Made Wind Turbine. Now need batteries?

[cool skill]

Noob here. Some questions about power.

Here is the screenshot of my village day 28: https://i.imgur.com/sn5xUFF.png
(Don't mind everybody having a party.)


I've been using a Wood Generator for power. It didn't seem to be outputting enough. So I added in a Wind Turbine. I have no clue how that works or how effective it is in comparison to the Wood Generator.

After setting up the Wind Turbine, a message appeared saying that I need batteries. Which I can research since I have the bench.

So that huge thing requires batteries to store the power it makes? It doesn't come with anything? Like it's useless without batteries? Did I screw up and make something useless? Is it worth researching and making batteries to use it?

What about building around it? Will it work regardless of what's around it as long as those spaces are empty?

Not to mention, the new recruit ended up taming a Boomalope which I now have as a pet. So I could have just tried setting up a chem fuel generator.

Also does distance matter for the power conduits? Like can I build a power generator anywhere on the map, and it will give power to something as long they're connected by a power conduit?

[Iskander]

You don't need batteries, but it is highly recommended, as wind turbine only generate energy when there is win. So if there is no wind, and electric demand is higher than what the wood generator can supply: you will have shortages.

Just research batteries asap and place a few.

Distance does not matter for power conduits.

[cool skill]

Originally posted by Iskander:

You don't need batteries, but it is highly recommended, as wind turbine only generate energy when there is win. So if there is no wind, and electric demand is higher than what the wood generator can supply: you will have shortages.

Just research batteries asap and place a few.

Distance does not matter for power conduits.

OK. Can I put the batteries on those empty squares? Or will that interrupt the Wind Turbine?

[Iskander]

Originally posted by sourcecode:

Originally posted by Iskander:

You don't need batteries, but it is highly recommended, as wind turbine only generate energy when there is win. So if there is no wind, and electric demand is higher than what the wood generator can supply: you will have shortages.

Just research batteries asap and place a few.

Distance does not matter for power conduits.

OK. Can I put the batteries on those empty squares? Or will that interrupt the Wind Turbine?

I don't know. You can try building one there; if it interrupts the turbine, you can re-install it somewhere else. I do know that solar panels don't interrupt the turbine, so once you research those, you can place them around your turbine. That, or use the turbine space to grow crops.

[Monoxide]

Originally posted by sourcecode:

OK. Can I put the batteries on those empty squares? Or will that interrupt the Wind Turbine?

You can physically put them there, but this has a two-fold problem.

1) placing batteries in the turbine area will be outside. Batteries in the rain will short causing fires.
2) Ok, so I will put a roof over the batteries. Now you have a roof blocking the turbine drastically reducing its effectiveness.

Ultimately, you are best to put your batteries indoors or outside under a roof (probably near your generator).

Some other things to note is that more stored power is dangerous. Do not go overboard with batteries. The best option is to try and have a good balance of generation to usage. If you can get by with 1 battery, you should be good. IE - if you have 10 batteries then have a Zzzzzzt event, you are going to blow up half of the rim. If you have a single battery half charged, you will have 1-2 fire spots that you can put out in seconds.

Another thing to note is that many things will block production from a turbine; rocks, trees, buildings, roofing. I like to place floors/crops at the base of my turbines. Usually I have crops since they dont block usage, but will stop trees from growing.

[TwoTonGamer]

Tip: Keep your batteries indoors away from the elements.

Batteries I find optional. They are useful if your power supply is of a type that gets cut off (no wind for turbine, night time for solar).

Wood generator (perhaps a couple or more) is great if your map has a lot of wood and you have the time to chop.

Geo-Thermal is fantastic and should be researched when you are able.

[Khan Boyzitbig of Mercia]

Do not build batteries outside, they will ignite in the rain. And a wind turbine's influence zone must be unroofed thus allowing rain to fall in the zone.

[Aldehydra]

Wind turbines and solar power are fairly useless without batteries, yes. Solar can sort of work for powering things that you only use during the day, but researching batteries makes life easier. Until you have batteries, just build more wood fueled generators. Having 3-4 of them is fairly normal. Just put a prioritized wood stockpile next to them and it's fine.

Originally posted by TwoTonGamer:

Tip: Keep your batteries indoors away from the elements.

Away from everything, ideally. They explode if destroyed from what I remember.

[ꌗꉣ꒒ꂦ꓄]

Extra power produced without batteries is just wasted.

[Dr@g0n]

turbine provides up to 4k power at the best and 98 at the lowest. So far I have had about 8 hour periods where there has been no wind power over 480-ish

also another question about power, kind of. Boomalopes now provide nitrogycrin when milking and is there a way to get that without having a boomalope. Working on making chemfuel without using my whole potatoe harvest. I really like the chemfuel gen the best. It does not need to be refueled often and bulk processing of chemfuel doesnt need to be done at all often.

[Khan Boyzitbig of Mercia]

Originally posted by Dr@g0n:

turbine provides up to 4k power at the best and 98 at the lowest. So far I have had about 8 hour periods where there has been no wind power over 480-ish

also another question about power, kind of. Boomalopes now provide nitrogycrin when milking and is there a way to get that without having a boomalope. Working on making chemfuel without using my whole potatoe harvest. I really like the chemfuel gen the best. It does not need to be refueled often and bulk processing of chemfuel doesnt need to be done at all often.

Vanilla boomalopes make chemfuel, so whichever mod changes that to nitroglycerin likely has an alternative. My guess would be boomrats and maybe some chemlab type building.

[Wizdumb Frog]

I find it's the best plan [assuming your doing crashlanding] is to try and get yourself a researcher right off the bat or make it a priority to build holding cells to either recruit or slave trade for a researcher. Boomalopes are fine for energy but the risk that they get hurt and explode or go mad trying to tame is considerably higher risk if your early game and have a wooden base. It's time consuming but a'lot more viable to just go with solar power with batteries close by.

[Morkonan]

Just some additional thoughts:

You can build batteries "outside." But, they need to be covered, else there could be weather-related problems. So, you can build them outside and place a block next to them. Then, designate the area around that block to be roofed. The pawns will come build a roof there which will be effective cover for the batteries. (You'll see how that works when you do it. Very easy. Don't build out more than five spaces in any direction from the center of the pillar/block. Think of it as a simple shed/cover.)

A wood-fired generator is a great backup-power plan. It's not great on its own, but it's enough to keep your freezer cooled and food safe in an emergency. (Usually) Once built, unless you absolutely need the resources, just turn them off when unneeded if you need to save wood. Chemfuel powered ones are better, but really not worth it unless necessary or you get lucky and get an Infinite Chemfuel Generator as a mission reward. (The chemfuel generated by those can make a bit of silver for you, too, when you sell your overstock.)

I usually don't consider any "Battery" power system complete until I have three banks of at least three batteries each. Two banks are on either side of the base, allowing at least one guaranteed connection if there's an event that cuts power-lines. The other battery bank is a "Backup Battery" system. It's three batteries next to each other, one line connecting them to a switch, one light connected directly to that switch, then one line feeding into the main power system. I charge that Backup Battery bank to full then flip the switch, disconnecting it from the system. This prevents total battery loss when a "Zzzt" event hits. (Zzzt events drain all connected batteries) When I need emergency power, I flip the switch and run off the Battery Backup. They will drain over time, even when not connected, so they have to be recharged periodically. (The light can be easily connected to the switch using the "Reconnect" command. When the batteries are switched "on" the light reminds me to turn the off when possible.)

You can pave the area around the Windmill with cheap paving stone to permanently prevent trees from growing there.

Build at least one battery you can use in a "portable" Turret Defense system. Keep it charged. When you need to place a turret a distance from your base, or even in another hex you're fighting in, move the battery to that position, build a wall/cover it and make sure it has a block of some stone separating it from the turret. Build out at least one powerline and then connect the turret to that. (You can also use a switch if you want, but that's overkill for a temporary mobile turret system.) Always separate turrets with a wall so they can't catch other ones on fire and separate them from their batteries, as well, if used.

PS - Congrats on your base! Later, start replacing your wooden walls with stone ones. Wood-walled bases are... firetraps. :) Yes, it's common to start off with wood for building, but you want to start switching to stone as soon as you can. Get a pawn working at a Stonecutter's bench as soon as you can. (It's an easy-to-overlook necessity.)

[cool skill]

Originally posted by Morkonan:

Just some additional thoughts:

You can build batteries "outside." But, they need to be covered, else there could be weather-related problems. So, you can build them outside and place a block next to them. Then, designate the area around that block to be roofed. The pawns will come build a roof there which will be effective cover for the batteries. (You'll see how that works when you do it. Very easy. Don't build out more than five spaces in any direction from the center of the pillar/block. Think of it as a simple shed/cover.)

A wood-fired generator is a great backup-power plan. It's not great on its own, but it's enough to keep your freezer cooled and food safe in an emergency. (Usually) Once built, unless you absolutely need the resources, just turn them off when unneeded if you need to save wood. Chemfuel powered ones are better, but really not worth it unless necessary or you get lucky and get an Infinite Chemfuel Generator as a mission reward. (The chemfuel generated by those can make a bit of silver for you, too, when you sell your overstock.)

I usually don't consider any "Battery" power system complete until I have three banks of at least three batteries each. Two banks are on either side of the base, allowing at least one guaranteed connection if there's an event that cuts power-lines. The other battery bank is a "Backup Battery" system. It's three batteries next to each other, one line connecting them to a switch, one light connected directly to that switch, then one line feeding into the main power system. I charge that Backup Battery bank to full then flip the switch, disconnecting it from the system. This prevents total battery loss when a "Zzzt" event hits. (Zzzt events drain all connected batteries) When I need emergency power, I flip the switch and run off the Battery Backup. They will drain over time, even when not connected, so they have to be recharged periodically. (The light can be easily connected to the switch using the "Reconnect" command. When the batteries are switched "on" the light reminds me to turn the off when possible.)

You can pave the area around the Windmill with cheap paving stone to permanently prevent trees from growing there.

Build at least one battery you can use in a "portable" Turret Defense system. Keep it charged. When you need to place a turret a distance from your base, or even in another hex you're fighting in, move the battery to that position, build a wall/cover it and make sure it has a block of some stone separating it from the turret. Build out at least one powerline and then connect the turret to that. (You can also use a switch if you want, but that's overkill for a temporary mobile turret system.) Always separate turrets with a wall so they can't catch other ones on fire and separate them from their batteries, as well, if used.

PS - Congrats on your base! Later, start replacing your wooden walls with stone ones. Wood-walled bases are... firetraps. :) Yes, it's common to start off with wood for building, but you want to start switching to stone as soon as you can. Get a pawn working at a Stonecutter's bench as soon as you can. (It's an easy-to-overlook necessity.)

OK thanks. I don't know what alot of this means. But I'll keep it in mind. Yes I tried to go all stone. But it was taking forever to build anything. So I'm pretty much building everything with wood. And will do one stone at a time. About to build a stone cutter table.

I have 3 sims away from base right now. Two of them went on a peace negotiation trip which succeeded. But one caught malaria on the way back. And they ran out of food. So I stopped them. Sent the doc out with a bunch of food to save them.

[FrankTheMagicPotato]

Nah do what I do, massive rooms with like 20 batts, zzzts are worse than doomsday launchers for me

[Raymond]

wood generator is not a long term option for a colony. It is great at first 2 year then you need alternative option for powering your colony