Building: Repeating Timer

Mechanic's difficulty: Easy

This is a guide on how to build a Repeating Timer. Be aware that this construction makes the Parts flicker rapidly, so epileptics may want to cover the creation with blocks.

Flip-flops are the basis of this design. You would theoretically only need two Logic Gates feeding into each other to mimic this, but Scrap Mechanic doesn't allow two Parts to be the input-and-output of each other. Attempting to do so with the Connect Tool will just remove the existing connection. Instead, the Timer is put between the output of one gate and the input of the other gate to simulate both gates being circularly connected.

= Parts = You need the following Parts:
 * 1 Timer
 * 2 Logic Gates

These Parts are optional:
 * 1 Switch or Button to turn the timer on/off
 * 1 interactive, connectable item such as a Headlight to verify the timer works

= Building = 1. Connect the timer and logic gates to a structure. Leave one logic gate as AND, but set the other to NOR.



2. Use the Connect Tool to connect these three Parts in a triangle. The order and direction do not matter. The picture shows the following specific arrangement.
 * 1) Connect the Timer to the AND Logic Gate. This makes the Timer output to the AND gate.
 * 2) Connect the AND Logic Gate to the NOR Logic Gate. This makes the AND gate's output become the NOR gate's input.
 * 3) Connect the NOR Logic Gate to the Timer. This makes the NOR gate's output become the Timer's input.



3. Optionally, add a Switch or Button to the Creation. It will allow you to stop the looping timer.

4. Finally, connect any one of the Logic Gates or the Timer to the Interactive Part you want to activate repeatedly.



= Uses = The output of any of the three Parts can automatically and rapidly activate things. This can be a basic component of a larger system.
 * It can trigger a Water Cannon for watering your crops with the flip of a Switch. Then you just need to decide how you want to move or aim the cannon.
 * It can trigger Mountable Spudguns so you can concentrate on driving without needing to reach for a Switch/Button key.
 * It can make Totebot Heads make noise with consistent timing.
 * It can be used to automatically fire your fruit into the Packing Station while you connect the packages to your vehicle.
 * It can be the starting point to mimic circuitry.

= Troubleshooting =
 * When using the Connect Tool, if you don't see the sphere on a Part you want to connect, that means those Parts are not considered pieces of the same creation. If this does not make sense, use your lift to make a flat surface of any type of block. Put the Parts on that surface. Use the Weld Tool to move your finalized creation.
 * If the Connect Tool doesn't show spheres even though the Parts are clearly on the same surface or structure, that might be because you put the Parts on the floor, ground, wall, or ceiling of a building. Build off of your lift so that the game considers your thing a "creation".
 * If the finalized creation is not looping, you might have the logic gates set incorrectly. Remember that removing and then placing them resets them to AND.
 * If the thing you connected the repeating timer to keeps starting and stopping instead of just running like at full power, then you shouldn't be using a repeating timer in the first place. You probably just need to use a Switch/Button.
 * If you are building a system that runs continuously (e.g. it's not regulated by a switch), you will, sooner or later, notice blips in the circuit - that is it's momentarily on when it should be off or off when it should be on. These are due to the way Logic Gates states are saved when you load the game or re-load a chunk.  If you really want to fix this, the Scrap Mechanic Logic Gate Simulator can help.