Automation question to stop a power generator from running if another one is .. with a smart batte.ry in the loop.

[Etrit]

Ok, I'll try to make this simple:

2 power generators, one is coal, one is natural gas.  I keep running out of natural gas, so the generator stops.  I want the natural Gas NOT running to make the Coal to start running and hence, if the gas  is running, the Coal isn't.

Simple enough, I figured that out in 60 seconds with sandbox mode... then I was like "Wait, I have smart batteries"  and things got more complex.

I've tried XOR, AND and OR and NOT gates and can't get anything to work... for various reasons.

 

I think an input selector (and maybe combiner) might need to be used but I have NO idea how to use them and the video I watched confused me to no end. 

Anyone up for jumping into Sandbox mode and making this setup and posting a screen shot of it (in the Automation overlay please.)

 

I (and hopefully others) would really appreciate it.  

 

 I might also post in Steam's forums since I'm sure they are more active, but, you can't post pictures in them so someone would have to explain it words that seems harder then just sharing a picture.

[Saturnus]

I think you're trying to overcomplicate matters.

Ask yourself, what is the actual control mechanism? It's detecting NG in the pipes to the NGGs.

So if there's NG in the pipe the smart battery can turn the NGGs on

If there's no NG in the pipe the smart battery can turn the coal gens on

 

[Joe Dee]

Are these the only generators in your circuit? Then you could just set the smart battery to turn on the coal generator whenever it's not full? I think basing automation on whether a generator runs or not is not going to work very well. You could try adding a gas pipe element sensor and turn on the coal generator when the pipe has been empty for some time.

But generally the most effective setup is to connect all generators to a common power bus, and different tiers of generators get turned on by their own smart battery with different settings for each tier. And then use transformers from the power bus to the actual load circuits.

So one set of generators turns on when the battery charge drops below 80%, and another when it drops below 40% for example.