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A Redstone Energy Cell (from Thermal Expansion) continuously emits energy according to the rate set in its GUI as long as it contains MJ. If the Buildcraft machines connected to the energy network aren't doing anything, eventually the first conductive pipe connected to the Cell will explode. By comparison, an IndustrialCraft MFE stops emitting EU until a machine connected to it needs EU, and this makes it very easy to use without problems. I'd like to set up my BC power network to be as well-behaved as my IC power network.

I was able to get an Autarchic Gate to toggle the cell on/off using the 'Inventory is Full' setting when beside a machine, but this would require a Gate beside every machine connected to the power network. I would rather use a single gate to turn the cell on or off if any machine connected to the cable is working, like a 'Load Connected' setting for the gate. How can I do that?

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Aren't Redstone Energy Cells from Thermal Expansion, not Buildcraft? – Shinrai Feb 5 at 5:30
...and actually, somehow I overlooked the first line...MFEs are IndustrialCraft. It might be easier to answer this question if we had some idea exactly what mods you have available (is this a Tekkit or Feed the Beast pack?) – Shinrai Feb 5 at 5:37
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Honestly, my solution is to use a lever. I turn the thing on when I want to use my machines, and off again when I'm done. – fredley Feb 5 at 11:03
Most Buildcraft related machines request power as-needed. There are some that do request power all the time. Do you happen to have a Thermionic Fabricator on the power line? That one in particular uses power all the time. – Unionhawk Feb 5 at 14:58
@Unionhawk Machines don't request energy, they simply drain it from nearby sources. Pipes do the same. As a result, pipes will draw energy even if they have nowhere to send it, and (as of BC 3.x) will explode when overloaded. Putting the cell beside the machine behaves better, because there are no pipes involved. – SevenSidedDie Feb 5 at 16:39
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Use the Redstone Conduits from the same mod, since they're smart enough to stop the Energy Cell if no energy is requested by machines that they're connected to directly. (The recipe involves filling empty conduit with molten redstone in the Liquid Transposer, like the Cell's recipe.)

You'll need a Crescent Hammer to set the Conduit to get the energy from the Cell (turn the connection orange).

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