Power and electricity: generators, batteries, and overnight survival

Field Complaint

My base goes dark every night and I cannot figure out how batteries actually work.

Validated Response

Power outlets are located throughout all facilities — find one on the wall near your base. The connection order matters: Socket → Battery → Device. The battery charges during the day and powers devices at night when the main supply shuts off. Plug Strips split one socket into three outputs and can be chained for more, but always put Plug Strips BEFORE batteries. Socket → Plug Strip → each battery separately gives reliable overnight power to multiple devices. Power is binary at each outlet — splitting does not reduce power per outlet, but more devices on one battery drain it faster. Separate batteries per critical device for longer runtime. Use Levers to turn off nonessential devices. Essential powered items: Crafting Bench, Refrigerator, Portal Suppression Field, cooking stations, and defense traps. Nonessential: extra lights, chargers for convenience items. Photosensitive switches cut lamps automatically during daylight.

Summary

Power shuts off at night. The correct setup is Socket → Battery → Device, with Plug Strips before batteries. Separate branches by purpose and test overnight before trusting the battery icon.

Prerequisites

• Have access to a wall power outlet near your base area.
• Craft at least one Battery and one Plug Strip for branch splitting.
• Identify which devices must stay powered overnight versus daytime-only.

Recommended Loadout

• Battery for overnight storage
• Plug Strip for branching multiple devices
• Lever for manual on/off control of nonessential loads

Step-by-Step Route

1. Find a wall power outlet and connect: Socket → Battery → Device as the base chain.
2. Add Plug Strips BEFORE batteries to split one socket into multiple independent branches.
3. Put critical devices (Refrigerator, Crafting Bench, Portal Suppression Field) on dedicated battery branches.
4. Add photosensitive switches to nonessential lighting so they auto-cut during daylight.
5. Test the full setup overnight with expected loads running before storing valuable items in powered storage.

Common Mistakes

• Plugging devices directly into sockets without batteries, then losing power at nightfall.
• Putting Plug Strips AFTER batteries instead of before, causing uneven charge distribution.
• Chaining every device through one strip and watching everything die when one branch overloads.