Why does solar only use sunlight?

1st Official Post

    Seriously, I must ask this. Solar energy is derived from light. Any light. That's why solar calculators work well in office buildings. It would be a viable power source even in underground lairs since glowstone and jack-o-lanters give off the same amount of light as the sun, torches run a close second. Light is light, even if not generated by a ball of burning gas.


    I love to live underground and sometimes it might be nice to have an alternative to geothermal and water. Sure, solar is expensive but it's also zero maintenance. Properly set up it's also an excellent source of power. Even if the power output was reduced as a penalty for using artificial light it might make life easier on those of us who live like hermits.


    And, since I don't want to make a separate post about this unless I have to, is it possible to heat up a feeder reactor using the heat given off by another reactor? Essentially making 2 feeders heat each other?

    As I stated, the light given off by glowstone is equivalent to sunlight and should be a viable light source for solar panels. Same with jack-o-lanterns. Light level 16.


    No, I have not heard of one, spaced properly or not. This is because due to physics, you cannot generate enough light to power a solar panel with that solar panel. However, since thee are natural light generating blocks here, why not make the most of them?

    Quote from Punnikin

    As I stated, the light given off by glowstone is equivalent to sunlight and should be a viable light source for solar panels. Same with jack-o-lanterns. Light level 16.


    No, I have not heard of one, spaced properly or not. This is because due to physics, you cannot generate enough light to power a solar panel with that solar panel. However, since thee are natural light generating blocks here, why not make the most of them?

    Solar panels underground are unrealistic even in minecraft. Dont come with more stupid idea's.

    mc-sunlight has a special power that allows it to torch zombies and skeletons that is what ic2-solars tap to make energy. this special power is not available in any other source of light

    true balance is impossible in video games the best one can hope for is to make it really hard to guess which of 2 choices are better.
    and remember kids "NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF JOKES!"

    Quote from Rick

    Solar panels underground are unrealistic even in minecraft. Dont come with more stupid idea's.


    First off, there is no need to be rude. You have an asshole like everyone else, no sense showing it off. It's nothing special.


    Secondly, solar panels and solar collectors work off ALL light, so it is absolutely not unrealistic. If anything it's more realistic. I gave a previous example of a solar powered calculator. They do exist and they do operate in artificial light.


    Finally, ideas should not have an apostrophe.

    Quote from GregoriusT

    I wonder why that ridiculously stupid Idea didnt went to the Suggestionforum?


    Hey, while you're ganging up on the new guy needlessly, perhaps you should take the time to read the post. It wasn't a suggestion. I was asking a question in hopes of getting a reasonable answer. Since neither of you have the answer, or are reasonable, please stop replying to this post. Perhaps someone with a clue will jump in and post something constructive. Or at least intelligible.

    The problem with letting it use normal light is that solar panels are already very very good, as you said, with no maintenance. The one drawback on it is that it only works during the day. If it worked with any light source, it would need to be nerfed, meaning it wouldn't produce nearly as much energy. As much as I agree with you that solar panels should work on all light, for the sake of this mod, it's just more balanced the way it is.

    • Official Post

    The point of solars is to have a very low output, thus it doesn't work at night, nor whilst its raining. Plus think about it this way, can I run large machines off of the light from a light bulb? No, it requires too much power, thus regardless of what the MC light level is, it just doesn't make sense, you can only run large machines off of many panels in the sunlight. Quite a bit different than running a very small calculator which requires very little power vs. an entire/multitude of machines. I suppose you could have solars produce like 1/20th of an eu/t but whats the point.

    Lesson 1: Watch over your crops....

    Quote from Punnikin

    Seriously, I must ask this. Solar energy is derived from light. Any light.

    Techically its UltraViolet light, and of all the light the Sun makes UltraViolet is only 46% of it. Solar panels use this type because its wavelength is best for bumping electrons loose in the solar cell to "create" energy. Of that 46% the Sun produces when its night time the moon only reflects 0.5% of that 46%. The lights in your house work for "certain" solar cells because they push electrons around basically making them bombard what ever solar collector you might have inside the house. With that being said this is why atificial light (i.e. torches, lighters, Fire) will not work, ever.

    Quote from Punnikin

    First off, there is no need to be rude. You have an asshole like everyone else, no sense showing it off. It's nothing special.


    Secondly, solar panels and solar collectors work off ALL light, so it is absolutely not unrealistic. If anything it's more realistic. I gave a previous example of a solar powered calculator. They do exist and they do operate in artificial light.


    Finally, ideas should not have an apostrophe.

    You do know calculators require almost no energy to be used?


    Did you ever saw some heavy machine getting powered by solars placed underground? Its just so ridiculous stupid idea. On top of that its unbalanced....

    punnikin listen to me.


    you do NOT want to get in a flamewar with rick his is the patron saint of ic2 nukes for a reason


    also you should not tell people to shut-up even if they misunderstand what you are saying and say hurtful things they have just as much right to be here as you


    finally RL-solars are made with silicon and run off uv rays, micecraft solars are made with coal and pixie dust and run off a plot hole called "balance" so they are not going to be running off anything other than zombie burning sunlight for the foreseeable future if you don't believe me you can ask alblaka yourself

    true balance is impossible in video games the best one can hope for is to make it really hard to guess which of 2 choices are better.
    and remember kids "NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF JOKES!"

    Quote from passinglurker

    finally RL-solars are made with silicon and run off uv rays, micecraft solars are made with coal and pixie dust and run off a plot hole called "balance" so they are not going to be running off anything other than zombie burning sunlight for the foreseeable future if you don't believe me you can ask alblaka yourself


    I should read more sub forums besides suggestions more regularly, this made me lol hard.

    Dont exaggerate...

    Quote from Rick

    Dont exaggerate...

    about your godlike status among the nuke builders or about the pixie dust?

    true balance is impossible in video games the best one can hope for is to make it really hard to guess which of 2 choices are better.
    and remember kids "NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF JOKES!"

    • Official Post

    Let's just close this discussion with following two statements:
    -It's Minecraft. You can carry a few thousand tons of stone in a pocket space and start by punching down a tree. RealLife-Physics do NOT apply, thus a SolarPanel working exclusively off sunlight is entirely legit.
    -In sense of balance and gameplay, SolarPanels exclusively working in direct sunlight and only on day-time are an intended factor.

    Thank you Alblaka for that actual reply. I was mainly curious as to whether it was a balance issue or a game mechanic. I didn't intend for this to turn into an insulting mess at all. Somehow I was at fault for this (and I do NOT fear flame wars) and I'm genuinely sorry I even bothered asking.