No power at night

[Drusige]

Well , actually I have power just not from the expected source...

My problem:

I've made a few beautiful solar arrays using a blueprint found online. They deliver all the power I need during the day so my steam engines shut of completely.
The accumulators are filled to the brim and connected via substations to the grid and I have 8.1 GJ of power stored in them according to the overview.
At night however my steam engines turn on at full power and the accumulators are never used and remain full (hover over with mouse confirms all are still completely filled during the night)???

Why is this happening since they are clearly connected to the grid seeing solar works during the day...
If anyone has any ideas please enlighten me cause I'm baffled

Tnx guys

[MobRules]

The accumulators aren't used because the steam plant is sending enough power to the network that they aren't needed. They don't know or care if the power is being supplied by solar panels or steam, just whether the network has enough power or not.

There's some great designs on these boards about how to use disconnected power networks to allow the steam boilers to be used as an emergency power supply, and only power on after accumulators are drained.

[Drusige]

First of all , tnx for the reply..

Leaves me with one more question, during the day the steam engines turn off and only solar is being used so why is this reversed during the night??
I mean, how is this decided ???

[SyncViews]

Its just because accumulators are like at the bottom of the power priority queue. So they will only discharge when there is not enough power from all other sources combined, and will only charge using "spare" power from other sources.

And there is not a clear and hard rule to "fix" this. e.g. sometimes, in some power networks, some players really do want boilers to charge up the accumulators, so that the power is available for laser turrets, as large numbers of laser turrets can often use more power than you generate over a short time period.

[FMTK]

First of all , tnx for the reply..

Leaves me with one more question, during the day the steam engines turn off and only solar is being used so why is this reversed during the night??
I mean, how is this decided ???

It's just a simple priority ladder:

1. Solar Panels (during day)
2. Steam engines (if solar Panels do not deliver enough power)
3. Accumulators

[steve780]

which begs the question as to why use solar at all?

[SyncViews]

Because once built solar is unlimited, clean, free energy for the rest of the game.

As you build a large factory, steam needs more and more coal or oil, so you have to keep building new resource outposts for it. Plus they create a lot of pollution causeing biters to attack.

Solar you just build a massive farm with accumulators somewhere, with minimal defences because it wont attract biters, and then you never need to do anything with it again. With construction bots even building it is pretty easy.

[bobucles]

Leaves me with one more question, during the day the steam engines turn off and only solar is being used so why is this reversed during the night??

Solar power is very simple. Place it down and it works. Steam engines will keep running until the accumulators are filled, then they will yield to excess solar power. When the solar levels dip low then steam power will turn on again. When steam power is stretched thin then accumulators will open up. When it all runs out then your factory shuts down.

Your factory probably needs more power. Beacons and productivity modules require vast amounts of land for solar power, and another big chunk of land is required for steam power as well. Keep building MOAR until your factory can recharge in the day and stay functional at night.