Solar Panels

jimboblordofeskimos · 2014-02-17T14:13:40.000Z

Just having the ability to have 2 engines in a car a switch between the 2 at will would fix most of the issues.

Sir_Scarfalot · 2014-02-17T16:18:58.000Z

i2amroy:

[quote=“keldoclock, post:13, topic:5099”]IRL or in the game? IRL solar panels wear out annually and need all kinds of maintenance.

IRL other then a small amount of maintenance costs (which are fairly low if you have good solar panels) they don’t cost anything. For smaller ones such as the kind you mount on a house/car, there isn’t any real maintenance costs at all other then the occasional wipe-down (assuming you aren’t driving or living in an area frequented by dust/sand storms that is).[/quote]

Actually, while the panels themselves require nearly no maintenance, the BATTERIES do. They need to be replaced every 3-4 years, and ultimately cost quite a bit in terms of maintenance.

jimboblordofeskimos · 2014-02-17T16:51:19.000Z

My parents have had a huge bank of panels on their roof for 5 years now, exactly zero maintenance

system · 2014-02-17T17:00:25.000Z

jimboblordofeskimos:

My parents have had a huge bank of panels on their roof for 5 years now, exactly zero maintenance

Because the power goes directly into the grid, no batteries.

Soyweiser · 2014-02-17T20:33:21.000Z

github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA

Solar tiers

by Soyweiser on 08:32PM - 17 Feb 14

9 commits changed 4 files with 204 additions and 10 deletions.

system · 2014-02-17T20:36:37.000Z

Soyweiser:

https://github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA/pull/6155

I love you.

Soyweiser · 2014-02-17T20:46:51.000Z

note that this PR if accepted makes it defacto harder to get solar power. (Solars went from 1111 power to 111 to 167 (yesterday), and this will put the normal solars back at 111).

Iosyn · 2014-02-17T21:57:29.000Z

Soyweiser:

note that this PR if accepted makes it defacto harder to get solar power. (Solars went from 1111 power to 111 to 167 (yesterday), and this will put the normal solars back at 111).

Much better. Nice work Soy.

whiran · 2014-02-18T00:54:30.000Z

Soyweiser:

note that this PR if accepted makes it defacto harder to get solar power. (Solars went from 1111 power to 111 to 167 (yesterday), and this will put the normal solars back at 111).

I think it’s great as well!

Robik · 2014-03-01T13:37:15.000Z

Well, after I ended in middle of nowhere, I can safely say that default solar vehicle designs (Electric Car) are worthless… and they should be redesigned accordingly.

John_Candlebury · 2014-03-01T13:46:44.000Z

The other solar car (with 13 panels) is slightly better, in a sunny day, it recovers at approximately 4 power units per hour. It still takes a day to fill half a tank though.

Soyweiser · 2014-03-01T17:45:40.000Z

Robik:

Well, after I ended in middle of nowhere, I can safely say that default solar vehicle designs (Electric Car) are worthless… and they should be redesigned accordingly.

Well, solar cars are designed to run off the electrical grid. Which mostly failed after the cataclysm. The solar panels are only a last ditch measure if you get stuck in the middle of nowhere, and a cheap way to refill your car partially. At least that is the explaination im running with.

Robik · 2014-03-01T19:11:26.000Z

Soyweiser:

[quote=“Robik, post:30, topic:5099”]Well, after I ended in middle of nowhere, I can safely say that default solar vehicle designs (Electric Car) are worthless… and they should be redesigned accordingly.

Well, solar cars are designed to run off the electrical grid. Which mostly failed after the cataclysm. The solar panels are only a last ditch measure if you get stuck in the middle of nowhere, and a cheap way to refill your car partially. At least that is the explaination im running with.[/quote]

Yea, problem is that solar panels are so useless now, that last ditch measure is not working… they are not able to move the car at all. Also, with such inefficient panels it might be more helpful to skip them and save on the weight.

I have no idea how the electricity / gas consumption is calculated in game though. Does weight / speed actually matter? If not, maybe switch from large electric motor to normal would help, top speed will be lower but vehicle will move. If weight matter, maybe using light frames instead of steel?

The_Lone_Badger · 2014-03-02T02:05:16.000Z

Fuel / electricity usage is defined by motor, acceleration/speed is defined by motor output and mass.
(Non-large) electric motors won’t move a car. They struggle severely with a small motorbike.

I think a good fix would be to halve the electricity usage and power output of large electric motors. Makes electric vehicles slow commuter vehicles, and if you want performance you go gasoline.

Robik · 2014-03-02T05:45:23.000Z

[quote=“The Lone Badger, post:34, topic:5099”]Fuel / electricity usage is defined by motor, acceleration/speed is defined by motor output and mass.
(Non-large) electric motors won’t move a car. They struggle severely with a small motorbike.

I think a good fix would be to halve the electricity usage and power output of large electric motors. Makes electric vehicles slow commuter vehicles, and if you want performance you go gasoline.[/quote]

Thanks for the info!

I had small el. motor powered 3x3 light-frame vehicle with my previous character, and while top speed and acceleration were shitty, it was working nicely (there might be bug with battery recharge though, with 6 panels it could drive infinitely long with 0% battery, but when battery was not empty, it still drained it down to 0%)

There are 2 el. motors right now, small with 1 power consumption and large with 3 power consumption. Maybe third could be added… a normal size motor with 2 power consumption?

I think that default game design of el. car should be able to move with clear / sunny weather, albeit slowly, using smaller motor than it is using now.

system · 2014-03-02T05:50:11.000Z

Where are all the hybrid cars? I mean most electric cars have an engine for when battery gets low.

Robik · 2014-03-02T06:52:41.000Z

gtaguy:

Where are all the hybrid cars? I mean most electric cars have an engine for when battery gets low.

I would love that feature. It would also recharge battery while driving on gasoline.

I know we can have more motors installed, but we cannot start just one of them, if I am right?

HunterAlpha1 · 2014-03-02T07:16:41.000Z

Robik:

[quote=“gtaguy, post:36, topic:5099”]Where are all the hybrid cars? I mean most electric cars have an engine for when battery gets low.

I would love that feature. It would also recharge battery while driving on gasoline.

I know we can have more motors installed, but we cannot start just one of them, if I am right?[/quote]I’m wondering about that too. Does having engines of multiple types mean that power is drawn from each equally? Or how does it work?

Zireael · 2014-03-02T10:07:17.000Z

That’s a good question.

i2amroy · 2014-03-02T18:56:50.000Z

For now it would draw from all engines simultaneously, yes.