Energy Cell (Fallout: New Vegas)

The energy cell is a type of ammunition in Fallout: New Vegas.

Characteristics
Energy cells are small, self-contained energy storage units often associated with one-handed energy weapons and act essentially as a very powerful battery or capacitor. They are the standard ammunition used by the majority of pistol-sized energy weapons, and as such are widely available across the Mojave Wasteland.

Recycling
After firing, there is a chance that spent energy cells will turn into drained small energy cells. These are automatically placed in the player character's inventory. Drained energy cells can then be recycled back into usable ammunition at a workbench.

With the Honest Hearts add-on, drained energy cells can also be recharged using a Fission battery.

¹ Due to Vigilant Recycler having Science 70 as a prerequisite, efficient recycling can not be made at the skill listed in the workbench.

Conversion (type)
Energy cells can be converted into, and from, other energy weapon ammunition types (i.e. electron charge packs and microfusion cells) at a workbench, with the appropriate Science skill.

Conversion (variant)
The player character can also pool charges from good cells together to make more powerful variants, which improve damage and bypass more enemy DT, but burn out the weapons' components faster.

¹ Due to Vigilant Recycler having Science 70 as a prerequisite, none of the optimized recipes can be made at the skill listed in the workbench.

Energy cell, bulk
Bulk energy cells are cheaper than the regular variant, but not as potent. Weapons degrade more slowly using this ammunition, however, the damage is reduced and there is no armor-piercing effect. The chance of recovering the drained cell is reduced to 20% (1 in 5).

Energy cell, over charge
This ammunition is more powerful than standard energy cells. It increases the damage output of weapons by 1.25 and has a -5 DT effect on enemies, but degrades weapons 1.5 times faster than normal and only leaves a 25% (1 in 4) chance to recover the drained cell.

Energy cell, max charge
This is the most powerful of the energy cell variants. Max charge cells increase damage output to 1.5 times normal and have an armor-piercing effect of -10 DT, but cause weapons to degrade 2.5 times faster and only recovers drained cells 10% of the time (1 in 10).

Energy cell, optimized
Added with the add-on Gun Runners' Arsenal, this subtype causes 30% more damage, penetrates armor more effectively, and weighs less than the standard energy cell in Hardcore mode. The only drawback is a slight increase in weapon degradation. It requires Vigilant Recycler and can only be crafted at a workbench. This type of cell is superior in all properties compared to overcharged cells. It is also the only optimized ammunition that is actually superior to the standard cell in terms of recovering the drained cell (40% vs. 35%).

Locations

 * Hidden Valley bunker - If the Courier gains Accepted status or higher with the Brotherhood of Steel, they will be approached by a BoS initiate telling them that they have placed recycled ammunition in a box at the bottom of the entrance stairs to the L1 area. The box will be replenished randomly with energy cells, microfusion cells, and electron charge packs, providing a continuous supply of energy weapons ammunition.
 * When killed, Mister Gutsies and protectrons will have small amounts on them.
 * Extremely large numbers can be found in one of the boxes that appears during Caesar's Favor and Caesar's Hire (sometimes over 1800 can be found). The box that holds the cells only appears once reaching Idolized reputation with Caesar's Legion.
 * Muggy can provide 50 a day once given the "Parts Production" upgrade.
 * Once the sonic emitter has been upgraded, 8|Doctor 8 will give 100 regular, over charged and max charged energy cells.
 * 200 cells are in the underwater section of the Magnetohydraulics Complex.
 * Both ED-Es, with the right upgrade, can provide a small amount of energy cells a day, along with microfusion cells and flamer fuel.