Water Extractor Problem

[Se7ntus]

Sorry for the short explanation from be being too tired last night.
Here is an updated explanation.
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4 water extractors at 204 m^3 each.
12 generators at 68 M^3 each.
Each extractor powering 3 generators.

Head-lift given to extractors: 10 meters
From each extractor I marked the 10 meter mark,
At that mark there are pipeline pumps pushing with a head-lift of 17.3 meters.
Each generator gets the exact water per minute they need.
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The issue I am facing is that over time, the water extractors go from producing at 100% efficiency to eventually filling up over time [LONG TIME] and becoming not efficient.
I just want the number to stay at 100% like every Ficsit employee.
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This should mean theoretically that there is a minuscule amount of back-flow in the pipe network. I however, have NO IDEA where it could be or how to fix it.
I would love if someone can come into my world and inspect the design.
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Also, the reason why there are more extractors than usual is because I plan on expanding it and this was more of just me understanding basics before attempting to do so.

[Wolfgang]

Your coal generators won't shut down because their buffer is filled with water. However, your water extractors will shut down until their buffer empties.

And you need to explain your setup more. Because if you have your extractors and generators at 100% then your 4 water extractors are supplying 480 m³ Water/min while your coal gens are using 135 m³ Water/min. So you are vastly oversupplying water. You only need one water extractor downclocked to 90 m³ Water/min for two coal gens.

[Dwane Dibbley]

I never run anything with fluids at 100% efficiency, cuz it always breaks overtime.

So with coal power, i usualy run pump @ 3 shards + 3 power plants @ 2 shards. That segment generates 300 water (limit of t1 pipe) but consume only 270 so it runs fine. 1 segment also eats 90 coal, 3 segmens 270, which is limit of t3 belt. Not 100% efficient, but easy to remember/build.

[Ken]

3 water extractors = 8 coal generators

[ShelLuser]

While Wolfgang is right about the math there's nothing wrong with having a little excess in pressure in a fluid system, also depending on the area in which you build it. When it comes to fluids my suggestion is always not to fully max out the numbers...

4 x 120 = 480m3/min (beware the flow limit of 300m3/min in Mk1 pipes). But 12 coal generators have a total requirement of 12 x 45m3 = 540m3.

So the way I see it you may be suffering from underperforming your circuit.

[Lawn-Mower]

Originally posted by ShelLuser:

While Wolfgang is right about the math there's nothing wrong with having a little excess in pressure in a fluid system, also depending on the area in which you build it. When it comes to fluids my suggestion is always not to fully max out the numbers...

4 x 120 = 480m3/min (beware the flow limit of 300m3/min in Mk1 pipes). But 12 coal generators have a total requirement of 12 x 45m3 = 540m3.

So the way I see it you may be suffering from underperforming your circuit.

Except, using this math, the extractors' buffers shouldn't be filling..
Everything about the OP is a bit off..

[kLuns]

are the power plants underclocked to consume 40 water?

[MetalSpaceDust]

I always connect 1 at 75% to 2 Power Gen. Works a treat.

[Fenix]

So either the coal gens are under clocked to use 120m3/min or is the water extraction over clocked to 135m3/min… because that would the only way for 100% efficiency

Me I do two 200% Gens to one 150% water extractor

[Lord Enclave]

Way to much water for 3 coal generators.
4 water Extractors at 75% will fuel 8 coal generators.

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

I use shards lots of shards, 2 coal plants powered by one water extractor - I bank all the excess power and water as little to a trickle as it is.

[phadin]

I'm not sure how to read that... if you are dong four water extracters and 12 coal generaters (3 per water extractor) then you shouldn't be getting enough water, unless the extractors are overclocked. 1 extractor provides 120, while three generators will consume 135, you'll run short of water eventually.

If you are running four extractors for 3 total generators, then you're well over-supplying the water. This won't have any negative effects, it just means your extractors will be offline whenever the pipes are full. During this time they will not consume power, so it doesn't really hurt anything.

In generall, miners and extractors that go offline because whatever they are supplying is full is okay... they'll pop back on as soon as there is room to output more resource and they won't use power while they are not working.

that said, at 100% clockspeed, the general ratio is 3 water extractors connected in a network to 8 coal power plants. That would be an even distribution. I use that in mine. Just make sure to prime the system first (make sure the pipes are all full before you turn on the generators) This will make sure water never runs out in the generators and prevent some of the sloshing effect that can cause outages due to low liquid in the pipes.

[Daerious]

Originally posted by phadin:

at 100% clockspeed, the general ratio is 3 water extractors connected in a network to 8 coal power plants.

From a pure mathematical perspective, this is true since 8 * 45 = 3 * 120; however, mark I pipes can only handle 300 m^3/min of flow. This means you either have to have several sets of pipes running from your water extractors to your coal generators or all eight of your coal generators are not going to be operating at 100% efficiency all the time.

What I have done is under-clocked seven coal generators from 75 MW to 70 MW which means the required water flow in the pipes is around 294 m^3/min. Since I am still in the early part of the game, I have not tested the overall efficiency of using a balanced but under-clocked coal generator system versus one that is operating at the theoretical 100%. Beyond the coal generators and the water extractors, you also have to consider the coal miner and the quality of the coal deposit -- how much overall power are you actually gaining or loosing by balancing the complete system using overclocking or under-clocking for your specific layout and configuration.

To each their own...

[DaBa]

Originally posted by Daerious:

Originally posted by phadin:

at 100% clockspeed, the general ratio is 3 water extractors connected in a network to 8 coal power plants.

From a pure mathematical perspective, this is true since 8 * 45 = 3 * 120; however, mark I pipes can only handle 300 m^3/min of flow. This means you either have to have several sets of pipes running from your water extractors to your coal generators or all eight of your coal generators are not going to be operating at 100% efficiency all the time.

What I have done is under-clocked seven coal generators from 75 MW to 70 MW which means the required water flow in the pipes is around 294 m^3/min. Since I am still in the early part of the game, I have not tested the overall efficiency of using a balanced but under-clocked coal generator system versus one that is operating at the theoretical 100%. Beyond the coal generators and the water extractors, you also have to consider the coal miner and the quality of the coal deposit -- how much overall power are you actually gaining or loosing by balancing the complete system using overclocking or under-clocking for your specific layout and configuration.

To each their own...

It's easy enough to accomplish 3 water extractors and 8 coal power plants. Two way manifold with pipes on the opposite ends leading to 2 water extractors, then you split the third extractor pipe in the middle and merge it with the opposite end pipes. I have done this multiple times in my saves, works perfectly every single time with zero issues with water flow. 100% uptime and zero downtime. Just make sure you build everything level on foundations and the whole thing is symmetrical so there is no imbalance.

Of course, the easiest way is to just overclock a single generator to 200% and then connect it directly with a water extractor that's underclocked to 75%. Space efficient, cheaper, less pipework and room for error with it.

[Fenix]

Originally posted by Lord Enclave:

Way to much water for 3 coal generators.
4 water Extractors at 75% will fuel 8 coal generators.

You’re reading it wrong, 4 extractor with 3 coal gens each, Meaning they have 12 gens

[sgargoyle]

personally i recommend maxing the generator and under clocking individually assigned pumps. why develop systemic failure if you can omit it completely. i even toss an awesome sink to burn off any excess coal/coke