (I think) to stop that from happening. I think I performed this once when I was dealing with a very complicated staging process and couldn't figure out any other way to do it with the lander I had setup.

I'll have to dig up the file again to figure out what the parameters were, but I'm not sure I still have it. It's been awhile (probably as far back as .13).

[Vanamonde]

Could you post a screenshot that shows the staging display down the right side of the VAB? That would help identify the problem.

[Rodder37]

Thanks for the replys.

Here is a pic of how I have things situated.

When stage #3 activates, it also activates stage #2.... I don't want stage #2 to activate until I hit the button.

Thanks again for any help.

*EDIT* Here's a link to a better pic: http://i.imgur.com/cb8yA.jpg

Edited October 3, 2012 by Rodder37

[Rodder37]

I need to bump this. I really would like to know how to use parachutes to help with landing on planets, but I want them to deploy when I push a button. Even when I have them in a different stage, the stages just combine and the chutes deploy when I don't want them to.

Photos of my build is in the post above.

Thanks for any help provided.

[Khiro]

Well, I looked this over, and, other than the total number of stages, I don't see anything at all that should jump out as a problem. Would you be okay with posting your craft file, as well as a list of all the mods you're using, so we can try to replicate the problem?

[The Destroyer]

Yes, it looks fine to me :-/