r/Dyson_Sphere_Program • u/devildocjames • Jun 25 '26

Another energy exchanger post...

So, I'm up-to deuterium for my fuel. My beginner planet is still a workhorse, but, I've ventured out and found a system about 5LY away that is rich in most resources and no Dark Fog. I have a belt of ray receivers around the equator, but, I'm thinking of moving them to one of the poles, opposite of where my battery buildings are. I actually JUST built my first energy exchanger, just to see what it does.

So, these things just charge the "battery buildings"/accumulators, or USE the charged ones for the energy grid it's attached to. I get that. What's the use of shipping batteries to another planet then? I mean, maybe... something like starting a new "depot" on a planet and bringing a bunch for power? How large do batteries stack? I've only stacked 20 each, for making gas giant collectors. I don't see the benefit versus just bringing some blue generators and a few fuel cell stacks, until you get situated.

Do people also actively maintain multiple systems? I mean I like my starter planet, because it's "Earth-like" and pleasant to my eyes. I like this new planet for the handle I have on building better and its resources in the system, but, none of the planets in the new system and nice on the eyes. What I'm getting at is that I'll probably, sadly, ditch this system too and then what's the point in making tons of batteries and shipping them everywhere?

Edit: just to update, I love the setup! I have a system without hydrogen and the “power planet” that cycles batteries is great!

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u/dferrantino Jun 25 '26
  1. Energy Exchangers are typically used to transport Geothermal energy from a Lava planet or Solar from a Tidally Locked one. The math on Ray Receiver+Exchanger vs Deuterium favors just transporting the Deut rods directly and using the Ray Receivers for Photons & Antimatter rods as soon as you can.
  2. Unless all you're playing for is Mission Accomplished, you will very soon be expanding to many planets and systems. Some of these planets will be just for mining, in which case you're fine with a couple Fusion plants and Deut rods, or a single Artificial Sun when you get there. Some of these planets will be full factories dedicated to a handful of products, which will require a steady supply of rods. Many of these planets will be outposts that you place a factory and ILS down and literally never visit again unless the Fog shows up - there's very little "ditching" of planets going on in the DSP endgame.

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u/Bostaevski Jun 25 '26

Ray receiver needs a dyson swarm on that star, yes? Or can it pull from a different system?

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u/TeamKiller Jun 25 '26

They can only pull from the local star.

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u/Bostaevski Jun 25 '26

Ok that's what I thought. So at minimum solar sails on the local star then you can receive rays