Overload Damage

[Egg]

so, i always get overload damage in my colonies. every single time. i always do what guides tell me to do but i still get overload damage.

at first i thought, oh my coal generator is making so much power that the wires get damaged. that wasn't it.

then i put in a power transformer, and the same problem still occurs.

basically, if i use 2 manual generators, the entire colony doesn't get powered, but if i use 3 manual generators, i get overload damage.

i don't understand

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1539065017

(p.s. i have a hydrogen generator, but using that shouldn't be a problem if i only use 2 manual generators, yet it still is because it doesn't get powered with only 2)

[admiral awesome]

basic wires can only support a maximum of 1000W at the same time. you have 1440 on this screen alone. you also feed this line with 2 transformers.
make sure the consumption after each transformer is less than 1000 if these machines are running at the same time. you can mousover a wire to see the circuit status.

by the way, you only need one electrolyzer for 5 dupes. they will stop producing hydrogen if you cannot consume oxygen fast enough (overpressure on the gas vents).

[Ambrsale]

You should understand main idea of using generators and transformators. Its like an IRL sample.
1. You DO have HUGE LOAD power line. Its like a central line from your generators nearly all of your main base sections.
2. You do have some SECTIONS of your base. Like Farm, metal refinery, oil refinery etc. And all of them do need some power. And YOU can take PORTION of energy via TRANSFORMATOR.
simple concept.

[Ambrsale]

So CENTRAL POWER LINE will be made with high-watt wires, and they should be connected to LOAD SECTIONS via transformator, and after transformator you can use simple wires. And you should calculate load and if SECTION load exceeds maximal transformator or basic wires load - you should make one more section.

[Ambrsale]

Its like a higway road (high-watt wires) should switch to federal or town road (simple wires with some load section) with a intersection point (transformator)

[The Queen Salis]

if you use the basic wire, only put up to 1000 watts of consumers on it, and one battery.

[The Queen Salis]

split your systems off into bits and pieces and separate them from the main grid with transformers

[Townsie]

Your problem here is that the transformers do let through more than 1k watts if there is more needed on the output. If you have 1.2k demand it will let 1.2k through, it only protects your wires from being roasted by the main line. In you picture, id take the gas pump, gas filters and 4 electrolyzers to be only connected one transformer, connect both power plants together and have another transformer get the rest of your things. If needed, build a third transformer.

[Strygald]

Originally posted by The Queen Salis:

if you use the basic wire, only put up to 1000 watts of consumers on it, and one battery.

This basically, also noone seemed to notice you are using the wrong transformer type. You are using the big transformer which allows up to 4kw through.

The small transformer only allows 1kw through, but you would still have problems because you have 2 sets of generators connected to the basic wire through 2 transformers... so even if you changed them to small transformers.. 1kw * 2 = 2kw max would still pass through and overload the wire.

The solution:

- as previously stated by The Queen Sails, only have consumers using up to 1kw actually attached to the basic wire. You can see a list of consumers by selecting any generator or battery connected to the circuit and looking at the 'energy' tab.

- make sure the sum of the transformers connected to a circuit of wire doesn't exceed the maximum allowed for that wire to avoid overloading.

eg*
basic wire -> 1 small transformer @ 1kw max
conductive wire -> up to 2 small transformers @ 1kw * 2 = 2kw max
heavy watt wire -> up to 5 large transformers @ 4kw * 5 = 20kw max
heavy watt wire -> up to 20 small transformers @ 1kw * 20 = 20kw max

[Egg]

i was only gone for 2 hours jesus

alright i think this all helps, thanks