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[Octobomb]

I like the subsidiary explosions. Made it feel authentic.

That was just Rabid chasing me with around the station with explosions.

No, that second spoiler, those smaller explosions? They're from Welding Tanks exploding secondarily to the main explosion.

This makes me very happy.

[Kriellya]

I have seen heads who wanted a shuttle call because of the SM reaching 20%. This is despite me fixing the problem at 15% and assuring everyone it would stop below 60%. This is both of these problems at once. I've been pressured to eject at 10% as well (the lowest possible point it starts blaring).


I have created a picture guide to setting up a high power SM, by the way. I have no idea how to embed it properly.
http://imgur.com/a/Ir2Ge

Eject at 10%? HAH! No, the only time I would eject at 10% is if the next thing it says is 20%. *Then* I have a problem.

Good guide. Does that really get you 1MW? 12 shots with all the collectors usually gets me ~700KW.
I also hate the bypasses. Because I am a highly safety conscious engineer, and isolation is a good thing!
Have you been on BS12 lately? They're working on a new thing: isolation breakers. When they're done, they'll let their engineers disconnect the grid into several separate sections, each with its own SMES. I'm really looking forward to it. It will give me so many ridiculous things to do when it comes to optimizing the grid

The SMES also have another significant benefit: Significant life extension of critical equipment during power loss. Which is probably only relevant on the long rounds I enjoy so much

Spoiler: A Safety Bulletin from CE Kriellya (click to show/hide)

I get a little obsessive over good engineering on my shift. Part of why my 'goodbye' to any engineer is 'Stay safe'

So here's a list of safety violations that will make CE Kriellya twitch

• Wiring the solars into the grid: Do you *want* to blow up the solars? Or expose their APC to a power sink? INSANITY!
• Wiring the engine equipment into the engine output: Those freezers are high voltage, but everything has a limit! And what if you lose engine power? That's a quick way to burial in space!
• Wiring Atmos into the grid: We need that to breathe. Why are you bypassing it's backup power SMES and exposing it to shorts? Because you don't want to have to *watch* it? ARE YOU AN ENGINEER OR A SCIENTIST?!?
• Trying to get a MW out of the engine: WHHYYYY? Why are you putting the station at extreme risk for something we don't need? This station takes 300KW to run, on a bad day. Why are you trying to generate 3 times as much power?
• High voltage grid: Are you trying to get someone killed? Are you trying to get *me* killed? I have to touch those wires! I'd rather they not be willing to kill me at the slightest provocation!

And now you know how to make me twitch. Have fun!

[darkpaladin109]

Server appears to be down.

[Aseaheru]

Have you been on BS12 lately? They're working on a new thing: isolation breakers. When they're done, they'll let their engineers disconnect the grid into several separate sections, each with its own SMES. I'm really looking forward to it. It will give me so many ridiculous things to do when it comes to optimizing the grid

Ooh, when we do that can we have the same sort of thing we have with atmos, with emergency air tanks dotted around maint, only with powerstations for them?

[rabidgam3r]

"I have an idea for an alien, at once, at last! YES!"-
*server ded*
"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck meeeeeeeeeeeee."

[Octobomb]

-snip-

Eject at 10%? HAH! No, the only time I would eject at 10% is if the next thing it says is 20%. *Then* I have a problem.

I know. People just don't understand I'm actually competent. Except when I flood engineering with plasma. Or accidentally detonate the SM. Or shock myself.

Good guide. Does that really get you 1MW? 12 shots with all the collectors usually gets me ~700KW.
I also hate the bypasses. Because I am a highly safety conscious engineer, and isolation is a good thing!
Have you been on BS12 lately? They're working on a new thing: isolation breakers. When they're done, they'll let their engineers disconnect the grid into several separate sections, each with its own SMES. I'm really looking forward to it. It will give me so many ridiculous things to do when it comes to optimizing the grid

The SMES also have another significant benefit: Significant life extension of critical equipment during power loss. Which is probably only relevant on the long rounds I enjoy so much

Spoiler: A Safety Bulletin from CE Kriellya (click to show/hide)

I get a little obsessive over good engineering on my shift. Part of why my 'goodbye' to any engineer is 'Stay safe'

So here's a list of safety violations that will make CE Kriellya twitch

• Wiring the solars into the grid: Do you *want* to blow up the solars? Or expose their APC to a power sink? INSANITY!
• Wiring the engine equipment into the engine output: Those freezers are high voltage, but everything has a limit! And what if you lose engine power? That's a quick way to burial in space!
• Wiring Atmos into the grid: We need that to breathe. Why are you bypassing it's backup power SMES and exposing it to shorts? Because you don't want to have to *watch* it? ARE YOU AN ENGINEER OR A SCIENTIST?!?
• Trying to get a MW out of the engine: WHHYYYY? Why are you putting the station at extreme risk for something we don't need? This station takes 300KW to run, on a bad day. Why are you trying to generate 3 times as much power?
• High voltage grid: Are you trying to get someone killed? Are you trying to get *me* killed? I have to touch those wires! I'd rather they not be willing to kill me at the slightest provocation!

And now you know how to make me twitch. Have fun!

You'd hate working with me. I think I violate most of these .
1. The SMES are difficult to figure out appropriate values for - if you know any, praytell.
2. The high inputs needed to sustain the high outputs from the SMES to avoid bottlenecking, which takes power away from the rest of the grid. If the engine isn't able to power the freezers - which will be powered first - then you have a good half hour before it explodes. Plus, it allows for easier expansion for up to 5 freezers.
3. Same as above. Due to air SCIENCE and a project to cool the station (don't ask), we discovered that the pipes have hours of air in them. I don't like dealing with the bottleneck.
4. Thanks to Baymachines, at full consumption the station eats almost 400k. I have two smes at 150k (maxed) and 200k (~150k used). At 1MW, which is ac
5. Okay, that's dumb. Dear Honkmother, unless you have a powersink (they top out at 1.4MW), don't wire everything into the grid.


That said,sometimes I wish R&D would get their acts together. When engineering starts building, they better be prepared to pump out SMES and freezer parts and other machine components like no tomorrow. I want to build my power bank of 20 SMES dammit!

[Aseaheru]

I just tell the solars to send out 100-200K each, just enough power to get the station to survive...

[Octobomb]

I just tell the solars to send out 100-200K each, just enough power to get the station to survive...

There's four solars. So 100k each will deal with peaks. I'd honestly rather have them charge to a central bank, but that's too much wiring unless we have extra hands. Also, wiring them in will mean you get all the power, not just the input you get.

[Not good with names]

Personally I just like bothering research to build me 1 or 2 more gas coolers for the core and hooking them in.  If they do the slightest bit of research beforehand, then you can get much the same results beforehand.  Of course ~30% of the rounds I play CE I'm running back and forth from Atmos with cooled Nitrogen for much of the round, but it's a workable solution.


Though, since we're talking about it, is there a minimum/maximum air pressure that the Supermatter can take?  Generally everyone sets the pumps to max and simply pipes in more cooled nitrogen if it's getting hot, but I've noticed that the air coolers work better when the air pressure is lower.

[Vactor]

Server is back up.

[Graknorke]

I just tell the solars to send out 100-200K each, just enough power to get the station to survive...

There's four solars. So 100k each will deal with peaks. I'd honestly rather have them charge to a central bank, but that's too much wiring unless we have extra hands. Also, wiring them in will mean you get all the power, not just the input you get.

But the solars aren't all generating power at the same time.

[Aseaheru]

Yah, and the orbit is a few hours long with bay.

[andrea]

I've noticed that the air coolers work better when the air pressure is lower.

If by that you mean that temperature goes down faster with less gas, it probably is because a lower pressure means less gas to cool.

[Not good with names]

Yeah, I figured that, but the question was more about what the atmospheric thresholds were.  I'm assuming that the reason the supermatter goes critical is that the heat increases the air pressure enough that it overwhelms the Plasma filtering system. So if I only have to put one Nitrogen canister in instead of the customary two, then it figures that I could get the supermatter producing more energy before needing to install the extra gas coolers. 

[Octobomb]

Yeah, I figured that, but the question was more about what the atmospheric thresholds were.  I'm assuming that the reason the supermatter goes critical is that the heat increases the air pressure enough that it overwhelms the Plasma filtering system. So if I only have to put one Nitrogen canister in instead of the customary two, then it figures that I could get the supermatter producing more energy before needing to install the extra gas coolers.

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the SM take damage because of heat? N2 is extremely good for heat (you can put out fires by smothering them very quickly or at least lowering their temperature enough to put them out with hand extinguishers). I'll have a look.
E: Code confirms it's a heat thing, therefore more n2 and more coolers is betterer.