(Mekanism) Teach me the basics?

[Vaygrim]

I've got a self-assembled modpack running in 1.6.2 and one of the newest additions (for me) to this setup is the mod "Mekanism". I have found a few videos around Youtube that show some basics for Mekanism, but apparently quite a bit has changed since those videos were released earlier this year. At any rate, I've started a new SSP in this custom modpack and I wanted to try starting out with the Mekanism tech-tree to get me started. So far I've managed to get some basic machine blocks for ore processing, I have a basic power infrastructure and even have power generation via Windmills, Solar Generators and Heat Generators. Just moments ago I even figured out the upgrading of my Smelter into a Basic Factory (Smelter)! I am have super-fun with Mekanism and would love to learn more.

Unfortunately there seems to be a lack of information regarding the mod. All Wikis that list Mekanism have spotty information at best, with any details actually listed there being fairly out of date. I have managed to put together some details myself but there are other things that I just cannot figure out.


Is anyone here interested in swapping information on Mekanism? Perhaps you would just like to share some of the interesting details you have discovered?

 

[apemanzilla]

I have some basic experience with it, and have found that one of the best ways to generate power is to use electrolytic separators, with their hydrogen output going into hydrogen generators. It creates a positive feedback loop if you keep it supplied with water.

Also, place some torches next to the hydrogen gens or it seems to cause a fair amount of lag.

 

[SatanicSanta]

In NEI go to the mekanism subset and make all the machines.

Edit: linda has a pretty good spotlight on it, also you can see all of the power generators in a link in my helpful links buffer.

 

[RedBoss]

 

[RavynousHunter]

For starting power, I'd suggest either the heat generators, which require nearby lava (but doesn't consume it), but output little power, or if you've got some gold handy, to make a wind turbine or two. The only caveat I've found with the turbines is that they need a clear view of the sky. However, they can be picked up with a pick and moved about, and they'll retain their charge; the same goes for all Mekanism machines, from my experience. Make some of the enriched iron, but don't smelt it into enriched alloys. Instead, save it for when you get a metallurgic infuser and an enricher. Enrich some coal into compressed carbon (I think its the enricher that does this, at any rate), and use the metallurgic infuser to turn the enriched iron and compressed carbon into steel dust, which you can melt directly into steel.

Don't forget the upgrades! Energy storage will let your machines run longer should your power net face a disruption, and the speed upgrades can eventually make your machines run almost as fast as max-speed Advanced Machines can, without the idle energy cost.

Mekanism can also run off MJ, and I believe it also works with EU. The universal cables (2 steel + 1 redstone) can be used to power anything that takes UE power, EU, or MJ, and they only transmit power if its needed. The mechanical pipes (2 steel + 1 bucket) work similar to the universal cables, except with liquids. You can use a configurator to turn a piece of pipe over to extraction mode (the little icon on the pipe will go red), which will pull liquid from an inventory to which its attached if something on the network can accept the liquid, no redstone signal required.

Mekanism can triple ores, as well, so getting a production facility with it going will be a huge help in the long run. You can configure inputs and outputs with the configurator (I don't exactly know how, but someone on the server on which I play has done it), but you can also automate all Mekanism machines with Factorization routers. Also, all machines in your ore processing line (save for one) can be upgraded into factories: Basic, Advanced, and Elite. The basic factory has 3 input and output slots, the Advanced one has 5, and the Elite one has 7, so you can process more things with fewer blocks! With the speed upgrades, you could have a single line of machines do most, if not all, of your ore processing work.

As a final note, if you have GregTech installed, save some Osmium ore! When you get an industrial grinder, run the osmium ore thru it with some plain water. You'll not only get your ore doubled into dusts, but, and this is the big reason I'm saying to save the ores, you get four iridium nuggets per ore. Given how common (between iron and gold, methinks) Mekanism osmium ore is, this makes for a very, very easy source of iridium. Assuming you have the machinery to do anything with it, lol.

 

[Vaygrim]

I have some basic experience with it, and have found that one of the best ways to generate power is to use electrolytic separators, with their hydrogen output going into hydrogen generators. It creates a positive feedback loop if you keep it supplied with water.

Also, place some torches next to the hydrogen gens or it seems to cause a fair amount of lag.

Electrolytic Separators just require water as an input, then run their output to a Hydrogen Generator and THAT connects to the power grid. Yes?

 

[Vaygrim]

For starting power, I'd suggest either the heat generators, which require nearby lava (but doesn't consume it), but output little power, or if you've got some gold handy, to make a wind turbine or two. The only caveat I've found with the turbines is that they need a clear view of the sky. However, they can be picked up with a pick and moved about, and they'll retain their charge; the same goes for all Mekanism machines, from my experience. Make some of the enriched iron, but don't smelt it into enriched alloys. Instead, save it for when you get a metallurgic infuser and an enricher. Enrich some coal into compressed carbon (I think its the enricher that does this, at any rate), and use the metallurgic infuser to turn the enriched iron and compressed carbon into steel dust, which you can melt directly into steel.

Don't forget the upgrades! Energy storage will let your machines run longer should your power net face a disruption, and the speed upgrades can eventually make your machines run almost as fast as max-speed Advanced Machines can, without the idle energy cost.

Mekanism can also run off MJ, and I believe it also works with EU. The universal cables (2 steel + 1 redstone) can be used to power anything that takes UE power, EU, or MJ, and they only transmit power if its needed. The mechanical pipes (2 steel + 1 bucket) work similar to the universal cables, except with liquids. You can use a configurator to turn a piece of pipe over to extraction mode (the little icon on the pipe will go red), which will pull liquid from an inventory to which its attached if something on the network can accept the liquid, no redstone signal required.

Mekanism can triple ores, as well, so getting a production facility with it going will be a huge help in the long run. You can configure inputs and outputs with the configurator (I don't exactly know how, but someone on the server on which I play has done it), but you can also automate all Mekanism machines with Factorization routers. Also, all machines in your ore processing line (save for one) can be upgraded into factories: Basic, Advanced, and Elite. The basic factory has 3 input and output slots, the Advanced one has 5, and the Elite one has 7, so you can process more things with fewer blocks! With the speed upgrades, you could have a single line of machines do most, if not all, of your ore processing work.

As a final note, if you have GregTech installed, save some Osmium ore! When you get an industrial grinder, run the osmium ore thru it with some plain water. You'll not only get your ore doubled into dusts, but, and this is the big reason I'm saying to save the ores, you get four iridium nuggets per ore. Given how common (between iron and gold, methinks) Mekanism osmium ore is, this makes for a very, very easy source of iridium. Assuming you have the machinery to do anything with it, lol.

Wow thanks for all of this great information!

I had already figured out the upgrade system for turning machines into basic factories and so forth, I am very pleased by that. I also saw the configurator and planned on making one to fiddle with. It must use the "Logistical Transport" pipes that I see listed in the Mekanism blocks which don't have a crafting recipe. Guess it 'makes' them when you connect two machines? Will mess with it and repost more details as I find them!

 

[SonOfABirch]

damn who is that? Super sexy voice!

 

[Methusalem]

The most basic energy source is a vanilla furnace, connected with a cable to your Mekanism machines.
If you found some Osmium and Gold already, you can skip it and build a Wind Mill first.
Reservoir->Electrolytic Separator->Hydrogen Generator is a very effective energy source. The Separator needs energy, but the Hydrogen Generator can supply this and still has plenty left over. It's kinda expensive to make, but it's still worth it for getting free energy.
I also just started, the current setup is 3x Wind Mills and 4x Hydrogen Generators (each with a Separator attached). This produces 1125 Joule/tick (the equivalent of 45 MJ/tick) and is buffered by an Elite Energycube holding 32 MJoule or 1.128.000 MJ, almost as much as two of TE's Redstone Energy Cubes. Now trying to decide if I should build a few more Hydrogen Generators (UE power is so darn flexible) or to branch out into actual Buildcraft and IC2 energy production.

You'll need to build a Metallurgic Infuser as soon as possible. It produces steel, which is required by almost all Mekanism machines.

The simplest way to process ores is Enrichment Chamber -> Smelter for the normal 200% ratio.
The full chain is Purification Chamber (not sure about the name, it's the machine that uses Flint as catalyst and refines ore into 3 clumps) -> Crusher -> Enrichment Chamber -> Smelter for 300% ratio.

Take a look at the Obsidian tools. Especially the Paxel (Pickaxe, Axe, Shovel combined) and the sword are awesome.

Resonant Induction and especially Atomic Science complement Mekanism really well. Multiblock energy storage, fission and fusion reactors, Particle Accelerators and other cool stuff. The reactors produce steam, would be worth checking if you could use them as Railcraft Steam Boilers on crack.

Bevo started a 1.6.2 SSP Let's Play using the UE mods. He covered quite a bit of Mekanism ... before he started to goof around with stuff like Galacticraft.
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU8NiZ8RHWh3FNxz58FkN0da3VgaJaNUd

 

[Fuzzlewhumper]

damn who is that? Super sexy voice!

I could be wrong, but she's a friend of Lambert2191 - And yes ... I do turn on that you tube video sometimes and ... close my eyes. JK At my age, I just fall asleep. [DOUBLEPOST=1381501727][/DOUBLEPOST]See if I can pull off a post merge here ...

Also, whenever I want to refresh how to do mekanism - I usually re-watch her video, she did a great job explaining things.

 

[Vaygrim]

So I have made a 'Configurator' tool, and given it a quick charge up from my power system. I see that it is used to change the color of block sides in association with the slot colors in the machine's GUI. This is used to determine which slot items will go into when pumped into a particular side. (Want output from the TOP of the machine, not the bottom or sides? Change it!) The trouble is.. ALL this tool apparently does is change the side colors to associate it with specific slots in the machine. I do not see any other capabilities of 'cross connecting' machines for automated ejection like Thermal Expansion machines have. Maybe I am missing some part of the tool's functionality and I can be clued in?

Also, just a clever little note: The universal cables used for power in Mekanism will act as an 'energy pulser' when plugged into a standard BuildCraft Wooden Transport Pipe, causing the pipe to behave as if there is a Redstone Engine hooked up to it! The down side? That drained all 32 Megajoules from my Elite Energy Cube in the span of 4 seconds. Yikes![DOUBLEPOST=1381504253][/DOUBLEPOST]Also (POST MERGE) I have a budding set of Obsidian tools, REALLY loving the Paxel!

 

[SonOfABirch]

There is no output in Mekanism machines, but I would suggest using translocators, they work really well with Mekanism machines. If you want to see a pretty good Mek setup I'd suggest looking at Lambert2191's let's play.

the early part of this vid shows his setup

 

[Vaygrim]

There is no output in Mekanism machines, but I would suggest using translocators, they work really well with Mekanism machines. If you want to see a pretty good Mek setup I'd suggest looking at Lambert2191's let's play.

the early part of this vid shows his setup

Well that is the strange thing: under the listing of blocks and items in NEI for Mekanism, there is a "Logistical Transporter". It uses the same core pipe / conduit graphic as Universal Wire, Pressurized Tubes and whatnot... and lists the things it carries as "Items (universal) & Blocks (universal)". I took these as being item transport pipes but.. they apparently are not craftable yet. No recipe for them in NEI. (shrug)

 

[RavynousHunter]

Electrolytic Separators just require water as an input, then run their output to a Hydrogen Generator and THAT connects to the power grid. Yes?

Yup! However, do note the "Dump" option in the Separator's GUI. Set the button next to it to "O," otherwise the machine will stop when it fills up on oxygen, which is useless at the moment.

Also, steam from UE machines? Hrm, I should look into this...

 

[apemanzilla]

Yup! However, do note the "Dump" option in the Separator's GUI. Set the button next to it to "O," otherwise the machine will stop when it fills up on oxygen, which is useless at the moment.

Also, steam from UE machines? Hrm, I should look into this...

Hmm, I always thought it drew power. Why do cables connect to them?

Steam? From UE? Hmmm...

 

[Yusunoha]

the biggest problem with UE mods, they're great and have fantastic content, but the lack of documentation is seriously killing their mods.

 

[RavynousHunter]

Hmm, I always thought it drew power. Why do cables connect to them?

Steam? From UE? Hmmm...

It probably does, but it'll stop making hydrogen when its full on oxygen. I also think it stops making its "operational" noise. Besides, the oxygen has no use, so its not like you're losing anything by dumping it back into the atmosphere.

 

[57782]

One small point about heat generators, their output can be increased by surrounding them with lava. To get the most out of a single heat gen, you'll want lava below it, on the three sides the cable isn't connected to, and one on top of it.

 

[Vaygrim]

One small point about heat generators, their output can be increased by surrounding them with lava. To get the most out of a single heat gen, you'll want lava below it, on the three sides the cable isn't connected to, and one on top of it.

Universal Electricity in general would be epic and awesome.. if tips like THIS were documented somewhere!

 

[RavynousHunter]

I'm gonna have to remember that one, if the server on which I play ever gets Mekanism working for us on 1.6.4.