Will my Big Reactor continue to burn fuel even when my internal power is full?

[Projekt]

Or will it just not burn any more Yellorium? If it does keep burning, I need to find a way to automate it so that when my internal power gets too high, I'll need something to turn the reactor off.

But I have no idea how to do this, any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[Someone Else 37]

Or will it just not burn any more Yellorium? If it does keep burning, I need to find a way to automate it so that when my internal power gets too high, I'll need something to turn the reactor off.

But I have no idea how to do this, any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

The reactor will indeed keep consuming fuel when its buffer fills up. A common way to automate it is to use a couple of redstone ports: one configured to emit a redstone signal when the reactor's internal buffer reaches some given level (80%, say), and another to accept that signal and turn the reactor off.

If you want to get fancier, you can use three redstone ports and an RS-NOR latch to turn the reactor off when its internal buffer gets too high, but only turn it back off when the buffer gets much lower. This seems to me like it would be more efficient fuel-wise (and, at the very least, somewhat more server-friendly since the reactor will never rapidly toggle on and off), but I don't know for sure.

 

[Projekt]

The reactor will indeed keep consuming fuel when its buffer fills up. A common way to automate it is to use a couple of redstone ports: one configured to emit a redstone signal when the reactor's internal buffer reaches some given level (80%, say), and another to accept that signal and turn the reactor off.

If you want to get fancier, you can use three redstone ports and an RS-NOR latch to turn the reactor off when its internal buffer gets too high, but only turn it back off when the buffer gets much lower. This seems to me like it would be more efficient fuel-wise (and, at the very least, somewhat more server-friendly since the reactor will never rapidly toggle on and off), but I don't know for sure.

That first suggestion is what I remember doing a long time ago, thanks for that!

 

[GreenZombie]

I like the one where an MFR port is used to loop the energy buffer level to fuel rod insertion. Its not the most efficient, but it allows you to build a large reactor that produces loads of RF inefficiently at peak, but its idle 'maintenance' draw (for keeping your AE system running for example) would be at its optimal efficiency.
--
Once turbines are in play, Computer Craft is the only way.

My preferred setup there has a CC Terminal per turbine with a program that engages and disengages the coils to keep them at their optimal RPM.

The output from all is piped into a Vibrant Energy Capcitor bank that is monitored by another CC terminal, which turns the reactor on below 20% and off above 80% capacity. This currently holds 1GRF. The reactor is tuned to produce exactly the steam required (2000mB/t/turbine).

 

[asb3pe]

In addition to two Redstone Ports connected by a Redstone Conduit (or even redstone dust I suppose), you can also use two Rednet Ports connected with Rednet Cable (if the Minefactory Reloaded mod is installed obv). I recently learned they do the same thing.

Whichever method you use, you right click on one of the Ports, drag the Battery icon into one of the Gray colored slots (I always use the one connected to the white square at the top left) and click "Commit". Then do the same with the other Port, except you have 2 choices on this one - if you want the reactor to just turn on/off when it gets full or empty, then drag the icon for On/Off into the same colored slot you used previously, and click "Commit". I prefer another method, which uses the Control Rod Insertion icon - drag that over and click "Commit". This icon will make the reactor run at 100% full power when the buffer is empty and it will run at 0% when the buffer is full. But the difference is, when you have 50% buffer, this setting will make the reactor run at only 50% of full power, saving you fuel. You have power in storage, so why run full blast? When you have 80% of a full buffer, the reactor will run at only 20% of full power - it uses the inverse of the buffer capacity. I much prefer this method, but feel free to use either one. Whichever you choose, you will def conserve your fuel which is what you were asking about.

By the way, you cannot fit two Rednet Ports into a 3x3x3 Big Reactor. So this is why I always advise beginning with a 3x3x4 tall reactor instead. It's pretty much the same power output as the 3x3x3, but it allows you to use the Ports to automate turning the reactor off when you don't need the power.

Oh, also, I think someone tried to tell me you don't need two ports, you only need one? Does that make sense to anybody? Have I been doing it wrong all along? I haven't experimented with it. I've always used 2 Ports with 2 lengths of Rednet Cable to connect them.

 

[GreenZombie]

In addition to two Redstone Ports connected by a Redstone Conduit (or even redstone dust I suppose), you can also use two Rednet Ports connected with Rednet Cable (if the Minefactory Reloaded mod is installed obv). I recently learned they do the same thing.

Whichever method you use, you right click on one of the Ports, drag the Battery icon into one of the colored slots and click "Commit". Then do the same with the other Port, except you have 2 choices on this one - if you want the reactor to just turn on/off when it gets full or empty, then drag the icon for On/Off into the same colored slot you used previously, and click "Commit". I prefer another method, which uses the Control Rod Insertion icon - drag that over and click "Commit". This icon will make the reactor run at 100% full power when the buffer is empty and it will run at 0% when the buffer is full. But the difference is, when you have 50% buffer, this setting will make the reactor run at only 50% of full power, saving you fuel. You have power in storage, so why run full blast? When you have 80% of a full buffer, the reactor will run at only 20% of full power - it uses the inverse of the buffer capacity. I much prefer this method, but feel free to use either one. Whichever you choose, you will def conserve your fuel which is what you were asking about.

By the way, you cannot fit two Rednet Ports into a 3x3x3 Big Reactor. So this is why I always advise beginning with a 3x3x4 tall reactor instead. It's pretty much the same power output as the 3x3x3, but it allows you to use the Ports to automate turning the reactor off when you don't need the power.

Oh, also, I think someone tried to tell me you don't need two ports, you only need one? Does that make sense to anybody? Have I been doing it wrong all along? I haven't experimented with it. I've always used 2 Ports with 2 lengths of Rednet Cable to connect them.

A single rednet port can be connected to a rednet controller which can be programmed to loop the signal back on a different color on the same wire.

 

[asb3pe]

A single rednet port can be connected to a rednet controller which can be programmed to loop the signal back on a different color on the same wire.

aha, that makes sense. But for a beginner, there's definitely no need to delve into the Rednet Controller, which is a very advanced (and very amazing) block. All a Big Reactor beginner really needs is the two Rednet Ports and two Rednet Cables (or two Redstone Ports/Redstone Conduits) in order to fully automate their reactor and conserve that valuable early-game Yellorium.