Geothermal Generator array - most efficient cabling?

[PixieNinja]

Hi guys...

I've set up a small array of geothermal generators feeding into an MFE. They're all sat together in a 3x3 square, and have a similar 3x3 array of cables atop them to feed into the MFE.

The system is currently generating more power than is being drawn from the MFE, and as a result the majority of the generators are cycling on and off repeatedly in order to top up the few EU used from the MFE.

Is there any way for me to rearrange the system so that it just uses as many generators as it needs, or am I stuck listening to 8 of them cycling on/off a few times each second?

[Korialstrasz]

mh. i had a similar set up with an mfsu and 5x5 geotherm.

You can reduce it a bit by painting/coloring the cables so that there are at few intersections as possible, that work for me at least.

[PixieNinja]

mh. i had a similar set up with an mfsu and 5x5 geotherm.

You can reduce it a bit by painting/coloring the cables so that there are at few intersections as possible, that work for me at least.

I'd tried painting them so that the wiring was an 'S' shape on the top of the array, as opposed to junctions everywhere, but the behaviour is still the same :(

[Korialstrasz]

ok i hope i remember to post a screenshot of my set up.

For now in text

GG RG GG RG GG

GG RG GG RG GG

GG RG GG RG GG

G  G  MG  G  G

  ===||===

    ||

 

GG= Geotherm with Green Cable on top

RG= Geotherm with Red Cable on top

G= Geotherm with uncolored Cable

MG= Geotherm with MFSU ontop

 

= & || uncolored cable

So i pretty much short circuited my MFSU and all the other energy storage devices further down the line, maybe that was what helped my case.

And make sure you have a MV-LV-Transformator down the line

[PixieNinja]

So i pretty much short circuited my MFSU and all the other energy storage devices further down the line, maybe that was what helped my case.

And make sure you have a MV-LV-Transformator down the line

I'd tried having each line of generators feeding into a different side of the MFE, but the behaviour is identical no matter which way I wire it. I suppose I can just encase the system in a few layers of stone so I don't hear it every time I enter my house, but I just wondered if I could come up with some system that was compact, efficient and not too offensive on my ears, that would intelligently draw from my generators as and when more were needed

If I bypass the MFE and link the power directly to my low voltage line, the generators still flicker on/off, but it's in a random pattern, and it makes SO much less noise. Going to the MFE though, 6 of the generators all cycle on/off together, and that's what makes all the noise.

[Korialstrasz]

ok here is the screen shot of my setup.

As you can, hopefully, see. the top cables are colored so they dont connect. and also that the cable bypasses the mfsu.

Currently all storage devices are full and only the first row of generators are running.

[PixieNinja]

As you can, hopefully, see. the top cables are colored so they dont connect. and also that the cable bypasses the mfsu.

Currently all storage devices are full and only the first row of generators are running.

I've no idea where it's going wrong for me then. I've tried to follow as much as your design from your picture, including bypassing the MFE too, but power is still being drawn from the MFE first, and then just topped up straight away by the generators, and still doing the annoying on/off cycle on 6 of them at the same time, no matter what way I wire them up.

It might just be down to other aspects of your system?

[Korialstrasz]

mh maybe the energy upkeep is high enough to keep them running.

After the MV transformert at the bottom of the screen is a MFE with bypass. beyond that is a mass fabricator which is offline an another mfe and an lv transformer which goes into my canning machine. the MFE output powers 2 rotario macerators at full speed, 2 induction furnaces at full speed and 2 energie links.

i think that the energy links suck enough Eu to keep some of them running.

[PixieNinja]

Mine is much simpler - array feeds into an MFE along with a small solar array, then through an LV Transformer. Output of this goes to furnace, macerator, etc and a quarry.

I've done a quick video of it's behaviour. MFE stays at 600K EU constantly, so anything that is used out of it is being constantly topped up by the generator array it seems, hence the cycling on/off.

[Korialstrasz]

yeah thats the same what i had before.

Here a quick video of my set up maybe it will help you.

[PixieNinja]

yeah thats the same what i had before.

Here a quick video of my set up maybe it will help you.

Nope! Still not a clue.

[OmegaJasam]

Could you not use a 2nd MFSu, with it's setting to be emit a signal when empty, invert it, and then have the first not emit when it has a signal? That would mean they would be all off untill the 2nd one runs out, at which point the 1st one would drain and they would all switch on

[PixieNinja]

I wonder if my best approach would simply be to cut off the MFE until I have enough devices to need more power than my 8 geothermals knock out, save them simply just topping it up a few times a second?

It seems that the MFE will always be drained no matter how I hook up the geothermals, even if I bypass it as well as supply it. Not sure if some form of redstone circuitry wizardry could help me here.

Anyone else know of anything I could try?

[PixieNinja]

Could you not use a 2nd MFSu, with it's setting to be emit a signal when empty, invert it, and then have the first not emit when it has a signal? That would mean they would be all off untill the 2nd one runs out, at which point the 1st one would drain and they would all switch on

I'm not too familiar with the rate at which energy flows - can't my current system fill the MFE quicker than it can drain? In which case, the geothermals would be off whilst the 2nd MFE was being drained, but the same behaviour would be experienced when the 1st MFE was draining into the 2nd. Unless I'm misunderstanding the concept?

[BuccaneerRex]

Why not just turn off IC2 sounds?

[PixieNinja]

Why not just turn off IC2 sounds?

I know that's the easiest option, but I kinda like the machinery noises, just not this one! I really wanted some way of setting up a power supply where some of it can remain dormant until more power is needed.

For now, I've split my 8 geothermals to supply 2 MFEs, so power is now just being drained from a single one, and hence four of the geothermals are turned off. I assume that, once more power is required and the first MFE has been drained, then the 2nd one will kick in.

[milcondoin]

geothermal array -> circuitbreaker in the wiring (short: CB) -> MFE -> machines

MFE emits redpower if partially filled

You need some kind of edge detection here (state cell?).

IF (MFE.fallingEdge AND CB.open) THEN CB.close //MFE just drained

IF (MFE.fallingEdge AND CB.closed) THEN CB.open //MFE just filled up

This way MFE will altenate between empty and full. As soon as MFE is empty, CB will close, so the geothermals are connected and can fill the MFE back up. As soon as MFE is full again, CB will open, geothermals go quiet and the MFE can drain until empty.

[PixieNinja]

geothermal array -> circuitbreaker in the wiring (short: CB) -> MFE -> machines

MFE emits redpower if partially filled

You need some kind of edge detection here (state cell?).

IF (MFE.fallingEdge AND CB.open) THEN CB.close //MFE just drained

IF (MFE.fallingEdge AND CB.closed) THEN CB.open //MFE just filled up

This way MFE will altenate between empty and full. As soon as MFE is empty, CB will close, so the geothermals are connected and can fill the MFE back up. As soon as MFE is full again, CB will open, geothermals go quiet and the MFE can drain until empty.

Sounds good in theory, but how do I implement this via the Tekkit mods?

[Psicraft]

I have had a lot of luck connecting my geothermal generators to LV-transformers (redstone powered so they convert low to high). This caused my geothermals to turn on and off slower than the disco pattern I was experiencing before. I'm not an expert on the power algorithm though, so I'm not 100% why it works.

[milcondoin]

Sounds good in theory, but how do I implement this via the Tekkit mods?

A simple showcase of falling edge detection.

When the signal from the button on the left falls of, the state cell (from RedPower2) starts turning. As soon as the pointer hits the right side (time is configurable via right-click, minimum 0.2 seconds), a pulse goes off the right side. This pulse hits the toggle latch, which then switches state (toggling, if the top or bottom lane gets a steady signal). Give that signal to a splitter cable in your electric wiring, which is the circuitbreaker from my example. Alternatively use the circuitbreaker design that another user has posted in one of the subforums here.

[OmegaJasam]

I'm not too familiar with the rate at which energy flows - can't my current system fill the MFE quicker than it can drain? In which case, the geothermals would be off whilst the 2nd MFE was being drained, but the same behaviour would be experienced when the 1st MFE was draining into the 2nd. Unless I'm misunderstanding the concept?

Use an MFSU for the one close to the geothermals, it throws out packets of 512, which is more then the 180/s you are producing.