The Energy Collector is an EE Factory Block that converts any light source into EMC.
Internal EMC Behaviour[]
If the Energy Collector is generating EMC but is neither converting fuel nor charging a Klein Star, the EMC being generated will be transferred to any adjacently placed EE2 blocks such as a Condenser, Antimatter Relay, Dark Matter Furnace, or Red Matter Furnace. If there are no valid destinations for this EMC, it will remain in the Collector, stored in an internal buffer. When determining the destination of any EMC, priority is given to fuelling items contained within the Collector - for example if a Klein Star is inserted into a Collector that is powering a Dark Matter or Red Matter Furnace, the Collector will stop transferring EMC to the Furnace until the Klein Star is full.
Furthermore, if an Energy Collector is placed next to an Antimatter Relay which is in turn connected to an Energy Condenser, the EMC from the Energy Collector will travel through the Antimatter Relay to the Condenser even though the Collector and Condenser do not come into contact. A device made with several Energy Collectors together with Antimatter Relays around a central Energy Condenser is commonly referred to as a "Power Flower."
Recipe[]
Energy Collectors come in three Tiers. Each upgrade from the previous tier allows for additional EMC generation, light levels (they can act as a light source), and storage space.
Energy Collector (MK1)[]
Collector MK2[]
Collector MK3[]
EMC Generation[]
The amount ofEMC produced is static based on the Tier level of the Energy Collector. Energy Collectors also produce Light level based on tier.
| Tier | EMC/s | Light Level | EMC Cost | Cost per EMC/s (x10^3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MK1 | 4 | 7 | 82,953 | 20.7 |
| MK2 | 12 | 11 | 232,969 | 19.4 |
| MK3 | 40 | 15 | 710,665 | 17.8 |
(EMC/s tested at light level 15)
(Cost per EMC/s: lower numbers are better)
An easy way to generate EMC is to place a Glowstone Block or a Jack 'o' Lantern above the Energy Collector. These both have light levels of 15 and generate light at all times, meaning the Collector will be working at full power during night and day, and even underground.
The light level above the Energy Collector determines the exact EMC gained (see internal details below). The EMC generated is used to progress fuels to the next step in the progression, all the EMC generated is put into the Input fuel moving the progression forward. If an item is taken out mid-conversion, the excess EMC generated is stored back in the collector (and displayed as passive EMC) and is instantly used on the progression of the next placed input item, possibly very quickly upgrading several lower EMC valued materials. Thus, generated EMC is conserved.
| Item | Turns to | Emc needed |
|---|---|---|
| Charcoal | Redstone | 32 |
| Redstone | Coal | 64 |
| Coal | Gunpowder | 64 |
| Gunpowder | Glowstone Dust | 192 |
| Glowstone Dust | Alchemical Coal | 128 |
| Alchemical Coal | Blaze Powder | 256 |
| Blaze Powder | Glowstone | 768 |
| Glowstone | Mobius Fuel | 512 |
| Mobius Fuel | Aeternalis Fuel | 6144 |
Break Even Point[]
Break Even in 'real-life' terms is the point where the energy output [of a power source] is equal to the energy input; energy is wasted if 'Break Even' point is not reached or passed. From an EMC only standpoint, Energy Collectors are a very long-term investment. In order to equal the cost of just the Energy Collector (not counting the Relays or Energy Condenser), it takes roughly 5.5-6 hours of non-stop energy generation at level 15 light to recover the cost of the materials used to create one. Below is a chart of each tier and how many Real Time hours it must be lit and active until the Energy Collector has "paid for itself".
| Tier | EMC/s | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MK1 | 4 | 5.76 |
| MK2 | 12 | 5.40 |
| MK3 | 40 | 4.94 |
(EMC/s tested at light level 15)
Internal details[]
The EMC/second produced is based on the level of light shining on the top of the Energy Collector. The light scale is 1 to 15, 1 being complete darkness and 15 being sunlight or equivalent. Lower light reduces EMC production.
For the purpose of the following example, we ignore the light the Collector emits.
A single Energy Collector is sitting in a field, open to the sky. During the day the light scale is 15 so 15/15 is 1 then that is multiplied by the output. We leave our collector under the Night sky (light scale 5); now our Energy Collector is at ~33% efficiency (5/15) giving us 1 EMC/second (4*0.33 rounded down). In complete darkness our Energy Collector is producing 1EMC/second (our light scale stops at 1).
Trivia[]
- Energy Collectors cannot be pushed with a Sticky Piston or a Piston.
- To place blocks on top of an Energy Collector (Glowstone, or an Antimatter Relay, for example), hold shift while right-clicking. It will not open up the Energy Collector GUI, and will place the block instead. This feature is true on all EE blocks (sparing the DM pedestal and Transmutation Tablet).
- Energy Collectors are used in the Power Flower structure.
- Energy Collectors can be used to charge Klein Stars.
- Mark 3 Energy Collectors do not need a Glowstone block above them to be fully efficient.
- If a solid, non-luminescent block is on top of a collector it will produce a very, very small amount of EMC, even on a Mark 3 Collector.
- Sometimes during lag spikes collectors will appear to be sideways, but the texture usually corrects itself in a couple of seconds.
Power Flower Tutorial[]
How to build the different layers of a "Power Flower" machine.
A complete "Power Flower" machine.
To construct a "Power Flower" as shown here, you will need 17 Energy Collectors, 4 Anti-Matter Relays, and 1 Energy Condenser.