40d Talk:Windmill

I changed the number of required pieces to 4, apparently thats all it needs on my game

Does anyone know if it's possible to connect multiple windmills together with gearboxes and axles, then send a single shaft over to your workshops? Will you get twice as much power from twice as many windmills? (I know common sense says you should, but has anyone tried it in the game?)

I verified that connecting two windmills does double the power. Also, added how to get power back to the surface, some folks were having problems with that. -- Infinity

Infinity: Doesn't using so many gear assemblies virtually drain all of the power? Would it not be a better idea to build a pedestal from a series of walls and floors to support a raised windmill, with a single gear assembly underneath it on the surface level? Matryx 06:06, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

Yes, good idea. I like the windmill tower! --Infinity 01:19, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

There's an assumption in this article which states that all windmills generate the same amount of power. I think there is wind-dependancy or height above the land changes how much power is generated. I've had windmills that power up to 20, but never 40 (yet). We need more information to confirm how it works. --Gibbonofdoom 05:17, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

I have removed

It is not presently possible to build the gear assembly or axle before building the windmill—doing so will prevent the windmill from connecting to the assembly or axle. Build the windmill first, and then build the axle or gear assembly beneath it. You can of course still have the remainder of your machine built. ???? --Markavian

from the article. In addition to Markavian, I've also confirmed it to be false. VengefulDonut 09:00, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

In my experience, Markavian is correct. --Savok 13:52, 2 November 2007 (EDT)

I have built a gear and then a windmill on the layer above of it via an adjacent walkway. --Markavian 23:50, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

Sometimes my windmills just self-destruct. I think it's because I turned off the gear assembly under it (with a lever). It might also be because the gear assembly floods with water from the pump it powers. Has anyone else had this happen to them? Valdemar 11:54, 2 November 2007 (EDT)

- Yeah. That's the catalyst. a gear under the windmill supports the windmill. (it's still hanging though) ... when you lever the gear off, the support is lost... and the windmill can fall over. It's very ;_; To verify this, build your gear and attach it to the lever first... with the lever in the "on" position, the windmill can be built over it. in the other position, it cannot. This also explains why the user thought it wasn't possible to build the gear first. of course you'd want to build it and immediately turn it off... otherwise, you'll flood your area before your containing wall gets finished :) --Vae 12:55, 2 November 2007 (EDT)

how does it connect?

When you place/remove windmills, do they leave a hole in the ground/roof, or is it a non-contact force they are using to apply torque on the assemblies (magnets maybe?). Do they punch a hole in like the wells-of-old?

-- When placed, it's a small hole with a sealed wooden grommet to prevent liquid penetration. Part of the removal process is to fill this small hole. --Vae 13:25, 08 November 2007 (EDT)

Is the construction example a bad idea?

-- Just wondering. I put it there, but wouldn't be upset it it was replaced with something prettier. --Vae 14:15, 08 November 2007 (EDT)

This allows water to flow past the pump when the pump is off, allowing for two pumps to use a single set of walls to contain the flowing water, with the direction based on which pump is on. It also allows for maintenance access from the pipe, at the cost of 3 extra wall sections and one extra floor.

Could you explain this in more detail? allowing two pumps to use a single set of walls? VengefulDonut 23:24, 9 November 2007 (EST)

33f

I've built several windmills in .33f and none of them are producing any power. Someone please check if their windmills are working properly. I've also have had the same problem with watermills. This is on a map generated with the new patch. Bouchart 21:50, 16 December 2007 (EST)

The only one i've build with the new version .33f worked fine. It was built on the ground level that I started on just in case that makes a difference, it's currently turning a millstone via a single gear on the level below. The map was also generated with .33f. Sorry I can't be more help :/ --Shades 08:24, 17 December 2007 (EST)

Some maps dont have wind.--Heliopios 09:28, 17 December 2007 (EST)

Confusing Text

I have removed

On high-wind maps, this gives 35 power for the first windmill, and 33 power for each extra windmill.  
On low-wind maps, this is reduced to 15 power for the first and 13 power for additional windmills.

because it made it sound like the windmills actively produced less power, rather than being clear it is talking about *net* power. I replaced it with text giving the correct impression. (Also, even when read as talking about net power, it was far too specific as it assumed optimal windmill clustering). --Squirrelloid 18:37, 27 April 2008 (EDT)

Where's the wind?

How do I check for wind on my map? I built a windmill to test if a pump can desalinate water, but it's not doing anything. My fortress is on the coast, and in my experience those tend to have a lot of wind. – unsigned comment by Alkyon

Is your windmill outside? Have you placed your machine part (pump or gear assembly) directly beneath the center square? What does it say when you query the windmill? Also, please sign and date=stamp your messages with four tildas. RomeoFalling 16:27, 16 October 2008 (EDT)

I apologize if my formatting isn't correct, I'm new to editing wikis, I'll do my best to copy you and maybe figure some of it out. Anyways, I tore it down as I had no use for a non-working windmill, and it would have burned down in a grass fire soon after anyways, but when it was up it was indeed above ground. Directly below the center (floor removed by channeling) was a gear assembly. On the level directly below (again floor removed) was the unpassable tile of the water pump. When I queried the windmill, it said it needed 15 power, but was providing/receiving none. Alkyon 04:43, 17 October 2008 (EDT)

There's a simple test to see if you have wind in the map.

1. Build a windmill in every biome in the map.
2. query each windmill when it's built to see how much power it produces.
3. If no windmills produce wind, no wind is on the map.

Try that. <_< Also, {{subst:unsigned|username}} to mark other people's unsigned comments if you know who made the comment. --GreyMaria 14:25, 17 October 2008 (EDT)

I don't know whether or not it's a lack of wind, but all the windmills on my current map (hot, tropical jungle) are "inactive" by default, with no power being generated. I don't know if this is a bug or there's zero wind on the map. It doesn't sound right that whatever biome wouldn't have... at least 1 wind, or what have you, though. >_> --Bronzebeard 02:42, 1 May 2010 (UTC)

Picture

Perhaps a picture like in the well article would be helpful? I would make one myself but I don't understand exactly how a windmill is supposed to be placed. Ar-Pharazon 17:45, 17 February 2009 (EST)

Ok, in the following rough diagram, O is a gear on the level below that depicted, G is 'necessary' ground/floor, X is probably 'necessary' ground/floor. I use 'necessary' because i haven't tried to build without, so i can't verify

GXG

XOX

GXG

You can of course use constructed floors or undermine the ground to run axels and so forth. You can also use something other than a gear so long as it can be powered. (ie, Screwpump, millstone, etc...). Hope that helps. --Squirrelloid 00:54, 18 February 2009 (EST)

Overhead floor breaks windmills

Potentially another issue for "When it works" although it is unlikely that many players experience it: if a floor is constructed 1 z-level above the middle of a windmill, the windmill is rendered inactive and produces no power (from my experience, version 40d). Floors above the other 8 tiles of the windmill don't seem to affect the windmill's function. --Frond 03:19, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

When there is a floor above the center tile it doesn't meet the first when it works condition: "Its center tile is outside" VengefulDonut 04:34, 14 July 2009 (UTC)