Increasing connection node strenght

[7499275]

I want to use Ion engines, because they are so efficient and so easy to lift to orbit. I already have a way of getting massive amounts of power to the IOn craft. My question is... Everytime I increase the max thrust it usually breaks off the node and flies off into what ever it is under... What do I need to edit in the CFG to increase its strenght and be able to withstand a higher thrust?

[Claw]

A picture would help. I didn't imagine an ion engine could produce enough thrust to break a part, but I haven't messed with them at all.

[7499275]

A picture of what? A stock Ion engine isn't enough power I stated in the OP that I raise the maximum thrust.

[Javster]

A picture of what? A stock Ion engine isn't enough power I stated in the OP that I raise the maximum thrust.

A picture of your craft, if possible.

[Prince of Rockets]

It seems like you would have to increase the thrust of the ion engines to over 1000KN for parts to start breaking. I recommend learning how to use struts.

[7499275]

Go to your CFG file, increase the trust to 50, put the engine on a xenon tank add 4 struts... Watch when happens at 100% thorttle.

[Prince of Rockets]

Go to your CFG file, increase the trust to 50, put the engine on a xenon tank add 4 struts... Watch when happens at 100% thorttle.

I haven't actually tried editing my CFG file, trying to stick with stock parts. But in normal situations these sorts of things can almost always be solved with struts. I can only assume that because you have boosted the thrust to 100X normal, you have exceeded the struts ability to helpful. Have you tried separating parts with Cubic Octagonal Struts, and then added strut connectors? Heck, maybe try adding a 650 I-Beam in there, those are ridiculously sturdy.

[KvickFlygarn87]

LOL, you just made ion engines OP. According to Wikipedia, the NEXT ion engine has an I_sp of 4300s (compared to KSP's ion engine's 4200s) but a thrust of only 0.236N compared to KSP's ion engine that has a thrust of 500N.

[Claw]

A picture of what? A stock Ion engine isn't enough power I stated in the OP that I raise the maximum thrust.

Well that's part of the reality of an ion engine. It has incredibly high ISP but very low thrust.

Sorry, I misunderstood your OP since you didn't say you were editing the .cfg file to increase thrust. I thought you were just throttling up.

If you're increasing thrust, then sure, it has a higher chance to break off whatever you're attaching it to. Especially since standard xenon tanks are meant to work with standard ion engines.

Since you don't want to provide a picture of your craft, I tried exactly what you said. I went to the .cfg file and raised the thrust to 50. I restarted KSP and added a xenon tank, engine, and 4 struts. I used an OTK probe core and 8k battery since you didn't specify. I throttled up to 100% and it didn't break. I tried it without struts, and with more struts. Still no breakage. So without a picture of your craft, I'm not really sure how else to help you.

IF it's the xenon tank that's breaking, you can try editing the breakingForce & breakingTorque values in the xenon tank .cfg, but it could be something else that's breaking.

Good luck.