Hydro Sensor

Hydro Sensor is an automation building used to detect the presence of liquid in its tile and output a signal that can be used to control pumps, shutoffs, and other liquid-handling machinery. It is commonly paired with Liquid Pump setups, especially when a system only needs to run while liquid is actually available or when a storage area should be kept from overflowing.

Its most common use is improving the efficiency of Liquid Pump systems. A Liquid Pump consumes the same power whether it is moving a full stream or only a trickle, so placing a Hydro Sensor nearby and configuring it to trigger only when liquid is above a small threshold, such as 10 kg, prevents the pump from running wastefully when there is nothing useful to move. This is especially helpful for geysers and other intermittent liquid sources, where the building can be limited to active production periods instead of running continuously.

Hydro Sensor is also useful for overflow prevention. It can be wired to turn off liquid-producing buildings before a reservoir fills up, or to control a Liquid Shutoff so excess liquid is diverted or blocked before it spills. In cramped systems, this helps avoid overpressure and keeps pipes from backing up into producers. When used with geyser outputs, it allows a collection line to fill only when the source is active, reducing idle pumping and unnecessary power use.

Practical uses include:

• Reducing power waste on Liquid Pump lines by only operating when liquid is present.
• Preventing reservoirs from overflowing by disabling liquid-producing buildings.
• Controlling a Liquid Shutoff to stop or redirect flow automatically.
• Limiting pumping to geyser activity windows to avoid overpressure and wasted operation.

Hydro Sensor is not a general-purpose manual toggle; its value comes from automating liquid infrastructure. In base designs that already rely on automation networks, it fits naturally beside sensors, shutoffs, and pumps as a simple way to keep liquid systems efficient and stable.