Battery Upgrades — Energy Cell Guide

The Energy Cell is Link's battery for Zonai Devices — fans, rockets, wheels, flame emitters, and more. Your starting Energy Cell has only 3 segments (about 30 seconds of device use). Upgrading it is essential for vehicle builds, sky exploration, and Depths traversal. Here's everything you need.

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How Battery Upgrades Work

Your Energy Cell stores power for Zonai Devices. When you activate a device, it drains the battery. The battery recharges automatically when not in use.

Upgrading the Energy Cell permanently increases its maximum capacity:

• Each upgrade adds 1 segment to your battery
• You can upgrade up to a maximum of 8 full batteries (40 segments)
• Upgrades are done at Crystal Refineries in the Depths
• Currency: Crystallized Charges (small and large)

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Crystallized Charges — Types and Sources

Small Crystallized Charge

• Adds 1/5 of a full battery segment
• 20 small charges = 1 full segment upgrade (approximately)
• Sources:
  • Drop from Construct enemies in the Depths and sky islands
  • Found in chests throughout sky islands and Zonai ruins
  • Dispensed from Zonai Dispensers (insert Zonai Capsules)

Large Crystallized Charge

• Adds 1 full battery segment
• Significantly rarer
• Sources:
  • Treasure chests in large Zonai factory ruins in the Depths
  • Specific sky island challenge chests
  • Boss chests in sky Zonai complexes

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Finding Crystal Refineries

Crystal Refineries are large Zonai machines — they look like circular stone platforms with a glowing crystal core. They only appear in the Depths.

Major Crystal Refinery locations:

| Location | Depths Quadrant | Notes | |----------|-----------------|-------| | Akkala Depths Refinery | Northeast | Near the Akkala Lightroot cluster | | Eldin Depths Refinery | North | South of the volcanic Depths area | | Central Depths Refinery | Center | Near Gloom's Origin vicinity | | Faron Depths Refinery | Southeast | Near Lake Floria Depths area | | Gerudo Depths Refinery | Southwest | Far southwest under Gerudo Desert |

Tip: Crystal Refineries appear on your map as a special icon once you're close enough to see them. Explore each quadrant of the Depths by following Lightroots — the refineries are usually near major Lightroot clusters.

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How to Use Crystal Refineries

1. Approach the Crystal Refinery and interact with it
2. Select "Crystallize Energy Cell"
3. Choose how many Crystallized Charges to exchange
4. The refinery upgrades your Energy Cell immediately

One full battery segment costs: approximately 100 Small Crystallized Charges, or varies with Large charges.

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Farming Crystallized Charges

Method 1 — Depths Construct Farms

The most reliable source. Soldier Constructs I–IV appear throughout the Depths near Zonai ruins. They respawn when you return after a blood moon.

Best farm locations:

• The large Zonai factory floors in Eldin Depths (south of Death Mountain underground)
• The Akkala Depths ruins have dense Construct clusters
• Any area with glowing Zonai pillars will have Constructs patrolling

Setup: Bring a Zonai Saber or build weapon with high attack. Constructs drop 1–3 Small Charges per kill plus occasional Large Charges.

Method 2 — Sky Island Chest Farming

Many sky islands in all four sky archipelagos contain treasure chests with Crystallized Charges. These are one-time but plentiful on a full sky island sweep.

Best sky island areas:

• Eldin Sky Archipelago (northeast sky) — dense with Zonai structures
• Lanayru Sky Archipelago (east sky) — contains challenge islands with large charge chests
• Gerudo Sky Labyrinth (southwest sky) — one of the richest single locations for charges

Method 3 — Zonai Dispensers

Zonai Dispensers accept Zonai Capsules (drop from Construct bosses) and dispense random Zonai Devices including Crystallized Charges. Not the most efficient but useful as a secondary source.

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How Many Batteries Do You Need?

| Battery Level | Capability | |---------------|------------| | 1 battery (base, 3 segments) | Basic fan gliders, short flights | | 2 batteries | Sustainable hoverbike flights (10–15 seconds per activation) | | 3–4 batteries | Extended sky island exploration, full sky runs | | 5–6 batteries | Full Depths vehicle traversal, complex combat builds | | 8 batteries (max) | Sustained vehicle use indefinitely on most builds |

Recommended milestones:

1. First priority: 2 full batteries — enables the Hoverbike build (2 fans + steering stick). This is the most game-changing mobility upgrade in TotK.
2. Second priority: 4 full batteries — comfortable sky exploration and Depths traversal.
3. Max (8 batteries) — for completionists and heavy Zonai players.

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Hoverbike Build — Why Battery Matters

The Hoverbike is the most efficient travel method in the game:

Materials:

• 2 Zonai Fans (from Zonai Dispensers or sky island chests)
• 1 Steering Stick (from Zonai Dispensers)

Build: Lay one fan flat (horizontal), attach the steering stick vertically in the center, attach the second fan on the other side horizontally. Sit on the steering stick.

Battery drain: The hoverbike consumes battery at a fixed rate. With the base 3-segment battery, it runs for about 15–20 seconds per charge. With 2 full batteries (10 segments), it runs for 60–80 seconds — enough for most cross-country flights.

Zonaite Armor set bonus: Wearing the full Zonaite Armor set reduces battery drain by ~30%. Combined with 4 batteries, hoverbike flights become nearly unlimited for normal distances.

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Zonaite Armor — Battery Efficiency Boost

The Zonaite Armor set (purchased with Poes from Bargainer Statues in the Depths) provides:

• ★ Level 2 set bonus: Device Energy Conservation (passive drain reduction)
• ★★★★ Level 4 bonus: Major drain reduction

Full set locations: All three pieces are purchased from Bargainer Statues throughout the Depths. Each piece costs 150 Poes. Total: 450 Poes for the full set.

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Tips

Prioritize early Depths exploration. The sooner you reach Crystal Refineries, the sooner you can invest charges. Even a partial sweep of one Depths quadrant can yield enough charges for a 1-battery upgrade.

Combine Depths farming runs. While farming Poes for Bargainer Statues (for Depths Armor), you'll also naturally pass through areas with Crystal Refineries. Plan your Depths sessions to hit both.

Large Crystallized Charges > Small. A single Large Charge equals 20 Small Charges and takes up one inventory slot. If you find a Large Charge, treat it like a significant resource.

The Zonaite Armor investment pays off fast. 450 Poes for the set is a moderate investment. Once upgraded to ★★ (activates battery efficiency), your existing batteries stretch 30% further. For heavy Zonai players, it's the first armor set to buy.

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See also: Depths Survival Guide | Tips & Strategies | Getting Started