How recharge the free rover?

[dragonsphotoworks]

Started a game. And made it to a crash site with broken ship and a rover on a jack. I removed jack and started driving it. And noticed only has 28min charge in it. So wanted to refuel/add fuel to it. But I cant not for life of me figure it out lol

[Sticky Wicket]

At that early stage in the game, either build a bio-generator to recharge it, or just make a new battery.

Later on you will get solar power, solar panels will recharge batteries for *free*, but you will have to find a solar panel and scan it before you can build them.

[dragonsphotoworks]

I tried build bio generator on rover but its just way too big. And doesnt seem to connect to it. I rebuilt rover a little bigger. So unlocked bunch of the starter blocks for it.

[Sticky Wicket]

Use the bio-generator to recharge the batteries on the rover. You will have to turn the rover off, and it will take maybe 20 mins to recharge.

[dragonsphotoworks]

Ah ok, I found solar panels. And place NINE of them on rover. With 6 batteries. And while they show 100% on solar panels. The battery power is STILL dropping? Its a small rover wth?

EDIT - And yes every thing is connected properly
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2889964264

[Sticky Wicket]

You need to turn everything off or the batteries will still keep draining power.

[dragonsphotoworks]

But with that much incoming power it should balance out and run off the panells.

[dragonsphotoworks]

ok turned every thing off. And now battery doesnt show charge level? How will I know IF is recharging and what percent it is at? Sorry I am little frustrated with this. Im used to how easy Planet explorers, space engineers, empryion and others do power management.

So having difficulties here and it is frustrating me :-)

[Sticky Wicket]

If you use power vision mode you should see the % recharge.

[dragonsphotoworks]

I turned on 2 small spotlights to see "Dont know how to do power view yet" and watched power dropping. Im currently seeing solar as a nonviable power source. Especially for bases, If have to turn off whole base to charge batteries... Will end up having base with no power. If forget to turn them off during the day to charge and run them at night.

Im confused as to why use solar at all. If causes you to need to constantly micro manage your base or rovers. The passive power income from them should be able to activly run a small rover AND charge batteries.

As I currently understand it i need to turn every thing off to charge rover/base. Then turn it on for short period of use... to then need turn every thing off one by one?

I really like the game but solar panels draining my desire to play it :-( I enjoy building large bases and rovers/ships. And at this rate Id never get even small rover to be viable.

[dragonsphotoworks]

4 wheels -140 Watts
2 lights 20 Watts
Total drain = 160 Watts

Power Source:
NINE 9 solar panels = 2,250 Watt

Surplus power = 2,090 Watts..
Looking at batteries show either 100 or 120 power draw.
So looking at that..
Surplus power would be = 1,330 Watts...

"EDIT- Thats 720 batteries, and 160 other.. for 880 draw. My power supply is over 2xs that"

And i cant power batteries? Makes no sense... I have to be doing some thing wrong as thats more then enough power to run rover and charge 50 batteries.

[dragonsphotoworks]

After much frustration and annoyence... I have it working now. One thing that was causing part of issue is the batteries show a timer till runs out of power.... Its same timer for when FULLY charged as well. So timer was showing me time till full when looked like time till empty... Percent on battery at time didnt change oddly. And fixed getting rover to drive up hills...

Hills was my fualt. I had 2 wheels rolling in reverse. And set to speed not power a bunch of them :-/ So on that i take responsibility lol

[Sticky Wicket]

Seems like you worked stuff out by yourself :D

Those small solar panels are just a starter thing, once you use the larger ones you can power bases.

However, Getting the tech and materials for deuterium is what to aim for asap.

A very efficient and effective setup: Autonomous water purifiers (tanks) connected with water pumps to turn dirty water into clean and then convey clean water to refinery to make deuterium. The autonomous water purifiers do not need to be powered.

To start with a couple of large solar panels and a battery rack ( to keep it going at night) will be enough for 1-2 water pumps/4 autonomous water tanks/med refinery. Eventually when you have enough deuterium, you can run this setup with a deuterium generator (set the med refinery to convey deuterium to the deuterium generator) and you will have an endless supply of *free energy*. More than enough to power a base, and several deuterium vehicles.

[dragonsphotoworks]

Got it working yes.. but now its stuck on bottom of a lake. The ground is flat as can be but wont move :-/ And cant make hover fans. Or hover jack "stuff for jack at base miles away". So im thinking this rover is lost. But no where near base so cant collect the parts and scrap rover. So now i live underwater and cant move :-/