Redstone engines powering wooden pipes.
This article discusses the redstone engine in Buildcraft version 3. For the version in Buildcraft 2, see here.
Redstone engines are the cheapest of the type of Engine and as such are the least powerful of the three types of engine.
Redstone engines, like all other engines, gain speed as they heat up, which increases their energy output per second. Unlike Combustion engines, they will never explode on running hot, except when not powering anything (see below). In fact, they produce more power when becoming orange-blinking-red and it is not advised to turn them off unless needed (again, see below).
Like the other engines, the redstone engine can be turned on and off using a redstone signal, and requires an active signal in order to activate.
Break it with a pickaxe to get it back.
Recipe[]
Ingredients:
- 3 x Wooden Planks
- 2 x Wood Gear
- 1 x Piston
- 1 x Glass
Produces: 1 x Redstone Engine
See: Crafting Guide
Setup Demonstration[]
Redstone Engine - Buildcraft In Less Than 90 Seconds
Power Output[]
Simple redstone engine installation: engine plus lever.
The Redstone Engine has 5 different power outputs, depending on how hot it is, it will eventually heat up and reach the last (better) output.
- Blue: Makes 1 Energy Pulse every 5 seconds (0.01MJ/t).
- Green: Makes 1 Energy Pulse every 2.5 seconds (0.02MJ/t).
- Orange: Makes 1 Energy Pulse every 1.25 seconds (0.04MJ/t).
- Orange-blinking-Red: Makes 1 Energy Pulse every second (0.05MJ/t).
- Red: Makes 1 Energy Pulse every 0.625 seconds (0.08MJ/t).
Uses[]
Redstone engines are most often used for powering things like wooden pipes it's not necessary to move many items at once because they are cheap to produce and maintain. The minimum configuration takes only two blocks: the engine itself and a lever or redstone torch.
In addition to wooden pipes, redstone engines are able to power two basic machines directly, the pump, and the mining well, though they require 2 or more running hot to have any effect.
Overheating[]
Since BuilCraft3, Redstone Engines will never explode, no matter what setup.
Prior to BC2.7 , all engines in Buildcraft would explode if allowed to overheat. Since Buildcraft 3, however, the redstone engine will never overheat and explode, even if not connected to anything at all. The engine will go from blue to green and then orange and when running at full power it will start blinking red-orange and will remain red-orange till switched off or the load is removed. When connected to a pump or mining well, the engine will turn entirely red and maintain this state producing 0.08MJ/t.