Newcomer / Intro Power Usage Changed

[d8veh]

I take around 160 limpets. This is usually overkill and I throw at least 20-30 per run. Perhaps not optimal, but you never know when you will screw up.
The PWA I use occasionally to see if there are any suspiciously yellow and popcorn-like asteroids. If there are I momentarily change my prospecting path to move towards them rather than whatever directional waypoint I have set. I prospect along the path regardless and do not bolt straight for the shiny stuff. If the yellow asteroid it is an LTD core, I mine it. I do not think this is necessary or affects the rate much (positively or negatively). I mainly do it for variation. In fact, in the run I posted above, I did not use it at all as my intent was pure laser mining. It also means I could take the same ship core mining without refitting it if one day I would decide I need some diversification.
TLDR: The PWA and core mining equipment are mainly for diversion purposes, they are not essential for the build or main mining mode. If you prefer to run without you can probably get away with a smaller power plant, but I did not check that.

Thanks. I think the same about the core mining equipment. I've left it off for now. I just cobbled together a ship out of all the parts I had lying around. I got nearly the same as yours, but the PP is a 4A. I'm using biweave shields plus a couple of boosters.

 

[[VR] Orodruin]

Thanks. I think the same about the core mining equipment. I've left it off for now.

Right, one more thing I almost forgot: I try to take full advantage of having four prospectors. Unless it is really going to slow me down in starting to mine an asteroid, I try to have the prospector on it as the ”oldest” active prospector and three new prospectors flying off to or already at new asteroids. That way I will often already have one or even two new mining targets once I complete the current one. My main issue is keeping track of the prospectors in the contacts tab after completing a rock. I tend to get very up and personal with the rocks and lose orientation.

 

[d8veh]

OK. I did my first run from a selling station 53 LY away. the total time from taking off until ready to take off again was 75 minutes. I had to wait 6 minutes for pirates. the mining time was 57 minutes so mining at 206T/hr and the overall rate worked out at 156T/h. I think I can improve the mining rate when I get used to my new sticks and loadout - maybe 5% to 10%.

This is what I used:

EDSY

EDSY is a ship outfitting tool for Elite Dangerous

edsy.org

I can't see much advantage in using 4 prospectors. I reckon it might be better to have 8 collectors and 2 prospectors.

Unfortunately the Python takes three trips to mine what the Cutter can do in one, so it's wasting an hour travelling and waiting for pirates on average. Using a Cutter with 522 cargo, 8 limpets and two lasers, I was getting 174T/hr overall. With 578 carg, two lasers and 6 limpets, I was getting about 167T/hr overall. Considering the lower price the Cutter gets for the LTDs, its pretty even with the Python; however, I can see a loadout for the Cutter where I can use three lasers and 9 limpets with 578 cargo, which is going to blitz the Python. It should be able to do a run in about 2.75 hrs, so something like 210T/hr overall. when the price is right, that's going to be 867 mil per run or 315 mil per hour.

I'm going to do 10 runs in each and make a comparison.

https://coriolis.edcd.io/outfit/imperial_cutter?code=A0pktuFplxdusCf6---2m2m2m--02-04---040707CeCeB1Ce1O--1vP92i.Iw18ZlA%3D.Aw18ZlA%3D.H4sIAAAAAAAAA2P8Z8%2FAwPCXFUj8qQESHEc4GRj4bb79%2Fy%2B2gJ%2BB4T%2FTPwm4fBmQ4D%2Fw8%2F9%2FEYk%2F%2F%2F%2BLfuBiYJBwYGNgUJ7w4v%2F%2F%2F8z%2FpOAqK0AqVX4BVdaIAhXdAQr%2BZ%2FlnCJPnr3jz%2F7%2FQmXtAXaz%2FbOC6WoAEJ0gXF4hQBBFKPP%2F%2B%2F1ctEGdgUDMQBBrC9i8B1ZADD%2F7%2F1wM597%2FAP04s5gv9c4eJci8BupU%2F4Pf%2F%2F4IglgTIpyog1n%2Bxf65wrSC3ChmUQuXlb%2FAB5SX%2FCWAxWgqrqPQ%2FX7iHsoEEEyis2DawAO23ZGZgELwHJERBpqrsYQcaLYPVEMV%2FjlhElf7FwkSFBNQZGEw7hIEm%2FGdABQCyFFQu0gEAAA%3D%3D.EweloBhA2AWECMcQDMCmATNAnAhgGwH0BjAe2wDc0AXatERCJkKVoA%3D%3D&bn=Imperial%20Cutter%202%20Painite%20miner

 

[[VR] Orodruin]

I can't see much advantage in using 4 prospectors. I reckon it might be better to have 8 collectors and 2 prospectors.

I saw a significant increase in my mining rate when I made the change to 4 prospectors, beating my previously best time by six minutes. One time may be a fluke though, but it has been quite consistent getting me under the hour to fill where I only managed this from time to time earlier. Our prospecting strategies may differ though and that could have a large impact here.

however, I can see a loadout for the Cutter where I can use three lasers and 9 limpets with 578 cargo, which is going to blitz the Python. It should be able to do a run in about 2.75 hrs, so something like 210T/hr overall. when the price is right, that's going to be 867 mil per run or 315 mil per hour.

This is compatible with the few (two) data points I have on my Cutter (my main problem in collecting data being my ability to know in advance that I can set aside three hours - wife, work, etc). It is running four lasers and 11 limpets, but I turned one of the collectors off and ran with 9 limpets because it was a waste of limpets to have two of them just hanging around doing nothing.

Worth noting: Number of fragments per time does not scale linearly with the number of lasers. Four lasers is not much faster than three in cutting fragments out, but it is faster.

Here is my current Cutter build. It is not too different from the one you linked apart from running more collectors and four prospectors. I have no FSD booster because of the same reasons I do not use one on the Python. I will probably switch out the size 3 collector for either more cargo or possibly an FSD booster. Alternatively one of the size 5 collectors could go, but I tend not to get as close to the rocks with my cutter as I do in the Python so I am not sure 8 will keep up with four lasers.

Now, whatever possessed me to go for an A-rated life support I suspect we will never know. Must have been drunk ...

Interesting to see how you put stripped down on the PD instead of super conduits. The TTD for four lasers is 0:30 instead of 0:32 for super conduits. Should still easily manage to empty an asteroid.

Is the hardpoint placement indicative of what you intend to use for three lasers? I have found the large hardpoints on top more usefull than the medium ones far back on the nacelles. Both for range and for beam convergence.

 

[d8veh]

I used a medium hardpoints for the third laser to test because I'm thinking about fitting weapons to deal with the pirates.