How to Pump Fluids in Industrial Craft 2 (IC2)

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn how to effectively use the pump in Industrial Craft 2 (IC2), including how to set up fluid pipes and utilize different pump attachments. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a solid understanding of fluid pumping mechanics in IC2.

Introduction to the IC2 Pump

The Industrial Craft 2 pump is a low voltage machine, which means you can power it using tin cable—the lowest tier of cable available in IC2. This makes it one of the most accessible machines for beginners working with the mod.

When working with the pump, you’ll want to equip the Wrench (New), as it’s significantly better than the standard IC2 wrench. While IC2 is known for being an older-fashioned mod with some quirky mechanics, using the correct tools makes a substantial difference in your workflow.

Setting Up Water Extraction

Creating Your Water Source

To pump water indefinitely, you’ll need a 5 by 5 area of water. This size ensures a renewable water source that won’t deplete as you extract from it.

Basic Pump Operation

When you first place the pump, it will be empty. To activate it, you need to position the grate (visible on the pump) to face the water source. You can do this by right-clicking with your Wrench (New). Once properly oriented, you’ll see the pump actively drawing water upward.

The simplest way to collect water from the pump is to place a bucket in the designated slot. The pump will automatically fill the bucket with water extracted from the source.

Understanding Fluid Pipes

For more advanced fluid transfer, IC2 offers different types of pipes with varying capacity levels:

Tiny Bronze Pipe — transfers less water

Large Bronze Pipe — transfers more than tiny bronze

Tiny Steel Pipe — higher capacity than bronze

Large Steel Pipe — highest capacity option

The pipe tier you choose directly impacts how quickly fluids transfer through your system.

Connecting Pipes with the Wrench

Use your Wrench (New) to connect and disconnect pipes from the pump. When you right-click a pipe connection point with the wrench, you’ll see different quadrants displayed. Click the desired quadrant to connect or disconnect pipes in that direction. This gives you precise control over fluid flow direction.

You can also change the face of the pump (which direction it outputs) by simply right-clicking directly on the pump itself without targeting a pipe connection.

Pump Upgrades

All Industrial Craft 2 machines, including pumps, support various upgrades. To view compatible upgrades for any machine, click the small information button (i) displayed on the machine’s GUI.

Available Upgrade Types

Overclocker Upgrade — increases the pump’s operating speed

Transformer Upgrade — allows the pump to accept higher voltage tiers (such as medium tier cables)

Energy Storage Upgrade — expands the internal energy buffer, allowing longer operation between power inputs

Fluid Ejector Upgrade — enables automatic fluid output through connected pipes

Setting Up Automatic Fluid Export

To automatically pump fluids through pipes without manual intervention, use the Fluid Ejector upgrade:

Take the Fluid Ejector upgrade and hold it in your hotbar

Shift + right-click on the side of the pump where you want fluids to output

Open the pump’s GUI and place the Fluid Ejector upgrade in the upgrades section

Connect your fluid pipes to the designated output side

Once configured, the Fluid Ejector will automatically push water through your connected pipes. Use your Wrench (New) to connect pipes to storage tanks or other machines that accept fluids.

Filling a Fluid Tank

When you connect a fluid pipe from the pump’s ejector output to a basic fluid tank, the tank will begin filling automatically. The speed of filling depends on your pipe tier—tiny bronze pipes transfer water more slowly than larger or steel-based pipes.

Make sure your pump is oriented correctly (facing downward if needed) so it can extract water from the source and push it into the output side connected to your pipes.

Summary

You now have a complete understanding of how to pump fluids in Industrial Craft 2. Whether you’re using simple bucket collection or setting up an automated pipe network with upgrades, the IC2 pump is an essential tool for fluid management. Remember to use the Wrench (New) for all connections, choose appropriate pipe tiers for your needs, and leverage upgrades like the Fluid Ejector to automate your operations.

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