Train Energy float

[alexsvier]

Is there any kind of way to at least minimize the energy float that trains causes on the power grid? I've stopped using trucks and now using trains to avoid the energy float that so many truck stations together were causing, but now i've discovered that trains float way more than trucks. Is there any way of getting it on some sepparate power grade to not mess up my straight energy grid?

Edit: Everyone here is thinking the problem is that i can't handle the power production... It isn't the case. I just wanted to have a flat power line for satisfaction. But now I know from you guys that it is unavoidable. Thank you all for the help!

[Eiko]

IMO, the true answer is: rather than try to do this you should put enough batteries on your grid that it can handle the spikes.

But, you definitely can have your trains on a separate power grid. Just don't connect them, that's all there is to it.

[PhailRaptor]

Originally posted by Eiko:

But, you definitely can have your trains on a separate power grid. Just don't connect them, that's all there is to it.

You CAN do this, but it's a lot harder than it sounds. The issue being that the Train rails themselves will conduct power and act as a distribution grid as well. So much so, in fact, that you can place a Wall Power socket on the underside of a Rail, and you can draw power cables from it to power stuff, without even connecting through the station. You'd have to be very careful not to cross-connect your rail grid with your main grid if you wanted to accomplish this.

[Eiko]

Yeah I agree with that. I don't suggest it, just saying that you can do it. Also if you did want to, I'd suggest making an interconnect between the grids somewhere with a priority power switch. That way when it's operating normally they can share the load but you still get the separation if one of them would trip.

Personally I use rails as my central power distribution and every factory gets its power through a priority power switch off the rails.

[Bobucles]

Separate grids are more trouble than it's worth. There are no map overlays to track things, so you can only place map markers manually. Just accept the energy demand of trains and build batteries to handle the fluctuating load. The energy drain becomes more manageable around turbo fuel/diluted fuel tier, when a single oil node can provide many dozen GW of power.

[PsYcHo_O]

Trains use power to accelerate. If they have to go uphill, they will draw more power. You can reduce the fluctuations by having less stops and no slopes.
The real question is, why is this a problem? If you don't have enough power just produce more. Or do you just want to have perfectly flat power line because of reasons? If that's the case, have fun with the endgame buildings :D

[Wolfie_]

Originally posted by Eiko:

Personally I use rails as my central power distribution and every factory gets its power through a priority power switch off the rails.

Same here, one of the key benefits of having a world-wide train network IMO.

As for the power fluctuation caused by train acceleration (such a pity trains don't have regenerative breaking :D ), as others have already said, my approach has been just to produce enough excess power to cover it. Otherwise, yup, a big ol' bank of energy storage batteries be the way to go (never a bad idea having these anyway).

[Caynor]

Get used to fluctuation on your powergrid, there are machines later on that fluctuates.

[Man's Best Friend]

Originally posted by Caynor:

Get used to fluctuation on your powergrid, there are machines later on that fluctuates.

Yep. Was gonna say that. I'm on phase 5, and my power graph looks more like an EKG or seismograph.

[Bobucles]

Batteries solve everything. Build up a blueprint with 10 or so and build a big tower of them. They have 100% efficiency and work automatically, so let them do their thing.

[RadioIesbian Fluid]

if you dont like fluctuating power then you're gonna hate going into late game with converters and particle accelerators and more :)

[PsYcHo_O]

Originally posted by Bobucles:

Batteries solve everything. Build up a blueprint with 10 or so and build a big tower of them. They have 100% efficiency and work automatically, so let them do their thing.

They solve exactly nothing. Better spend that time building more generators.

[Kage Goomba]

Originally posted by RadioIesbian Fluid:

if you dont like fluctuating power then you're gonna hate going into late game with converters and particle accelerators and more :)

In truth this is throughout the entire game.

Unless your "Green light obsessed" - all machines turn on and off based on demand.

It just becomes more pronounced with more advanced machines - only way to cover it up is to generate more power.

[Kage Goomba]

Originally posted by PsYcHo_O:

Originally posted by Bobucles:

Batteries solve everything. Build up a blueprint with 10 or so and build a big tower of them. They have 100% efficiency and work automatically, so let them do their thing.

They solve exactly nothing. Better spend that time building more generators.

I'd not go that far.

Batteries take time to charge yes - and only charge on excess power.
It comes down to how your power infra is designed.

I'd use batteries as a buffer - but not as a backup based on the fact they are very time costly.

Biomass Burners with belt feeds would be easier as its an instant kick in without a charge up - but that needs fuel - provided you have infra laid out for it.

Granted pro-con difference is 70MW - still.

So it comes down to a matter of approach and how you handle things.

Course I'm in favor of your remark about building more generators (not biomass burners) - makes good sense -which is why I'm entering Oil/Fuel phase with 96 Coal Gens.

[Bobucles]

Originally posted by PsYcHo_O:

Originally posted by Bobucles:

Batteries solve everything. Build up a blueprint with 10 or so and build a big tower of them. They have 100% efficiency and work automatically, so let them do their thing.

They solve exactly nothing. Better spend that time building more generators.

They solve plenty, try getting out of tier 4.

[Man's Best Friend]

Batteries solve plenty, but not the issue the OP has. Batteries will make it so your grid doesn't trip the instant your consumption exceeds generation, but the issue the OP has is inconsistent consumption. Which can only be fixed by not using anything that varies in consumption.

Worrying about your consumption being perfectly consistent is a pointless endevour as eventually as stated by various people, there are machines you need for progression that vary in consumption all on their own. And some of them fluctuate wildly. It's not even like geothermal generators which all work on a fixed 30 (60?) second cycle that produces a nice clean triangle wave, and can theoretically be offset. Nope. Some machines consume power in a sawtooth wave, some consume in stepped square wave, you just can't win.