Official Factorio Wiki - User contributions [en]

Solar panel

2016-07-28T16:02:00Z

Keeperofsight: Remove link for PPower production/Special accumulator usages redirect page as the page Power production is already listed. Effort to render redirect page obsolete.

{{languages}}
{{Machinery
|health =100
|poweroutput =60 kW (full daylight)
|input =time, 10 + steel plate, 5 + electronic circuit, 15 + copper plate, 5
|raw =time, 28.8 + iron plate, 15 + copper plate, 27.5 + steel plate, 5
|technologies =solar energy
|producers =manual + assembling machine 2 + assembling machine 3
|consumers =portable solar panel + satellite
}}

Solar panels are an infinite source of free energy while producing no pollution. During daylight hours every panel provides the maximum power level, 60kW. Generated power will increase/decrease linearly during dusk and dawn, and no power is produced at night. When placed, the Solar Panel takes up 9 spaces, in a 3x3 area.

[[Basic accumulator]]s can be charged up during the day to power the base at night.

[[File:Solar-Panel-0.9.8.png|thumb|350px|8 Solar Panels]]

[[File:SolarPanelSetUp.png|350px|thumb|An efficient solar panel set up.]]

== See also ==
* [[Electric network]]
* [[Basic accumulator]]
* [https://wiki.factorio.com/index.php?title=Power_production#Optimal_ratio Calculating the optimal ratio of accumulators to solar panels]
* A [http://www.factorioforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9314 Solar Power Excel sheet]
* [http://www.factorioforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=8949 (Forum topic) The way I solar]
* [[Game-day]]

{{MachineNav}}

[[Category:Items]]
[[Category:Electric network]]

Accumulator

2016-07-28T16:00:01Z

Keeperofsight: Removed several links that all redirect to the Power production page. Effort to render redirect pages obsolete.

{{Languages}}
{{Machinery
|health =150
|energy =5.0 MJ electric
|powerinout =300 kW
|input =time, 10 + iron plate, 2 + battery, 5
|technologies =electric energy accumulators 1
|producers =manual + assembling machine
|consumers =satellite
}}

The [[Basic accumulator]] stores a limited amount of energy when available production exceeds demand, and releases it in the opposite case. The basic accumulator stores up to 5 MJ of energy. Charge/Discharge rate is 300 kW maximum.

== Notes ==
* 5MJ of stored energy take approximately 17s to fully charge/discharge at the maximum rate of 300kW. Read [[Game-second]] for further time related calculations.
* When discharged above maximum speed by multiple unconnected poles, will distribute energy unequally (some may get 100% demand, others 0%)
* May be used to provide limited amount of power (multiples of maximum charge rate) to a section of the grid
* Produces light when charging and discharging
* Can act as a emergency backup for your base in case of blackout, until main power supply is restored
* Can be used to power the base at night if it relies heavily on [[solar panel]]s
* Can act as a "surge protector" (if power usage of one device exceeds production for a few seconds or so, the basic accumulator will compensate for this and provide power to the grid until said device shuts down or requires a lesser power requirement)

== Other uses ==

=== Isolation of Power Networks ===

[[Electric network#Storage|Accumulator]]s can be used to isolate two separate power networks, which has a number of uses. Since accumulators have a lower delivery priority than any other entity, this guarantees that they only receive energy when you have enough left over after powering all other entities in a network. At the same time, accumulators can also be used to deliver energy in another electrical network, and can charge and discharge at the same time. Consider the following example:

[[File:Accumulator_Network_Isolation.png]]

The two power networks A and B are not directly connected to each other: They are connected only through the accumulators, which are shared by both networks. This is accomplished by setting up electric poles for each network connected to the accumulators, then ensuring the sets of poles are not connected to each other (which can be done by crafting a copper wire then dragging it between two connected poles to sever the connection, exactly as is done for disconnecting circuit wires).

In the above example:

* The accumulators will only charge if extra power is being produced by network A or B.
* The accumulators will discharge as needed into either network if one is not producing enough power.
* Since the maximum input/output rate of an accumulator is 300kW, power flow between the two networks will be limited to 300kW times the number of accumulators (1.5MW in the example).
* Note that this isolation is bidirectional: Either network can charge the accumulators, and the accumulators can discharge into either network.

This technique can be used whenever this type of isolation is desired.

==== Reduce Energy Consumption in Critical Situations ====

In particular, one good use for the above technique is to limit electricity consumption in low power situations by isolating non-critical parts of your factory (such as [[Radar]], [[Lab]]s, [[Electric furnace]]s, [[Electric mining drill|electric miner]]s, [[Beacon]]s, etc.) from critical parts (such as lasers, ammo production, or whatever your priorities are).

To do this, place your main generators and critical components on one network and place your non-critical components on another network, isolating the two as above. Now, two things will happen:

* Power will ''only'' flow to the non-critical network when you are generating a surplus on the main network, and
* The rate will always be limited to 300kW per accumulator.

Because the accumulators will only receive power if you have a surplus on the main network, this will in effect deactivate the low-priority network when electricity is in short supply. This will also limit power consumption by the low priority network if its usage becomes high, for example if you have two factories on a low priority network and usually only one of them runs at a time, if both happen to run they won't consume more than the total limit, they'll just slow down.

Essentially you are saying "only deliver power to these systems if I have enough to spare, and even then don't exceed this delivery rate".

In general this is a technique which works well when you've just researched accumulators and solar panels, but don't have enough resources to build big solar farms and accumulator farms yet.

=== Minimizing need for Steam power ===

See http://www.factorioforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5585.

== See also ==
* [[Electric network]]
* [[Solar panel]]
* [[Power production]]
* [[Game-day]]

== Examples ==
[[File:electrical-network-example-2.png|frame|384px|High density accumulator array consisting of 48 basic accumulators and a [[Substation]] providing 240 MJ capacity.]]

{{MachineNav}}

[[Category:Items]]
[[Category:Electric network]]

Steam engine

2016-07-28T15:53:17Z

Keeperofsight: Removed several links that all redirect to the Power production page. Effort to render redirect pages obsolete.

{{Languages}}
{{Machinery
|health =300
|poweroutput =510 kW
|input =time, 0.5 + iron gear wheel, 5 + pipe, 5 + iron plate, 5
|raw =time, 5.5 + iron plate, 20
|producers =manual + assembling machine 2 + assembling machine 3
}}

Steam engines are used to produce electricity. They do this by taking in hot water and converting it into electricity. The hotter the water the more electricity can be produced. If there is an overabundance of electricity then steam engines will reduce their production to match consumption.

Hovering the mouse over a steam engine will display information for that particular steam engine: current production as well as maximum productivity.

It is possible to chain multiple steam engines together as water will pass through them. The current optimal ratio is 1 [[offshore pump]] : 14 [[boiler]]s : 10 [[steam engine]]s.

'''Steam engines themselves don't produce any pollution.''' ([[Boiler]]s do!)

== Using other liquids ==

The steam engine can use any type of liquid to generate electricity. This can be used to get rid of unused oil-products. Just fill unusable oil products into a steam engine and it will destroy the liquids (cold liquids will be destroyed at a rate of [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?p=144748#p144748 6.0 fluid / second]). It works the same as for cold water; you don't need to warm it. If you heat the liquid before that, the hot oil will produce electrical power, just like with hot water.

But of course you should convert the unusable oil products into useables, instead of just making electricity out of it!

[[File:electric-network.jpg|600px]]

== Examples ==
[[File:electrical-network-example-1.png|frame|384px|A basic modular power plant.]]
<br clear="all"/>

== See also ==
* [[Electric network]]
** [[Power Production]]
* [[Liquid network]]

{{MachineNav}}

[[Category:Items]]
[[Category:Electric network]]
[[Category:Liquid network]]

Copper cable

2016-07-28T15:47:15Z

Keeperofsight: Changing link from Power production/Dealing with priorities redirect page to Power production page. Effort to render redirect page obsolete.

{{Languages}}
{{Item
|input =time, 0.5 + copper plate
|output =copper cable, 2
|producers =manual + assembling machine 1 + assembling machine 2 + assembling machine 3
|consumers =red wire + green wire + electronic circuit + advanced circuit + small electric pole + arithmetic combinator + decider combinator + constant combinator + basic beacon
}}

Copper cables are very important for manufacturing circuits and electrical connections.
Copper cable can also be used to connect power poles. Select the Copper cable from your inventory, and connect it with a left click to two [[Electric network#Distribution|Electric poles]]. This way, you can manually wire some of the more complex systems, like [[Power production|making steam engines work only when accumulators are empty.]]

== Optimization ==

* You can have a maximum of three [[assembling machine 1]] to feed onto the same side of a [[Transport belt]], any more and they won't unload after the third one.
* You can fully load a [[Transport belt]] with six [[assembling machine 1]], three feeding to each side.
* Feeding directly onto the main running belt, the third [[assembling machine 1]] will not achieve full production as it waits for a gap on the belt. Having a spur solves this problem.

== Ratios ==
Copper wire is used nearly solely for [[Electronic circuit]]s and [[Advanced circuit]]s. Note, that one [[Copper plate]] is needed to craft two wires. This expansion is a problem because belts are normally not able to handle that load.

There are a number of good designs to handle this without belts:
* [http://www.factorioforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=7323&start=30#p65214 Copper wires on belts]
* [http://s29.postimg.org/bi8xxm6ed/Factorio_Chips.png Circuit production] from [http://www.factorioforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5050 Endgame designs]
* [http://www.factorioforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=7568 Cargo wagon sourced RGB circuits production facility]
* [http://www.factorioforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=7065&start=10 New Player Sandbox factory]

[[Category:Items]]
[[Category:Intermediate products]]

Constant combinator

2016-07-28T14:35:17Z

Keeperofsight: Corrected one broken link for the assembling machine 2. Unsure how to correct Manual.

{{Languages}}
{{Logic
|health =50
|cps =60
|input =Time, 0.5 + Copper cable, 5 + Electronic Circuit, 2
|raw =Time, 4.3 + Iron Plate, 2 + Copper Plate, 5.5
|technologies =Circuit network
|producers =Manual + assembling machine
}}

[[File:ConstantSprite.png]]

The constant combinator is part of the circuit network and one of three types of combinators available in the game. It constantly outputs the selected signal(s) to all connected wire networks.

== See Also ==
* [[Arithmetic combinator]]
* [[Decider Combinator]]
* [[Combinator Tutorial]]
* [[Circuit network]]

News

2016-07-28T13:50:12Z

Keeperofsight:

== Latest ==

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:600px">
What should be in the news and what not?
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">The Factorio News in this wiki should be that kind of news, which - viewed from some future (for example in a year) - will be still relevant information. Examples:

* Good: A player has made an interesting tweak in building a factory, which never has been seen before.
* Bad: Some youtuber has made his 100th Let's play about Factorio.
* Good: The developers announce Greenlight Campaign of Factorio
* Bad: There is a serious bug in MacOS-Version and you need to update to the current.
</div></div>

''If you miss some news here, you can add it yourself (this is a wiki, you know).
<onlyinclude>

* Jul 22 FFF #148: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=29599 Optimizations for 0.14].
* Jul 15 FFF #147: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=29095 Multiplayer rewrite].
* Jul 08 FFF #146: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=28574 The GFX workflow].
* Jul 01 FFF #145: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=27854 0.13 experimental is out].
* Jun 24 FFF #144: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=27008 The gfx report].
* Jun 17 FFF #143: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=26831 Nat Punching Again].
* Jun 10 FFF #142: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=26518 Playtesting].
* Jun 03 FFF #141: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=26086 Mod Portal].
* May 27 FFF #140: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=25793 Soon].
* May 20 FFF #139: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=25530 Wrapping up multiplayer].
<includeonly>'''[[News#Archive|Older news...]]'''</includeonly></onlyinclude>



== Archive ==
''Archived news don't appear on main page.

===2016===

====May====

* May 13 FFF #138: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=25267 Better Circuit Network III].
* May 06 FFF #137: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=24985 The release scarecrow].

====April====

* Apr 29 FFF #136: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=24658 Map Transfers].
* Apr 22 FFF #135: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=24089 Getting Organized].
* Apr 15 FFF #134: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=23717 Signal placement indicator].
* Apr 08 FFF #133: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=23343 The train struggle].
* Apr 01 FFF #132: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=22924 Side Project].

====March====

* Mar 25 FFF #131: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=22249 Roadmap shuffle].
* Mar 18 FFF #130: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=21783 Steam release side effects].
* Mar 11 FFF #129: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=21311 The late game].
* Mar 04 FFF #128: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=20847 Back down to earth].

====February====

* Feb 26 FFF #127: [https://forums.factorio.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=20522 Steam Status III: Thank You].
* Feb 25 Factorio gets released on [http://store.steampowered.com/app/427520 Steam]!
* Feb 19 FFF #126: [http://www.factorioforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=20258 Steam Status II and Trains Stuff].
* Feb 12 FFF #125: [http://www.factorioforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=20070 Achievements].
* Feb 05 FFF #124: [http://www.factorioforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=19824 Steam Status I].

====January====

* Jan 29 FFF #123: [http://www.factorioforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=19602 Better circuit network (Part 2)].
* Jan 22 FFF #122: [http://www.factorioforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=19409 Better circuit network (Part 1)].
* Jan 15 FFF #121: [http://www.factorioforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=19210 Path Finder Optimisation II].
* Jan 08 FFF #120: [http://www.factorioforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=19020 Spidertron].
* Jan 01 FFF #119: [http://www.factorioforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=18843 Happy 2016].

===2015===

'''[[News/2015|Archived news from 2015]]

===2014===

'''[[News/2014|Archived news from 2014]]

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[[Category:Info templates|{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Main page templates|news]]
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