Downsizing your power plant: Any downsides?

Coar · Jan 19, 2015

In ships that have a more generous power signature like the Python I wonder if there's a downside to downgrading your power supply?

I can fit a Class 7 C for 5Mio CR or I can fit a Class 5 A for the same price.

The 5A will give me B heat efficiency rather than C at 1/4 of the weight. Both fit the power envelope nicely.

Looks like an upgrade to me. Is there something I miss? Does a higher class Power Plant have any other advantages?

Derath · Jan 19, 2015

no you can use any plant you like that still provides full power for your systems, extra power doesn't do anything! so a 7C or a 5A for example, the 5A is likely both lighter, and more heat efficient so realistically its an upgrade until you need the power the higher class brings.

simon terlecki · Jan 19, 2015

larger class means more power outlets in the kitchen. If you don't need them, save the weight and jump farther!

Shads · Jan 19, 2015

Coar said:
In ships that have a more generous power signature like the Python I wonder if there's a downside to downgrading your power supply?

I can fit a Class 7 C for 5Mio CR or I can fit a Class 5 A for the same price.

The 5A will give me B heat efficiency rather than C at 1/4 of the weight. Both fit the power envelope nicely.

Looks like an upgrade to me. Is there something I miss? Does a higher class Power Plant have any other advantages?

I've actually found there can be some advantages to having a power plant slightly under powered for your modules. If you are over 100% with all modules active (including weapons deployed) you can set all of the ones that are useles in normal space to go offline in the module management panel. So when you deploy weapons things like FSD, Interdictor etc go offline leaving you plenty of power for weapons and lowering your heat sig slightly. But you can't do this if you have enough power to have everything on all the time. There's no way to automatically switch useless modules off during combat unless you are over 100% power usage.

Agony_Aunt · Jan 19, 2015

Doesn't having a power plant much higher than you need also reduce your heat signature as well though? eg: If you have a class E supply that can meet your needs but only just, isn't your "at rest" ship heat higher than if you had an A class power plant with the same equipment in other slots?

Watcher · Jan 19, 2015

Coar said:
In ships that have a more generous power signature like the Python I wonder if there's a downside to downgrading your power supply?

I can fit a Class 7 C for 5Mio CR or I can fit a Class 5 A for the same price.

The 5A will give me B heat efficiency rather than C at 1/4 of the weight. Both fit the power envelope nicely.

Looks like an upgrade to me. Is there something I miss? Does a higher class Power Plant have any other advantages?

I'm curious about this as well, when I've got the credits an upgrade to an A3 power plant from by D4 seems like a sensible move on my Cobra.
A bit more power if I need it and slightly lighter for a tiny bit better jump range..

If the generators output degrades (or can degrade) with damage then having spare capacity could save you from system outages during combat and perhaps a bigger unit will essentially accumulate damage more slowly.
So in my case while the A3 would put out more power than the D4 and give a bit more room it might take damage more quickly eliminating any advantage.. But then does it actual work that way ever? I don't think so..
Anyone done some research? Speculation is easy...

babelfisch · Jan 19, 2015

Loki_666 said:
Doesn't having a power plant much higher than you need also reduce your heat signature as well though? eg: If you have a class E supply that can meet your needs but only just, isn't your "at rest" ship heat higher than if you had an A class power plant with the same equipment in other slots?

If it isn't already it should be like that.
In real life that's why you should always run a PSU at max 50% of it's capacity. Everything above is generating too much heat and is therefore inefficent.

malicious1 · Jan 19, 2015

Watcher said:
I'm curious about this as well, when I've got the credits an upgrade to an A3 power plant from by D4 seems like a sensible move on my Cobra.
A bit more power if I need it and slightly lighter for a tiny bit better jump range..

If the generators output degrades (or can degrade) with damage then having spare capacity could save you from system outages during combat and perhaps a bigger unit will essentially accumulate damage more slowly.
So in my case while the A3 would put out more power than the D4 and give a bit more room it might take damage more quickly eliminating any advantage.. But then does it actual work that way ever? I don't think so..
Anyone done some research? Speculation is easy...

well letter wise it does make a difference to heat dissipation and on trader only i run several sizes smaller and A's

fergal · Jan 19, 2015

Loki_666 said:
Doesn't having a power plant much higher than you need also reduce your heat signature as well though? eg: If you have a class E supply that can meet your needs but only just, isn't your "at rest" ship heat higher than if you had an A class power plant with the same equipment in other slots?

Nope. Its based on the letter (A is coolest) not the amount of extra power.
The whole heating mechanics are basically non existent which is a real shame. Whole extra dimension of gameplay gone.

Bokugo · Jan 19, 2015

Yeah I always thought it had to do with heat threshold. I might try some testing later. Like go fuel scooping and see how close I can get before while staying at 99% heat. The higher the scoop number, the better heat control *i would at least hope so)

Shintai · Jan 19, 2015

Loki_666 said:
Doesn't having a power plant much higher than you need also reduce your heat signature as well though? eg: If you have a class E supply that can meet your needs but only just, isn't your "at rest" ship heat higher than if you had an A class power plant with the same equipment in other slots?

Yep. Powerplant controls the heat. The bigger plant the bigger heat delta.

If you have ever flown a T6/T7 you know instantly what a power plant upgrade do.

bend_r · Jan 19, 2015

babelfisch said:
In real life that's why you should always run a PSU at max 50% of it's capacity. Everything above is generating too much heat and is therefore inefficent.

This is not true for modern PC power supplies, they operate more efficiently when near their max specced load.

fergal · Jan 19, 2015

Shintai said:
Yep. Powerplant controls the heat. The bigger plant the bigger heat delta.

If you have ever flown a T6/T7 you know instantly what a power plant upgrade do.

Not true, the difference between the power output has nothing to do with the heat (I think it should)

Shintai · Jan 19, 2015

fergal said:
Not true, the difference between the power output has nothing to do with the heat (I think it should)

But it does. C to B plant reduces heat. They are exactly the same besides power output.

sohara · Jan 19, 2015

fergal said:
Not true, the difference between the power output has nothing to do with the heat (I think it should)

Incorrect. The closer you are to 100%, the hotter your ship runs. If you add a better power plant that leaves you running at 60% power usage, you'll run MUCH MUCH cooler.

Source: I play stealthy

babelfisch · Jan 19, 2015

bend_r said:
This is not true for modern PC power supplies, they operate more efficiently when near their max specced load.

You should check your facts. It looks like you refer to the 80 Plus certificate, but misunderstood it. It doesn't mean most efficiency at/above 80% usage, but 80% efficency in general, leading to 20% energy lost to heat. Every PSU performs best at 50% load. Check the table at wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/80_Plus

Questionable Ethics · Jan 19, 2015

It would also be interesting to know whether a larger Power Plant can take more of a pounding before blowing up (especially when targeted specifically).

QE

blacky75 · Jan 19, 2015

Coar said:
In ships that have a more generous power signature like the Python I wonder if there's a downside to downgrading your power supply?

I can fit a Class 7 C for 5Mio CR or I can fit a Class 5 A for the same price.

The 5A will give me B heat efficiency rather than C at 1/4 of the weight. Both fit the power envelope nicely.

Looks like an upgrade to me. Is there something I miss? Does a higher class Power Plant have any other advantages?

First thing I do when buying a new ship for trading purpose, is getting rid of the default powerplant... I take the minimum output needed (disabling even the cargo hatch I don't need) to get as furthest jump distance as possible...

No other advantage/disadvantage. Just a thing of Power and Weight here.

fergal · Jan 19, 2015

Shintai said:
But it does. C to B plant reduces heat. They are exactly the same besides power output.

mkten said:
Incorrect. The closer you are to 100%, the hotter your ship runs. If you add a better power plant that leaves you running at 60% power usage, you'll run MUCH MUCH cooler.

Source: I play stealthy

Nope.

A rated powerplants are cooler than B.
Has nothing to do with their power output or the gap between power usage.

An A1 powerplant is exactly as good as an A2 which is also exactly the same as an A3.

A1 is better than a B3. B3 makes much more power.

Jex =TE= · Jan 19, 2015

fergal said:
Nope. Its based on the letter (A is coolest)

Aaaah...but is it as cool as...