Fastest route and multiple fuel tanks

[woodhouse]

I was thinking, and maybe this has been discussed on the forum before, but it would be nice if I could use the ample spare room in the Asp to fit an extra fuel tank for exploration missions. Normally, I would just stick to 16T in the main tank, but I could fill it up to 80T when I want and cross a region that has lots of unscoopable stars.

So if I fire up the route planner and I currently have 8T fuel on board, does it calculate a route based on the jump range with 8T fuel, with 16T (the size of the main tank) or based on 80T (size of main tank plus extra tank)? Does the slider in the route planner have any influence?

I am asking on the forum because my experience is that others have a sharper eye for finding out these things than I do.

 

[[HJ]-RedRaven]

Frame shift Drives have a maximum fuel per jump that they can use.

The Fuel Tank will just allow you to make more jumps (and if full, it will actually reduce your jump range a little due to the weight).

 

[bend_r]

So if I fire up the route planner and I currently have 8T fuel on board, does it calculate a route based on the jump range with 8T fuel, with 16T (the size of the main tank) or based on 80T (size of main tank plus extra tank)? Does the slider in the route planner have any influence?

The route planner calculates with your current amount of fuel, not with the capacity. You can actually watch the 'solid' line grow while scooping. That way you know exactly when you have enough fuel on board.

From past exploration experiences I would say another fuel tank is not a bad idea, I've seen long stretches of unscoopables. Of course this is only relevant if you want to cross large distances fast.

see you all out there,
Commander Benderson

 

[[HJ]-RedRaven]

The total jump range is based on your total fuel load. Whether that is your internal tank or your internal + extra fuel tanks.

No. If you look in the Outfitting screen, at the FSD modules, you'll see that each drive has a Max Fuel per Jump stat. The drive can only use this much fuel in one go, period. Jumping the maximum range (dependent on weight) for will use that amount of fuel.

My Python 5A FSD has a 5T max/jump, and with my equipped modules, a 16.88LY jump range. Jumping that 16.88LY will consume the maximum 5T of fuel.

Having more fuel just means you get more jumps without having to refuel (not longer jumps).

 

[Thalios Abraxas]

The real trouble is that if you start filling up your inner modules with fuel tanks, your jump range is going to suffer quite a bit, something explorers in general are not very keen of. But yes, perhaps it could be useful in that particular case of crossing a 'field' of L class stars. However, to me it sounds better to just go around it and keep a better jump range capability.

My two cents anyway

 

[Nagual]

The real trouble is that if you start filling up your inner modules with fuel tanks, your jump range is going to suffer quite a bit, something explorers in general are not very keen of. But yes, perhaps it could be useful in that particular case of crossing a 'field' of L class stars. However, to me it sounds better to just go around it and keep a better jump range capability.

My two cents anyway

Or only take on enough extra fuel to bypass areas like that. You don't need to fill the fuel tanks.

 

[Bam]

I tired an extra tank just before this trip out and the ship computer will plot jumps you cant make if left to its own devices. You get some message about not being able to jump due to the jump requiring more than 8T of fuel, even with a full 64T tank. I guess you need to adjust your maximum jump range with the slider before plotting the route. I'll do some more testing when I get back after this trip.

 

[Nagual]

I tired an extra tank just before this trip out and the ship computer will plot jumps you cant make if left to its own devices. You get some message about not being able to jump due to the jump requiring more than 8T of fuel, even with a full 64T tank. I guess you need to adjust your maximum jump range with the slider before plotting the route. I'll do some more testing when I get back after this trip.

Those types of messages refer to your FSD internal tank NOT your ships fuel.

 

[woodhouse]

There are two types of range:

- how far can I get on a tank without refuelling?
- how far can I get in a single jump?

I wrote the OP because I want to know if getting an extra 64T tank will reduce the single jump range used by the route planner. Because then I'd need more jumps per 1000ly. Then I would probably be better off with a small tank and plotting a few rough patches manually.

- - - Updated - - -

Having more fuel just means you get more jumps without having to refuel (not longer jumps).

What I'm worried about, is: does it mean shorter jumps.

 

[furrycat]

Fuel cost for a jump is dependent on distance and total mass of the ship, so yes if you fill up with 64T of extra fuel the route planner will offer you shorter jumps. Conversely if you plot the route and then add the fuel, the actual cost for a particular jump may have increased by the time you come to make it. If the cost is above the drive's rated usage you won't be able to jump. That may be what Bam experienced.

In beta I made a refuelaconda with 192T of extra fuel and a bunch of fuel transfer limpets. I could go massive distances without refueling; I had to disable my scoop to see just how far I could go. But whilst the route planner does include the extra fuel mass when calculating the route, it doesn't (or at least didn't) allow me to scale it in the slider. That only applied to cargo.

TL;DR if you want to traverse a field of unscoopables take a large fuel tank along but don't fill it up until you need it. Plot when the extra tank is empty and keep a close eye on your fuel gauge when scooping to avoid overfilling.

 

[Krieger]

Fuel cost for a jump is dependent on distance and total mass of the ship, so yes if you fill up with 64T of extra fuel the route planner will offer you shorter jumps. Conversely if you plot the route and then add the fuel, the actual cost for a particular jump may have increased by the time you come to make it. If the cost is above the drive's rated usage you won't be able to jump. That may be what Bam experienced.

In beta I made a refuelaconda with 192T of extra fuel and a bunch of fuel transfer limpets. I could go massive distances without refueling; I had to disable my scoop to see just how far I could go. But whilst the route planner does include the extra fuel mass when calculating the route, it doesn't (or at least didn't) allow me to scale it in the slider. That only applied to cargo.

TL;DR if you want to traverse a field of unscoopables take a large fuel tank along but don't fill it up until you need it. Plot when the extra tank is empty and keep a close eye on your fuel gauge when scooping to avoid overfilling.

Shouldn't you replot the route after scooping to make sure the added weight doesn't make the original route impossible because it was based on a lower ship mass?

 

[furrycat]

Shouldn't you replot the route after scooping to make sure the added weight doesn't make the original route impossible because it was based on a lower ship mass?

If you overfill, yes.

 

[woodhouse]

Fuel cost for a jump is dependent on distance and total mass of the ship, so yes if you fill up with 64T of extra fuel the route planner will offer you shorter jumps. Conversely if you plot the route and then add the fuel, the actual cost for a particular jump may have increased by the time you come to make it. If the cost is above the drive's rated usage you won't be able to jump. That may be what Bam experienced.

In beta I made a refuelaconda with 192T of extra fuel and a bunch of fuel transfer limpets. I could go massive distances without refueling; I had to disable my scoop to see just how far I could go. But whilst the route planner does include the extra fuel mass when calculating the route, it doesn't (or at least didn't) allow me to scale it in the slider. That only applied to cargo.

TL;DR if you want to traverse a field of unscoopables take a large fuel tank along but don't fill it up until you need it. Plot when the extra tank is empty and keep a close eye on your fuel gauge when scooping to avoid overfilling.

Thanks fuelcat, this is exactly what I needed to know.
EDIT: sorry, I mean furrycat, could have edited it away but I thought it was a funny typo.

 

[Nagual]

There are two types of range:

- how far can I get on a tank without refuelling?
- how far can I get in a single jump?

I wrote the OP because I want to know if getting an extra 64T tank will reduce the single jump range used by the route planner. Because then I'd need more jumps per 1000ly. Then I would probably be better off with a small tank and plotting a few rough patches manually.

- - - Updated - - -



What I'm worried about, is: does it mean shorter jumps.

Yes slightly shorter, but once you are out a bit go back into the map and replot the route. To see the difference before committing to buying another tank, just use the 'cargo' slider thing and add whatever amount of fuel you think you're getting.

 

[furrycat]

Thanks fuelcat, this is exactly what I needed to know.

Hehe, fuelcat at your service!

 

[woodhouse]

I just tried this out, and it does not seem to work the way Fuelcat says it does.
I equipped an Anaconda with 32+64+64T fuel capacity. It has a 39LY range with 32T fuel, and a 32LY range with 160T fuel.
Left Shinrarta Dezhra and travelled until the fuel was half empty. Replotted the route.
The number of hops is exactly the same, and never does it plot a jump of more than 32LY!

EDIT: but I'm still confused. The galaxy map does say: 35LY range. Will investigate further.

 

[woodhouse]

I am wondering if it would make a difference if I had at least one cargo slot. Will return to Shinrarta and try that out.