Power

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Power is a representation of electricity, required to power a wide variety of appliances and buildings.

Summary

Power is measured in the form of Watts (W). Power generators create watts, and appliances will consume a certain amount of watts to function. Most appliances will use power even when not actively being used - they must be manually switched off. Power only exists within a power grid and requires something to transport it. Any power that isn't used or stored is wasted.

Power is stored in the form of Watt-days (Wd), where 1 Watt-day can power a 1 W appliance for 24 hours. Each battery can store up to 600 Wd, but only store at 50% efficiency. This means that, for the purposes of storing, 1 W for 24 hours would only give 0.5 Wd inside a battery.

Power travels through power conduits and power switches, though batteries and anything that generates power can also transport it. Buildings can be "plugged in" from up to 6 tiles away from a conduit, generator, or battery, so they don't need to be directly adjacent.

Power conduits can randomly short circuit when connected to a grid. Many electric appliances also short circuit while in rain.

Mechanoid Power

Main article: Mechanoid creation#Power

Enemy mechanoids - that is, all mechanoids without any DLC - do not require any source of power. However, your allied mechanoids do. When controlled by a colony, an active mechanoid's power need falls by 10% per day. Non-working mechs lose 3% power per day. They can enter a dormant self-charging state, which instead restores 1% power per day for free. Mechanoids in a caravan do not consume or gain any power.

A mechanoid's power need does not directly translate to electrical power. However, mech rechargers require a constant 200 W, large mech rechargers require 400 W, and both chargers restore 50% of any mechanoid's power per day. When recharging, mechanoids create Toxic wastepacks, which can lead to pollution.

Power generators

Type	Cost	Market Value	Fuel (per day)	Size	Base Output (Watts)	Variable Output	Day	Night	Placement
Solar generator	100 +  3	295		4 × 4	1,700				In sunlight
Wind turbine	100 +  2	265		7 × 2	2,300				In open ground
Watermill generator	280 +  80 +  3	600		5 × 6	1,100				On riverbanks
Chemfuel powered generator	100 +  3	295	4.5	2 × 2	1,000				Anywhere
Wood-fired generator	100 +  2	265	22	2 × 2	1,000				Anywhere
Geothermal generator	340 +  8	945		6 × 6	3,600				On geysers
Ship reactor	350 +  280 +  70 +  8	5440		6 × 7	1,000				Outside (can roof over afterwards)
Vanometric power cell	N/A	1200		1 × 2	1,000				Anywhere
Unstable power cell	N/A	400		1 × 1	400				Anywhere
Toxifier generator	125 +  3	360		2 × 2	1,400				Anywhere

Appliances

Appliances are structures or buildings that require power but don't transmit it. Most appliances can connect automatically if placed up to six squares away from a conduit, generator or battery.

When placing an appliance's blueprint, the most direct connection point to a power transmitting structure will be displayed as a golden yellow connection between the current blueprint position and the power. Note that it will display a connection even if the grid it attaches too does not sufficient or any power, and that while an appliance will default to that connection point it will be able to connect to other sources with range using the reconnect gizmo mentioned below. If no yellow wire is shown, there is no connection point in range.

Once constructed, this connection will be displayed by a black "power cord" that runs from the connecting power transmitting building to the appliance in question. This cord is graphical only and cannot be interacted with or damaged in any way. Additionally, when viewing the power grid, a magenta wire similar to the yellow above will display the connection point of appliances in view.

When connected to the power grid, it can take a few moments before an appliance turns on.

Managing appliances

Reconnect: Click to force an appliance to reconnect to a conduit line or power source. This can also be used to change which power source an appliance is connected to if there is more than one in range.
Designate toggle power: Click to mark an appliance to be turned on (✔) or off (X) by a colonist set to Basic.

Reconnect

Designate toggle power

Appliances summary

Appliance	Power consumption (in Watts)
Autodoor	50
Electric tailor bench	120
Electric smithy	210
Machining table	350
Electric smelter	700
Electric crematorium	250
Hi-tech research bench	250
Multi-analyzer	200
Fabrication bench	250
Nutrient paste dispenser	200
Standing lamp	75
Sun lamp	2900 during day only
Hydroponics basin	70
Biofuel refinery	170
Infinite chemreactor	300
Vitals monitor	80
Comms console	200
Ground-penetrating scanner	700
Long-range mineral scanner	700
Electric stove	350
Heater	175
Cooler	200
Mini-turret	80
Tube television	200
Flatscreen television	330
Megascreen television	450

Version history

• 0.0.245 - Electrical devices now short-circuit and cause fires if left out in the rain while running.

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Architect

Power

Power conduit (Hidden, Waterproof) • Power switch • Wood-fired generator • Chemfuel powered generator • Wind turbine

(research)

Battery • Geothermal generator • Solar generator • Watermill generator • Toxifier generator • Bioferrite generator

(uncraftable)

Vanometric power cell • Unstable power cell

Related

Ship reactor • Electroharvester