Is there a way to prevent pipe overflow in Buildcraft?

Question

In the Technic Pack, especially with BuildCraft, a common problem I have when setting stuff up is that I end up filling up a machine, and then it starts overflowing if the machine fills up, or is processing another material.

Is there any way to prevent this automatically? Or do I just have to manually regulate my redstone engines?

Answer 1

You can use obsidian pipes to redirect the outputs of chests. Take the following test rig:

I have filled the chest with buckets, as a sample:

If you pipe another item into the chest, it will simply pop out of the pipe, like so:

Fortunately, obsidian pipes do not connect to themselves, so you can use this to create a somewhat compact device to channel additional items elsewhere. Here's a possible system:

The iron pipes will keep the items from flowing directly into the new chests, and the obsidian pipes will pull in items that overflow.

You can also use more powerful engines of course, if you want to. This is all just an example.

Answer 2

A green insertion pipe will do the trick, and, you can easily chain them to fill 20 chests or machines.

Answer 3

I have found what I was looking for using the Logistics Pipes sub-mod: Using a supplier Logistics Pipe connected to the furnace, and a provider pipe connected to an ores chest, I can tell the supplier pipe to keep, for example, 64 iron ore in the top part of a furnace at all times, or the bottom part filled with coal at all times.

Granted, this solution requires that I have segregated furnaces, but, I think it's worth it.