Understanding EC and SC Units - Rjoande/RealBattery GitHub Wiki

Kerbal Space Program's stock system uses "Electric Charge" (EC) as a catch-all unit for electrical power and energy. This abstraction works fine for most casual play, but it poses a challenge for realism-focused mods. Real-world systems make clear distinctions between energy (like Joules or Watt-hours), power (Watts), and electrical current (Amps), each with distinct gameplay implications.

RealBattery Recharged introduces a more nuanced electrical system, and with that comes a bit of extra thought on how to name and represent these values in a way that's both immersive and intuitive.

The Problem with Stock EC

In stock KSP, EC is unitless and functions interchangeably for both:

  • Energy (how much electricity you have stored), and
  • Power (how much electricity you're producing or consuming per second).

This makes balancing tricky and obscures important differences—like whether your power system can handle high instantaneous loads (e.g., electric engines or antenna bursts), or just has a large energy reserve.

By default, all articles in wiki and documentation use the stock ElectricCharge and StoredCharge units for clarity.

The RealBattery Approach

To better reflect these distinctions, RealBattery offers three naming schemes for Electric Charge and Stored Charge, each inspired by real-world units but adapted for Kerbal-scale gameplay. These are selectable via ModuleManager patches or config files:

1. Stock Style (Default)

  • Electric Charge (EC) = generic unit (1 EC = 1 kJ)
  • Stored Charge (SCe) = capacity reservoir (1 SCe = 3600 kJ)

This keeps compatibility with stock UI and behavior. Good for casual play and compatibility with most mods.

2. Electric Current Mode

  • Electric Current (EC) = abstracted amperage
  • Stored Charge (SCe) = battery capacity in ampere-hour

This reflects the idea that high draw (amps) may exceed a battery’s capacity to deliver current, even if it’s not fully discharged.

3. Electric Power Mode

  • Electric Power (EP) = power (in kW)
  • Stored Energy (SE) = energy stored (in kWh)

Best for players who want a more traditional engineering-style system. Particularly useful when thermal management is also involved (radiators, heat flow), since it aligns naturally with heat units like kW and kWt.

Gameplay Balance Considerations

Each naming scheme is cosmetic — no gameplay mechanics change. But your choice affects how you interpret part stats:

  • High output, low capacity: good for bursts (e.g., capacitors, thermal batteries)
  • High capacity, low output: better for slow-and-steady usage (e.g., fuel cells, older battery tech)

Matching the names to the function helps clarify these roles in-game, especially when debugging power networks or designing mission-critical systems.

Final Thoughts

We’ve aimed to strike a balance between realism and clarity, without overcomplicating gameplay. The naming schemes are meant to support your preferred playstyle—whether that’s engineering precision or Kerbal chaos.

You can switch between them or even customize the terms in the localization file. After all, it’s your space program.