Transcendence

Here is the setup:
1- SN2500 Reactor - 250MW
1- Fusion-fire Howitzer - (100MW)
1- Plasma shield generator - (100MW)
1- Titan 440 Drive - (30MW)
1- Patch spider - (10MW)
1- Quantum Computer - (3MW)
1- ICX Missile Defense - (2MW)

Net +5MW

End result, very dead ship when Ranx Dreadnought scores two hits in a row and the reactor overload disabling the shields. Is my math bad, or did I just get screwed?

Remember that everything uses more power when it's being used, i.e. a weapon being fired/shield being hit.
I'm guessing that's why.

Edit: I have a distinct feeling I missed something completely in your post....

Nope you did nothing wrong it is just that you must have 5 MW left over all the time. (I am guessing for life support and reactor maintenance)
We found this out long ago in the fuel use thread you most likely just forgot about it.

So, is the overload threshold for a 250 MW reactor set at 250 or, as Burz discovered, it's set lower as a fail-safe? I'd guess that the threshold would be somewhere around 230 or so, if those numbers are correct.

I do know that whenever a reactor is overtaxed, the status (power use) bar will turn to deep red the higher it goes. Where was it at when your reactor disabled your shields?

the overload threshold is 5 MW less than your reactors rating
just like I said just a couple posts ago

Why won't my ship just disable my stinking WEAPON instead of getting me killed by disabling my SHIELD. Shields keep you ALIVE, weapons only get rid of the enemy ships (and you need to be alive to use them).

We really should have options for what we want to disable first in case of an overload. It would make things so much easier...at least, if you're the kind of person that overloads reactors often. Not that that's a bad thing.

Betelgeuse wrote:the overload threshold is 5 MW less than your reactors rating
just like I said just a couple posts ago

Please note that with everything turned on, I still had 5 MW left over. Therefore, even with life support factored in, I shouldn't have overloaded. Does anyone know if your original drive still pulls power when you have an upgrade?

Does the ICX add the power usage for the OmniLaserCannon it uses when it fires?
Though that would add 3MW and put the reactor over the threshold.

EDIT - when the ICX actually fires, I mean.

just tested it and the original drive doesn't draw power if you have a new one.

After another test it seems that there is no more 5MW buffer (there does seem to be a constant 1 MW draw though)

so this might be a real bug

The odd part is that I ran with the configuration for several systems and even when I lose my shields, I didn't run into an overload. Maybe since I had +Fast on then FFH...

a shield draws more power to regen than to just run.

I know, a 100MW shield will run at 50MW, but recharge at 100MW. That is factored in above.

I had a similar experience some versions back and luckily i was in early game and survived then decided to experiment. Battling will drain the most power and more than you read in the folder! When battling you are using everything possible, you are taking hits and the deflector is recharching, meanwhile, if installed, the icx is actively defending you, and you are also firing, turning and thrusting. I remember it failed everytime i had thrusted to at full speed. Have a look at your fuelusage bar next time you're in a real fight.

I would never have equipped using a charge of 495 Mw on a 500 Mw reactor cos i knew it would go wrong, it's too close to the limit. I couldn't tell you where the limit exactly lies but 10 % less is absolutely safe. And i'm no salesman.

I don't consider it a bug either, it's electricity. The reactor you buy comes with a description also, "with a maximum output of 50 Mw" .. or 250Mw or whatever but that's not the important part. Max!

here's an idea: sure, the reactor produces power, but how does it get to the rest of the ship? It's like, for example, having a power station all to yourself- if all the power is sent to your house at once, something is gonna burn out- probably the wires. It could be a saftey feature- preventing the "wires" in the ship burning out.