PC Question about solar

[bobrpggamer]

I am playing V1.4 to start. I have the following setup for lights:

2 L6 solar panels in a solar bank -to- 6 L6 batteries in a battery bank -to- electric time relay at 19:00 to 5:00 -to- 144 watts electric lights.

Problem is that at 19:00 the battery bank is not providing the 144 watts at all to the lights and the solar bank is providing the 60 watts it produces to the lights. Then only when the solar kicks off does the battery bank kick in.

Anyone know what I am doing wrong?

 

[Riamus]

I am playing V1.4 to start. I have the following setup for lights:

2 L6 solar panels in a solar bank -to- 6 L6 batteries in a battery bank -to- electric time relay at 19:00 to 5:00 -to- 144 watts electric lights.

Problem is that at 19:00 the battery bank is not providing the 144 watts at all to the lights and the solar bank is providing the 60 watts it produces to the lights. Then only when the solar kicks off does the battery bank kick in.

Anyone know what I am doing wrong?

That is how it works. The batteries are for night when the solar is off. You will need enough solar or generator to power things when batteries are off or else you'll need to disconnect the solar from the battery bank when you want to use the batteries during the day.

 

[bobrpggamer]

That is how it works. The batteries are for night when the solar is off. You will need enough solar or generator to power things when batteries are off or else you'll need to disconnect the solar from the battery bank when you want to use the batteries during the day.

I just thought of something.

The battery bank is 19:00 to 5:00, so what if I go from the solar -to- electric time relay at 6:00 to 18:00 and then to the battery bank. This way the solar will not kick on until the battery bank is off at 5:00 off and then kicks off before the battery bank starts at 19:00.

Yeah this is confusing to explain.

 

[theFlu]

2 L6 solar panels in a solar bank -to- 6 L6 batteries in a battery bank -to- electric time relay at 19:00 to 5:00 -to- 144 watts electric lights.

Solar -> Battery -> Timer -> Load ?

So, the timer in that setup is for night lights, from 7pm to 5am. That part is fine.

But the problem is in the "loading behaviour" of the batteries in the game:
Whenever a battery bank receives power, it stops sending power itself. So, whenever the Solar is on, the Batteries aren't. The solar is trying to run everything alone.

You can correct for this, by adding another timer:
Solar -> New Timer -> Battery -> Timer -> Load

The function of the New Timer is to cut off the charging power from the batteries, to allow them to start spending power. Your case is lucky in that you can just set the New Timer to the same settings as the old one, just in reverse.
But you shouldn't even need that, just set it to be on for an hour somewhere around noon; it will fill up the batteries quick.

EDIT: To your new post, yeah. That's the idea.

 

[bobrpggamer]

The function of the New Timer is to cut off the charging power from the batteries, to allow them to start spending power. Your case is lucky in that you can just set the New Timer to the same settings as the old one, just in reverse.
But you shouldn't even need that, just set it to be on for an hour somewhere around noon; it will fill up the batteries quick.

Do you think I can recharge the batteries using 144 watts of power with just 1 L6 solar panel? Should be 14 hours to do so. I am grinding like crazy to buy all these L6 solar panels. I think I need around 18 of them for all the lights and for 8 turrets as well.

Thank you for the replies guys.

 

[theFlu]

Do you think I can recharge the batteries using 144 watts of power with just 1 L6 solar panel? Should be 14 hours to do so.

Been a long while since I've tested myself, but I don't think they've changed it: it takes 5W of power to charge a bank, and a daily use can be restored really quickly. Less than an in-game hour. But to be sure, just take a look at the durability bars of the batteries to see their charge state. Full durability = fully charged.

 

[Lax]

If you mean the 30K Solar Cells at the trader, plant tons of Super and wear Enforcer Glasses equipped with a cigar when trading and you'll have those cells in no time. At least 5K dukes for a stack of 125 Super .

 

[bobrpggamer]

If you mean the 30K Solar Cells at the trader, plant tons of Super and wear Enforcer Glasses equipped with a cigar when trading and you'll have those cells in no time. At least 5K dukes for a stack of 125 Super .

Yeah the ridiculous 30K Solar cells. I just found a Bobs Boars a few days ago and I just don't have enough Super Corn to make a profit. I go out wrenching boatloads of cars and basic electric devices while doing so. I get over 1000 plastic, electrical and mechanical parts all together and they go for 8500 except for the plastic which is 5000 or something. Then I scrap all of the engines and get another 1000 mechanical. so I clear almost 30k dukes, not including other things I find in the cars. It does take a full day to do, but it is worth it. If I can cut down on the amount of solar cells, I should be done soon.

Thing is I have a ridiculous 80 or more generators hogging up gas. Some are not on all the time but it still takes a lot of gas and also going around and refueling the generators gets tedious.

 

[Suxar]

I just found a Bobs Boars a few days ago

Seeds are currently sold by merchants (provided the player has a sufficient level). They also drop quite frequently in red bags.

 

[Riamus]

Seeds are currently sold by merchants (provided the player has a sufficient level). They also drop quite frequently in red bags.

I don't know that I'd say frequently. I have found a single super corn seed in 38 days with 2 hour days. If you are spending hours just killing bears and dire wolves in the wasteland to get hundreds of red bags, then that would be different. But if you kill them just as needed and when you feel like it, you probably won't find many that way. But buying them is a good option.