Minecraft: How To Make A Lava Generator
Minecraft: How To Make A Lava Generator
For the longest time, water has been renewable in Minecraft, with infinite water sources being created by placing two water source blocks two blocks apart. Lava, on the other hand, had not been renewable. Players were forced to seek out new lava source blocks any time they wanted to use them, often trekking into the Nether to steal from its lava oceans. However, since the addition of dripstone, infinite lava generation has become a reality in Minecraft.
Using just a single lava source, a piece of dripstone, and a cauldron, players can produce infinite amounts of lava with relative ease. This is perfect for any player looking to create an elaborate lava build in their home base, or for any player in need of lots of fuel. Players can also increase their lava production if they are willing to commit more cauldrons and dripstone.
How To Make a Lava Generator In Minecraft
These lava generators work by using dripstone’s lava drip mechanic. Simply put, placing a dripstone stalactite underneath a block that has lava over top of it will cause the dripstone to appear to drip small lava droplets. By placing a cauldron beneath this dripstone, the lava will collect in the cauldron over time and eventually fill up. When this happens, players can use an iron bucket to collect the lava from the cauldron.
An abundance of dripstone can be obtained from dripstone caves, where massive stalactites and stalagmites can be found. Placing more dripstone underneath a hanging dripstone block will create a larger stalactite, though the size does not affect the rate of lava generation. Cauldrons on the other hand can be crafted using seven iron ingots arranged in a U pattern, like an upside-down pair of iron leggings. They’re a bit expensive, but when the payoff in infinite lava, the cost is well worth it.
There are a few rules players must follow when doing this. For one, the stalactite can be no longer than ten blocks, and similarly, the cauldron must be within ten blocks of the lowest point of the dripstone. There must be no interfering blocks between the dripstone and the cauldron, and the block that the lava is resting on should be non-flammable, for obvious reasons. Additionally, the lava above the block must be a lava source block. Dripstone stalactites under non-source blocks of lava will still drip lava, but can not fill cauldrons.
Every time a random tick occurs in-game, which happens on average every 68 seconds, there will be a 5.9% chance that the cauldron will fill. This means that players may get incredibly lucky and get some lava almost instantly, whereas sometimes, players may be waiting for quite a while. On average, players can expect to receive a single new lava source every 19 minutes. This may seem slow, but with every new lava source created, players can easily expand on their lava generator, as seen below.
