Help: using a detector to stop a windmill?

[dookie4455]

Hi, i've been trying a few different ways and i cant seem to get it to work. Just to create a visual, im making a replica of those old sweidsh/spanish windmills

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now i tried putting the detector in the wall at the bottom (on a different side from the windmill itself) and in the center of the windmill i made a series of gearboxes and axles connecting to the main windmill gearbox, then i just connected redstone from the detecter to the bottom gear box, but that does not work.

if someone would be so kind as to explain (details please) or make a tutorial video or something, it would be much appreciated. It would probably help a few other people too.

[Fracture]

There's just two requirements-- the detector must be facing upward, and it must have a clear view of open sky.

[Miss_Kat]

Face your detector straight up where rain will fall on it and connect it directly, with redstone, to your very first gear box.

[dookie4455]

how would i go about making it face upwards?

[Miss_Kat]

how would i go about making it face upwards?

Just look straight down at the block you're placing it on top of - get up a few blocks higher if you have to. Sometimes it can be finicky getting a few of these blocks to place exactly how you want.

[Fracture]

Place a block beneath where you want it to be, then look down at that block and place it. Same way most of BTW's blocks are oriented.

[dookie4455]

Alright, i got it facing up in an open sky, the redstone is connected to the original gear box, but it still doesnt shut off the windmill when activated :/

[Urian]

well for some reason, it does not activate the redstone while iwas testing it

Weird, can you post a screenshot? It's always kinda difficult to give advice on redstone from just a text description.

[dookie4455]

i fixed everything but it still doesnt work :/ windmill still moves

http://imageshack.us/f/9/20110706031451.png

[Fracture]

The windmill will move, yeah-- but does any power go to/beyond that gear box? That's what you need to watch out for.

[dookie4455]

oh so it still moves? well it probably is being shut off then, because when the detector turns off, i hear the "boom" sound when the gearbox starts up again. I guess thats it :P thanks everyone!

[Fracture]

Yeah, it's for that reason you want to disconnect it. Once dc'd, the windmill can spin freely in storm winds without destroying the gearbox it's attached to, as the axle is disengaged. Good luck with finishing up your lighthouse! :)