Accumulator priority

[mennoo1996]

Is there a way to prioritize accumulators over steam engine? I've built some solar panels + accumulators but at night, the steam engines are taking over. I'd like the accumulator charge to be used first, as to keep pollution as low as possible.

[Ranakastrasz]

Not in vanilla, not in mods anymore. Unfortunately.

Actually, I think you can use a power switch linking the steam engines to your main network, which toggles based on current energy in an accumulator. Haven't tried it yet tho.

Build power switch, and make sure main network and steam engines are segregated with it as the only attachmenet point. Attach a red wire from power switch to an accumulator. Set the power switch to activate when the accumulator drops below 10%. Or something like that.

[mennoo1996]

Sounds like a good idea. Will try that this evening. Thanks!

[Zahariel]

I can confirm that this definitely works great. I'm using it in my current factory. Just set up your steam engines with a power switch between them and the world, run a signal wire from the power switch to any accumulator, and set the switch to close when the accumulator's signal is less than 15 (for example). This obviously relies on the new 0.13 feature of accumulators transmitting their current charge level, so it won't work in 0.12.35. Make sure you know which channel the accumulator is transmitting on; by default I think it's signal A, but you can set it to anything.

The only trick is that the signal wire runs through the middle of one of my main train stations, so whenever I reconfigure it I have to make sure to reconnect the signal!

[mennoo1996]

Yes, it works perfectly now

[Ranakastrasz]

Oh, and to get rid of the annoying flashing when disconnected, make sure both networks have production and consumption. Add a lamp to the steam engines, for example. Also, make sure you use burners or separate network electric inserters to avoid a death spiral from lack of power.

[Coffee Daemon]

I can confirm that this definitely works great. I'm using it in my current factory. Just set up your steam engines with a power switch between them and the world, run a signal wire from the power switch to any accumulator, and set the switch to close when the accumulator's signal is less than 15 (for example). This obviously relies on the new 0.13 feature of accumulators transmitting their current charge level, so it won't work in 0.12.35. Make sure you know which channel the accumulator is transmitting on; by default I think it's signal A, but you can set it to anything.

The only trick is that the signal wire runs through the middle of one of my main train stations, so whenever I reconfigure it I have to make sure to reconnect the signal!

Using the "less than 15" idea, the acumulators will only ever charge up to 15(percent I assume). Then they go crazy, constantly swapping back and forth. I just realised that's cause I dont have enough power from solar.

[Harkonnen604]

1. For long wires - you can put one single accumulator near that power switch, its charge level will soon align with accumulators on the rest of electric network.

2. For constant switching back and forth, I think some kind of combinator setup with memory can be put there so that when steam is powered on at 15% it will power off at 30%.

[Thegrover]

1. For long wires - you can put one single accumulator near that power switch, its charge level will soon align with accumulators on the rest of electric network.

2. For constant switching back and forth, I think some kind of combinator setup with memory can be put there so that when steam is powered on at 15% it will power off at 30%.

I use an SR latch set to kick the steams in at 10% and knock them back off at 40%, so I can overcome whatever crisis has emptied my accumulators. It only needs 3 decider combinators and a handful of wires too

[Sparkysam]

1. For long wires - you can put one single accumulator near that power switch, its charge level will soon align with accumulators on the rest of electric network.

2. For constant switching back and forth, I think some kind of combinator setup with memory can be put there so that when steam is powered on at 15% it will power off at 30%.

I use an SR latch set to kick the steams in at 10% and knock them back off at 40%, so I can overcome whatever crisis has emptied my accumulators. It only needs 3 decider combinators and a handful of wires too

have u got a design for this?? so that i can get an idea, i am trying to find a way to use my steam engines to charge my accumulators and then turn off over night but on during the day.

[impetus maximus]

great video on a SR latch circuit here by Shredguy99.
[WARNING] his edits cut the end of his sentences as a joke. if that sound like it would annoy you, then just move along.
also... i use a power switch from the engines to the poles/electric network, instead of the pumps as he did. no waiting for boilers to fill with water.

[The Eriksonn]

but controlling the pumps instead of the Power switch gets rid of the flashing, atleast slows it down.(not sure about it)

[Nexela]

but controlling the pumps instead of the Power switch gets rid of the flashing, atleast slows it down.(not sure about it)

The no power icon can also be suppressed by placing 1 accumulator connected to your steam engine electrical network. Once the main power is switched off. The steam engines will quickly fill the accumulator and shutdown.

[The Eriksonn]

I also ment the flashing that comes when the accumulator is at the turn off limit, because solar+steam > factory so it turn off and solar < factory so it turns on and that flashes very rapidly for a minute ore so(like 20 times per second) using pump instead slows down the flashing

[Ranakastrasz]

That is what the rs latch is for. It slows the toggle down.

[The Eriksonn]

That i know, am kind of trying an overcomplex combinator system for calculating if i will have enough power to make the night so that i dont turn on steam when i will make it widthout. Have only started on the math for it, weird math even for me(i like math)

[zebediah49]

Another option (other than the RS-latch) that also can give you some extra information about how power stocks are doing is to stage your steam cutoff. I usually use the switches on the pumps, because it slows everything out (no flickering), but it works with power switches too. For a relatively small starting run with four steam lines, I might do 20%, 15%, 10%, 10%.

This way, when you drop under 20%, your first stage comes on, and slows down the drain. If you make it down to 15% the second stage will come on (further slowing the lower-loss process), and then at 10% the last two pop up. This shows up in the power graphs as independent steps, which allows you to see how far you drop. If you start hitting a little bit of steam at the end of the night, you need more storage/solar. If you hit 10MW, it's probably about time to get around to doing that, and if you're routinely hitting full steam, you're at a distinct risk of running out.

[DRY411S]

Another option (other than the RS-latch) that also can give you some extra information about how power stocks are doing is to stage your steam cutoff. I usually use the switches on the pumps, because it slows everything out (no flickering), but it works with power switches too. For a relatively small starting run with four steam lines, I might do 20%, 15%, 10%, 10%.

This way, when you drop under 20%, your first stage comes on, and slows down the drain. If you make it down to 15% the second stage will come on (further slowing the lower-loss process), and then at 10% the last two pop up. This shows up in the power graphs as independent steps, which allows you to see how far you drop. If you start hitting a little bit of steam at the end of the night, you need more storage/solar. If you hit 10MW, it's probably about time to get around to doing that, and if you're routinely hitting full steam, you're at a distinct risk of running out.

That's an interesting approach. I use an SR latch (I put a generic design for an SR latch up at this link).

But the factorio God that is MadZuri produced what I believe to be the perfect solution. He posted it on these forums at: this link