Factorio Forums

What did you do?
Connected multiple machines to a small water line.
What happened?
The last chemical plant is getting all the water having done 17 crafts while the others only done 1.
What did you expect to happen instead? It might be obvious to you, but do it anyway!
Would expect when 100 water enters a pipe line that it spreads evenly, Or spreads evenly at the first intersection. instead of heading to the last machine on one side. Meaning right and left side would get 50 each. or maybe 33 to each machine and 33 going to next one.
Does it happen always, once, or sometimes?
Always, checked 4 different platforms. And able to reproduce this on systems where water is a bit low

The attached screenshot, the one with the red box is getting All the water. Since logging this, it is up to 35 crafts while all the other machines have gotten 0 water.

Currently im low on water, but i dont get enough into the others ever so i cannot even fly the platform for getting more asteroids to kickstart it.

2.0 changed from individually simulating each Pipe to an "instant flow" mechanic. The Chemical Plant highlighted in your screenshot is in the Top-Left (X-Y coordinates are the lowest), so it may simply be getting Updated "first" each Tick. There is no save file attached to your Bug Report, which really limits the amount of investigation that can be done.

Try using Production modules; not Speed.

I kick-start my space ships by importing a rocketload of barreled water, it's a lot faster than waiting to collect enough asteroids for ice

Attaching save game

eugenekay wrote: Sat Nov 08, 2025 5:32 pm 2.0 changed from individually simulating each Pipe to an "instant flow" mechanic. The Chemical Plant highlighted in your screenshot is in the Top-Left (X-Y coordinates are the lowest), so it may simply be getting Updated "first" each Tick. There is no save file attached to your Bug Report, which really limits the amount of investigation that can be done.

Try using Production modules; not Speed.

You are properly right. But prodtion would not help on that there, as its generally low on water. and produciton would only give a free craft. i need it to craft on the ot her side

attached save

Regardless, it's not a bug. New system or old, pipes were never balanced when they are empty.

In your setup you could put a pump on the fuel output pipe to block it when you think you have enough. This will back up the fuel plants and let the water flow to the other side.

Thanks for the report however as mentioned pipes do not balance perfectly. There is a somewhat distribution that happens when the pipe is fuller, but some machine always gets more than others.

EurypteriD wrote: Sat Nov 08, 2025 6:19 pm But prodtion would not help on that there

Prod modules would help in two ways:

1) Slowing down the greedy machine, allowing the others a chance to get inputs while it's working

2) Decreasing the amount of water it requires for its output to back up