Steam Engines

## Overview

Ships powered by Steam have two major components. Which are the Boilers and the Steam Engines.
This article will describe how works and how you can assemble a Steam Engine properly.

Like all things building, you can make changes how you can assemble ships. This article will describe the basics of the engines themselves.

See Boilers for details on the engines themselves.

## How it works

Like in real world, steam engines require a boiler to push steam vapor to them via a piping. Ships on the server simulate a steam turbine style engine.

All steam engines consist of Lapis Lazuli blocks. This is simulates the metal and mechanical components that moves the engines (pistons, gears, etc). Engines receive power from the Diamond ore blocks, and engines pump out power to the drive shaft blocks (bone blocks) to the propeller outside the ship's hull. Engine Sign allows for crew to adjust for speed and turn it on.

The dial on the bottom right mark "Regulator" is the speed settings. Main dial is the PSI coming from the boilers.
Green Light on the sign indicate the engines are active. While when it's black it's shutdown (active ship).

### Steam Engine Construction

This depends on weight of your ship. Small ships, such as a patrol ship can consist of 2 Lapis Lazuli blocks. Large ships such as Destroyer Escorts or larger can include 40 Lapis Lazuli per engine. Some ships will have two engines with being feed by four boilers. Again, you need adjust per your ship's needs. More than 1 steam engine can feed ONE drive shaft. 2 boilers feeds 1 engine, 2 engines being powered by 4 boilers total can still be connected to 1 propeller.

Again, this is depends on your needs and what you want it to appear to be building.

## How to Use a Boiler

To control a Steam Engine, you must stand at an active Steam Engine sign.

* Activation
SHIFT and RIGHT/LEFT Click to turn on engine (once boilers are full PSI)

* Adjust Speeds
Right click a sign to increase speed, left click to lower the speed.

## How to Build a Steam Engine

* Components Needed
Lapis Lazuli (Varies depending on size ship), diamond ore block (connects from the Boilers (& or SteamGenerators), bone block (drive shaft connects to the propellar), 1 oak sign.

### Steps to assembling a Steam Engine

The following is assumed you know where your placing your boilers, as well your Boilers & steamgen (not required but recommended).

* Step 1 Build the Engine itself : A build bottom of the engines "floor" made of "Lapis". (remember you choose how much you want to use per your size. It's recommended small ships use 2 to 4 lapis, while LARGE ships from destroyers to battleships use 40 to 80. This can be broken up in multiple sets of engines.)
* Step 2 Steam Line from Boilers : Connect the diamond ore block (Steam Line) to the one side of the engines.
* Step 3 Connect to the Drive Shaft : Connect the engines to the the Drive shaft (bone blocks) Remember you can have more than 1 engine connect to a drive shaft or it can have its own propeller.
* Step 4 Get the Sign : Place sign on the lapis blocks somewhere. You will want it eye level (1 block from the floor but not required) so the villager or the player crew can click on it. Write on the sign "Steamengine" on top line, and a unique number saying which engine IT IS.

## Trouble Shooting

* Not Enough PSI / Lost Steam
This can mean issues with boiler itself. If the boiler fails, the Steam Engine will shut down.

* Not Enough PSI / No Air Flow
Engines won't start, this is could be result of Smoke Stack not big enough for boilers used. Not enough air will result in the boiler's need to vent. Remember Each part of magma must have a path out the ship to vent. Example if you have 3 magmas, you need a line of 3 blocks per magma going out of the ship.

* Engines are overheating
Steam engines without a player or NPC Crew (villager) at the Engine sign, will cause the engines to malfunction shut down.

* No npc crew!
NPC Crew can be summons using the steel hoe acquired from the vcrew sign. If a crew member has not been killed or no remaining reserve crew is available. These npcs can be summoned or a player must stand near this sign or return to it before the timer is up. Just right click the mouse button directly at the ship sign, it will summon the npc.

* Sign did change
If the oak sign still remains the same (same as when you placed it) you may have misspelled or listed something on the sign incorrectly, so the navycraft spigot did not register the sign as a engine (nor the blocks making up the engines).

## Guide Lines to building a Steam Engine Powered Ship

* 1; You must maintain a 20:1 lapis to Magma ratio for good power vs PSI Balance.

* 2; A single boiler only go to one engine, but steam engine can be connected to multiple boilers.

* 3; Boilers need a Steam Generator to start. One generator can only work one boiler.

* 4; If two steam engines are connected any point in the system, neither will start. This includes; Boilers, Steam Shafts, Steam Generators, or Propellers.

* 5; A single engine can only accommodate a single propeller and it's connected propeller shaft.

* 6; Treat your Boilers/engines/propeller & it's shaft as ONE system. You can have multiple systems, but they must remain separated from boiler to propeller.

## References

1. ↑ Steam Engine article on en.wikipedia.org