Solar Panel Designs

Gryphorim

I'd like to see solar panels redesigned with the round aesthetic of other base structures.
Some pics for inspiration:






Also, what if the solar panels tracked the sun through the day, and when no longer in sunlight, fold up into a protective case for the night, like mechanical flowers.

04Leonhardt

I'd love for Solar Panels to be attachable to the roofs of Corridors and Rooms like Windows and Reinforcements are to walls.

Aquatarkus

04Leonhardt wrote: »

I'd love for Solar Panels to be attachable to the roofs of Corridors and Rooms like Windows and Reinforcements are to walls.

I found a glitch, and confirmed it is still working.
You can actually place solar panels on overhead hatches of the habitats. And they work.
It is the only place I found (so far) where a solar panel is attachable to the base.
(But note: you cannot exit from that hatch if you do this. It becomes blocked)

The_Shark

Gryphorim wrote: »

I'd like to see solar panels redesigned with the round aesthetic of other base structures.
Some pics for inspiration:


Also, what if the solar panels tracked the sun through the day, and when no longer in sunlight, fold up into a protective case for the night, like mechanical flowers.

I really like that first picture. And the sun-tracking idea, I love even more, since some IRL solar panels already do that.

Marut

Seems like a nice idea... Maybe develop upgrades with dna you get from eggs? 'Course there'd have to be species that react to sunlight or whatever.

Aquatarkus

Aquatarkus wrote: »

It is the only place I found (so far)

Update since my last post above.... Looks like you can build power stuff on the habitat now.
(Not sure if it is by design or not - but glad)
I started a new game and then tried building them again from scratch just to see.

MOONPOOL (topside)
Bioreactor
Thermalplant
Nuclear
Solar Panels

ROUND ROOM (top dead center)
Bioreactor
Thermalplant
Solar Panels

CLEAR TUBE (On a metal ring)
Bioreactor
Thermalplant
Solar Panels

TOP HATCH (on top center but blocks hatch use)
Thermalplant
Solar Panels

VERTICAL EXTENSION TUBES (on top center)
Thermalplant
Solar Panels

HORIZONTAL TUBES in general on top (glass, metal, bends, etc)
Thermalplant

SanctusLupus

Bioreactor
Thermalplant
Nuclear
Solar Panels

Shouldn't there be upgrades that would increase the power output and decrease the need of consumption of resources for fuel.

Gryphorim

SanctusLupus wrote: »

Bioreactor
Thermalplant
Nuclear
Solar Panels

Shouldn't there be upgrades that would increase the power output and decrease the need of consumption of resources for fuel.

I absolutely agree. I imagine these upgrades will come in when we can sample the DNA of local creatures, scan eggs and take samples of the local flora.

Solar upgrade ideas:
better charge rate, photosynthetic polymers (creepvine)
better light collection at depth, deep water optimization (bloodgrass)

Thermal upgrade ideas:
better charge rate, magnetic bearings (rabbitray)
lower temperature limit, ammonia phase loop (membrane tree)

Bioreactor upgrade ideas:
better charge rate per unit fuel, volatile biology (crash nest/hanging stingers)
better total charge per unit fuel, catalytic cracking (hanging stingers/blue clusters)

Nuclear reactor upgrade ideas:
better charge rate per unit fuel, high temperature shielding (lava lizard)
better total charge per unit fuel, heavy water moderator (snake mushroom)

Gryphorim

Some progress on a new fold-up solar panel unit I decided to make:

This is the stack when folded, as seen with body removed,

The unit as it would appear folded up for the night. Would have an LED band softly glowing around it's base.

The unit fully deployed,

The same, as seen from the side.

lorcogoth

Gryphorim wrote: »

I like this design the most for some kind of high tier solar panel since it looks like a coral maybe make it a bit smaller though. (could be synthetic life form grown inside a advanced machine aboard the aurora if you have the right DNA samples for it.)

SanctusLupus

Gryphorim wrote: »

Some progress on a new fold-up solar panel unit I decided to make:

This is the stack when folded, as seen with body removed,

The unit as it would appear folded up for the night. Would have an LED band softly glowing around it's base.

The unit fully deployed,

The same, as seen from the side.

This is quite reasonable and goes well with the design. Great upgrade

04Leonhardt

Can I paint it to look like a pretty flower

Gryphorim

04Leonhardt wrote: »

Can I paint it to look like a pretty flower

Sure, have fun.

Marut

What about using wiring to increase the efficiency? Or would this get too complex?

paradine

For the retracting solar array I think it should only be able to (a) be placed one the ground, (b) be placed on the roof of the big room, and (c) be placed on the roof of the moon pool. Also It should be able to recharge the Cyclops if you park it within 10m and there is no base taking the power (remote charging station).

Gryphorim

I agree with a few refinements to the placement rules, although I feel it should be free placement on ground, or a snap-to placement on top of rooms/corridors, with a custom geometry to integrate, say, panel base with corridor roof, or non-central placement on room roofs.

paradine

I was thinking that this unit would be almost as big around as the big rooms that's why I suggested the placement restrictions.