Question regarding Silent Running

[Crunch]

So I've already figured out that it's best to do those illegal retrieval missions for black boxes and such at Outposts where security is minimal.

But I'm trying to practice using Silent Running. It appears I'm missing something because I have runaway heat generated whenever I turn it on. I have tried turning stuff off manually but it doesn't seem to make much difference.

Can someone explain what I am doing wrong? I am flying a Cobra with mostly C class upgrades.

 

[MadsRC]

You are not doing anything wrong. Silent Running traps the heat inside your ship (Which makes you practically invisible to sensors). Either turn of Silent Running (too cool down) or use a Heat Sink to putt all the heat in a can that can be jettisoned.

 

[Crunch]

Oh thanks! I don't have a heat sink fitted so that would explain a lot.

Thanks for the quick reply

 

[Ethurian]

To add, it shuts down your heating vents so you aren't venting heat, but if you're still hot you'll appear on radar. To really go ghost-mode you need to have a near 0 heat signature via manually disabling modules (aka all of them). Heat-sinks can help you get rid of heat if you need to move around while in silent running, if you turn back on your thrusters. If you're trying to get into a station completely quiet, you'd need to cool down completely, align up to the letter box (make sure you request docking), and fly towards it. You can either then start dumping heat sinks, or turn off your thrusters with FA off and float into the station. If the authority vessels are near you, and they've spotted you already, going silent will do nothing to prevent a scan (aka run away).

Or, what I do if I'm wanted, or trying to avoid a scan, just blast into the station at above safe speeds. I've never gotten scanned when I was trying to avoid one - but that only works in the faster ships. But if you align up from a little away, doesn't need to be far, and you zoom into the station, it's unlikely you'll get scanned.

 

[Crunch]

Thanks for the additional, it makes much more sense now.

 

[PillowTalk]

What confuses me about Silent Running is that heat builds up even if the only thing you have on is your Power Plant; but with Silent Running off and everything else off, your heat is like 1%.

 

[DraigUK]

Watch this it explains it better than words.

[video=youtube;8s11iSqywU4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s11iSqywU4[/video]

 

[aspiringexpatriate]

Or, what I do if I'm wanted, or trying to avoid a scan, just blast into the station at above safe speeds. I've never gotten scanned when I was trying to avoid one - but that only works in the faster ships. But if you align up from a little away, doesn't need to be far, and you zoom into the station, it's unlikely you'll get scanned.

Be aware, you will be flying at a giant metal box at over 300 meters per second. You will likely not be able to stop in time, so make sure you have somewhere else to turn your momentum if you're going to hit the wall. Also, your shields are down now, so ramming will likely kill you. I've died horribly once because I had my thrusters off and didn't realize how fast I was going. I hit the station about 10m under the letterbox.

- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -

Amusingly, the amount of heat your PowerPlant generates on idle changes when its quality rating changes.

 

[armandoxxx]

better try this with sidewinder (on game start) ... when you have no money and the only thing you loose is time spent practicing

 

[Matt]

What confuses me about Silent Running is that heat builds up even if the only thing you have on is your Power Plant; but with Silent Running off and everything else off, your heat is like 1%.

I think the power plant is the biggest creator of heat.

With silent running off, that heat is being radiated away into space so your ship never builds up excess heat. I.e. you ship is able to effectively control the heat and keep it at a sensible level.

With silent running on, the heat builds up inside your ship without being able to escape. So 1% heat quickly becomes 2%, then 3%, 3, 4, 5 etc etc. There is no way for your ship to cool down in silent running (apart from heat sinks) so it just gets hotter and hotter regardless of what is making the heat..

 

[Ethurian]

Be aware, you will be flying at a giant metal box at over 300 meters per second.

Yeah, it depends on your ship, and what you feel comfortable with, in regards to my comment about "above safe speeds."; you definitely need to be careful, but sometimes just going like 250ish range is enough to avoid a scan and dock, without any fuss of silent running, heat sinks, etc.

Thanks for the additional, it makes much more sense now.

Sure no problem.

 

[aspiringexpatriate]

Yeah, it depends on your ship, and what you feel comfortable with, in regards to my comment about "above safe speeds."; you definitely need to be careful, but sometimes just going like 250ish range is enough to avoid a scan and dock, without any fuss of silent running, heat sinks, etc.

Agreed. I had gotten spoiled by silent running in my Eagle at 245m/s and not having any issue. I tried in my Cobra. BAM! 300 was too fast.