Best power generation setup?

[Forevener]

It feels like electric-powered boats perform better, so I would like to use diesel engines to power the generators. What is the most efficient way to generate electricity - which engine, generator(s), gear ratios?

[agrimes]

large engine, -> 2:3 step-up gearbox -> large generator, yields an output of around 865... I'm using this on a train. I only need about 195 to travel at 52m/sec unloaded...

[craftyscotsman]

@Agrimes - do you also have any wisdom on just how much power draw elec. motors need? tah

[Forevener]

@craftyscotsman`4f
The measurement unit for generator output is unclear. So for that I'd suggest to use a couple of controllers:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1901001906
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1901003124
This way you could measure consumption when you turn the generator(s) off, and recharge rate when you turn them on and disable the motor.
According to my findings, large electric motor consumes ~150 "W/h" per second under the max load, and agrimes' recipe generates ~110 "W/h" per second.

Also, interesting fact - adding fluid pump to air intake of large engine increases output from ~865 units to ~881 units.

[Pneumo]

The simplest way is to have a few gearboxes and put the generators AFTER the clutch so you get full engine power before the clutch for max rotations. Gearboxes first, then clutch to prop /other

Torque meters inline after each gearbox to display if your gear ratio setup lowers or raises rps and torque.

[Forevener]

In my setups I don't use clutch (since it's not 100% efficient), and not more than two gearboxes (since they are only 95% efficient). I was experimenting with large engine and various generators and came to the same conclusion as agrimes - currently, the best setup for large engine is 2:3 gearbox and large generator. Or am I missing something?

[Pneumo]

I've not gone too far into final gear ratios, merley just a suggestion based on my recent findings, and i say to use a clutch only as i have one running the boat as to generate power whilst the boat is stationary, i put the gearboxes all in gear and leave the clucth off.

I do believe for sure, that two gearboxes isnt enough, i use four minimum to achieve different ratios and torque/rps as i have a boat that im slowly making into a multi purpose vessel, to trasnport fluids/ vehichles and generally rescue people or carry items, eventually having a water pump to aslo put out fires.

I've not done the maths on the gear ratios as my setup is not for electric motors, as electricity is really wasteful or rather requires alot of electricity to use.

I find diesel engines to, like in real life, be the best form of power supply, and when you link multiple engines together correctly, they can output more thean enough power for the job.

Im taling from experience here- as i have literally realised a flaw to my preivious building ways, but also becuse of recent changes in the game to prevent infinite power rigs to be the main issue- the information i was reading was out of date so i went at it alone and realised engine potential output was being held back by the way i was linking engines, rather than the game being rubbish ha- which i was at the time getting annoyed with.

I only use electric motors for minor tasks such as a reversing prop or motor for something minor.

I also setup each gearbox so that the first number is 1-1 and the toggled number as the ratio- progressing from 1-1 as the first, two clicks to 6-5 for the second etc and therefor meaning you have all possible ratios available, with each gearbox having a torque meter and dials/digi displays to show both torque and rps after each gearbox to display or warn you of which ratios dont work for the scenario- and therefor seeing which ratios are required to be toggled on together.

A land based workshop test bench used to test new systems is always my first thought, even if the item being made will later be used to perform underwater scenarios, just to get a rough idea.

i hope this helps in some way, as i too have spent many hours pondering or searching for answers that dont yet exist due to the current stage of development of the game, and generally realising that the game changes so frequently currently, that no one answer will be in date for too long, but the general principals of the game should hopefully stay intact.

[craftyscotsman]

@ all, sweet input ansd response thanks :) i agreed, that for apps where piping is easy diesel mechanical all the way, personally cos i suck at the deep logics, i only use the one gear box, saves a bit of power loss i guess haha. my above question was with regards to a velocicopter im making, so using elec. has been way easier but deffo with larger applications mechs all the way :)

i would like to make me big boat faster though, may need to look into more gearboxes XD

[Pneumo]

Ah i see, Elect motors, atleast small ones spin upto 19, using more gearboxes will widen your torque and rps output overall, and attaching torque meters will help suss out which gears to use at the same time. I was struggling to get boats to move quickly and i put it down to weight til i figured a few things out, was also blaming the game.

I have only seen 5% loss even using 12 small engines linked as two lots of 6, going through 4 gearboxes each, with exhausts and air all going via one pipe out for 6 lots of exhausts into one out and only 5% loss.

Gearboxes pointing towards the engine power lines create speed- the opposite creates torque

[craftyscotsman]

yeah its small motors ive used, seems to be working though :) sits at 73 % battery under full load.
saved a lot of pip work XD

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1892797917

cos yer input on the last one was great haha

[Pneumo]

Ha- i didnt even realise this was you int the first place, ha sorry :D

i'll take a look somewhen, i'll dl it for now but so far my main aim is boats, and havent touched anything else, as i primarily bought this game as scrap echanic couldnt build them/ with the game modded for boats -you could make them but they werent brilliant,

I wasnt going to risk killing myself from the air when i didnt have boats/ this games ways worked out. most of this game is phyically noticing flaws and no info currently.

Unless i'm unaware, i dont think the full vehichle weight is displayed anywhere eh?

Good work playing both sea and air- its taken me all my game time and much stressing with lacking info/ rince and repeat testing in full advanced mode rather than creative to keep track of which parts i'd unlocked for progression, having to fill and empty fuel tanks and trying to suss it out from there

Just realised the description on the heli too, awesome idea with the water storage :D

[craftyscotsman]

neither did i till today haha,
ahh fair enough :P to be fair i prefer the boats too :Pi think they work a little better :P
full vehicle weight would be epic!

yeah i was just trial and error too, watched a couple tutorials for the basics :) ill admit, i have tp on so failed testing can be easily recovered haha

it works ok, though difficult to control without a copilot :P

[Pneumo]

Same here! spent too much time wanting to recover sinking messups, but i level with karma by having to earn my money and parts needing to be researched (which is annoying at first) and have already spent more than enough time filling and refilling the boat or doing things properly to care anymore ha.

[craftyscotsman]

yeah im the same haha, ill wait till a good mp before i go hardcore surv again lol

[craftyscotsman]

Jet driven generator will get about 4k power....just to get back on track haha

[Pneumo]

will have to review this also at a later point, add it to the list of things we need to discuss :D never considered jet drive, O.o awesome.