Ship Builds & Load Outs Ship Design: Any advantage to excess power?

[DukeIronHand]

As above.
Playing around with my trader Cobra and, because of its design (max speed and max cargo) I have a relatively low power requirements.
Is their ANY advantage to having a lot of excess power.
I could lighten the ship up a bit, and increase numbers in other areas, by going with a lighter, less powerful, power plant.
Thanks.

 

[YinYin]

Yes, lighter less powerful plant is good.

You increase your jump range.
You increase your agility.
You decrease your heat output (gotta stay A grade though).

The only thing that goes for using a larger power plant is having more of your essential modules covered by 50% of your power output.
Because if your power plant is damaged down to 0% it will only provide 50%.

 

[DukeIronHand]

Ah. Thank you.
Guess I left the damage part out of the question.

 

[Bunkerkind Anni]

Yes, lighter less powerful plant is good.

You increase your jump range.
You increase your agility.
You decrease your heat output (gotta stay A grade though).

The only thing that goes for using a larger power plant is having more of your essential modules covered by 50% of your power output.
Because if your power plant is damaged down to 0% it will only provide 50%.

could you explain more about the heat stuff?

is there anywhere explained how the heat-signature of ship works?
a higher grade (A-E) powerplant translates into a better "heat efficiency"
a higher class (1-x) powerplant translates into less power used then the plant provides.

does the heat-signature depend on absolute how much power is used, or
does the heat-signature depend on relative how much of the maximum possible is used?

relevant if you want to be stealthy trader

 

[Satsuma]

Check out this table here.

The value you want to look at is Heat Efficiency. B is currently the best efficiency, which you only get with A-grade power plants, and F is the worst, with E-grade power plants. Better heat efficiency translates directly into cooler running, so if you're going for stealth, you're better off with an A-grade power plant. For the most part, you should get the smallest powerplant you can get that's A-grade, but as YinYin pointed out there's some benefit to having a plant that's overpowered in case your power plant is destroyed.

 

[YinYin]

could you explain more about the heat stuff?

is there anywhere explained how the heat-signature of ship works?
a higher grade (A-E) powerplant translates into a better "heat efficiency"
a higher class (1-x) powerplant translates into less power used then the plant provides.

does the heat-signature depend on absolute how much power is used, or
does the heat-signature depend on relative how much of the maximum possible is used?

relevant if you want to be stealthy trader

The heat signature comes from all your external modules radiating heat.
Obviously the radiators, which simply radiate your internal heat out of your ship (you can see them open up differently on every ship as it heats up), as well as the shield, thrusters and weapons.

For all I know the internal heat depends on all the modules running. That includes the power plant, which you cannot turn off (except for a reboot).

But I am not entirely sure whether stealth pilots like to use smaller A grade plants because they also generate less heat or simply because they are lighter.

Either way, smaller is in that case better.

 

[Zaroca]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but with the 1.4 new mechanics on Power Plant damage I think the more damaged is the PP less power generates. So if it's true maybe is a good idea be overpowered, at least a little, if you don't try to be stealthy of course

...but I didn't confirm it :S

 

[TheGrimCorsair]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but with the 1.4 new mechanics on Power Plant damage I think the more damaged is the PP less power generates. So if it's true maybe is a good idea be overpowered, at least a little, if you don't try to be stealthy of course

...but I didn't confirm it :S

You're wrong.

As you damage a power plant, there is a chance for it to be knocked offline temporarily.

Once it reaches 0% integrity its output is halved from 100% output to 50% output. Loss of power is not a progression and not contingent on any value other than 0% or greater than 0%.

 

[Zaroca]

You're wrong.

As you damage a power plant, there is a chance for it to be knocked offline temporarily.

Once it reaches 0% integrity its output is halved from 100% output to 50% output. Loss of power is not a progression and not contingent on any value other than 0% or greater than 0%.

Ah ok. Thank you very much for the info ^.^