PC Trouble with fluid dynamics

Tyro

Steampunker
I've been trying to build a system to make infinite liquid-synthesized blocks, as seen here. For some reason only the lava is pumping, and for the life of me I can't figure out why. Can anyone help me fix this, please?

Note: I play modded Terraria, but this is very unlikely to be related to any of my mods - none of them affect wiring, pumps, or fluid dynamics.

(Edited to add screenshot)
 

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Your blue and yellow wires are going through "other" pumps - i.e. yellow goes through all 3 types, blue runs through water and lave.

Maybe that's gumming things up.
 
my best guess is wire priorities. you should probably separate the different colors. since they're all together only red is activating because of priorities (I'm just guessing)
 
There's a crossover with your yellow wire in the middle. Might be intentional, might not. Might be causing problems, might not.

I don't think the design in the screenshot in the guide will work anyway. My understanding is that you can't duplicate liquids by hooking one inlet pump to more than one outlet pump. The liquid will flow to only one outlet pump. If it does work, it's only because of the gap -- physics of falling and cascading liquids can cause small increases in the amount of liquid, giving an infinite supply.

Based on that? My guess is your blue (water) and yellow (honey) pumps are outputting to one of the outlet pumps above the inlet pump, not the pumps to the right. Why that's different to the red (lava) pump, I don't know sorry.
 
There's a crossover with your yellow wire in the middle. Might be intentional, might not. Might be causing problems, might not.

I don't think the design in the screenshot in the guide will work anyway. My understanding is that you can't duplicate liquids by hooking one inlet pump to more than one outlet pump. The liquid will flow to only one outlet pump. If it does work, it's only because of the gap -- physics of falling and cascading liquids can cause small increases in the amount of liquid, giving an infinite supply.

Based on that? My guess is your blue (water) and yellow (honey) pumps are outputting to one of the outlet pumps above the inlet pump, not the pumps to the right. Why that's different to the red (lava) pump, I don't know sorry.
I used a junction box on the crossed yellows. As to the inlet/outlet trick, every source I've found says it works, and I should think the wiki would have been updated if that were changed.
 
That's basically what I said... Your various colored wires are going through multiple pumps types.
I reposted it there because you said you weren't sure and I didn't want to do all that rewiring for nothing
 
I don't think the design in the screenshot in the guide will work anyway. My understanding is that you can't duplicate liquids by hooking one inlet pump to more than one outlet pump. The liquid will flow to only one outlet pump. If it does work, it's only because of the gap -- physics of falling and cascading liquids can cause small increases in the amount of liquid, giving an infinite supply.

It most certainly works, but it can be cranky, especially if unattended for a while. In particular, you need to make sure the liquids have time to get away from the output pump and down to the input pump, because any liquids covering the output will be replaced by what's coming from the input. Also, falling or disturbed liquids can look like a lot more than they are, which can mean you're pumping less than you think.

AFAICT a third output pump will not work, if anyone's gotten that to work feel free to contradict me. However, you can certainly put two or more liquid generators next to each other.
 
It most certainly works, but it can be cranky, especially if unattended for a while. In particular, you need to make sure the liquids have time to get away from the output pump and down to the input pump, because any liquids covering the output will be replaced by what's coming from the input. Also, falling or disturbed liquids can look like a lot more than they are, which can mean you're pumping less than you think.

AFAICT a third output pump will not work, if anyone's gotten that to work feel free to contradict me. However, you can certainly put two or more liquid generators next to each other.
Could we build an intentionally flawed duper to get rid of excess lava or honey?
 
It most certainly works, but it can be cranky, especially if unattended for a while. In particular, you need to make sure the liquids have time to get away from the output pump and down to the input pump, because any liquids covering the output will be replaced by what's coming from the input. Also, falling or disturbed liquids can look like a lot more than they are, which can mean you're pumping less than you think.
Back in the days of 1.2.4.1 / 1.3 that one in to multiple outs didn't work. I've tried it (didn't work), and at the time the Wiki also said it didn't work. Though the history of that Wiki page has fluctuated between it being available and it not being available, so perhaps I looked at it at a bad time. Maybe I did it wrong. Maybe a new method was found. Regardless, we know it works now and that's the important bit. :)

At the time, I used the 'stairs' method (history) and I knew that worked, so that's what I continued to use. Quite slow for honey and lava though! The Wiki page is much cleaner and nicer now. Multiple outlet pumps method is definitely easier to use!
 
Could we build an intentionally flawed duper to get rid of excess lava or honey?

That is an interesting idea -- try it and see if you can make it work! Naturally you should post the results here (in the proper section), as I'm sure many other folks here will also be interested.
 
Regardless, we know it works now and that's the important bit. :)
Does it though?

I notice the double pump generator on the wiki works even if there is only 1 output pump - I tried it myself; ended up with more water. So it's really just relying on the split/fall effect.

Edit:

I build this monstrosity of a generator:

Capture 2017-10-09 14_11_18.png


I can confirm, tested it, it's faster than just the output pump sitting on 2 blocks with freefalling water.
 
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Does it though?

I notice the double pump generator on the wiki works even if there is only 1 output pump - I tried it myself; ended up with more water. So it's really just relying on the split/fall effect.

Edit:

I build this monstrosity of a generator:

View attachment 185371

I can confirm, tested it, it's faster than just the output pump sitting on 2 blocks with freefalling water.
I believe you that it's faster, but as you said yourself it's a monstrosity - huge footprint. Pump systems take up much, much less space (and a bunch of linked pump systems the size of your engine would probably work better than your method).
 
I believe you that it's faster, but as you said yourself it's a monstrosity - huge footprint. Pump systems take up much, much less space (and a bunch of linked pump systems the size of your engine would probably work better than your method).
Except that the single input, multiple output pump system doesn't necessarily work.

As I mentioned, the double output pump system shown on the wiki works even if you remove one of the output pumps.

I was specifically going for size however as I noticed small generators empty very quickly - quickly becoming "broken" when the liquid level fall below what is required to cover the input pump. You can probably remove the lower half of the pyramid and shrink the generator to a quarter of it's sizes.

Alternatively, a simple generator like,

Capture 2017-10-10 03_44_28.png


Works perfectly fine.
 
Recent changes to the wiki suggest that the double-output system needs different wiring for Mobile (and possibly other platforms -- as was just underlined to me 3DS is well behind the others). But on Desktop, its effects are obvious, and though it's cranky, it's also obvious whether it's working or not at the moment.

I'll certainly believe that whenever the double-pumping is not working, such a system will "fall back" to the spilling-liquids mechanism.

Another point: When I was refilling my ocean after flooding the Underworld, I discovered that liquids aren't updated on the map unless they're actually on screen. I had to go back to check on progress.
 
I'll certainly believe that whenever the double-pumping is not working, such a system will "fall back" to the spilling-liquids mechanism.
It’s hard to test whether double output pump systems work at all since all output pumps stop working when fully submerged. In order to keep them pumping we need to place the high up and allow the water to drain thus there will always be some falling involved.

In the interest of science I did an A/B test,

Capture 2017-10-11 18_41_35.png
Capture 2017-10-11 18_43_34.png


Double pumps do improve yield. However the mechanism in which it does so ... Does it just make water split slightly more? Or is it really generating extra water as the wiki claimed?

If it's the latter ... it's not generating much. The improvement in yield is much less than 200%.
 
It’s hard to test whether double output pump systems work at all since all output pumps stop working when fully submerged. In order to keep them pumping we need to place the high up and allow the water to drain thus there will always be some falling involved.

In the interest of science I did an A/B test,

View attachment 185628 View attachment 185629

Double pumps do improve yield. However the mechanism in which it does so ... Does it just make water split slightly more? Or is it really generating extra water as the wiki claimed?

If it's the latter ... it's not generating much. The improvement in yield is much less than 200%.
Did you eyeball it to make sure both pumps were outputting throughout? The most dramatic failure mode I saw was that one of the output pumps simply wouldn't. Once I did get them both pumping, output would increase dramatically, but if I left the system alone for too long it could revert until I turned the timer off and then on.
 
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