Smart Battery Controlling Dumb Batteries Efficiently

[Legitnebula]

I have looked around and haven't found any posts showing how to use smart batteries to control dumb batteries considering the capacity of a regular battery is double that of the smart batteries. I have made an automation loop that uses 2 smart batteries in series to control the power circuit of generators. The advantages of using the following system is only needing 2 smart batteries for your entire base while having the capacity of as many regular batteries as you would like. The system makes sure there is no power wasted while fulling utilizing the entire capacity of regular batteries. 

Attached is a picture of the automation loop that controls the 2 smart batteries in series. You will need the following automation logic gates:

2 x AND gates

2 x NOT gates

1 x XOR gate

 

1) The way this system works is that the first battery (left one in picture) stores power until it reaches max power. (The standalone AND gate closes the first shutoff.)

2) When the first battery reaches max power the shutoff disconnects it from the power grid. ( The AND gate disconnects the first shutoff.)

3) When the first battery reaches max the XOR gates closes the shutoff for the second battery, causing it to store power.

4) When the second battery reaches max power the XOR gate opens the second shutoff, the AND gate (with both NOTS gates) closes the first shutoff. This causes the generators to turn off while closing the first shutoff, discharging the first battery. 

5) When the first battery is depleted, the AND gate opens the the first shutoff and the XOR gate closes the second shutoff depleting the second battery.

(The automation loop can be compressed into a much smaller area.)

 

The thought process for the Logic gates is as follows:

The first shutoff needs to be closed when BOTH batteries are full or empty (Using both AND gates)

The second shutoff needs to be closed when the batteries are in different states. (XOR gate, for charging and discharging the second battery)

 

Hopefully this will be useful to someone!

[BlueLance]

I don't use the old batteries anymore, they lose more power over time than smart batteries etc, I have 6 batteries in my entire base, all 6 are linked up and each one controls its own power source via automation. 

I think most people use smart batteries for the same reason, less power wasted, and you don't need to have large amounts of them now because you can toggle power on and off essentially

That is my power grid, eventually once I get around to it, the other three batteries will control steam, petroleum and dupe power (Which I might just drop altogether)

 

But I am sure it will be useful to some one

[Mlah]

Yep smart batteries and battery reserves are kind of contradictory play styles. Battery banks capture excess power from your generators but if you are using smart batteries effectively your generators should never be generating excess to charge a battery bank. A  large battery bank is better suited for when you need to power many devices simultaneously, well beyond you power output, but only infrequently.

[Miravlix]

The way I do it is using a single smart battery connected directly to the power creators and that battery controls if things run or not. then connect everything else with transformers.

 

A transformer create an independent electric network, so batteries before and after a transformer is independent.

 

After that it's rows of Transformer -Batteries- -> end users.

[KittenIsAGeek]

I've been thinking of setting up some old-style battery banks with the solar panels.  Since solar panels generate power based on time of day, it makes sense to store any extra power generated for night or meteor storms.  If only the doors didn't draw so much power...

[beowulf2010]

6 minutes ago, KittenIsAGeek said:

I've been thinking of setting up some old-style battery banks with the solar panels.  Since solar panels generate power based on time of day, it makes sense to store any extra power generated for night or meteor storms.  If only the doors didn't draw so much power...

Haven't had enough time to actually get up to the surface, but yeah, a battery bank does seem to be the best use of surface solar panels. 

[FIXBUGFIXBUGFIX]

16 minutes ago, KittenIsAGeek said:

I've been thinking of setting up some old-style battery banks with the solar panels.  Since solar panels generate power based on time of day, it makes sense to store any extra power generated for night or meteor storms.  If only the doors didn't draw so much power...

To close and then open a bunker door, it costs nearly 37kj. A really huge number.

[KittenIsAGeek]

5 minutes ago, R9MX4 said:

To close and then open a bunker door, it costs nearly 37kj. A really huge number.

Yeah, my current design has coal generators set up to kick on when the blast doors need to open or close.  Trying to come up with a better solution, but that's my current method.

[BlueLance]

7 hours ago, KittenIsAGeek said:

I've been thinking of setting up some old-style battery banks with the solar panels.  Since solar panels generate power based on time of day, it makes sense to store any extra power generated for night or meteor storms.  If only the doors didn't draw so much power...

I was gonna use a battery bank of smart batteries, and use them with a signal switch so that when they reach full charge they then provide power to some power hungry things. That was my plan at least

[Kabrute]

At what point in the opening phase is light passing, if its flooding through the moment they start to open then you don't technically need to power them while they open.... just saying some problems may be self made

[BlueLance]

50 minutes ago, Kabrute said:

At what point in the opening phase is light passing, if its flooding through the moment they start to open then you don't technically need to power them while they open.... just saying some problems may be self made

Only provide enough power to open them a smidgen and then leave it like that? the chance of a meteor making it through a small gap is slim.... I like it

[SackMaggie]

If i don't use blast door yet, I will use single smart battery in my base.

20 hours ago, Legitnebula said:

2 x AND gates

2 x NOT gates

1 x XOR gate

Actually you can use just 1 XOR gate

[KittenIsAGeek]

On 6/4/2018 at 2:03 AM, Kabrute said:

At what point in the opening phase is light passing, if its flooding through the moment they start to open then you don't technically need to power them while they open.... just saying some problems may be self made

Blast doors only allow light through once completely and fully open.  However, they also allow light (and meteors) through until they are fully and completely closed.  

[Neotuck]

On 6/4/2018 at 4:03 AM, Kabrute said:

At what point in the opening phase is light passing, if its flooding through the moment they start to open then you don't technically need to power them while they open.... just saying some problems may be self made

 

On 6/4/2018 at 4:55 AM, BlueLance said:

Only provide enough power to open them a smidgen and then leave it like that? the chance of a meteor making it through a small gap is slim.... I like it

I tested it, light only passes though when fully open

On 6/3/2018 at 8:22 PM, KittenIsAGeek said:

I've been thinking of setting up some old-style battery banks with the solar panels.  Since solar panels generate power based on time of day, it makes sense to store any extra power generated for night or meteor storms.  If only the doors didn't draw so much power...

I have been working on a design that does the same thing but hit a snag as the bunker doors heat up during meteor impacts and won't cool in a vacuum, then overheat at 75C

until this bunker door bug gets fixed I'm putting my solar energy plant on hold 

[KittenIsAGeek]

2 hours ago, Neotuck said:

I have been working on a design that does the same thing but hit a snag as the bunker doors heat up during meteor impacts and won't cool in a vacuum, then overheat at 75C

Steel doors overheat at 275c now, which helps. But yes, I ran into the same issues.  Currently trying out a few different ideas myself.