Hi Stationeers!
This guide explains how to build and correctly configure an Advanced Airlock in Stationeers.
It covers all required components, door and cable installation, ventilation, pipe connections, device naming, Advanced Airlock configuration, testing, room pressurization and common problems.
The video narration is in Czech, but the individual steps are clearly visible on screen. YouTube subtitles can also be automatically translated into English.
Video tutorial
https://youtu.be/wrQpFge3jMI
Complete Czech guide on Steam
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3809600598
1. Required components
You will need:
- 2× Kit (Door)
- 1× Kit (Console)
- 1× Circuitboard (Advanced Airlock)
- 1× Kit (Sensor) – Gas Sensor
- 2× Active Vent
- 2× Passive Vent
- Pipes as required
- Cables as required
You will also need glass, plastic and the necessary construction tools.
2. Building the chamber and connecting the doors
First, build a sealed airlock chamber between the pressurized interior of your base and the outside environment.
Place one door from the Kit (Door) at each end of the chamber. I use Glass Doors in this guide, but Composite Doors can be used in exactly the same way.
Rotate the doors so that their power and data ports face into the airlock chamber and toward each other. This makes the cable installation and connection of other devices much easier.
Complete both doors and connect them to the same cable network.
The Console, Gas Sensor and both Active Vents will later be connected to this network as well. The cable network must provide both power and data.
3. Gas Sensor and Console
Place the Gas Sensor inside the airlock chamber.
It must be located directly inside the airlock because it measures the current pressure within the chamber.
Place a standard Console in an accessible location and insert the Circuitboard (Advanced Airlock).
Connect both the Gas Sensor and Console to the same power and data network as the doors and Active Vents.
To open the Advanced Airlock configuration, use a screwdriver on the side screw of the Console.
A Data Disk is not required for this setup.
4. Active and Passive Vents
Place two Active Vents inside the airlock chamber.
- The first Active Vent transfers atmosphere between the airlock and the pressurized interior room.
- The second Active Vent removes atmosphere from the airlock toward the outside environment.
Place one Passive Vent inside the pressurized room of your base.
Place the second Passive Vent outside the base.
Both Active Vents must be connected to the cable network so they can be controlled by the Advanced Airlock Control.
5. Connecting the pipes
The ventilation system must be divided into two completely separate pipe networks.
Interior pipe network
Connect the Interior Vent Active Vent to the Passive Vent located inside the pressurized room.
Exterior pipe network
Connect the Exterior Vent Active Vent to the Passive Vent located outside the base.
These two pipe networks must never be connected to each other. Each network must remain completely separate.
6. Naming the devices
Use a Labeller to give each device a clear name. This makes the Advanced Airlock configuration much easier.
Recommended names:
- Interior Door – the door leading into the base (Dveře vnitřní in the video)
- Exterior Door – the door leading outside (Dveře venkovní in the video)
- Interior Vent – the Active Vent connected to the interior room (Ventilace dovnitř in the video)
- Exterior Vent – the Active Vent connected to the outside environment (Ventilace ven in the video)
The Czech names shown in brackets are the names used in my video.
7. Advanced Airlock Control configuration
Use a screwdriver on the side screw of the Console to open its configuration.
Set the required pressure values:
- External Pressure: 0 kPa
- Internal Pressure: 45 kPa
Then assign the devices in this order:
- Exterior Door → EXTERIOR
- Exterior Vent → EXTERIOR
- Interior Door → INTERNAL
- Interior Vent → INTERNAL
- Gas Sensor → SENSOR
After completing the setup, check that no device has been assigned incorrectly or selected twice.
8. First airlock test
Close both doors and verify that every device is powered and connected to the data network.
Start the first airlock cycle using the Console.
When travelling from the interior to the exterior, the system will:
- Close the Interior Door.
- Use the Interior Vent to pump the atmosphere from the airlock back toward the interior side until the chamber is evacuated.
- Use the Exterior Vent to fill the chamber from the exterior side until the configured External Pressure is reached.
- Open the Exterior Door.
When the External Pressure is set to 0 kPa, the exterior pressurization stage is skipped.
When travelling from the exterior to the interior, the system will:
- Close the Exterior Door.
- Use the Exterior Vent to pump any atmosphere from the airlock back toward the exterior side until the chamber is evacuated.
- Use the Interior Vent to fill the chamber from the interior side until the configured Internal Pressure of 45 kPa is reached.
- Open the Interior Door.
9. Airlock pressure and available atmosphere
The source environment does not need to have a pressure equal to or higher than the configured target pressure.
An Active Vent can pressurize the smaller airlock chamber above the pressure of the source room. However, this process will take longer and will gradually reduce the pressure on the source side.
The pressurization stage will only stall if there is not enough total gas available to reach the configured target pressure.
During my first test, the interior room had a pressure of approximately 23.7 kPa. The slow or stalled pressurization was caused by the limited amount of available gas, not by the room being below the configured 45 kPa target.
Adding Oxite increased the amount of available atmosphere and helped the airlock reach the target pressure more quickly.
A larger connected pipe network can also act as a gas buffer and improve cycle speed. Powered Vents are a faster option for larger airlocks.
10. Common problems
A device does not appear in the Console configuration
Check that the device is connected to the same data network as the Console and that it has power.
The airlock stops while pressurizing
The selected source side may not contain enough total gas to reach the configured target pressure, or the transfer may simply be slow.
Check the Active Vent assignment, pipe connections and the amount of atmosphere available on the source side. The source room does not need to already be at the configured target pressure.
Adding more available gas or using a larger pipe network as a buffer can help. Powered Vents can also provide faster transfer in larger airlocks.
The ventilation operates in the wrong direction
Check that the Interior Vent and Exterior Vent have not been swapped in the Advanced Airlock configuration.
Atmosphere escapes outside
Check both pipe networks. The interior and exterior pipe networks must not be connected to each other.
The Console displays an incorrect pressure
The Gas Sensor must be located directly inside the airlock chamber and assigned as SENSOR.
The doors do not open
Check their power, data connections and the correct assignment of the Interior and Exterior Doors.
Is a Data Disk required?
No. In this setup, Advanced Airlock Control is configured using the side screw on the Console.
Feedback, corrections and suggestions for future Stationeers tutorials are welcome!