Reactors(viable long term power)

[Daved1058]

So I'm fairly new into the reactors but I've been plAying with them for a little while now mostly to power the matter fabricator.

Here is my thoughts and I'm looking at long term power with little or no babysitting. End game power sources seem to be the ultimate hunted solar panel with 512eu and that's constant. No need for new cells or back up reactors to "recharge". I haven't looked at fusion yet, but it seems to me that for he best use of resources in the log term are solar panels. The reactor helps with making UU much faster then with running lava. But once you can make the solar panels, why would't you?

 

[Hambeau]

You haven't seen many reactors, have you?

1). "24 hour" power, as opposed to power generated during daylight.
2). Versatility. Check out Direwolf20's mod spotlight on Big Reactors. You can output RF via 1 port and generate steam using 1 or 2 coolant ports (depending on if you want a "closed" system or not) to run turbines. A relatively small reactor can generate a lot of power.
3). Can be controlled multiple ways... Redstone, Computercraft, you have complete control to dampen down output when it's not needed to save fuel.

 

[Wagon154]

Reactorcraft reactors are the ultimate power producer. Ultimate hybrids make a pittance compared to them.

 

[ScottulusMaximus]

Ummmmm I think he's talking bout IC2 reactors guys(although no idea what fusion he's talking about, maybe MOX?)...

If you want IC2 designs get the reactor planner and go onto the IC2 forums, there's a good 320EU/t(!?) MK1 design which requires no babysitting at all. I've used it for 3 MC versions running now. As to why you use reactors over solar panels, panels are boring as !@#$ and are the preserve of the least imaginative and lazy MC players out there. But to each his own...

Big reactors are much easier and produce more power than the IC2 reactors and their variety makes them good fun to optimise too. Also once you switch to actively cooled and turbines they produce a metric !@#$ ton of power.

Then there are the reactorcraft reactors going from the CO2 pellet reactors to the Fusion Reactor. These are about 1000x times more complicated than anything you've ever built(read 1000x more interesting) and produce a HUGE amount of power.

All in all, a lot more fun than endless crafting loops and putting a block down.

 

[Daved1058]

I use solar, because it requires little to no maintenance for my matter fabricator. As for other power sources. I enjoy dabbling into other ideas, but I would rather not be baby sitting a reactor ever 2h 45m to have power in my structures, I'd rather be building and exploring. As for the big reactors from reactor craft that seems to me to be making MJ and RF all my machinery is IC2. I have little to no use for buildcraft power.

 

[Celestialphoenix]

I use solar, because it requires little to no maintenance for my matter fabricator. As for other power sources. I enjoy dabbling into other ideas, but I would rather not be baby sitting a reactor ever 2h 45m to have power in my structures, I'd rather be building and exploring. As for the big reactors from reactor craft that seems to me to be making MJ and RF all my machinery is IC2. I have little to no use for buildcraft power.

There should be some power conversions somewhere, or if you can produce 'ore-dictionary' steam then Railcraft or Gtech turbines can generate Eu.

Can you tell us your modpack/MC version?

 

[Daved1058]

There should be some power conversions somewhere, or if you can produce 'ore-dictionary' steam then Railcraft or Gtech turbines can generate Eu.

Can you tell us your modpack/MC version?

FTB Ultimate 1.1.2/MC 1.4.7


"Here, have a monstrously powerful and efficient reactor. 2 plutonium cells and a lot of thorium, 388 EU/t output, no maintainence except replacing cells."
Directly from the forums.

I personaly have zero desire to have to change cells/plating. I have a powerful enough reactor, but I have to change cells/plating every so often
Currently I am forced to until i have created enough UU. But unless I can find a more efficant way to generate EU, solar is the logical way to go.

 

[Celestialphoenix]

Easy- Mk1 reactor, with just 1 type of cell. Fill any remaining gaps with reactor plating, and have a relay/AE bus or similar feeding new cells in. Its a Mk1 so the only thing depleting is the glowy stuff.
Unless you have a ludicrous reactor design its reasonably easy to automate it.

Boilers + Railcraft turbines. (I think the blades can be auto-replaced)
- or Steam engines->magma crucible->thermal generator. [low level exploits]

Greg's fusion reactor is a massive build, but does pretty good in the endgame. (high level bees help a lot with this)

Theres also a generic power converter block for the cataclysmically uncreative. MJ/Steam/Eu in, any other comes out.

 

[Daved1058]

I'm understanding this, but new cells need to be created and/or rejuvenated with a breeder. I understand lava generators I have infinite lava right now pumping through thermal generators, a few solar panels and a reactor. Are you implying there is a system where i could literally build it and never again look at it. EVER. and have constant EU? no cells, no plating no changing of parts. my only need for eu right now is to get enough power to make quantum, after that its just building stuff. LOL

 

[Darkone84]

For an end game power source I do like solar panels but they are sort of OP and not realistic so I tend not to use them. Reactors are more realistic as a long term power source and are fun to play with.
What I would like is a solar mod which uses solar panels and focuses them on a solar tower which uses water and heat to make steam. Sort of like the factorization solar boiler.

 

[Celestialphoenix]

Given how long cells last, and how you can build self sustaining mining rigs it is possible to run a reactor forever.

Then again if you have large automated mining rigs then you're probably ready for a fusion reactor- which is entirely self sustaining.
​

If you only want quantum then a reactor or two will suffice, then after a couple of basic generators and some Eu storage.

 

[Daved1058]

For an end game power source I do like solar panels but they are sort of OP and not realistic so I tend not to use them. Reactors are more realistic as a long term power source and are fun to play with.
What I would like is a solar mod which uses solar panels and focuses them on a solar tower which uses water and heat to make steam. Sort of like the factorization solar boiler.[/QUOTE

Agree that they are OP, but that's convient some times.
How ever a solar panel making energy even passive energy is a lot more realistic then a reactor that lasts but a few hours.

I'd like a reactor to be a lot more realistic and id use it more...

 

[Daved1058]

Given how long cells last, and how you can build self sustaining mining rigs it is possible to run a reactor forever.

Then again if you have large automated mining rigs then you're probably ready for a fusion reactor- which is entirely self sustaining.
​

If you only want quantum then a reactor or two will suffice, then after a couple of basic generators and some Eu storage.

I might need to look into fusion reactors because UU takes a lot of EU. You mentioned "how long cells last". How long are yours lasting?

 

[Celestialphoenix]

From what I remember a couple of hours each.

On the reactor planner uranium is 2h45, plutonium is 5h30 and thorium is 13h50.
​

I think I had something like this
- the plates in the middle don't do anything except fill the gaps so automation is easier.

Thorium was surprisingly easy to collect in massive quantities, and its fairly reasonable for long lifespan reactors.

 

[Daved1058]

From what I remember a couple of hours each.

On the reactor planner uranium is 2h45, plutonium is 5h30 and thorium is 13h50.​

I have seen the wiki stating the others, but I thought I saw the need for large amounts of iridium to use them. I can't view the planner on my work phone. I have plenty of the other materials.

My thought till I stop using reactors was to make a breeder to recharge cells for the automation, I just hate the fact I'm constantly feeding it cells in what I feel is too short a life span for reactors. The EU generation is great, but once I get my quantium and or gravi. What else do I really need large sums of power for?

I guess the saying bigger is better but don't it seem like over kill?​