Power issues

[EdzUp]

Anyone else had problems with power in the game lately?

I bought a viper last night and kitted it out keeping an eye on the power requirements as I always do and getting a powerplant to power them and making sure it's kitted perfect. I then go to a nav point to test it out and start engaging a ship and half way through my shields suddenly turn off, I get to safety and look and my usage is 85% full usage with everything on. So I try again alone in space and my shields go off again so I go back to the station and trade it in for a Eagle kit it out the same and I have no issues now.

Just wondered if anyone else has encountered this before.

 

[Yodafone]

Anyone else had problems with power in the game lately?

I bought a viper last night and kitted it out keeping an eye on the power requirements as I always do and getting a powerplant to power them and making sure it's kitted perfect. I then go to a nav point to test it out and start engaging a ship and half way through my shields suddenly turn off, I get to safety and look and my usage is 85% full usage with everything on. So I try again alone in space and my shields go off again so I go back to the station and trade it in for a Eagle kit it out the same and I have no issues now.

Just wondered if anyone else has encountered this before.

You make no mention of setting priorities, perhaps you have simply exceeded your current power plant's capacity with your new loadout. Set things like your FSD/FSI/Cargo hatch to priority two so when hardpoints are deployed they turn off automatically. You can then exceed 100% of your power plant. If you do know about Priorities then I have no idea, sorry.

 

[Psycho Romeo]

I agree with the above, you probably had a priority point out of place or something.
.
Personally I feel that powerplant's available power could be bumped down an MJ or two. I absolutely hate that it's so easy to run with A rated vitals and shield boosters on top.

 

[Mohrgan]

He may have his Shield Generator as a lower priority, making an early choice in the power down cascade.

- - - Updated - - -

I agree with the above, you probably had a priority point out of place or something.
.
Personally I feel that powerplant's available power could be bumped down an MJ or two. I absolutely hate that it's so easy to run with A rated vitals and shield boosters on top.

There are a number of ships that do allow for an abundance of power and let you fit just about all A rated inerds. There are also, many ships that require you to juggle priorities and make serious equipment choices. The Viper, and most combat focused ships, are known for this. While All Purpose ships seem to afford you the most available power.

 

[Yodafone]

I agree with the above, you probably had a priority point out of place or something.
.
Personally I feel that powerplant's available power could be bumped down an MJ or two. I absolutely hate that it's so easy to run with A rated vitals and shield boosters on top.

Hmmm, I'm inclined to agree, it is far too easy to fit a wonderment of high rated "stuff", hardest craft is perhaps the Vulture which really teaches you about making compromises, all ships should be like this really when you are talking of many a shield booster/bank etc.

 

[Psycho Romeo]

There are a number of ships that do allow for an abundance of power and let you fit just about all A rated inerds. There are also, many ships that require you to juggle priorities and make serious equipment choices. The Viper, and most combat focused ships, are known for this. While All Purpose ships seem to afford you the most available power.

Here's a viper that works great using one less MJ than available.

 

[Mohrgan]

Here's a viper that works great using one less MJ than available.

It looks to me that it is 3% over. Anyway, I'm a Vulture pilot. I never had any luck with a Viper, nor FA Off. I keep trying, but it is ultra-situational for me. That's why I watch these clips. It learns me about that stuff.

 

[Psycho Romeo]

It looks to me that it is 3% over. Anyway, I'm a Vulture pilot. I never had any luck with a Viper, nor FA Off. I keep trying, but it is ultra-situational for me. That's why I watch these clips. It learns me about that stuff.

......Turn off non-essentials. Cargo hatch, FSD, interdictor, and one SCB does not need to be powered while in combat. How do you own a vulture without knowing this?

 

[Mohrgan]

......Turn off non-essentials. Cargo hatch, FSD, interdictor, and one SCB does not need to be powered while in combat. How do you own a vulture without knowing this?

I got it. I thought you were saying that the build you posted had a 1 Mj surplus deployed. It's just a misunderstanding. All is well.

 

[EdzUp]

ah shields were on priority 1, cargo hatch, fsd were on 2 (not needed in combat).

In station the fully deployed usage was 8.7 and under the output of the powerplant fitted.

 

[Psycho Romeo]

ah shields were on priority 1, cargo hatch, fsd were on 2 (not needed in combat).

In station the fully deployed usage was 8.7 and under the output of the powerplant fitted.

Are you sure? Double triple check. Sometimes the modules panel takes a few seconds to update, so you'd need top open and close it a few times to see what's actually there. Your priorities might have been messed up or you might have something on that you didn't expect to be on once you left the station screen.

Also shields on priority one is a pretty bad idea.

 

[EdzUp]

Why is it a bad idea? Surely if power issues develop the last thing you want in any situation is your shields going down?

Gonna refit a new Viper today in me Eagle at present

 

[Psycho Romeo]

Why is it a bad idea? Surely if power issues develop the last thing you want in any situation is your shields going down?

Gonna refit a new Viper today in me Eagle at present

If you have power issues developing in combat, it's because your shield has already failed and something is hurting your powerplant enough to make it malfunction. At this point, shields are not going to save you (unless you feel you can last long enough to get them back up - generally doesn't happen in a viper, as it has both large shields and paper hull).
I believe I remember reading a powerplant will be reduced to 40% power before failing (and you die). So, the only thing in your rank 1 priority should be thrusters, as I think this is about 35% of your viper's power usage (I could be remembering wrong). After hard points deploy, things should power down in the following order: scanners, boosters, shields, life support, other defensive modules, weapons.

 

[EdzUp]

Ah I see so what is the point of priority surely it should be a list of things which you can change the order of so they can fail in a chosen order if problems develop. I thought priority was what you didn't want failing at all so position one meant power everything as per the 'fully deployed' power value in the station screen.

 

[Psycho Romeo]

Ah I see so what is the point of priority surely it should be a list of things which you can change the order of so they can fail in a chosen order if problems develop. I thought priority was what you didn't want failing at all so position one meant power everything as per the 'fully deployed' power value in the station screen.

Priority works like this:

When you find yourself asking for more power than you have, modules will be deactivated starting with the set in the lowest priority (the greatest number). Consider these events happening -

Say you have your modules distributed between priority 1 and priority 5. You deployed hardpoints. You are now asking for more power than you have. Priority 5 modules shut off (FSD, interdictor, cargo/fuel scoop, discovery scanner).

You are fighting and your powerplant takes enough damage to begin malfunctioning. Your available power dwindles. Priority 4 modules are shut off (boosters, KWS, cargo scanner, SCBs). Despite shutting off your priority 4 modules, you're still asking for too much power. Priority 3 modules are shut off as well (shield generator, life support, chaff launchers).

You take a little more damage. Your powerplant malfunctions again, and your available power dwindles further. Priority 2 modules are shut off (hardpoints).

You retract your hardpoints since they're shut off anyway. You are asking for less power. Priority 2 modules are reactivated (hardpoints) but since they are retracted, they consume no power. Priority 3 and 4 modules are then activated as well. Using your thrusters and chaff, you escape from the fight. You manually turn off your shield generator and manually turn on your FSD, spin it up and leave the area.

I hope this helps paint a picture of how to work with power priorities.

 

[EdzUp]

Ah ok, I understand the concept now

I would have had a list on a module by module basis like:
Life Support
Thrusters
Shields
FSD
Scanner
Weapons
Scoop
Chaff

and the lowest ones is turned off first

 

[Psycho Romeo]

Ah ok, I understand the concept now

I would have had a list on a module by module basis like:
Life Support
Thrusters
Shields
FSD
Scanner
Weapons
Scoop
Chaff

and the lowest ones is turned off first

Right, just remember the lowest priority has the highest number.