If i hook the the thermionic fabricator up to an MJ network

[tyler f]

will it constantly draw power to stay hot? and if so, should I just use redstone to turn it on and off when needed?

 

[Armaneth]

Yes, it will constantly draw power to keep itself hot. I drained a REC dry by accident once because I didn't know any better.

 

[trunksbomb]

I don't believe thermionic fabricators respond to redstone signals. Best to use a blockbreaker/turtle activated by button to place/replace the conduit or pipe leading to the fabricator.

 

[kheeler]

If you are using redstone energy conduit and have access to it, you could wrench it to extract to kill the power to the Thermionic Fabricator. Then just toggle it back when you need it.

 

[tyler f]

So there is no practical way other than a blockbreaker or similar on the conduit?

 

[Guswut]

So there is no practical way other than a blockbreaker or similar on the conduit?

If you want a fully automated solution that doesn't need any silliness involved (and no turtles, too, which I personally disagree with but in this case I can understand) all you need is access to a BuildCraft gate. Put it under the thermionic fabricator, and tell it "Has Work" then "Redstone Signal". From there, put a redstone energy cell before the thermionic fabricator with a redstone high setting, and then make sure the BuildCraft gate has a way to get the redstone signal to the redstone energy cell (RP2 jacketed wires works well for this).

This will then only give energy to the thermionic fabricator when it has something it can actually do.

 

[Exasperation]

If you can afford to give it its own redstone energy cell, you can toggle the output of the cell on and off with a lever.

 

[trunksbomb]

If you can afford to give it its own redstone energy cell, you can toggle the output of the cell on and off with a lever.

But that's not automatic. I don't have time to do the work of peasants!

Really though, I always forget to flip levers to turn things off.

 

[Guswut]

But that's not automatic. I don't have time to do the work of peasants!

Really though, I always forget to flip levers to turn things off.

BuildCraft gates, man. They are awesome!

 

[trunksbomb]

But that's not Redpower!

 

[Guswut]

But that's not Redpower!

Yeah, it isn't, heh heh. Too bad we don't have Gated Turtles (just gate reading turtles, BAH!), as they'd be wonderful for this job as well.

 

[WayofTime]

Yeah, it isn't, heh heh. Too bad we don't have Gated Turtles (just gate reading turtles, BAH!), as they'd be wonderful for this job as well.

You and your turtles. Real men use gollems to do their bidding!

But yeah, the redstone energy cell is probably the best way to go. It doesn't require any sort of coding to pull off, and is relatively simple.

 

[Guswut]

You and your turtles. Real men use gollems to do their bidding!

You should see my farms. I had the Thaumagi on our server make me four intelligent straw golems, and four fast wooden golems. I locked a pair of each in a cocoabean, wheat, flax, and potato/carrot 9x9 farm square. I came back the next morning, and I had to wand all four pairs as it was entirely filled up.

Turtles likely could have done it, but not as well. And the golems are so much more enjoyable to watch pick my cotton wheat.

But yeah, the redstone energy cell is probably the best way to go. It doesn't require any sort of coding to pull off, and is relatively simple.

Indeed, and if you have access to buildcraft gates, you can fully automate it.

 

[Captain Neckbeard]

You should see my farms. I had the Thaumagi on our server make me four intelligent straw golems, and four fast wooden golems. I locked a pair of each in a cocoabean, wheat, flax, and potato/carrot 9x9 farm square. I came back the next morning, and I had to wand all four pairs as it was entirely filled up.

Speaking of Golem farms, I tested out those Xychorium Soil blocks yesterday. Then found out about Xychorium lights. Then stayed up way too late renovating my undertower. If 3 in the morning was any indication, that 7x7x12 Biomass multitank will likely be full by the time I finish refurnishing the Biofuel/Boiler infrastructure.
Three floors of 13x13 Xychorium-fertilized Wheat farms has a ludicrous output. I'm not regretting trading all my Minium for what was being called USELESS BLING.

 

[Sprung]

I hate the wire roller and the thermionic fabricator for precisely this reason. Some day I need to learn to use gates. But having to make an energy cell for each misbehaving machine really rustles my jimmies.