explain my power grid please

[motorbit]

output capacity: 700
max consumption: 351
balance: -351
consume: 271
shortage: -80

so, as i read it, i need to provide 80 more power.
however, already my maximum consumption is only 50% of my output capacity, and building more batteries or solar panels is not doing anything for me.
i am confuse.

[Kasoi]

Same here. I have 20 Tier 2 batteries, each is capable of 50 kW, so 1000 kW in total. Max consumption shows -850, yet I am -250 kW short at night. Doesn't make sense if there is no cap on power poles...

[regularhr]

Maybe they are not charged, check the SOC of each battery!

[Sofa King Cute]

It's not that. There must be a bug in the current state of the game. Many people are encountering this problem with fully loaded and properly connected batteries. Including myself, sigh.

[Razguul]

I'm having similar battery/power problems.

[motorbit]

well, it seems to be a cosmetic issue, or an issue of understanding the numbers.
yes, there is a red, negative number indicating a deficit.
however, my buildings are working.

[DFOLT12]

i've noticed this also, but the low power message trigger is actually machines that run out of resources. they power off and read 0 for power until new resources are inserted triggering the message. quite and oversight imo.

[Kylestra]

I believe the negative shortage simply means that during the night this is how much is being discharged from the batteries to supply the machines. I think it is a translation issue.

[Faceless]

If you mouse over the elevator in wire mode you'll see it has 10 possible connections. it seems like each of these connections is a "grid" and each grid can only support an unknown amount of power draw. If you enable power map view (bottom left) you'll see some buildings are not green. Put those not green buildings on a separate power grid connecting to the elevator, and you should see the low power issues go away.

That's what I've learned from testing. All batteries, and all solar panels connected to the elevator via one grid, and then creating a new distinct grid each time you get the low power notification. You'll also notice that each building has an amount of power it draws. I've tried using that to infer how much power a grid can support but it seems inconsistent.

It's frustrating, annoying and stupid.

[Razguul]

It sure is.

[Darkstar_IE]

Hey Folks, not sure if this is helpful, but Ive read a lot of folks complaining about the power grid, and saying its bugged. So I spent a good deal of time in sandbox, playing with it, and I don't think it is. I think this is a very DEEP game, that really makes you "Think" and plan.

So, lets say you have 2 batteries, and 2 solar cells. If you connect them both to the elevator, but not each other. The batteries will never get charged. Its all about the circuit.

Likewise if you connect the batteries, AND the Solar cells, then the solar cells power will go to the elevator, and the batteries might get some charge that's left over. You will also see if you look at power, you will have 2 x power grids.

The best way i found was to build about 8 solar cells, and 8 batteries ( just to start off, and get a mine going with Concrete, Silicon, and Steel) .

Connect All of the solar panels, one to another, in Series. so they are the first thing inthe power chain. Then link them to the batteries, again, in series. Finally link a single link from the batteries to the Elevator. This way, the solar cells are the base power, that charge the batteries, (all in series), and the batteries effectively "run" your base.

When the sun goes down, you are still running on battery power, but depleting it, as they cells are not charging the batteries. if you don't have enough to get you through the lunar night, build more cells. if your base needs more power, build more batteries. THis way you can manage a single power grid, and not split your power.