Sandustry Pipes Guide: Pumps, Vents & v0.5.7 Pipe Bridges

What changed with Pipes in v0.5.7?

Update #4 changed the placement rules. New Pipes no longer auto-connect to every adjacent Pipe. To extend a network, start or end the new segment on an existing Pipe tile.

Building over a crossing Pipe line can now create a Pipe Bridge. Pipes can also be selected, moved, copied, pasted and undone while you are in Pipes Mode. Holding Alt+C selects structures and Pipes together for unified blueprints.

If an older guide tells you to rely on automatic adjacency, that part is outdated.

What does a working Pipe network need?

A Pipe line needs at least one Pump to pull liquid into the network and at least one Liquid Vent to release it.

Pipes use a separate layer, so they can share cells with ordinary buildings and terrain. The current Official Wiki documents one placement exception: Pipes may not pass through artifact rooms.

Which liquids can Pipes move?

Pipes can move liquids other than Lava. Current official references agree that Lava is too hot for the network.

If you need Lava elsewhere, use the Lava relocation chain rather than trying to force it into a Pump.

How many Vents can one Pump feed?

A fully submerged Pump can deliver up to 16 liquid pixels per tick. A Liquid Vent can expel up to 4 pixels per tick.

That gives a simple capacity ceiling of up to four fully utilized Vents per fully utilized Pump. Real layouts can underperform when Pumps are obstructed or Vents are submerged, so treat those values as component limits rather than a promise for every network.

Should you mix liquids in one network?

You can, but connected inputs and outputs share the same network. If different liquids are pumped into one line, outputs can receive that mixture.

For predictable factories, keep different liquids on separate networks or plan a filtering stage after each Vent.

Quick troubleshooting order

1. Confirm the Pump is touching the intended liquid.
2. Confirm the Pump is placed on the intended Pipe network.
3. Confirm the Vent is on that same network and is not submerged.
4. Check that the line was actually connected under the v0.5.7 placement rules.
5. Check for accidental mixed-liquid inputs.
6. If the liquid is Lava, stop: Pipes do not support it.

See Filter troubleshooting if the liquid output enters a sorting stage, and read Update #4 before following pre-v0.5.7 Pipe layouts.