how do solar panels work?

[True Coverage]

i've set them up and installed the solar capacitor.. but i never seem to store energy. My capacitor lights up for a second then goes off?

[BlazeD]

A couple of panels will be useless. Build the maxiumum and place them so they get good sun all day. These are suitable for small bases and will power minimal defenses and equipment. Turn off all devices when not in use. Keep all unnecessary equipment stored in a container, many devices use lots of power just sitting around. Check the power consumption of your base in the CP. Once your panels are producing more than your base is using the capacitor will charge.

[shadar]

Also, solar panels won't work if you have a generator in your base.

[Móðsognir]

You need to be producing about twice as much power as you use during the day in order to have the stored power needed to get you through the night. And like blazeD said, turn off what you aren't using until you have more power than you need. Go ahead and build 20 panels on a solo game, they are cheap. PvP multiplayer, they are easy targets I would think though.

Use flat panels if your base is near the equator.
Use sloped panels pointing towards equator if you are closer to the poles.

[Móðsognir]

Originally posted by shadar:

Also, solar panels won't work if you have a generator in your base.

What gave you that idea?
You can combine solar and generators and the solar gets used first. so if your panels are enough, you won't use any fuel. generators do still need a fuel tank, and battery power overflow does not get stored as fuel.

[Paul_Kettlebones]

Will drones target solar panels or only defensive guns? I tend to build underground all the time so they can never get my base core or anything else.

[Mad Vic]

"Will drones target solar panels or only defensive guns? I tend to build underground all the time so they can never get my base core or anything else"

I dont think so. my default build is an underground base with panels. But I also place 1 or2 cannon turrets which take the drones out before they do much damage. All the damage is on the turrets though not the panels.

[Toonarmy]

Originally posted by shadar:

Also, solar panels won't work if you have a generator in your base.

yes they do as long as they produce more power than your base needs the generator runs but doesnt use fuel and the battery charges.When the battery runs out it starts using fuel.

[Toonarmy]

Originally posted by Móðsognir:

Originally posted by shadar:

Also, solar panels won't work if you have a generator in your base.

What gave you that idea?
You can combine solar and generators and the solar gets used first. so if your panels are enough, you won't use any fuel. generators do still need a fuel tank, and battery power overflow does not get stored as fuel.

i concur.

[shadar]

I had issues with getting them to work in conjunction with a generator. When searching for an explanation, I found that response in a thread and accepted it as the reason why. My apologies for passing bad info.

[adymex02]

well you can increase the efiency of the solar panels ,the numbers too, the number of t bays on a base you can chenge almost evrith on this game ,howw?? very simple this guide is only for SP gameplay soo go to your game folder you know steam app comon you find the game files then open content fold and at least config folder and there you well see a file named ,, config example ,, change the name of that file too only ,,config,, and woalla now you can open that file with notepad and search on that file for solar word use the find option from notepad its more fast and simple when you find the text line for the solar panels you well see there efiency 1,8 by default change it too 2.8 and the max count from 15 by default too what number you whant now there are two types of paneles there big and small find the other type of panel and ghange it too if you whant same you doo for t bay blocks you change maxcount from 1 too how many you whant and soo on you can change others thinks too but most important delete ,,example,, from the name config file and lett simple only ,,config,, now if the game receive update you may need too edit again the config tx and i hope this help and forgive my bad engl fell free too share this info too other peoples too may help

[adymex02]

one more word if you dont like the efiency what i posted 2.8 how is work you can put higher or lower depend how you like how goes when you play the game you can experimet on your self now of course if put a big efiency number you well not need a bunch of solar panels to build but this depend how you whant to play realistic or unrealistic activate on cmd game debugmenu and press esc after you close cmd and you see there a new option clikit and there you can make time goo faster and this is how you can see how the panels work

[adymex02]

well i run some more testes and i found when you run a base on solar panels DO NOT PAY ATENTION TOO POWER CONSUMPTION soo the generators are estetics when you run solar panels but if you hawe a generator on a solar panel base put the generator on runing and the power bae consumtion it will get down this IS PURE ESTETIC like i said the power consumtion go for real only when you run a base with fuel packs ,now on solar panel bases you need capacitors now here is a schematic
solar capacitors = fuel tanks are similars of corse only they work with diferent tipe of fuel
now open your config game file and find solar generator (this is the solar capacitor in game) and change the fuel capacity to lets say 10000 this mean you do not need anymore to instal in your base a bounch of capacitors you instal 2 or 3 its enough for a big base 10000=solar fuel now when you open your game and you put only 2 capacitors on your base and you hawe a bunch of solar panels do not panic when you se that the batery bar is not going up she is going up but slow cause of big fuel capaciti you puted on the solar capacitor and same when you use ay to repair a bluepr the btery bar level it well go down slow ,now when do repair on blueprints power consumtion bar it well goo up maybe to red NO MATTER LIKE I SAID YOU CAN RUN A GENERATOR TO MAKE THE POWER BAR CONSUMP DOWN BUT PURE ESTETIC FOR YOUR EYES ,abowe fuel capacity on generator solar conf you well see energy out now this is not important like is sound energy out= power bar consumtion that is estetic on solar pan but if you do not whant too se that bar going up or you do not whant a generator on your base to make the bar to go down then change the energy out too lests say 100000 and your bar consum weel newer go up now about solar panels if you realy whant improvments too yor batery bar going up fast change on conffig efficiency from 50 to up NOW CLOSE CONFIG TABEL AND SAVE ,,.. AND GOO ENJOY YOU FULL GREEN ENERGY BASE WHITHOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH FUEL REPLCE TY

[Tarc Novar]

Originally posted by adymex02:

snip

Dude, please stop reviving old threads just to rant.