Is there a way to prevent EU loss through wires?

[Dreossk]

I'm reading conflicting information about EU transformation and packets.

Some say that since a MV transformer changes the power from 1 packet of 512 to 4 packets of 128, it means that you need 4 LV transofmers after that or you will lose power. They also say that 1 MFSU requires 1 MV transformers which means that for 4 MFSU you have 4 MV and 16 LV.

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Is that true or can I simply do this?

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[Saice]

I'm reading conflicting information about EU transformation and packets.

Some say that since a MV transformer changes the power from 1 packet of 512 to 4 packets of 128, it means that you need 4 LV transofmers after that or you will lose power. They also say that 1 MFSU requires 1 MV transformers which means that for 4 MFSU you have 4 MV and 16 LV.


Is that true or can I simply do this?
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You can do the secound.

Packets are not limited by transformers. They can move unlimtied packets as long as they are all the right size.

Now where you can lose power is if the power going into the transfer has power loss to make it not break down into 4 packets. Say becuase you MV line is fair enough to induse loss before the transfermorer. But even then it is not really fully lost. The transformer will (to my knoweldge) hold onto that odd size packet until it can make a full 128 and ship it off. This is why you can do wierd stuff like chian HV-MV-LV-MV-HV and run it for a few minutes and see a fluxution in your outputs as packets are rounded off oddly.

 

[Peppe]

You can do the secound.

Packets are not limited by transformers. They can move unlimtied packets as long as they are all the right size.

The above is incorrect. Transformers only make 4 packets a tick. So they each have a maximum throughput and they will not supply more than that throughput. They do not have an unlimited passthrough for packets that are already the correct size. All packets go to an internal storage and when the storage holds enough a supply packet is available to be sent. The storage is only enough for 4 packets and it will only refill its storage once per tick.

Say you make available to a LV transformer 256 EU/t from say a 128 EU packet and four 32 EU packets. It will store up to 128 EU and then send out four 32 EU packets. Capping the throughput to 128 EU/t (four 32 EU packets). It will not be able to send the 4 packets that are already the correct size and convert the incorrect packets, so you will not be able to get 256 EU/t in 32 EU packets with just one LV transformer.


To get all the power from an MFSU - 512 EU/t - down to machine safe 32 EU packets you need one MV transformer to make four 128 EU packets, and then 4 LV transformers to make 16 32 EU packets.

You won't lose any power if you don't have all the transformers. The EU network is very smart about how it sends/receives power to avoid waste. You just won't be able to draw the full 512 EU/t at your machines if you don't have 4:1 ratio of LV transformers to MV transformers.

 

[Dreossk]

Hehe, conflicting info here too. One FTB wiki says one thing, the other FTB wiki doesn't say anything nor the IC2 wiki and now 2 people say different things

I'll keep it as before and have 4 transformers, thanks Peppe!

 

[CrafterOfMines57]

Hehe, conflicting info here too. One FTB wiki says one thing, the other FTB wiki doesn't say anything nor the IC2 wiki and now 2 people say different things

I'll keep it as before and have 4 transformers, thanks Peppe!

I believe this video:

explains how it works.

 

[Peppe]

I'd simply put storage in each 'stage' of voltage.

Course that storage will request packets when it's so much as 1 down, and possibly cause a trickle down of 512 and waste 511 of it...
Though you can combat that with the redstone settings, buildcraft gates and some trickery (splitter cable).

I believe the only thing in an EU network that can waste energy are energy producers. There is of course power loss in the cables, but that is well documented and easy to circumvent. Waste like you describe would not come from transformer or storage blocks... once EU is in an storage unit power is transmitted as needed and the transformers/packet flow ensure no waste. An MFSU is technically empty when it has anything less than 512 energy (BC gates detect this state). It can only send 512 EU packets.

To follow the flow. If an MFSU has over 512 EU stored it can send a 512 EU packet out every tick, but it won't send it unless something requests 512 or more EU. Lets say you only have one LV transformer on the MV transformer that is running a mass fab. So 128 EU/t is constantly being consumed. Everything is charged to start. The massfab is only connected to the LV transformer , so the massfab says it will take all the power it can supply. Every tick then the LV transformer sends the massfab four 32 EU packets and requests 128 EU from its supply side. The MV transformer has four 128 EU packets to start and gives one to the LV transformer. The MV now requests 128 EU from the MFSU -- but nothing happens. The MFSU does not respond until the request is for 512 EU. So the MV supplies the LV 3 more ticks before it is empty. After the fourth round the MV is drained to 0 and requests a full 512 EU packet. Now finally the MFSU is able to respond and send a 512 EU packet to the transformer. That cycle repeats -- MFSU sends 512 EU every 4 ticks. MV sends one 128 EU packet every tick and the LV sends all 4 32 EU packets every tick.

Waste can come from producers. Most producers are dumb though and send the same power no matter if there is demand or not. Like a generator will consume fuel as long as it is down even hair, so can waste close to the full EU value of any fuel if the power draw is below its generation rate.


Storage is most efficient at the highest levels -- ignoring gregtech. You go from 40k to 600k to 10 million. For just EU storage there is no reason to use lower storage. Each tier scales very well, so if you can afford the higher tier you should build around those. If you need the redstone signal modes or to limit the throughput to a certain part of the network any tier can serve a use in that secondary role.