[1.7.10][LISTED] InfiTech 2 Modpack v3.2.21 [HQM][GregTech balanced hard-mode modpack]

[asb3pe]

Thunderstorm? Do you know GT machines explode in rain?

I forgot. LOL

(edit to remove useless stuff)

Okay, so today I became a pro with manipulating GT covers using the crowbar... but I'm still a dunce when it comes to pulling steam out of my Railcraft tank and into GT fluid pipes using a GT Pump as a cover. What's the secret? I have a valve on the bottom of the RC tank but it's already being used. I need to run 5 LV Steam Turbines and by my calculations I need to use 3 RC tank valves so I can't pull all my steam from just the bottom tank valve, I need to use some side valves too...

These are LV pumps being used as covers... do I need to power them somehow?

Well, I'd still like an answer on the covers but I've decided to just use EnderIO conduit instead, there's really no reason to fart around anymore, as they say. I've got a solution that works so I'll take it, altho I'd rather stick to all-GT if I could...

 

[asb3pe]

I made a Soldering Iron for the Maintenance Hatch on the GT multiblocks, but even after I use it, I still get the error message "circuitry burned out". According to this wiki page, the Soldering Iron "has not been re-implemented yet". I guess that's still the case in this modpack? Do I have to wait until MV stage when I can make Duct Tape and then I won't have to bother with any of this? I didn't realize that Duct Tape fixes all the problems permanently, but that's what the wiki says.

http://ftb.gamepedia.com/Maintenance_Hatch

 

[nonamefhh]

I made a Soldering Iron for the Maintenance Hatch on the GT multiblocks, but even after I use it, I still get the error message "circuitry burned out". According to this wiki page, the Soldering Iron "has not been re-implemented yet". I guess that's still the case in this modpack? Do I have to wait until MV stage when I can make Duct Tape and then I won't have to bother with any of this? I didn't realize that Duct Tape fixes all the problems permanently, but that's what the wiki says.

http://ftb.gamepedia.com/Maintenance_Hatch

You can build a soldering iron(LV). Charge it up and right click on the square thing in the maintenance interface with fine soldering alloy wires in your inventory.

 

[asb3pe]

You can build a soldering iron(LV). Charge it up and right click on the square thing in the maintenance interface with fine soldering alloy wires in your inventory.

I thought it already was charged when I made it because the line on the icon looked full (green), that must be the problem. How do I charge it? Nevermind: I found you just put it into an LV battery box and it charges.

Finding it pretty funny that the very first MV machine I am making now that I've made an MV Steam Turbine is the Assembler... because the very first thing I need to make is Duct Tape so I don't get the penalty for the Electric Blast Furnace maintenance anymore.

Soldering iron worked perfectly (I never would have guessed you needed the fine wire, I was trying to use an ingot). So if I've fixed all the problems, then duct tape won't do anything and isn't needed? The only use for duct tape is so that you won't ever get a random problem with the Blast Furnace in the future? That's why duct tape places a big "X" over the hatch?

tl;dr: So I don't need duct tape at all, if I'm willing to just keep fixing any problems that may arise with the Blast Furnace by using the hand tools? Duct tape is easiest obv, so long as you have it you'd obv use that instead of the tools... but maybe I don't have to build the Assembler so I can make duct tape right away?

 

[Dlur100]

I forgot. LOL

(edit to remove useless stuff)

Okay, so today I became a pro with manipulating GT covers using the crowbar... but I'm still a dunce when it comes to pulling steam out of my Railcraft tank and into GT fluid pipes using a GT Pump as a cover. What's the secret? I have a valve on the bottom of the RC tank but it's already being used. I need to run 5 LV Steam Turbines and by my calculations I need to use 3 RC tank valves so I can't pull all my steam from just the bottom tank valve, I need to use some side valves too...

These are LV pumps being used as covers... do I need to power them somehow?

Well, I'd still like an answer on the covers but I've decided to just use EnderIO conduit instead, there's really no reason to fart around anymore, as they say. I've got a solution that works so I'll take it, altho I'd rather stick to all-GT if I could...

There's no need to use GT pump covers with the RC tank. Just put more valves in the bottom of the tank... If your tank isn't big enough to install multiple valves on the bottom, then build a bigger tank I don't usually bother with the RC tank unless I can build it at least 7x7 on the bottom, as much for the valve connections as for the steam quantity.

 

[asb3pe]

oh geez, for some reason i had this idea that only the center block in the bottom could be used for a valve... sigh thanks i've got a 9x9x8 tank lol

and another question... why did I build a MV turbine which is only 50% efficient and takes one more liter of steam per EU than the LV's do? I just realize I made a mistake and need to go back to LV turbines until I've built up some aluminium stock...

This wiki page explains efficiency: http://ftb.gamepedia.com/Steam_Turbine_(GregTech)

The real reason for using MV turbines is "efficiency" in terms of space... but not for efficiency in terms of steam usage. One MV Turbine into a GT Transformer is 4 amps of 32v, but so is 4 LV turbines, and the 4 LV turbines use 4 liters less steam per EU produced. Doh!

It would appear the "proper" strategy is to keep making the LV turbines, even as we go into MV era. Of course, for MV machines you need MV voltage, but we can get that using 4 LV turbines into an LV->MV transformer. So the only reason to move up to MV turbines is when you reach the point where you're saying to yourself, "My goodness, I've got a lot of turbines taking up space!" At that point you're probably so flush with materials, you can replace 4 LV Turbines with 1 MV and remove all the transformers as well. But the trade-off to gaining that floor space is that you're gonna use 4 liters more steam per EU produced for each 4LV-for-1MV trade you make.

Does that sound correct?

 

[Pyure]

oh geez, for some reason i had this idea that only the center block in the bottom could be used for a valve... sigh thanks i've got a 9x9x8 tank lol

and another question... why did I build a MV turbine which is only 50% efficient and takes one more liter of steam per EU than the LV's do? I just realize I made a mistake and need to go back to LV turbines until I've built up some aluminium stock...

This wiki page explains efficiency: http://ftb.gamepedia.com/Steam_Turbine_(GregTech)

The real reason for using MV turbines is "efficiency" in terms of space... but not for efficiency in terms of steam usage. One MV Turbine into a GT Transformer is 4 amps of 32v, but so is 4 LV turbines, and the 4 LV turbines use 4 liters less steam per EU produced. Doh!

It would appear the "proper" strategy is to keep making the LV turbines, even as we go into MV era. Of course, for MV machines you need MV voltage, but we can get that using 4 LV turbines into an LV->MV transformer. So the only reason to move up to MV turbines is when you reach the point where you're saying to yourself, "My goodness, I've got a lot of turbines taking up space!" At that point you're probably so flush with materials, you can replace 4 LV Turbines with 1 MV and remove all the transformers as well. But the trade-off to gaining that floor space is that you're gonna use 4 liters more steam per EU produced for each 4LV-for-1MV trade you make.

Does that sound correct?

That's about right. GT tiering is often, ahem, completely stupid. This is a prime example.

 

[Pyure]

There's no need to use GT pump covers with the RC tank. Just put more valves in the bottom of the tank... If your tank isn't big enough to install multiple valves on the bottom, then build a bigger tank I don't usually bother with the RC tank unless I can build it at least 7x7 on the bottom, as much for the valve connections as for the steam quantity.

You can also put hatches on the second level from the bottom (the first level that contains liquid). Any pipes connected at that level will only output if the hatch receives a redstone signal, which can be extremely handy for some setups (for instance, if the tank holds fuel, and you want the fuel supply to automatically shut off when a battery is full)

 

[asb3pe]

Something else I think I just realized... instead of the long wait for aluminium ingots in the EBF (85 seconds per), you can speed it up a lot if you are willing to use (and have found) blue or green sapphire dust, or rubies (which everybody clearly has found in that first redstone deposit). That reduces the time per ingot to 20 seconds per 3 nuggets, or 60 seconds per ingot, which is almost a 33% time savings per ingot. Of course, I know sapphire isn't very common, and I know you probably shouldn't waste ruby ore on aluminum ingots when it's such a great source of another important material (which I won't name but everybody will know). But... time is time, and waiting 85 seconds per ingot, plus more for my steam to regenerate, is tedious. LOL Using gems is also an energy savings, 100 EU/t instead of 120 EU/t for regular aluminium dust, so it saves on steam.

 

[asb3pe]

That's about right. GT tiering is often, ahem, completely stupid. This is a prime example.

Yeah, it def doesn't make much sense to have higher tiers be LESS efficient. While it might make sense from some "real life" perspective, it basically just means we're DIS-incentivized from using the higher tier machine if the cheaper lower tier machine works better. It's just common sense, but I only realized it today. LOL

 

[asb3pe]

Woohoo, Arc Furnace for charcoal >>> Coke Ovens.

Oxygen is no big deal, I live near a desert and sand->glass->macerator->centrifuge gives glass dust (for conduits) plus oxygen.

What else is this machine useful for?

 

[Dlur100]

oh geez, for some reason i had this idea that only the center block in the bottom could be used for a valve... sigh thanks i've got a 9x9x8 tank lol

and another question... why did I build a MV turbine which is only 50% efficient and takes one more liter of steam per EU than the LV's do? I just realize I made a mistake and need to go back to LV turbines until I've built up some aluminium stock...

This wiki page explains efficiency: http://ftb.gamepedia.com/Steam_Turbine_(GregTech)

The real reason for using MV turbines is "efficiency" in terms of space... but not for efficiency in terms of steam usage. One MV Turbine into a GT Transformer is 4 amps of 32v, but so is 4 LV turbines, and the 4 LV turbines use 4 liters less steam per EU produced. Doh!

It would appear the "proper" strategy is to keep making the LV turbines, even as we go into MV era. Of course, for MV machines you need MV voltage, but we can get that using 4 LV turbines into an LV->MV transformer. So the only reason to move up to MV turbines is when you reach the point where you're saying to yourself, "My goodness, I've got a lot of turbines taking up space!" At that point you're probably so flush with materials, you can replace 4 LV Turbines with 1 MV and remove all the transformers as well. But the trade-off to gaining that floor space is that you're gonna use 4 liters more steam per EU produced for each 4LV-for-1MV trade you make.

Does that sound correct?

Well, I personally look at steam as an infinite resource more or less because one of my first tasks is to set up a fully automated and sustainable tree farm (TC golems this time with fir trees). Then I set about making a BUNCH of coke ovens. I've got 30 right now, and intend to make 10 more because, if I remember right, 40 is the number of coke furnaces it takes running full time to pump out enough creosote to keep a 36LP RC liquid boiler running non-stop. A 36LP RC boiler will do a good job of keeping a huge RC steam tank full for a long time, at least until you start trying to run a pair of EBFs at the same time.

Then I take all the charcoal from the coke ovens and convert 90% of it to alumentum with automated Thaumcraft alchemy. That way, when I get around to the point of needing huge bursts of steam I can build a GT steel or titanium boiler and run it off Alumentum. I'll keep my 36LP RC boiler going forever more or less and then I set up circuitry (that Pyure taught me here) to turn the GT boiler on when the RC tank falls below a certain level and shut it off again when the RC steam tank is full. Basically at this point you've got enough steam to do anything through HV era, and it's all running for "free" off your tree farm with almost no manual intervention from you.

And then regarding the MV steam turbines I pretty much skip those in favor of building RC steam turbines. A pair of RC steam turbines pointing at CESUs, MFEs, and eventually MFSUs that, in turn, point at GT transformers can power you through the HV age without too many hiccups. At that point I start looking at things like diesel, nitrodiesel, biofuel, and then it's time to start moving on to reactors.

Remember, space isn't really a concern unless you make it one when you're using steam for power. While GT electricity has power loss inherit in it, steam is lossless. If you pump your steam around correctly you can put a turbine wherever you want. Also, I'm in the process of learning to transport power via batteries with almost no wires

You can also put hatches on the second level from the bottom (the first level that contains liquid). Any pipes connected at that level will only output if the hatch receives a redstone signal, which can be extremely handy for some setups (for instance, if the tank holds fuel, and you want the fuel supply to automatically shut off when a battery is full)

Neat. I had always controlled this with EnderIO conduits, but then again the top tier EnderIO liquid conduit used to be a heck of a lot less expensive the last time I played too

Something else I think I just realized... instead of the long wait for aluminium ingots in the EBF (85 seconds per), you can speed it up a lot if you are willing to use (and have found) blue or green sapphire dust, or rubies (which everybody clearly has found in that first redstone deposit). That reduces the time per ingot to 20 seconds per 3 nuggets, or 60 seconds per ingot, which is almost a 33% time savings per ingot. Of course, I know sapphire isn't very common, and I know you probably shouldn't waste ruby ore on aluminum ingots when it's such a great source of another important material (which I won't name but everybody will know). But... time is time, and waiting 85 seconds per ingot, plus more for my steam to regenerate, is tedious. LOL Using gems is also an energy savings, 100 EU/t instead of 120 EU/t for regular aluminium dust, so it saves on steam.

I'd hold off on that and just be patient. For sure I wouldn't use ruby dust. I can remember rubies (well ruby dust) being one of my most sought after items the last time I played when I got into the HV era. I was mining redstone veins just for the ruby ore. I was also centrifuging ruby dust out of other things.

Personally I'd just build a better and more quick to recover steam infrastructure. And then I'd build two EBFs Maybe even 3 or 4! Well, eventually.

 

[Dlur100]

Woohoo, Arc Furnace for charcoal >>> Coke Ovens.

Oxygen is no big deal, I live near a desert and sand->glass->macerator->centrifuge gives glass dust (for conduits) plus oxygen.

What else is this machine useful for?

Thaumcraft alchemy can convert wood to charcoal by using only wood. You turn wood into chests for vacuous essentia, and you use starter charcoal to get ignis essentia. Set it up properly with the proper piping and with a good tree farm you'll swim in charcoal, which you can then convert to alumentum for even better mid-tier fuel.

 

[asb3pe]

Well I still can't wrap my head around a tree farm without the "place em and forget em" MFR planter and harvester blocks. LOL Old habits die hard, and I don't really enjoy Thaumcraft enough to drop all the GT and spend a full day on TC instead, grinding thru the basics and unlocking everything. But that's my problem, not the modpack's. There are clearly solutions, I just need to embrace them.

Right now, Dlur is correct, my biggest failing is my steam infrastructure. I've had the idea to go with the railcraft tank carts thru my nether portal, and I even made close to enough track and powered track to do it... but the liquid loader/unloader is something I've never done and it's hard to get going with it. The wiki I read said it takes 17 high pressure lava boilers to provide enough steam to run 5 LV steam turbines and give 160 EU/t which is required to get the EBF running... so that's about 10 EU/t per HPLB and thus that's 13 of em required per MV Steam Turbine. Gotta get my lava train infrastructure going, that's really what I need to do. Of course, by the time I get the lava train going, I'll probably be on the verge of getting a dimensional transciever and won't need the train stuff anymore. LOL Such is the cost of "progress" I guess. If I set it up well enough, I guess there would be no reason to replace it with a magical block... guess I gotta get to work on it!

Another (good) reason I've been holding off, is because if I pump nether lava right now, I'll use the basic BC pump, and I'll leave flowing lava blocks everywhere. But if I can get by until I can build an Ender-Thermic Pump instead, then my nether will be much "cleaner". I had the same issue with water, when I began, not realizing water wasn't infinite and making me leave flowing water blocks that I couldn't fix. For some reason, it just bothers me. haha

Right now, ender pearls are basically nonexistent for me, so "Ender"-anything is out of the question. I sure do miss BiomesO'Plenty and that valuable Ominous Woods biome. I might have to think about a vanilla mob spawner/grinder to get going with some pearls.

 

[asb3pe]

Its going better now with the EBF. Two things I did - first, I was giving my lone MV Turbine its steam supply via a large bronze fluid pipe. But it kept running out of steam, so I added an EnderIO conduit to the top of the Turbine (coming off a separate RC tank valve). Fluid pipe on bottom, EnderIO conduit on top. This really boosted the steam a lot, but it was still slowly running out of steam when I ran the EBF, meaning I had to keep stopping it to let my batteries charge back up. So the second thing I did was add back the third LV energy hatch to the EBF and give it an extra boost of power from two LV turbines. For whatever reason, this configuration has resulted in the batteries running down so slowly that I can now do 8 aluminium ingots before having to let the batteries recharge. The more ingots I can "cook up" in one run, the quicker it all seems to go. 2 ingots and then a long break seemed to be taking forever.

 

[Slayeruga]

I realized that also with the X.A.C.T crafter, but I don't know why.
I just build a full set of tools and it is gone. Don't know when this happened >.<

We also observed a similar problem when upgrading from 3.1.7 to 3.1.0

 

[adamich]

With the CESU I've been able to successfully suck full batteries out of it with eIO conduits, but I"m having a bugger of a time putting empty batteries back into the top slot. Also, is there a way with the CESU to regulate whether the item you're putting in will enter the top slot or the bottom?

it's like vanila automation: conduit on top side will set item in top slot. conduit on bottom side will set item in bottom slot.

 

[Pyure]

Woohoo, Arc Furnace for charcoal >>> Coke Ovens.

Oxygen is no big deal, I live near a desert and sand->glass->macerator->centrifuge gives glass dust (for conduits) plus oxygen.

What else is this machine useful for?

Arc Furnace is handy for melting down stuff you don't need anymore. For instance, once you get into HV, 90% of your LV infrastructure is going to become quickly obsolete. Chuck those machines into the arc furnace and get back most of your invested resources.

 

[asb3pe]

Trains through nether portal. Yes and its quite simple. Portal and one block away track.
P = portal
O = empty space
T = track
C = Switch track i think its called that

Look from top
PP
OO
TT
TCTTTTT

get it?

No, I don't get it. I see switch track and made some but I still don't understand how to get the train working. Nevermind the lava for now, all I want to do is get a train from overworld to nether and back. Once I've got that figured out then I can add a liquid loader/unloader and a pump. For now, I can't even figure out all the railcraft tracks. Never used a "switch track" before.

Are you saying we need to run side-by-side tracks to the portal? One track for each direction? But when I place my track side by side, they connect up and do funny things that I don't want them to do. This is why I rarely ever deal with trains.

My idea was to use one tank cart, but I guess that will be slow. Therefore, I guess people use multiple tank carts, and therefore we can't use one-way tracks, we need a track in each direction, both coming and going?

Ten minutes of confusion and I'm already ready to give up on this idea. I can't even place the track properly. LOL sigh

Dimensional Transceivers, here I come! LOL

 

[Pyure]

I think the switch track is simply so you can make a loop somewhere, I don't think its actually critical to get a train through the portal. (Which I'd never heard of before, that's cool)