Fusion reactor outputs

[Spears]

I have 2 fusion reactors with neighbor bonus. The math states that each reactor will need 4 generators to utilize its total power output of 400 MW. However, adding more than 4 fusion generators causes the electrical grids max production reading to keep going up.
Why? Is the math wrong? Can 2 fusion reactors power more than 4 generators?

[PunCrathod]

If you are not using all of the output from the reactors then plasma builds up in the system. Having more generators means more plasma storage and while there is still excess plasma in the system the grid sees all generators as being capable of producing their full output.

Once your consumption rises above what the reactors can make if you have more generators than what the reactors can supply plasma for the excess plasma will get consumed and grid max production will drop.

[Spears]

Originally posted by PunCrathod:

If you are not using all of the output from the reactors then plasma builds up in the system. Having more generators means more plasma storage and while there is still excess plasma in the system the grid sees all generators as being capable of producing their full output.

Once your consumption rises above what the reactors can make if you have more generators than what the reactors can supply plasma for the excess plasma will get consumed and grid max production will drop.

thank you

[cswiger]

Adding more than the correct ratio will give a higher max production rating, but you will not be able to run at peak load continuously. Same thing happens with boilers or steam turbines. One difference is that you can store steam in a tank, but you can't store plasma.

So overloading steam power and having stored steam can be useful for handling high draw such as lasers fending off a big wave. This won't work for fusion; but then, you don't need 'em on Aquilo...

[malogoss]

It's like everything power related. All power producers, generators in your case, count towards your production capacity. The game does not care if your system is sustainable/balanced or not.

1 nuclear reactor + 1 heat exchanger + 750 turbines will show huge power potential, even if it's no better than 1+1+2, for example. The game only checks the number of turbines.

Or you could connect 300 steam engines to your power grid without any boilers and the game would count it as 270 MW capacity, or whatever the number is. Even if they'll never produce any power.

[PunCrathod]

Similar thing happens with steam btw. If you are not using all the output from boilers/heat exchangers then steam builds up in the system and if you build more steam engines/turbines the grid sees those as usable sources of electricity. When you start using more power than your boiler/heat exchangers can make and the excess steam gets consumed the max production drops.