We are limiting how we think about power transformers

[SackMaggie]

4 hours ago, crypticorb said:

If I'm understanding the original point correctly, you can have a power source from some remote location on a 2kW conductive wire, and using the input side of the transformer, connect it into a larger backbone of heavi-watt wires?

Yes correct.

4 hours ago, crypticorb said:

Would this work with the 2kW power source?

The limit is small transformer since it can delivery 1 kW (You can use normal Transformer but it will break your wire), However you can have more than one small transformer connect to the source and have it run on separate wire and combine it later at main grid.

Spoiler

 

[thejams]

@crypticorbYou would most likely need to use a big transformer or connect two small ones, something like this:

Steam Gen --- conductive --- Transformer === heavy ===
                       | --- Transformer ||

EDIT: didn't see @SackMaggie's response, but pretty much that 

[ClarkOps]

8 hours ago, crypticorb said:

If I'm understanding the original point correctly, you can have a power source from some remote location on a 2kW conductive wire, and using the input side of the transformer, connect it into a larger backbone of heavi-watt wires?

One setup I would find this incredibly useful for is a steam turbine. I need to keep it thermally insulated, which is difficult as heavi-watt wires cannot be routed through walls without the wall plate, which conducts freely. Running heavi-watt wire from the remote volcano back to my main power grid is also resource intensive.

If I could run conductive wires throughout the steam turbine and door pumps, and conductive wire all the way back to base, that would be FAR preferable, as it would use a fraction of the metal, and be easy to route wires through the turbine enclosure.

Would this work with the 2kW power source? I glanced over the replies, and there's a ton of debate that I frankly don't have hours to read.

It's what i've done with my steam turbine but there's a catch, the conductive wire will overload if you're turbine is running and you are drawing power through the transformer so i've manage to get it working with a smart battery with automation to the transformer and not gate to the steam turbine.

[crypticorb]

5 hours ago, SackMaggie said:

Yes correct.

The limit is small transformer since it can delivery 1 kW (You can use normal Transformer but it will break your wire), However you can have more than one small transformer connect to the source and have it run on separate wire and combine it later at main grid.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

This worked perfectly, thanks. I set up a quick test to see what method would work best using your advice. The large transformer immediately circuit overloaded the conductive wire side with the turbine, even though there was a single fridge on the heavi-watt side. With two small transformers, the power was supplied perfectly from the single conductive wire into the heavi-watt backbone.

[KittenIsAGeek]

I do this sort of thing with hamster wheels so that my dupes don't get a decor hit while exercising.  Just run the output from two or three wheels into a battery bank and the high side of a transformer.  Connect the low side to your main power grid.

[Arash70]

Good idea, but why have a main power circuit in the first place?

[avc15]

I use this principle to put hamster wheels in a high decor area in the late game if I'm short on power. You do ofc need automation coming from a battery on your backbone.

1 hour ago, Arash70 said:

Good idea, but why have a main power circuit in the first place?

Same reason why it's done in the real world. Because having an interconnection means you get more utility out of remote generators.

[crypticorb]

Just now, Arash70 said:

Good idea, but why have a main power circuit in the first place?

Because it's incredibly inefficient to have a generator for every individual circuit?

Keeping generators cool, as well as managing byproducts like CO2 and pH2O is far easier if you have a power core, run with heavi-watt wire, and have individual circuits branching off of it.

Having a backbone power line is also far easier for power management, because without organization, all would be chaos.

[Glassyfo]

Would it be possible to have a transformer line going in either direction? That way, say, a solar base and a main base can supplement each other when the power gets low?

[Neotuck]

11 minutes ago, bleeter6 said:

Would it be possible to have a transformer line going in either direction? That way, say, a solar base and a main base can supplement each other when the power gets low?

you can just use power shutoffs with smart batteries

or if your total power output is under 20kW then you can just keep it on one circuit 

[Mullematsch]

17 minutes ago, bleeter6 said:

Would it be possible to have a transformer line going in either direction? That way, say, a solar base and a main base can supplement each other when the power gets low?

I have done that in my last episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDrFdwFT8NE), in first 2 minutes you can see how I set it up. 

 

[Glassyfo]

49 minutes ago, Neotuck said:

you can just use power shutoffs with smart batteries

or if your total power output is under 20kW then you can just keep it on one circuit 

I'd like for my solar base to help power for main base normally, while the reverse happens if I get multiple meteor showers and nighttimes consecutively. How would power shutoffs help in this case? Same circuit is not an option.

[Neotuck]

5 minutes ago, bleeter6 said:

I'd like for my solar base to help power for main base normally, while the reverse happens if I get multiple meteor showers and nighttimes consecutively. How would power shutoffs help in this case? Same circuit is not an option.

Here's a simple automation.  One side is your solar base, the other is your main base. Each smart battery is set to low active so the circuit opens up whenever one side has low overall energy

[Glassyfo]

23 minutes ago, Neotuck said:

Here's a simple automation.  One side is your solar base, the other is your main base. Each smart battery is set to low active so the circuit opens up whenever one side has low overall energy

You're using heavy wire though.

[Neotuck]

Just now, bleeter6 said:

You're using heavy wire though.

is that a problem? 

[Glassyfo]

7 minutes ago, Neotuck said:

is that a problem? 

Yep. Hence why I asked about using transformers. My solar panels are linked by heavy wire btw. That's why having them on the same circuit as my base isn't an option for me.

[Neotuck]

1 minute ago, bleeter6 said:

Yep. Hence why I asked about using transformers. My solar panels are linked by heavy wire btw. That's why having them on the same circuit as my base isn't an option for me.

then just use transformers instead of shutoffs, you'll only be able to charge one with 4kW at a time but at least you won't have to deal with overloads

In this automation when power gets too low on one side the transformer on the other side turns on to receive a power boost 

[KittenIsAGeek]

9 minutes ago, bleeter6 said:

Yep. Hence why I asked about using transformers. My solar panels are linked by heavy wire btw. That's why having them on the same circuit as my base isn't an option for me.

Well, if you want to use conductive wire instead of heavi watt wire, then use two trans...nevermind, @Neotuck beat me to it.

[Neotuck]

And if you need more than a 4kW boost then just stack another set.

Can't stack more than 5 though as you'll go over the 20kW limit of the heavy wires

[Glassyfo]

On 11/1/2018 at 9:34 PM, Neotuck said:

then just use transformers instead of shutoffs, you'll only be able to charge one with 4kW at a time but at least you won't have to deal with overloads

In this automation when power gets too low on one side the transformer on the other side turns on to receive a power boost 

Making this with conductive wire in the middle is giving me overload problems. Do transformers themselves count as load?

[Neotuck]

2 minutes ago, bleeter6 said:

Making this with conductive wire in the middle is giving me overload problems. Do transformers themselves count as load?

yes