Guide to Setting Up the Singularity

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Welcome to Engineering, scrub!

This is where you'll start off. It's a scary place out there, but have no fear! Except for the singularity. Fear LORD SINGULOTH.

Singoguide.png


Introduction

The primary and by far the strongest energy generator for the station is the Singularity Engine, which draws on the raw and mighty power of a black hole, otherwise known as a singularity, otherwise known as the singlo, otherwise known as LORD SINGULOTH, DEVOURER OF ENGINEERING.

The power for the station comes from SMESs that store and distribute electricity generated by plasma-powered Radiation Collectors. The radiation they collect is emitted from the singularity. The singularity is created by a Particle Accelerator focusing excited particles onto a singularity generator. The singularity springs forth from the singularity generator, located in a pocket space just aft of Engineering, and devours anything in its path. Luckily, the singularity is held in place by stasis Field Generators which are powered by laser-firing Emitters. Unluckily, the singularity is close enough to Engineering to overload radio headsets, to spew out EMPs that cause airlocks to open randomly, and to cause anyone nearby to glow and go blind if they're not wearing proper equipment.

When the shift starts, the station is solely dependent on stored power in the solars' and singlo's SMESs. The solars' SMESs are drained quickly, and the singlo's SMESs will drain soon afterward. If the singlo's SMESs run dry before the singlo is powering the station, the Field Generators and Particle Accelerator will shut down. To restart the Singularity Engine, one must initiate emergency power generation.

Sound complex, dangerous, and extremely sensitive to time restrictions? That's because it is. Luckily, Nanotransen has been steadily dumbing down the engineering setup process needed to create a backyard singularity to the point where monkeys could do it, if they knew what buttons to push and could breathe in the vacuum of spess air. Until they can, *you* are to take the place of those monkey.

Setting Up the Singularity Engine

Here is a basic flowchart for setting up the singularity.

Singotable.png

The work is divided into two major parts:

  1. Preparing the PA
  2. Running the PA

Preparing the PA takes up the lion's share of time, but must be completed first BEFORE* starting the PA.

*Note: A rookie engineer could attempt to turn on the PA before all the prerequisite steps are completed. However, one of three scenarios will happen: the PA won't turn on because it's not wired properly, the SMESs won't charge because it's either not inputting electricity or not set to charge, or most likely, LORD SINGULOTH WILL DEVOUR ENGINEERING AS IT HAS BEEN FORETOLD.

Preparing the PA

The PA needs a few tasks completed in order to safely harness the power of LORD SINGULOTH. The particular order of these items doesn't matter as long as they are done prior to turning on the PA. Each task can be done in parallel as well so an efficient can assign team members can work on different tasks at the same time.

  • Configuring the APC — Optional
  • Configuring the SMESs
  • Loading the Radiation Collectors
  • Starting the Containment Field
  • Assembling the PA

Configuring the APC — Optional

Tools needed: ID (or ID-loaded PDA)

For rookie Engineers, it is recommended that the Engineering APC is re-configured before continuing. The APC handles the power distribution for a given room in the station. By modifying the APC controls, this will ensure the equipment needed to contain the singlo will be prioritzed and stay on for an extended duration while the engine is being set up. More experienced Engineers will not need to perform this unless an emergency arises.

  1. Stand adjacent to the Engineering APC.
    The Engineering APC is all its locked glory. Out-of-date as of 08 February 2015.
  2. Unlock the APC controls by swiping your ID on it. To do this, take your ID (or ID-loaded PDA) in hand and click the APC. The little light in the upper right corner of the APC should turn green and a confirmation text in your chat window that says you've unlocked the APC. If already opened, the APC controls interface's grey inactive buttons should turn an active blue, and the message at the top of the screen will say to swipe your ID again to lock the interface.
    The same APC, yet now it is unlocked. Out-of-date as of 08 February 2015.
  3. Now click the APC with a free hand to bring up the APC controls interface.
  4. Set the Equipment from Auto to On. This forces the APC to send all power to the Equipment, like the Emitters and the PA, first. Environment and Lighting will become a lower priority and turn off if there is not enough power for them. This gives you more time to screw around hone your singlo set-up skills.
  5. Swipe your ID on the APC again to lock the interface so that scurrilous mimes don't change the settings when you're not looking.

APC Settings Screen
Engi changingapc.gif

Note that this photo is out-of-date as of 8 February 2015.

Now the APC has the room power prioritized to the Equipment. On to the next task.

SMES Fully Charged Blinking No BG v01.gif Configuring the SMESs

The SMES Room with marked cells according to their power queue order.

The three white thingamabobs are the station's three (3) primary SMES cells. They're connected directly to the Radiation Collectors that create electricity from radiation generated by the singularity. Each round, they start off with enough power to last an experienced Engineer through setting up the singularity. Pretend you're an experienced Engineer, and configure the three cells before starting the PA.


To alter the configuration of a SMES cell:

  1. Stand adjacent to the SMES and click on it to bring up the SMES settings screen.

SMES Settings Screen
File:Engichangingsmes.png

Note that this photo is out-of-date as of 8 February 2015.

There are two methods of thought when configuring the SMESs — a straight-forward, simplistic, basic set-up; and a more involved, optimized, advanced set-up.

Basic SMES Configuration

Tools needed: none

This is the quickest way to set the SMESs, but not the most optimal. See Advanced SMES Configuration for more information on optimizing the singlo SMESs during singularity engine set-up.

  1. Set Input from Off to On (or Auto).
  2. Increase Input level to Maximum (200 kW).
  3. Increase Output level to Maximum (200 kW).
  4. Repeat on all three (3) SMES cells.

Since you've taken the easy way out simpler method, you should now skip over to Loading the Radiation Collectors.

For more information on SMES settings, see the Guide to Power.

Advanced SMES Configuration

Tools needed: none

Because SMESs draw power in a set order, or power queue, and since the station only draws about 150kW in the early part of the shift, the SMES output can be optimized to charge all SMESs evenly, meaning that no excess energy is wasted trying to charge already full SMESs. To do this, the output level on the first two SMESs in the power queue needs to set lower than maximum while the final SMES in the queue needs to be set to maximum to cover power fluctuations. We'll choose 50kW for the output levels on SMESs #1 and #2 since that is equivalent to ~150kW split among the 3 SMESs.

  1. For each cell, set Input from Off to On (or Auto).
  2. Increase Input level to Maximum (200 kW).
  3. On SMESs #1 and #2: Manually set Output level to 50000 W (50 kW), if necessary.
  4. On SMES #3: Increase Output level to Maximum (200 kW).

These output settings may need to be set to Maximum later, after the SMESs are fully charged, when backup SMESs are wired up and charging, or if a power sink has drained station power. Otherwise, the SMESs are optimized for now. Move on to the next section.

For more information on SMES settings, see the Guide to Power.

Loading the Radiation Collectors

No one will admit it, but the six Radiation Collectors are the true heroes on the station. Even if a singularity were running at optimal conditions, the station still wouldn't generate power without these puppies. The only catch is that the Collectors need plasma in order to do their job. Partially-filled plasma tanks are already setting next to the collectors when the shift starts.

The Radiation Collectors sit in two banks of three Collectors. One bank is adjacent of the PA Room on the port side; the other bank is adjacent on the starboard side.

Like the SMESs, the Radiation Collectors have two major methods of set-up — a simple, safer, yet incomplete set-up; and a more involved, potentially disastrous, but thorough set-up.

Basic Radiation Collector Set-Up

Tools Needed: none

Since the nearby Plasma Tanks are already partially-filled, they'll work just fine in the Radiation Collectors for a while.

  1. Stand adjacent to the Collectors in either bank.
  2. With an empty hand, pick up the orange Plasma Tank laying on top of one of the Collectors.
  3. Insert the Tank into the Collector by clicking on the Collector with the hand holding the Tank. You'll see the orange Plasma Tank through the small window in the bottom left corner of the Collector after it's inserted.
  4. Click on the Collector one more time to raise its purple collection screen.
  5. Optional — Swipe the Collector with your ID (or ID-loaded PDA) to lock it from troublemakers.
  6. Repeat this for each Collector, on both banks, for a total of six (6) Radiation Collectors.

Because the Plasma Tanks are only partially filled, the Radiation Collectors will at some point run out of plasma and their screens will fall back into the inactive position. To generate more electricity, the Plasma Tanks will need to be re-fuelled. Regardless, the Radiation Collectors are active for now. Skip to the next section.

Advanced Radiation Collector Set-Up

Tools Needed: Plasma Gas Canister, Crowbar (possible), Gas Mask (optional), O2 Tank (optional)

The more complete method is to fill the Plasma Tanks before inserting them into the Collectors. This ensures that the Radiation Collectors will be on for the duration of the shift. However, one slip of the finger and Engineering will be flooded with lethal and flammable plasma gas. An experienced Engineer would know to halt setting up the singularity engine, and instead siphon the plasma gas from Engineering first before continuing with singularity set-up.

  1. Optional — Put on a Gas Mask and O2 Tank, and start Internals air flow. If there is a plasma leak, at least you won't be trying to inhale poisonous gas.
  2. Request that the CE or AI open Engineering Secure Storage, if they haven't already while you were reading this.
  3. Retrieve the red Plasma Gas Canister from Secure Storage by ctrl+clicking it, and move yourself adjacent to the first Radiation Collector. Make sure that the Canister is not between you and the Collector or you will not be able to reach over to the Collector.
  4. With an empty hand, pick up the orange Plasma Tank laying on top of one of the Collectors.
  5. Insert the Tank into red Canister by clicking on the Canister with the hand holding the Tank. (If you screwed up and put the Plasma Tank into the Collector instead of the Canister, then you are a rookie. Eject the Plasma Tank from the Collector by prying it out with a Crowbar.)
  6. Click on the Canister a second time — this time with your now empty hand — to bring up the Canister valve settings panel.
  7. Increase the valve pressure to maximum (1013.25 kPa) by clicking on the rightmost '+' icon. You'll only need to do this once.
  8. IMPORTANT: Verify that the Tank is present in the Canister. You can see the Tank's pressure in the panel.
  9. Click on the 'Closed' link to open the pressure valve on the Canister. The link will change from 'Closed' to 'Open'. If the Tank was not installed in the Canister, Engineering should be full of plasma now, and the circle of awesomeness is complete.
  10. Wait until the panel indicates that the pressure in the Tank is also at (1013.25 kPa).
  11. IMPORTANT: Close the pressure valve by clicking the 'Open' link on the panel.
  12. IMPORTANT: Verify the valve reads as 'Closed' on the panel.
  13. IMPORTANT: Verify the valve reads as 'Closed' on the panel again because you just skimmed over the previous instruction.
  14. Click on the 'Remove Tank' link on the panel. The Plasma Tank should be lying on top of the Canister now. Also, if you didn't close the valve, Engineering should be steadily filling with Plasma.
  15. Pick up the filled Plasma Tank laying on top of the Canister.
  16. Insert the Tank into the Collector by clicking on the Collector with the hand holding the Tank. You'll see the orange Plasma Tank through the small window in the bottom left corner of the Collector after it's inserted.
  17. Click on the Collector one more time to raise its purple collection screen.
  18. Optional — Swipe the Collector with your ID (or ID-loaded PDA) to lock it from troublemakers.
  19. Repeat this for each Collector, on both banks, for a total of six (6) Radiation Collectors.
  20. Return the red Plasma Gas Canister to Engineering Secure Storage.
  21. After exiting Secure Storage, request the CE or AI to close Secure Storage.

Given Engineering isn't a inhabitable mire of plasma gas, the Radiation Collectors are active for now and be able to handle all the power needs for the rest of the shift. Skip to the next section.

Starting the Containment Field

The containment field is the only thing keeping the singlo from eating the station and everyone you know and despise work with. If set up improperly, you can bet your bottom spess buck that it will ruin your day. The containment field generators are located outside the aft airlock of Engineering. You can also bet your bottom spess buck that if you go out there without a hardsuit and internals, you're going to have a bad time. PRO-TIP: Always bet your bottom spess buck because it's usually the one you'll never miss anyway.

Breathing in Spess

Since the human body has not yet adapted to breathing spess air, you'll need the following:

  • A breath mask or gas mask
  • An oxygen tank of any kind.

You already start out with a large-capacity emergency oxygen tank and a breath mask in the emergency box in your backpack.

To breathe from Internals, an oxygen tank must be in your hand, in your pocket, in your backpack slot on your uniform, or in the tank slot on the hardsuit. In reality, you have a choice of oxygen tanks, but usually the yellow large-capacity emergency tank is the best one to have. An even larger blue full-sized oxygen tank can be found in the tank dispenser in Engineering Storage. However, the full-sized tank can only be held in hand or placed in the tank slot on your hardsuit. Having in your hand takes up space, and having it in the tank slot causes it to drop to the floor every time you take off your hardsuit. The yellow large-capacity emergency oxygen tank can fit in your pocket, and lasts a very respectable amount of time when filled.

To fill an oxygen tank:

  1. Stand adjacent to the blue O2 Canister in Engineering Storage.
  2. With your Oxygen Tank in hand, insert it into the O2 Canister by clicking on it.
  3. Click on the Canister a second time — this time with your now empty hand — to bring up the Canister valve settings panel.
  4. Increase the valve pressure to maximum (1013.25 kPa) by clicking on the rightmost '+' icon.
  5. Verify that the Tank is present in the Canister. You can see the Tank's pressure in the panel.
  6. Click on the 'Closed' link to open the pressure valve on the Canister. The link will change from 'Closed' to 'Open'. If the Tank was not installed in the Canister, the Canister will empty its contents into Engineering Storage and the game is over.
  7. Wait until the panel indicates that the pressure in the Tank matches the valve pressure of the Canister (1013.25 kPa).
  8. Close the pressure valve by clicking the 'Open' link on the panel.
  9. Verify the valve reads as 'Closed' on the panel.
  10. Click on the 'Remove Tank' link on the panel. The Oxygen Tank should be lying on top of the Canister now. Also, if you didn't close the valve, the Canister will empty silently into the room denying any other Engineers of its use that's fine because no one else needs it but you.

Once you have a full oxygen tank, you'll want to reduce the tank's pressure to conserve oxygen.

  1. With the the Tank in hand, click it to check its valve settings.
  2. Reduce the valve settings using the '+' and '-' buttons to reach 16.0 kPa.

16 kPa is the minimal oxygen needed to survive. If your tank ever drops below that and you attempt to use it as Internals, you will start to suffer from asphyxiation until you turn off Internals. If this is the case, then the tank should be re-filled.

You also might have already obtained a gas mask in Engineering when setting up the Radiation Collectors. A gas mask is typically better than a breath mask since it also filters poisonous gas mask. However, the breath mask can be moved aside to eat while wearing it, while the gas mask to be removed to eat.

Preventing Exposure in Spess

Other than breathing, you'll also need to keep warm and snuggly in spess. Although your mind is ready, you're a rookie and your body isn't. You'll need the following equipment to survive in spess:

  • A hardsuit
  • A hardsuit helmet

The hardsuit and hardsuit helmet are located in hardsuit storage pods in Engineering Storage on the far side of the room of the Engineering APC. To access them:

  1. Stand adjacent to the pod.
  2. Open the pod's control panel by clicking on it with an empty hand.
  3. Click the 'Open Unit' button on the panel to the pod.
  4. Click the 'engineering hardsuit' button on the panel to release the hardsuit from the pod.
  5. Click the 'engineering hardsuit helmet' button to release the helmet from the pod.
  6. Unnecessary — Click the 'breath mask' button to release the breath mask. However, this is completely unnecessary since you start the shift with a breath mask in your emergency box in your backpack.
  7. Pick up and equip the items. You will need to move your engineering hard hat to your backpack (or the floor, like a goddamned spess heathen) before you can put on the helmet.
  8. Turn on the helmet light by either: activating it in while it's in hand, or if already wearing it, by clicking on the helmet icon in the upper left corner of the screen. The light takes a moment to turn on.

You can leave the pod open since it would show other engineers that the hardsuit is already taken from the pod.

Turning on the Field Generators

Tools Needed: Hardsuit, Hardsuit Helmet, Oxygen Tank, Breath (or Gas) Mask

Now that the correct equipment has been collected and prepped, go put it back where you found it. Now go pick it up again because we're about to go into spess.

  1. Before you go into spess, don the hardsuit, its helmet, the oxygen tank, and the breath (or gas) mask, and then turn on Internals by clicking the blue O2 Internals icon on the right side of your screen.
  2. Enter the singularity area, by exiting Engineering through one of the airlocks closest to the PA Room.
  3. Spess-walk to the closest Emitter, and click it to turn it on. The light on it will turn green and it will start firing lasers periodically. You will also see a prompt in your chat window telling you the Emitter is on. The Emitter fires at the Field Generator, charging it with power. You can watch the green charging bar on the Field Generator slowly fill up.
  4. Optional — Swipe your ID (or ID-loaded PDA) to lock the Emitter on. You will see a prompt in your chat window telling you the Emitter is locked.
  5. Spess-walk to the closest Field Generator. IMPORTANT: Do not find yourself in front of an Emitter while it's firing. This kills the rookie. Some idiots prefer to try to dodge the laser fire by timing it. Smart Engineers turn off the Emitter when crossing in front of it, and then turn it back on after they've crossed it.
  6. Click the Field Generator to prime it. After a few moments, the blue priming bar on the Field Generator will start to fill up. When the blue priming bar is full and the green charging bar has at least some power, the Field Generator will become active. If there is no power in the green charging bar, the Field Generator will return to its original inactive state and you'll need to click the Field Generator on again to prime it.
  7. Spess-walk to the next closest Field Generator and click it to prime it. Unlike the first one, this Field Generator can be powered by the adjacent Emitter-powered Field Generator. Once its blue priming bar is full, an arcing field with appear between the two Generators. If you touch this electric field, you will get the tinglies and die.
  8. Continue switching on Field Generators and Emitters, avoiding both laser fire and electric fields. In total there are four (4) Emitters and (9) Field Generators.
  9. Verify that all fields are active. The smart Engineer will do this prior to turning on the final Field Generator. The smart Engineer will also chose the central-forward Field Generator as the final generator so that anyone in the PA Room can see that the field is not yet ready.
  10. Exit the singularity area through the airlocks into Engineering.
  11. Announce to the Engineering team that the containment field is set up.
  12. If you're not planning another spess-walk, return the hardsuit and its helmet to the hardsuit pods — closing the pod when you're done to signal a hardsuit may be present, and turn off your Internals.

You might have noticed some extra tools lying around in the singularity area. Feel free to grab them if you want them. Otherwise, the singlo will slowly draw them into its celestial mouth and nom-nom them to oblivion.

Assembling the Particle Accelerator

Tools Needed: Wrench, a Cable Coil with at least 7pc of wire, and a Screwdriver.

The Particle Accelerator is the only piece of machinery capable of teasing out the lonely, pent-up anger of the singularity generator into a full-fledged adult singularity. Before it can begins its quantum mating dance though, the PA must be assembled. There are seven (7) modules or parts to the PA.

  • Particle Accelerator Console
  • ... six other parts

All of them need to be placed and assembled properly for the PA to work.

  1. Check that all PA parts are in the correct position and facing the correct direction. The reason for this is because when the shift starts, the PA isn't even bolted down. That means any chucklefuck Engineer can push and rotate pieces of PA around on accident. Obviously this linked version of the PA looks nothing like ours, but if it did, rest assured, it would need to look like that. [1]
  2. If the PA parts are not in position, push them into the correct position and use the 'Rotate...' commands in the 'Object' tab in the upper right portion of your gaming screen, outside of the main graphical window.
  3. Once the PA parts are confirmed in place, wrench all seven (7) PA parts down, including the console. The parts will not be able to be moved if they are wrenched down.
  4. Add 1pc wire from the cable coil to seven (7) PA parts, including the console. Some parts will show that they have cables now, but not all. Luckily, each part will say that a wire has been added in your communications window.
  5. Finally, fasten the covers of the seven (7) PA parts, including the console, by using the screwdriver. Not all pieces have visible covers, each part will say that the cover panel has been closed in your communications window. The PA Console will light up and turn blue.
  6. Interface with the PA Console, by standing adjacent to it and clicking on it.
  7. Click the 'Run Scan' button on the Console. If everything is ready, a new screen with power toggle and setting will come up. If not, the scanner will not detect all PA modules, and you'll need to review the steps above.

So remember... [2]

Once this and the other preparatory tasks are completed, we can move onto the main event.

Running the PA

Tools Needed: Radiation Hood, Radiation Suit, and Optical Meson Scanners

Now we can finally start up the singularity. Hoorah!

Radiationsuitlocker.png


  1. Don the ceremonial Radation Hood and Radiation Suit found in any of several marked radiation lockers in Engineering.
    The PA and its Level 3 singularity spawn, the epitome of celestial abomination. Do not stand in front of the PA like this unfortunate Engineer, who was forced to watch the unholy relationship until his death a short while later.
  2. Put on Optical Meson Scanners, which are pretty much sunglasses for pious engineers. There are usually a couple pairs lying around Engineering, but if they're gone, pull one from the vending machine next to the airlock by Engineering Storage.
  3. Enter the PA Room and ritually close the radiation shutters by clicking the switch next to the door. This signifies to other Engineers that shit's about to get crunk up in hurr'.
  4. Stand adjacent to the PA Console and interface with its infinite wisdom by clicking on it.
  5. Announce to the Engineering team that you're turning on the PA, and wait a few seconds for someone object to this matrimonial union.
  6. If no objections, marry the PA to the singularity generator by toggling the power On and setting it to level 2 using the '++' button.
  7. At no point should the Engineer step between the PA and its betrothed, the singularity generator, or its offspring, the singularity. Although the holy robes of anti-radiation will protect one's soul, it is not infallible enough to protect one's entire body. Staying out of the direct glow of the PA will keep the pious Engineer safe from the radiance of the demi-gods.
  8. At first the PA will begin spraying its love particles all over the singularity generator. Though it might take some time, a small singularity will suddenly be born through the singularity generator. At that point it will immediately eats its mother to continue basking in the particles emitting from its wily PA father. A singularity that takes up 1x1 square is known as a Level 1 singularity.
  9. Watch as the baby singlo will go through a growth spurt into adolescence, swallowing the raining tutelage of its father and become a red Level 2 singularity with a purple center taking up 3x3 squares.
  10. Soon, the singlo will grow to a mature Level 3 singularity, purple with a blue center taking up 5x5 squares. The singularity is powerful enough to feed its father which in turn feeds it. At this point, you may find yourself drawn to the singularity. Do NOT fall for its temptation and do NOT let the singularity grow any larger, or else it will become unrighteously angry and smite the station.
  11. As the Reverend Engineer, turn down the Console's power setting to 0, but leave the power on. This incestuous relationship is a necessary evil that must last for the rest of the shift without any further interference for everyone else aboard to be saved.
  12. Exit the PA Room, ritualistically closing the radiation shutters behind you. If you forget, all the Engineers will witness this unholy radiant relationship between the child singularity and its father and blame you for its lasting side effects.
  13. Place the Radiation Hood and Robes in the ceremonial locker, and leave this behind you once and for all.

In all the excitement, you might have been blessed in that your radio headset overloaded and is now powered off. To turn it back on, take the headset in-hand and click it to find its control panel, then engage all the radio channels. You can keep the Optical Meson Scanners as a memento reminding you that what is seen cannot be unseen.

The singularity is set up. After you're done crying in the shower, you should get ready for the next ordeal: wiring solars

Maintaining the Singularity Engine

After the singularity engine has been set up, a small amount of review is required in order to maintain its operation.

Maintaining the SMESs

In general, the SMESs don't need maintenance. However, there are a few times when they do need to be handled specially, namely during the following instances.

The SMESs are fully charged. They might as well be ramped up to full output. But it doesn't hurt to keep them at lower levels.
The Backup SMESs are charging. In this case, the SMESs will need to be ramped up to full output so that the Backups can charge faster.
The singularity has escaped. This one is iffy. The station still needs power so output needs to stay up, but if all the power is used before a new singularity can be set up, then the SMES output needs to be turned them down. This usually resolves itself when the command team calls the escape shuttle, or when the rampant singlo eats the SMESs on its way to Cargo.
The singularity has died due to lack of PA power. Reduce the output levels on the SMESs. In this case, the singlo can easily be set up again. The SMESs will need to power the Emitters in the containment field.
The AI is rogue. Cut all power. The AI's greatest ally is electricity. Take it away. Note that the APCs' batteries will still power the station for a bit.
There is a power sink on the ship. Ensure output levels are lower than input levels, but not completely off. This keeps the power sink from draining the SMESs. You can use some clever electrician tricks to find the power sink through the power lines as long as there is still output from the SMESs.

There is an off-chance that an enthusiastic RnD Scientist will want to upgrade the SMESs. If they do, you'll lose all that charge you've been saving up, so only upgrade one SMES at a time at most.

Maintaining the Radiation Collectors

Occasionally, the Collectors will need some form of maintenance. First check to see if they're still active, and then re-fuelling them, if necessary.

Checking the Radiation Collectors

Electricity is only generated with the Radiation Collectors are collecting radiation, and they're only collecting radiation when their Plasma Tanks aren't empty and the collection screen is up.

To check that the Collectors are running, it's as easy as looking at them. If the radiation shutters are down because, say, the singularity is spewing out all kinds of deadly, invisible radiation, then you'll need to either...

  • ...put on a radiation suit and open the shutters, warning your comrades before you do so, or...
  • ...use the viewing screen to look at the port and starboard collector banks using cameras mounted in the singularity area the outside of the station.

If the purple collection screens are not up, then the Collectors either need re-fuelling or just need the screens turned on. Be sure to put on radiation gear and optical mesons scanners if you plan to work on the Collectors while the singlo is active.

A smart engineer can figure out how much fuel is left in a Collector's Plasma Tank by reading the green lights flashing on the bottom right window of the Collector.

Re-fuelling the Radiation Collectors

Tools Needed: Crowbar, Plasma Gas Canister, Radiation Hood (possible), Radiation Suit (possible), Optical Meson Scanners (possible), Gas Mask (optional), O2 Tank (optional)

The plasma tanks will eventually run out of plasma. When this happens, everything will fail and it will be your fault the Radiation Collectors will power down and their collection screens will move to the inactive position. The Collectors will need to be re-fuelled in order to generate more electricity.

  1. If the singularity is active in the singularity area, don a Radiation Hood, a Radiation Suit, and Optical Meson Scanners before approaching the Collectors.
  2. If the radiation shutters are closed, they'll need to be opened with the switch next to either the port or starboard doors of the PA Room.
  3. Stand adjacent to the Radiation Collector.
  4. Use a Crowbar on the Radiation Collector to pry out the Plasma Tank. The Plasma Tank will be lying on the Collector when finished. If the Collector was active, it will turn off and the collection screen will lower into the inactive position.
  5. To re-fill the Plasma Tanks, follow the Advanced Radiation Collector Set-Up guide.

Maintaining the Containment Field

Maintaining the containment field is as easy as looking through the Singularity Engine Telescreen on the outer wall of the PA Room. There are only a few items that can go wrong:

The singlo is missing but the fields are intact. Report it immediately and then check the PA. The singlo may have died if it received no power from the PA. You may have to build a new singlo.
The singlo is missing but the fields aren't intact. Report it immediately, and check your immediate surroundings to see if there is anything amiss and react accordingly. If not, shut down the PA and figure out if a new singlo can be re-built.
The singlo is present and it's crazy huge! Report it immediately, and check the PA. This is not good, but you might have caught it before it got worse.
The singlo is present but there's a field missing. Report it immediately, turn off the PA to power down the singlo, and cross your fingers that it doesn't come your way.
The singlo is present and an Emitter isn't on. Report it immediately, turn off the PA to power down the singlo, and cross your fingers that it doesn't come your way.
The singlo is present and there is someone out there! Report it immediately. If the person is alive, they won't be soon. If the person is dead, they will stay that way. Don't try to retrieve them or you will die too.
The singlo is present and the containment field is intact. Repor— Wait. There's nothing wrong. Are you trying to trick me? Not cool, bro.

Maintaining the Particle Accelerator

Usually, you'll notice that something is wrong with containment before you notice something is wrong with the PA. Here are a few items to follow up with. Make sure to wear a Radiation Hood, a Radiation Suit, and Optical Meson Scanners before entering the PA Room.

The singlo is fricking huge! Turn off the PA for a bit to power down the singlo, checking its size periodically. Also, check to see if the PA's power level was higher than 0. This is almost always the culprit.
The singlo is fricking small! Increase the PA power level to 2 and wait until the singlo is back to Level 3 size. Then return the PA power level to 0, like you just set up the singlo before.
The singlo is fricking gone! Turn off the PA. You'll either have to set up a new singularity generator or evacuate the station.
The singlo is big, then small, then big, then small, then... Let me cut you off there. This is normal behavior for the singlo and should be ignored so long as it's not larger than Level 3.

Singularity Pro-Tips

  • Experienced Engineers pick jobs based on their starting location in Engineering. If they're right next to the PA, they're assemble it first. If they're close to storage, they'll grab a hardsuit and set up containment. If they're near the gas masks, they'll start working on the Radiation Collectors.
  • Engineers announce when they've completed any of the setup tasks so that other Engineers know that the singlo is not still waiting for it. In particular, it's good to announce when the containment field is ready since that task is only one requiring EVA.
  • Announce before starting up the PA. There might still be an Engineer performing EVA on the back side of the containment field that you can't see from the PA Room.
  • Announce again after the PA is stabilized. Sometimes the Engineer in the PA Room gets caught in front of the PA and can't turn down the power. If they collapse from the radiation, then pretty soon the unchecked singlo will grow so large that it will burst out of containment. If you don't announce that the PA is stable, someone might have the presence of mind to come check on you and save your butt and the station.
  • A good Engineer knows when they don't know something. Asking a team member or the CE how to do something is the best way to learn if they have time. If they don't, they'll usually take on the responsibility themselves. Even asking the HoP or Captain for help when there are few personnel on the ship isn't uncommon.
  • Most experienced Engineers don't touch the APC because they've developed a fast response time to anything involving power. The whole singularity engine can be set up in just a few minutes with a little practice. Also, it's entirely possible to forget to lock the APC after unlocking it. By not touching it in the first place, the APC is still secure.
  • Make obtaining a gas mask one of the first items you do. It's part of an Engineer's routine toolkit, and it's too often an Engineer leaks plasma into Engineering. Having a gas mask already handy is a great way to not succumb to the poisonous gas and be a hero when you start getting it cleaned up. Also, gas masks are typically much more useful than breath masks.
  • Using the O2 Canister to fill up your oxygen tank is also a good way to learn the proper way to fill up plasma tanks, but without all the danger associated with it.
  • The large-capacity emergency oxygen tank is a part of an Engineer's starting equipment, but not for other roles. And it's probably the best oxygen anyone can get. Take advantage of it by filling it up even if you don't plan to EVA.
  • There is a way to wind around the Emitters and Field Generators in a circular path without crossing any fields or active Emitters. Remember that Generators take a few seconds to prime and that Emitters can be activated by standing diagonally adjacent to them. Try turning on the Emitter after you've passed it rather than before passing it.
  • There's an unused fire extinguisher in the singularity area. Anyone who's wearing a hardsuit in spess knows how helpful these are, and no one is going to miss this one since it will get eaten by the singlo anyway.
  • If there's another team member working on the PA and you're doing the containment field, it might be a good idea to stay out of the way and go start solars. Make sure to ask first though. The other Engineer might not be setting up the singlo, or might wonder where you're going with on of Engineering's precious hardsuits.
  • Cable coils are useful when things go to hell and power lines get blown up as collateral damage. If you're putting together the PA, there's a pile of cable coils sitting nearby so that you don't have to use the ones in your toolbelt.
  • The SMESs technically don't have to be set before you start the PA. If you're by yourself, you may want to start the PA first, then run and set the SMESs, and then put on your radiation gear, and then run back and watch the singlo. If you're fast enough, it can all get done before the L1 singlo appears. However, this is a rare case when it's necessary to do it this way.
  • The input level on a charging SMES should always, always, always be higher than its output level. If the charging isn't higher than the output, eventually the SMES won't be able to output at all. See the Guide to Power for a better understanding.

Troubleshooting

When should I re-configure the SMESs next?

Answer: If the singlo is running, and the SMESs are full or backups are charging, feel free to turn them up to maximum (200 kW) output. If the SMESs are not full and there are no backups, it's best to distribute the load evenly between the SMESs so that they can all charge at the same rate. If the singlo is not and will not be running soon, turn output to minimal levels to conserve power. It's also okay to reduce output when a power sink is active aboard the station.

Why is the singlo eating the station?

Answer: Either someone (not naming any names here) didn't turn on the containment field like they were supposed to; or someone (still not naming names) let the power ran dry in the station's SMESs and the Emitters turned off and the Field Generators died; or someone (fine, it's your fault) had the PA running above 0 for too long.
Action: Switch to solars for main power. Check to see if the singlo ate any important parts. If it didn't, set up the singularity engine again using the spare singularity generator in Engineering Secure Storage.

Why won't the Emitters turn on?

Answer: There's no power in the station SMESs; or they're not wired correctly.
Action: Check the singlo's SMESs in Engineering. If they still have charge, then check the wiring for the Emitters. Also, check that your hands are empty.

Why are the SMESs empty?

Answer: The station used up all the power because either the singularity engine wasn't set up fast enough or the Radiation Collectors aren't collecting radiation or wiring.
Action: Check that the Radiation Collector have their purple screens up. If not, they'll need their Plasma Tanks filled with plasma and installed in the Collector with the purple screen switched on by clicking on it. If the Collectors are ready and waiting, then check the wiring. If the wiring looks good, then you'll have to initiate emergency power generation.

Why won't the PA turn on?

Answer: The PA isn't set up properly and it knows better than to let incompetent Engineers turn it on when it's not set up properly.
Action: Check that the covers to all seven PA sections are closed with your screwdriver. If they aren't, check that all seven sections are wired with a coil of wires. If they aren't wired, then check to see if you know how to read because we already went over this above.

Mawp. I hear anything on the radio. Is Telecomms down? Mawp.

Answer: No, Archer. The high-energy electromagnetic radiation from the singularity has overloaded your radio headset's circuitry. Action: Take it off your head, toggle the radio back on in-hand, and put it back on. If you just got blasted in the danger zone, you'll have to wait a little bit to access the headset's controls.

Why can't I see anything?

Answer: Were you wearing optical meson scanners when you stared directly into the blindingly bright singularity? It might sound like a question, but trust me: It's actually an answer.
Action: Go visit Medbay and ask them what you asked me.

Help! There's a sparkly purple gas in Engineering and it tastes like burning! Is everything okay?

Answer: No. This is a plasma leak. This is why we can't have nice things.
Action: First, leave the area. Then, inform the station that there is a plasma leak in Engineering, and take the brunt of the collective groan. Then, start following emergency procedures. Don't try to ignore it and continue setting up the singlo. You could burn down Engineering.

Help! I'm stuck in front of the PA! Why can't I get away from it?

Answer: The singularity has a gravitational pull, which grows with each level of strength. If you stand too close, the singlo will pull you towards it, which coincidentally (and fittingly) also happens to be directly in front of the PA.
Action: Next time, don't stand in front of the PA. This time, pray to whatever gods exist in this godforsaken sector of spess.

Help! I just got hit by an Emitter! What do I do?

Answer: Don't stand in front of active Emitters.
Action: Duh.

Help! I went outside to check the singlo and now I'm bouncing off the fields! How could I have prevented this?

Answer: That's not how you check the singlo.
Action: Next time use the camera screen inside Engineering. Or don't. See if I care.

Why are there no lights in Engineering?

Answer: For rookie Engineers, the most common reason is that the APC doesn't have enough power to turn them on because you took too long setting up the singularity engine and you're being rightfully punished. For experienced Engineers, the most common reason is that an electrical storm busted all the lights and you're being unfairly punished by the spess gods.
Action: Sit in the dark and think about why you deserve this.

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