ElectricCharge

[Whirligig Girl]

In the devnotes*, it has been noted that the entire heat system for ships is being redone. Yay! Apparently it will make more sense. This is of course a requirement for re-entry heating. This got me thinking, what about ElectricCharge? Could it use an overhaul? If so, how?

*I'm too busy/lazy to look for the link, look yourself or take my word for it.

This thread will hopefully come up with ideas and discussion on how electricity works in real life and in KSP, and how it should work in the latter.

First off, an overhaul of ElectricCharge isn't really needed for any features in 1.0, but would be a fix in and of itself.

ElectricCharge in KSP is a resource, like Monopropellant or XenonGas. It can be generated by RTGs (Magic nothing-to-power parts) or by Solar Panels, which require the sun's light to work. It is also a bi-product of many rocket engines, thanks to an alternator. It can be stored in batteries or parts which contain batteries. Batteries are essentially fuel tanks for electricity.

In real life, (and I'm oversimplifying mostly because I don't really understand the subject that well), Batteries are chemical generators which react, and the result is electricity. Batteries are recharged by un-reacting the chemicals, so they can be used again.

So what are the solutions? Is there even really a problem?

I figure that perhaps removing the resource nature of ElectricCharge and making it a system with separate numbers for voltage, amperage, and all that jazz.

Wow I am so ignorant about electricity and need to learn more pls help.

Edited March 9, 2015 by GregroxMun

[Superfluous J]

ElectricCharge is one of the simplifications that I am happy to live with.

The big thing you need to consider is benefit (in fun and interesting gameplay) vs work (both for the devs and us). It seems like having to keep track of what parts can use what voltages, and converting between voltages and amps and whatnot seems to be a whole lot of work for both parties, with no gain.

I studied to be an EE back in the day and I barely remember any of this now (I hated those classes and changed my major, but still for a while it was in my brain). I have no desire to re-learn it.

I think of it that I'm the guy in charge. The engineers tell me they need the equivalent of X batteries if I want to run part Y for Z minutes, and some solar panels to boot. That's all I need to know. They can handle the specifics.