MK3 Accumulators

[DJQuad]

I might be missing something but what's the point of High Capacity MK3 Accumulators when they don't charge fast enough? I have enough MK3 Panels to last during the day (7.2 GW) but at night I run out of power. I tried adding Fast MK3s but it hasn't helped much. I have 45k High Capacity MK3s and 12k Fast MK3s.

The accumulators in total generate 389 GJ but only last until around 2:00 am. I'm also using BobAAAces' blueprint and the ratios seem fine.

[bobingabout]

I might be missing something but what's the point of High Capacity MK3 Accumulators when they don't charge fast enough? I have enough MK3 Panels to last during the day (7.2 GW) but at night I run out of power. I tried adding Fast MK3s but it hasn't helped much. I have 45k High Capacity MK3s and 12k Fast MK3s.

The accumulators in total generate 389 GJ but only last until around 2:00 am. I'm also using BobAAAces' blueprint and the ratios seem fine.

Well, then you'd want more accumulators. The day is about 3 times the length of the night, and the charge and discharge as the same speed, so if you're running out of power before morning, then you just don't have enough Accumulators to last the night. and if you can't fully charge them by the end of the day, then you don't have enough solar panels.

Though if you want to force them to last all night long, use slow accumulators, that's what they're designed for. I calculated how long it would take to last all night long, then basically set their discharge rate vs capacity to last all night long, under the assumption that they're fully charged at the start of night.
This means your base will operate in a low power state if you don't have enough of them, but you won't totally black out.

[DJQuad]

Thanks for the reply. Should I scrap what I have and transition to all slow accumulators then? Or just add them without more panels? I'm not sure how many should be added.

Also, I'm not sure if you're aware but BobAAAces BP has 3.8k panels and 3.2k accumulators. I just used upgrade planner to replace the panels and accumulators.

[bobingabout]

Thanks for the reply. Should I scrap what I have and transition to all slow accumulators then? Or just add them without more panels? I'm not sure how many should be added.

Also, I'm not sure if you're aware but BobAAAces BP has 3.8k panels and 3.2k accumulators. I just used upgrade planner to replace the panels and accumulators.

I don't think you should need to replace them, a combination would probably be better, but that does sound like a lot of panels and accumulators. You must have a pretty huge power draw if it isn't enough.

[DJQuad]

A combination of what?

Here's a screenshot taken at 10:04 am.

power.png (1.97 MiB) Viewed 3402 times

I can take another at a specific time if it would help.

[DJQuad]

This makes no sense to me. I did plop down a few more fast ones and I guess it's ok now. This was at 6:39 am -

power2.png (1.55 MiB) Viewed 3396 times

This is giving me as headache

[bobingabout]

Part of the problem with fast accumulators is their relative low storage capacity. so they'll charge pretty fast during the day then stop. you'll either need A LOT MORE of them, or to change them out of High Capacity ones.

[DJQuad]

You've said both use slow ones and high capacity ones in different replies. Just so I'm clear, moving forward I should use slow (replacing fast ones) and high capacity?

[bobingabout]

You've said both use slow ones and high capacity ones in different replies. Just so I'm clear, moving forward I should use slow (replacing fast ones) and high capacity?

Yes. And if they're not fully charged by 8PM, you need more solar panels.

[bobingabout]

You've said both use slow ones and high capacity ones in different replies. Just so I'm clear, moving forward I should use slow (replacing fast ones) and high capacity?

Yes. And if they're not fully charged by 8PM, you need more solar panels.

Fast are best used as a buffer between networks where capacity isn't the main feature required.
Slow (assuming fully charged by nightfall) are guaranteed to last all night long.
High Capacity are probably just the best overall battery banks, as they have the highest capacity.

People often make smaller power networks, linked together by 2 power poles powering the same accumulator, with no actual cable between them. it's a method of limiting power throughput. More accumulators in this spot would mean a higher limit. That's what Fast is basically for.

[DJQuad]

Thanks, that helps a lot. So the ratios on those big grid blueprints that use normal panels and accumulators shouldn't be used for your solar power? It sounds like I just need a lot more panels to get the accumulators charged properly.

[bobingabout]

Thanks, that helps a lot. So the ratios on those big grid blueprints that use normal panels and accumulators shouldn't be used for your solar power? It sounds like I just need a lot more panels to get the accumulators charged properly.

The ratios are a bit different, yeah.