Struggling to figure out how to make your Power Cells last longer? This guide will help you find ways to achieve that dream (or at least part of it!)
Basic Information
Variety of Power-Cells and how to Identify them
Low-End Power Cell
This may be the cheapest out there but it is still Reliable!
Energy Capacity: 100
Retail Price: $500
Medium Power Cell
Price is double but It’ll still get you places!
Energy Capacity: 150
Retail Price: $1,000
High-End Power Cell
These cells not just have the most juice in ’em but are also the most Expensive!
Energy Capacity: 200
Retail Price: $2,500
NOTE: Prices for power cells will vary depending on the sector’s local economy which rotates daily.
Where to Obtain
If you want to spend less cash on Power Cells, Cosmo’s Cash n’ Carry is always a cheaper alternative for if you are saving money to buy something or don’t want to spend too much.
You can always find Salvage Beacons which are scattered across the galaxy though won’t often be found unless you are either in close proximity or have obtained the Scanner Upgrade.
Abandoned dolly-trailer, found under Sour-Candy’s workshop in Tank Town.
March 3, 3023.
At the moment, it’s believed that Bermuda Gap (Enigma Territories) and Junk Fields (Core Systems) has the most in terms of finding salvage beacons, however do exercise caution as there is a high volume of space debris in such areas.
Power Drain
Whenever you are hitched into a Shop or Job Post, your truck’s power is redirected to the station instead of your Cells, halting its Drain. This makes replacing power cells easy and less messy, especially when replacing Universal Control Circuits.
Ways to Reduce Power Consumption
Recommended:
- Turning off all interior lighting when in motion (or on a job). Only turn on the front cab lights if you feel It’s too dark to see the console.
- Repurposing any power cells under 20% to charge your Suit if you still have any spares left in the back.
Fair game in limited scenarios:
- Lowering the Solar Shutters (If they aren’t Jammed) reduces the core power usage though will require a skilled eye and mind to navigate using the monitors. Treat it as if there was a ongoing solar storm.
- Disabling the Climate Regulator, This is usually helpful if the sector you are in is at a fair temperature between 0C (32F) to 46C (112F) outside the Truck Cab.
NOT Recommended (A terrible risk for either you or other drivers):
- Disabling the Gravity Compensator also reduces power consumption with the consequences of having all your baggage be floating everywhere in the cab.
- Turning off the Oxygen Generator. We have a feeling that there were a unlucky few that did this without either turning it back on eventually or putting on their suit. We ask that you NOT attempt this at any way shape or form.
- In this regard, your Temperature Control will reduce power consumption the more you upgrade your Star-Hauler’s Thermal Insulation, this can be done in any Upgrade Shop.
- While yes you can put all your belongings inside the airlock while the Gravity Compensator
What doesn’t affect your power usage, even after disabling the breakers to them:
- Maglock Controls
- Shock Shielding
- Suit Charger
Stockpiling & Servicing
The best place to Self-Service your Truck before is to dock into a station. As mentioned, this will redirect your Truck’s power to the station’s grid instead of your Cells, making servicing easy and less messy for both Power Cells and Universal Control Circuits (UCCs). However Being docked to a station will NOT stop Air Filters or UCCs from losing durability as they are in constant use. Reminder to also turn off the breaker before replacing the UCC unless it has been completely used up.
ALWAYS replace anything under 20% – 30% between jobs, That way there are no hiccups or delays.
Hypothetical* Alternative Sources
While it is a good idea on paper, not all power cells (or “Batteries”) can be charged, especially at something in this size as you risk rupturing it or catching fire.
Even if we were to make a rechargeable power cell, you would still need to use the Star-Hauler’s core power in order to charge which will all eventually run out. This is deemed inefficient as it increases the consumption. You would be better off selling the spent cells and buying new ones.
That’s also a good idea but these would be expensive to most people as It’s very costly to manufacture as well as these are very fragile to handle.
If the idea were to come to life, there would have to be a failsafe (either by a switch or is controlled by one of the UCCs) where the Star-Hauler would have to be completely stationary for up to 20-30 seconds and not docked into a station before being able to open up those Solar Panels. This will redirect the source of power and halt the drain of power cells. However moving will cause the panels to eventually close and redirect the power usage to your cells.
This failsafe is to prevent careless drivers from hauling while it is open and to reduce the risk of space debris damaging the Solar Panels.
Although this is very useful for those who want to salvage for goods but are worried one of their Power Cells would fail by the time they get back.
Closing Section
If you’ve read through and made it down here, It’s much appreciated that you took the time to read through all this. Just want there to be as much useful information as possible to help new players.