Ultimate Fixes for Fuel and Liquid Problems in Satisfactory Update 4

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Troubleshooting Fluid Problems in Power Plants
   1. Understanding Power Plant Scaling
   2. Building an Efficient Coal Power Plant
   3. Using Water Extractors and Load Balancing Techniques
   4. Snapping Power Plants to Grids and Pipes
   5. Understanding Power Consumption, Capacity, and Production
   6. Charging Batteries for Excess Power
3. Exploring Fuel Production and Optimization
   1. Refining Crude Oil to Fuel
   2. Sinking or Utilizing Excess Resin
   3. Calculating Fuel Generator Requirements
   4. Addressing Fuel Generator Issues
      • Backflow and Gravity Head Lift
      • Using Valves to Prevent Backflow
      • Utilizing Gravity-Assisted Inputs
   5. Applying Lessons to Other Fluid Manufacturing Lines
4. Conclusion

Troubleshooting Fluid Problems in Power Plants

One of the common frustrations in Satisfactory after Update 4 is facing issues with power plants, particularly related to fluid management. If you're encountering problems with your power plants or curious about optimizing your fluid systems, this article is here to help.

Understanding Power Plant Scaling

In the past, power plants scaled their production based on demand. However, with Update 4, power plants now run at a flat 100% capacity. This means that if you haven't properly calculated your power plant's resource intake, you may encounter issues where your factory's power turns on and off intermittently.

Building an Efficient Coal Power Plant

To build an efficient coal power plant, you'll need to consider the water and coal consumption. Coal generators consume 45 cubic meters of water and 15 coal per minute. An optimal setup for a coal power plant includes using one Mark I miner on a pure coal node, eight coal generators, and three water extractors.

Ensure that the water extractors are placed at the ends and middle of the water line. Alternatively, you can overclock a single water extractor to 225% to supply six power plants while using 90 coal per minute. Implementing load balancing techniques or manifolds can also help optimize your power plant's functionality.

Snapping Power Plants to Grids and Pipes

A neat feature introduced in Update 4 is the ability to snap power plants to grids or align them with pipes by holding the CTRL key. This grid alignment and snapping help create a more organized and visually pleasing power plant layout.

Understanding Power Consumption, Capacity, and Production

The new power UI includes several important markers: consumption, capacity, production, and max consumption. Consumption refers to the current power usage on the circuit, while production indicates the power being produced. Max consumption shows the maximum power consumption if everything on the circuit runs simultaneously.

Capacity represents the maximum power production available, including power plants waiting to turn on. It's advisable to charge batteries with excess power to store energy for future needs, although batteries do not contribute towards capacity.

Exploring Fuel Production and Optimization

Moving on from coal power plants, it's essential to delve into fuel production and optimization. Setting up a system to refine crude oil into fuel can be highly efficient if managed correctly. However, it's crucial to handle the byproduct, resin, either by sinking it or incorporating it into your manufacturing process.

Addressing Fuel Generator Issues

While optimizing fuel production, it's common to encounter issues with fuel generators turning on and off even when there is an adequate fuel supply. This problem can be attributed to backflow or gravity head lift.

One solution is to use valves to prevent backflow along long, flat manifolds located below the fuel generators' inputs. Valves create compartments along the line, stopping backflow at specific sections and ensuring a consistent fuel flow.

Alternatively, you can utilize gravity-assisted inputs by having a manifold or load balancing system positioned above the generator's input. By utilizing gravity, the fuel will not backflow into the manifold, effectively circumventing the problem.

Applying Lessons to Other Fluid Manufacturing Lines

The techniques discussed for troubleshooting fuel generator issues can also be applied to other fluid-based manufacturing lines in your factory. Whether you're working with blenders, refineries, or packagers, using valves or pumps to prevent backflow between junctions is crucial for maintaining a smooth workflow.

Remember, fluid management plays a vital role in the overall efficiency of your factory. By adopting these optimization strategies and applying them to various fluid systems, you can ensure a consistently running factory.

Conclusion

Fluid management is a critical aspect of maintaining efficient power plants and manufacturing processes in Satisfactory. By understanding power plant scaling, building efficient coal power plants, utilizing load balancing techniques, and addressing fuel generator issues, you can optimize your factory's production capabilities. Implementing these strategies and applying them to other fluid-based systems in your factory will contribute to a smooth and uninterrupted workflow, leading to greater productivity and satisfaction.