Update on old power supply from 2018

[Arkyte]

There was this electricity grid post from 2018. I liked the idea so I decided to use it. I ran into a problem where the generators didn't stop producing energy if the batteries were full. The supply is controlled by a single smart battery so there is not command for "turn it off if both are full."

Here is the layout of my power supply module:

 

It's almost the same idea but with an addition of an AND gate. I like building several modular 16x4 rooms so the hardest part was making everything neat and tight. The final design really satisfied me.

• When the right battery needs energy it
  • Closes the right powers consumers
  • Opens the right power supply
  • Opens the left power consumers
  • Closes the left power supply
• The reverse happens when the right battery doesn't needs energy
• The difference is that the AND gate enables both batteries to say they don't need energy and close the circuit completely

I have learned with your comments since I posted. Here is how it should be used (The same purpose it was made for in 2018, but in video.)

2020-08-23 18-38-56.mkv

You can use wires through your whole base connected to a main grid. Wherever you need power you build one power supply module. At the power generation section you build a power transformer to suck power from the generators (since batteries don't charge batteries), and a battery to turn off the generator grid.

 

[Victorzhov]

If the generator is connected to an electrical wire it will produce energy. You have to connect the smart battery directly to the generator to turn off when the battery is full

[Arkyte]

56 minutes ago, Victorzhov said:

If the generator is connected to an electrical wire it will produce energy. You have to connect the smart battery directly to the generator to turn off when the battery is full

They seem to shut off. I think it's because the AND gate cuts the circuit so the generators are not connected to anything.

-----

Just noticed I posted the wrong setup. This one was a failed one using the OR gate.

The actual one using the AND gate works and I'm using throughout my base. Well... whatever.

[Gurgel]

What is this supposed to accomplish?

[Soulwind]

(Ignoring all of the power shutoffs, as I never really use them and might give invalid info).

If you want the battery to shut off the generator(s), then you need to run the automation wire from the battery

to the generator(s) directly.  Then the battery will shut off the gen(s) when it's full (I typically use 95% as a high threshold and 30% as a low).

If you want it to require both batteries, presumably because of power switching shenanigans, then you use an AND gate 

with the automation wires from both batteries, then to the gen(s).

Of course, unless you're trying to use the shutoffs to do some grid switching to prevent overloads, then there's no real reason to

have more than one battery anyway.  Connected correctly it only lets the gen(s) run when they are needed for charging.

 

Additional:

The use of the 1KW transformer, by itself will prevent overloads from ever happening.  The 1KW transformer

simply cannot supply more than 1KW of power at a time (unless you throw a battery into the mix after the transformer).

You'll get brownouts, but not overloads, if you have more then 1KW consumers on the wire (again assuming no battery in there)..

 

[Arkyte]

Thanks for the info guys. I have learned a lot and updated the setup. Indeed you need batteries to shut the generators, and for a big generator room you will need heavy-watt wire. The main idea of using the AND gate still works and patches the problem of never shuting the circuit down.

I'm thinking about using those power modules in the generator room to substitute the power transformers. That way there will be no need for heavy-watt wire and essentially you will have as much wattage as needed.

As a side note:

This setup could totally be exploited to make a "wireless" signal connection between the base, since energy travels instantly. You would need two of them at each side, connected only between themselves. I'm sure that idea works. I just don't know how yet. If I get anything useful I will update you guys. Edit: It works and is really simple but there is no point in this since normal wires cost more than automation wires.

[TheMule]

Have a look at this: