# Auto-battery converter!

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100>\
**Category:** The Drawing Board\
**Created:** [February 16, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100 "2014-02-16T21:26:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/cataclysmdda/original/1X/21b5d044e8473b25d0bf905d60477e25f6fbe0cf.png) [@system](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/1 "2014-02-16T21:26:34Z")

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So I was herp derping about people whining about solar panels. Then the subject of acid rain came up. Acid Rain. So instead of having solar panels be buffed, I suggest:

The Raincatcher/Nickle-copper battery system!  
It catches acid rain automatically and funnels it into a battery vat with Nickel and copper diodes and anodes. It generates enough power to run two electrical engines but only while it’s raining acid.

The Stirling Engine!  
Why not have a steam engine? It works like a normal engine with coal being loaded into a hopper (coal fuel tank) and activating the engine. I imagine speed would be controlled via a belt system and brakes. Basically allows people to make coal with the forges and use it to power the vehicle.

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**Author:** ![Zaweri\_Runewright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/5e9695/32.png) [@Zaweri\_Runewright](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Zaweri_Runewright)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 9:42pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/2 "2014-02-16T21:42:52Z")

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That’s a Stirling engine, and not a steam engine. Steam engines need water to operate.

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**Author:** ![John\_Candlebury](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/john_candlebury/32/6437_2.png) [@John\_Candlebury](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/John_Candlebury)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/3 "2014-02-16T21:45:50Z")

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[quote=“gtaguy, post:1, topic:5100”]The Steamengine!  
Why not have a steam engine? It works like a normal engine with coal being loaded into a hopper (coal fuel tank) and activating the engine. I imagine speed would be controlled via a belt system and brakes. Basically allows people to make coal with the forges and use it to power the vehicle.[/quote]

You could never run a steam vehicle by yourself. Steam engines are giant coal and water devouring monsters, there’s no plausible way for you to maintain one unless you stumble into a national coal depot that is adjacent to a river or something. And even then the thing would be a logistical pain in the ass, as you’ll have to haul a coal wagon and a water cistern everywhere you go and you would have to refill them very often.

Not to mention that you’ll have too hack it off from a working steam locomotive, and I really doubt there are more than 50 working locomotives in the entire US.

So yeah the age of steam is not going to come back.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/cataclysmdda/original/1X/21b5d044e8473b25d0bf905d60477e25f6fbe0cf.png) [@system](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/4 "2014-02-16T21:47:50Z")

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> [@Zaweri Runewright](#):
>
> That’s a Stirling engine, and not a steam engine. Steam engines need water to operate.

Edited, stirling engines.

A hydrogen powered, stirling engine. It doesn’t output much power compared to actual electric or gasoline engines but it can run on any burnable fuel. AKA: Corpses, lemons, bananas, logs, or just trash. I’d imagine you’d have a combustion chamber with a fire inside and have heat-exchangers moving the heat (stirling fuel) to the many engines you’d have. Obviously the system is over complicated and has a million ways it could fail. Which is quite realistic and makes the game fun. Now if only we could simulate fires on vehicles, check how big the fire is for how much fuel is generated, and do all this with !!FUN!!

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**Author:** ![John\_Candlebury](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/john_candlebury/32/6437_2.png) [@John\_Candlebury](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/John_Candlebury)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 9:58pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/5 "2014-02-16T21:58:40Z")

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The coal problem remains for a Stirling engine. Sure you dont have to haul water anymore, and the lack of the steam “phase” helps reduce coal consumption, but running a vehicle with coal is still not something that would be manageable by a lone survivor nor by a small community, nor could you conveniently haul all that coal around.

If it were, our cars would all be running on coal and Stirling engines already.

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**Author:** ![Zaweri\_Runewright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/5e9695/32.png) [@Zaweri\_Runewright](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Zaweri_Runewright)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 10:00pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/6 "2014-02-16T22:00:46Z")

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[quote=“John Candlebury, post:3, topic:5100”][quote=“gtaguy, post:1, topic:5100”]The Steamengine!  
Why not have a steam engine? It works like a normal engine with coal being loaded into a hopper (coal fuel tank) and activating the engine. I imagine speed would be controlled via a belt system and brakes. Basically allows people to make coal with the forges and use it to power the vehicle.[/quote]

You could never run a steam vehicle by yourself. Steam engines are giant coal and water devouring monsters, there’s no plausible way for you to maintain one unless you stumble into a national coal depot that is adjacent to a river or something. And even then the thing would be a logistical pain in the ass, as you’ll have to haul a coal wagon and a water cistern everywhere you go and you would have to refill them very often.

Not to mention that you’ll have too hack it off from a working steam locomotive, and I really doubt there are more than 50 working locomotives in the entire US.

So yeah the age of steam is not going to come back.[/quote]  
So, how do wood-powered cars work? Magic? They have a lot less coal percentage of coal compared to actual coal.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/cataclysmdda/original/1X/21b5d044e8473b25d0bf905d60477e25f6fbe0cf.png) [@system](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 10:02pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/7 "2014-02-16T22:02:48Z")

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You could, see: 240 item capacity in cargo holds, 4-20 cargo holds per vehicle of the kind of size needed for this thing. That would be about 1-2 tonnes of coal. Plus it doesn’t have to run on coal, just anything that burns. Shit burns pretty long is Cata IIRC because there is less oxygen because of pollution.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/cataclysmdda/original/1X/21b5d044e8473b25d0bf905d60477e25f6fbe0cf.png) [@system](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 10:06pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/8 "2014-02-16T22:06:04Z")

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This isn’t anything a week 4 survivor is going to do. This is a mega project in the sense of the parts and time required. It is going to be a way to power a vehicle with burnables so we have alternatives it just solar and gasoline.

I thought people liked alternatives. And can’t we suspend reality just for these engines to be partially viable?

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**Author:** ![Funk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d07c76/32.png) [@Funk](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Funk)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 10:14pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/9 "2014-02-16T22:14:29Z")

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Your thinking off massive train pulling steam engines, there where smaller steam engines made for cars and trunks in the early 20th century, mostly runing off kerosene to get started on time.  
Once started you change over to wood then charcoal, coal or so other slow burning fuel.  
Range can be fairy good with condenser to reuse water.

Think of this

 ![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/Sentinel_S4%2C_ATN_320.jpg/800px-Sentinel_S4%2C_ATN_320.jpg)

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**Author:** ![John\_Candlebury](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/john_candlebury/32/6437_2.png) [@John\_Candlebury](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/John_Candlebury)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 10:17pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/10 "2014-02-16T22:17:25Z")

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> [@Zaweri Runewright](#):
>
> [quote=“John Candlebury, post:3, topic:5100”][quote=“gtaguy, post:1, topic:5100”]So, how do wood-powered cars work? Magic? They have a lot less coal percentage of coal compared to actual coal.[/quote][/quote]

Technically, by burning Hydrogen and methane, thank you very much.

And even then you need to haul around and burn a lot of stuff organic stuff. But at least that one is way more plausible If you managed to stumble into a farm with a gasifier.

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**Author:** ![Zaweri\_Runewright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/5e9695/32.png) [@Zaweri\_Runewright](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Zaweri_Runewright)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 10:19pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/11 "2014-02-16T22:19:11Z")

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You could actually make a woodgas engine out of just a gas engine, sheet metal, and plumbing parts. There is a template somewhere on the internets.  
[http://driveonwood.com/](http://driveonwood.com/)

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**Author:** ![John\_Candlebury](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/john_candlebury/32/6437_2.png) [@John\_Candlebury](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/John_Candlebury)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/12 "2014-02-16T22:20:14Z")

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And promptly die of CO poisoning the moment you turn it on…

Seriously we just nerfed solar power to get rid of perpetual motion machines and you guys want to introduce an even easier to run alternatie

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/cataclysmdda/original/1X/21b5d044e8473b25d0bf905d60477e25f6fbe0cf.png) [@system](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 10:22pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/13 "2014-02-16T22:22:13Z")

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I want just a normal future-stirling engine. It’s the future, the mega-corps want to create some new fuel they can sell for millions to brainless consumers, they look to stirling engines and begun research. They create a super-fluid that us perfect for the job and barely allows the engine to be viable.

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**Author:** ![Zaweri\_Runewright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/5e9695/32.png) [@Zaweri\_Runewright](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Zaweri_Runewright)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 10:23pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/14 "2014-02-16T22:23:10Z")

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> [@John Candlebury](#):
>
> And promptly die of CO poisoning the moment yo turn it on.

No, this is actually legit. Why are you ALWAYS so negative?

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**Author:** ![HunterAlpha1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@HunterAlpha1](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/HunterAlpha1)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/15 "2014-02-16T22:25:08Z")

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> [@Zaweri Runewright](#):
>
> [quote=“John Candlebury, post:12, topic:5100”]And promptly die of CO poisoning the moment yo turn it on.

No, this is actually legit. Why are you ALWAYS so negative?[/quote]because he’s a negative person, obviously.

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**Author:** ![John\_Candlebury](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/john_candlebury/32/6437_2.png) [@John\_Candlebury](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/John_Candlebury)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 10:27pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/16 "2014-02-16T22:27:31Z")

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Yep, its me ALWAYS negative. ALL THE TIME

No but seriously, e just nerfed solar power to get rid of perpetual motion, and you want to replace it with an equallyeasier to craft and run alternative? Why do people ever complained about solar being OP then?

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**Author:** ![HunterAlpha1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@HunterAlpha1](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/HunterAlpha1)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 10:31pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/17 "2014-02-16T22:31:49Z")

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i didn’t, i simply chose not to use it, as i did with CBMs and mutagens when i first started playing, rather than demand they be nerfed or removed. now i use both, and enjoy them immensely.

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**Author:** ![Zaweri\_Runewright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/5e9695/32.png) [@Zaweri\_Runewright](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Zaweri_Runewright)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/18 "2014-02-16T22:35:36Z")

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[quote=“John Candlebury, post:16, topic:5100”]Yep, its me ALWAYS negative. ALL THE TIME

No but seriously, e just nerfed solar power to get rid of perpetual motion, and you want to replace it with an equallyeasier to craft and run alternative? Why do people ever complained about solar being OP then?[/quote]Solar was OP because you got power almost indefinitely. Also it is realistic.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/cataclysmdda/original/1X/21b5d044e8473b25d0bf905d60477e25f6fbe0cf.png) [@system](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 10:37pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/19 "2014-02-16T22:37:31Z")

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It’s an alternative.  
Solar just means you read for a bit while the batteries charge. Less chance of encounters and less fun.  
Combustion engine means you go out and cut down trees. More chance of encounters and more fun from the wildlife and stuff.

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**Author:** ![John\_Candlebury](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/john_candlebury/32/6437_2.png) [@John\_Candlebury](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/John_Candlebury)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 10:41pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/auto-battery-converter/5100/20 "2014-02-16T22:41:42Z")

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And you get effortless unlimited power with this one too. You need to do what? Smash a few counters for 2x4s every time you need fuel? Ohh god! Its gonna take ages to find and burn 20 two by fours!

So yeah its just the return of extremely practical unlimited fuel vehicles.

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