Turn-Off beacons

[mohsh86]

In Space Age where everything is powered on space platform, there are objects that can't be connected to circuit network to enable/disable, give power constraints at early/mid game.

Any reason why beacon can't be connected to circuit network for the purpose of on/off control?

[eugenekay]

You can use Inserters to add/remove Modules from Beacons according to Circuit conditions. The basic draw of the Beacon itself remains, but the Effects (and associated Power drain) on other Machines can be controlled.

Good Luck!

[HedgeHog7268]

That workaround is...very not elegant.

With quality modules in machines, sometimes I would like to only enable my speed module beacons if there is a backlog of ingredients starting to overflow. A simple enable/disable switch would be great here.

[pioruns]

+1

[eugenekay]

That workaround is...very not elegant.

With quality modules in machines, sometimes I would like to only enable my speed module beacons if there is a backlog of ingredients starting to overflow. A simple enable/disable switch would be great here.

Elegance is in the eye of the beholder. Here is a ready-made setup you can try:

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Screenshot 2025-05-08 115451.png (1.54 MiB) Viewed 518 times

You can use the (oft-ignored) Power Switch to provide Electricity to the Beacons separate from the Assembling Machine. Unpowered Beacons do not provide their Module's Effects; but they do still affect the "Beacons Count" of Assemblers within their Range ("70.71% each").

In this simple setup, the Speed Beacon is activated if there are more Iron Plates than Gears stored in the chests - indicating a Backlog of Iron to be processed. The Efficiency Beacon is activated if the Accumulator is less than half full, to save energy. It is not a very realistic setup, but it does demonstrate that this Goal can be achieved using existing mechanisms - there is no need to wait for a Suggestion to be Discussed & Implemented. I do not know exactly why Beacons do not have a Circuit connection - I just play the game.


Good Luck!

[Stargateur]

he is the one, he find a practical use of power switch, careful he is a hero.

(plz let me circuit connect beacon I don't want use power switch )

[Jap2.0]

I don't want use power switch

Why?

[Stargateur]

too big, honestly, the only real use case is to control power production or shut down specific part of a factory like "low on power, stop science", I really don't want to use it as a circuit control for beacon that way too much. And honestly the number of run where I used power switch must be... 2 and I have 9187 hours on factorio according to steam

[nethus]

Also, a power switch does not work on a space platform

[mmmPI]

I would use the ability to turn on/off the beacon, but i suppose it may be considered an "exploit" if you can turn off speed beacon at the right time to avoid the negative impact on quality.

You can already do that by removing the module at the last moment, but it's more complex as demonstrated by the posted setup ( which i find elegant ) but wouldn't work on a space platform.

[eugenekay]

but it's more complex as demonstrated by the posted setup ( which i find elegant ) but wouldn't work on a space platform.

So anyway, I started blasting:

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Screenshot 2025-05-11 234348.png (1.32 MiB) Viewed 248 times

I have actually used this Mechanism to switch an Auto Crafting Mall between Speed and Efficiency Modules, depending upon whether it was a Quality focussed item. In the end I decided to just split the two sections apart in the interests of Throughput - the space savings just was not worth the wait and circuit hassle.

[mmmPI]

but it's more complex as demonstrated by the posted setup ( which i find elegant ) but wouldn't work on a space platform.

So anyway, I started blasting:
I have actually used this Mechanism to switch an Auto Crafting Mall between Speed and Efficiency Modules, depending upon whether it was a Quality focussed item. In the end I decided to just split the two sections apart in the interests of Throughput - the space savings just was not worth the wait and circuit hassle.

Ah that's another nice setup, but it is slightly different in that it consume more energy because the beacons are always on.

It shows to me that the "exploity" part currently is possible on space platform, but not the "turn off when not needed to save energy" which is what i would use the turn on/off beacons feature for. ( 480 kw for a beacon is a lot of solar pannel in Fulgora's orbit or Gleba's orbit)

When OP asked if there was any reason the beacon can't be turned on/off, i thought the possible "exploit" you are showing would be made easier as a potential reason not to allow them connections to circuits. But in a way, if it's alreay possible to do, then it diminishes that reserve in my mind, why not allowing to turn them on/off ? It's as if currently you can only use the "cheaty" behavior but not the 'more straightforward' energy saving one.

[Stargateur]

honestly... speed module that reduce quality seem natural, but I doubt it's very important gameplay wise.

[mmmPI]

honestly... speed module that reduce quality seem natural, but I doubt it's very important gameplay wise.

You indeed mentionned several time you don't use power switch and wouldn't use the turn-on off feature, so it must not be important for you that seem clear. But i'm not gettng your point about the suggestion, are you just saying you're not concerned repeatdly ? or do you mean rather + or rather - ?