Power

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Template:Tocright In RimWorld electric power is crucial to survival. Power is required by appliances, which provide vital functions. The success of a colony relies upon a fault-tolerant power grid with a reliable power flow that ensures that your appliances are working at all times, especially in emergencies.

Power generators

Wind turbine

See also: Wind turbine

Wind Power.png

Wind turbines are a cheap way of producing power. It works day and night. Compared to the solar generator which only works during the day.

The wind turbine requires an open area, clear of trees, buildings, roofs, and other taller constructions. However a solar panel can be constructed in front and behind without blocking the wind turbine

Since Alpha 9e the output of the wind turbine depends on wind conditions, varying from no output to huge output. (see Weather for wind conditions) Template:Clr


Solar generator

See also: Solar generator

SolarCollector.png

Solar panels are a cheap first way of producing power from the limitless energy of the Sun.

The drawback is that they don't work during the night or during eclipses, requiring batteries to power lights and turrets when there is no sunlight available. Template:Clr


Geothermal generator

See also: Geothermal generator

A Geothermal generator is a very good and reliable power source drawing its energy from the heat of the planet's core. It is the only power generator which needs research to be built.

It produces a lot of power all day round but it is more expensive to build than the other power generators and it has to be placed on geothermal geysers. Those geysers are placed at random, sometimes not even occurring at all, and are usually positioned far from the initial landing zone.
This makes geothermal generators either a valuable asset far from the safety of the core base, or necessitates a base relocation to a zone harder to defend against raiders.


Ship reactor

See also: Ship reactor

ShipReactor.png

Although it is a ship part and and not listed in the Power menu, the ship reactor is perfectly usable a power generator. It provides 1000W, less than the maximum provided by any other power generator, but without their shortcomings or requirements. It provides power continually and can be placed on any buildable terrain where its five by five structure will fit. It must be researched before it can be built.



Power generator summary

Type Cost Size Power output Day Night Placing
Solar 100 Steel 4x4 1700 W In sunlight
Wind Turbine 100 Steel 5x2 Variable (3000W max during high winds) In open ground
Geothermal 400 Steel 6x6 3600 W On geysers
Ship reactor 500 Steel
500 Plasteel
5x5 1000 W Anywhere


Power transfers

Power conduit

See also: Power conduit

A power conduit transmits power from generators or batteries to appliances.
It is a big cable that allows appliances to be powered up to 5 squares away from it.
A power conduit doesn't consume any power but takes some space on the floor, as most structures and buildings can't be built over it, except for solar generators, doors, walls and batteries.

NOTE: Power conduits inside walls may rarely fall prey to a random event that will destroy said conduit(s), and cause an electrical fire. It doesn't happen often, but you should create sufficient redundancies in your power grid so that if one conduit is destroyed, another one can supply power to your critical appliances (like auto-turrets).


Power switch

See also: Power switch

PowerSwitch.png

Conduit walls

Wall.png

Regarding power distribution, a conduit wall works exactly the same way as a power conduit, also powering appliances up to 5 squares away from any powered section. It also has the same health as regular walls made from the same material.


Door

Doors allow passage in a 1 square opening in a built wall or cave wall. It acts like a power conduit and needs a direct link to a conduit wall or a power conduit (or another door) to distribute power. This door closes and opens slower depending on the material the door is made from.


AutoDoor

Auto Door.png
AutoDoors allow passage in a 1 square opening in a built wall or cave wall. It acts like a power conduit and needs a direct link to a power conduit or a conduit wall (or another door) to open and close quickly(Some doors move slower depending on the material) and distribute power. This door consumes power(50 W) and if not powered, it will still open, but at the speed of the ordinary door. This door has the same health as the ordinary door if made from the same material.


Power storage

Batteries

See also: Battery

Battery.jpg
Batteries play a very important part in the power grid of your base as it allows you to use power coming from solar generator all night long and offers a way to store energy coming from geothermal generators closer to your main base.

A battery can only hold 10,000 KJ, but it won't deplete over time if no appliance is connected to it.

If a power generators' output exceeds appliances power consumption, excess power will be distributed evenly amongst all non-full connected batteries, charging all batteries at the same rate. Likewise, if power consumption exceeds power generation, all non-empty batteries will deplete at the same rate to fill the power gap.


Appliances

Appliances are structures or buildings that require power but don't transmit it. Appliances don't require a direct power cable/wall connection, they can be placed up to 5 squares away from them. When connected to the power grid, it can take a few moments before an appliance turns on.


Power transfers summary

Appliance Cost Size Power consumption
Standing lamp Steel 1x1 150 W
Sun lamp 20 Steel 1x1 600 W
Nutrient paste dispenser 90 Steel 4x3 200 W
Comms console 120 Steel 3x2 200 W
Cook stove 80 Steel 3x2 350 W
Auto-turret 160 Steel 2x2 250 W