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Need some help understanding a snorkel device on a diesel sub. Am wondering at what depth you have to be to use it to recharge your battery. If anyone knows could you please help me. Thanks

Periscope depth, I'd say.

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

Periscope depth, I'd say.

Yes, diesel subs can recharge their batteries at periscope depth via snorkeling or by surfacing.

This brings up a couple of snorkeling question I have.

As far as I can tell, subs start charging their batteries automatically whenever they reach periscope depth. When a sub runs its diesels to recharge, does its sound signature increase? (It should...)

If so, is there any way to go to periscope depth without snorkeling? There are times that I would like to go to periscope depth for a discrete look around with the periscope and my ESM sensors, but if the sub immediately turns on its diesels to recharge its batteries, that would make it a lot more vulnerable.

Yes, diesel engines are going to be much louder, and visible detection from above is also possible(weather permitting), so go slow while recharging in hostile waters.

I'm not 100% on this, but I don't think there is a way to stop your diesels from coming online when you get to the right depth, that would be a good thing to suggest feature wise though.

The snorkel can also be detected by radar and the diesel exhaust can be detected on the surface. I guess a smart sub commander would probably try to keep the snorkel just above the surface (they have a one way valve to avoid sucking water into the engines.)

Photo recon aircrafts are superb on detecting diesel subs too. These detection are classed as "small wave" so periscope is easily detected. Fun thing is that subs and ships only few miles next to diesel subs can detect them but aircraft can spot them much farther away.

Remember to use you photo recon for sub hunts!

Sorry, wrong forum. Moved to Tech Support.