[Suggestion] Solar Panel output spot

  • I suggest a small change in the Solar Panel behavior: ability to have output spot.


    If player use Wrench on Solar Panel, this side becomes output. Second use - dismount as usual.
    If Solar Panel placed targeting non-EU block or was placed before, it has no selected output side. If placed targeting Cable/Machine/EU_storage - this side becomes "output".


    If Solar Panel has no side marked as output, it behaves as now. If it has, EU it emitted to this side only.


    If Solar Panel emit EU packet through the output side to the other Solar Panel, second Panel emit one EU packet only adding input EU to own EU generated.


    This should greatly reduce number of EU packets on solar fields, discourage using of tin nets, allow solar fields to output higher voltage than 1 EU/packet.


    I do not like "advanced" solars because in my opinion solar usage should cost surface space.

  • So basically through the use of a wrench, you want solar panels to act like RP solar panels and transmit energy? If so then I definitely like the idea

    Is the answer to this question no?


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    Hey don't take it so hard. Ignorance is part of this generation it seems. -the wise words of XFmax-o-l

  • Through Solar Panels, right.
    But no, not like RP2's Solars.
    RP2 ingeniously transfer power through any component in any way. I suggest Solar Panels to have a preset way of power flow.

  • cool, i'm ok with this but only if the solar panels's output are ULV.
    so u can connect 5 solar panels together without using cable, acting like one but after that, if u connect the 6th it will explode for overload.
    Completely remove the need of tin cable into solar is bad in my opinion....

  • Maxing the cumulative output of a single pannel to 5 seems perfectly reasonable. An array of solars would tile like a sugarcane plantation in the sky. So very high. In the sky.

  • Otherwise, it is limited simply by the quality of the cable connecting to the solar hub. If tin, you don't want more than 5 strung together; if copper, 32; etc. That would be much more freeform and, considering it, I'm happier with that. If cable isn't used and you were to, for example, have the hub output directly into a mass fab... well you could string up 512 of them safely, but that seems like it might be too ridiculous a situation to contemplate.

  • I am a bit puzzled by this suggestion -- turning a generator into a hybrid storage block, and internalizing the cabling.


    I say "storage block" since, assuming the generation of EU occurs prior to transmitting, a solar 'downstream' (closer to the stalk of the solar flower) would need to store all or a portion of the EU transmitted to it during the previous tick. I am unfamiliar with the code for the E-net, so I don't know how possible it is to combine the two classes of object.


    Putting that aside, we have the concern of size. If restricted to LV, one would be able to construct a field roughly 64x64 (imagine a grid of city blocks and how one would calculate the distances). This is greater than the distance permitted by tin nets, and thus may tend to encourage solar spamming. I am given to understand from Alblaka that EU-spam is virtually non-existent. One would need to experiment to find out if this new mechanism would offset the increase in solar sun-checks, which I am also given to understand has become negligible. (whoops, tin would be 80x80. Found during proofreading)In addition, it has the additional property of decreasing the cost of a solar field by the cost of the cables -- especially when using an electric wrench.


    Personally, I would be more inclined towards a mechanism for coloring tin cables (which has been previously suggested). Such would do something similar to this without the additional algorithmic overhead of having to double-wrench a solar to remove it, nor of having to make sure you don't miswire your solar-chains and cause an explosion. (*)


    Not a bad idea, but I think it requires some further refinement to avoid exacerbating what it may be intended to ameliorate.


    * -- Okay, so the explosion possibility may be a plus to some who dislike solar :P

  • Tin Cable cost is minor compared to Solar Panel cost.
    I hope Wrench will not be needed to place Solar Panels as you wish. Read better.
    You can always spam Solars but this way it would lag quite less.
    Coloring Tin Cables will not decrease EU packets quantity.
    Doubt you will remove Solars too often. Even if you will, start from the right end and forget your problems.
    You know voltage is dangerous, do you?


    EU gain do not increased, You can use it old way or think better, It decrease lag ...
    What exacerbating you want to avoid, what amelioration you afraid?

  • So solar panels can output into other solar panels, effectively being used as micro storage blocks? How much EU of input could a solar panel withstand?
    I'm not satisfied with how the mechanic of the output spot works, having to orient hundreds of panels for a solar farm.


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    If Solar Panel has no side marked as output, it behaves as now.


    That creates a small problem. How do I return them to an "outputless" state?



    Throwing another idea into the pot:
    Not sure if this can be easily done, but can't solar panels check for other adjacent panels and then be grouped, having only one single output spot?


    Only the panel that is set down / removed would have to check once, it's not something that has to be repeated.


    Of course there has to be a limit or else ULV cables will become redundant.
    In combination with the connected textures mod, that comes built-in with optifine, I can imagine beautiful 3x3 sized solar areas.

    • Official Post

    So how about IC² detecting how many solar panels are adjacent to each other in the Energy Network, then outputting all solar panels energy on Nearest available cable in the following order : Tin , Copper, Gold , Iron , Glass fiber.


    If there are more than 2048 solar panels, Solar Energynetwork will output as many EV packets it can.
    For example if there are 3072 solar panels, Solar Energynetwork will output one EV packet on the first tick, then two on the second tick...
    Like Transformers which absorbs ALL energy and output up to 4 packets of its lower output

  • So solar panels can output into other solar panels, effectively being used as micro storage blocks? How much EU of input could a solar panel withstand?

    Only from other Solar Panels, only last tick and up to some limit if developers like.

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    I'm not satisfied with how the mechanic of the output spot works, having to orient hundreds of panels for a solar farm.

    Just place new Panel, targeting previous. Can it be easier?

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    That creates a small problem. How do I return them to an "outputless" state?

    Dismount and place again. For what reason you need "outputless" one?

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    Throwing another idea into the pot:
    Not sure if this can be easily done, but can't solar panels check for other adjacent panels and then be grouped, having only one single output spot?
    Only the panel that is set down / removed would have to check once, it's not something that has to be repeated.
    Of course there has to be a limit or else ULV cables will become redundant.
    In combination with the connected textures mod, that comes built-in with optifine, I can imagine beautiful 3x3 sized solar areas.

    Macro-machines are denied. It leads to extra calculations which are not needed.


    So how about IC² detecting how many solar panels are adjacent to each other in the Energy Network, then outputting all solar panels energy on Nearest available cable in the following order : Tin , Copper, Gold , Iron , Glass fiber.


    If there are more than 2048 solar panels, Solar Energynetwork will output as many EV packets it can.
    For example if there are 3072 solar panels, Solar Energynetwork will output one EV packet on the first tick, then two on the second tick...
    Like Transformers which absorbs ALL energy and output up to 4 packets of its lower output


    Macro-machine again. :( Denied.


    I really want opinion from mod Developers.


    Edit: CompactSolars in "similar threads" is bad because EU output is not proportional to surface used.

  • Quote from Alblaka in a PM (in same thread, gave permission to quote) [sic]: