Power

Power Grid Setup: Cables, Power Sources and Lazarus Wiring

Last Updated: October 23, 2026

Data Status

Reviewed for Update 5.5 / Early Access 0.8.5. Last checked: 2026-10-08. Some details predate this update. The questions section was added on 2026-10-23. Single readings are not used for calculated results.

Use this guide to connect power sources, compare unlock tiers and check the Lazarus wiring. Output figures are incomplete, so the guide does not prescribe a generator count or a fixed power budget.

Questions players ask

What is the best power source?

The strongest sources unlock last: LumiMax solar panels at tier 13, the Typhoon wind turbine at tier 14 and the Large Electric Generator at tier 15.

Petrol generators keep running at night but burn fuel, while solar output is weak at night, so pair solar panels with batteries or a generator.

No output reading for solar panels or wind turbines is confirmed, so this guide does not rank them by output.

Which wind turbine should I build?

The Typhoon, unlocked at tier 14, is the top wind turbine; the Whisper comes at tier 3 and the Cyclone at tier 8.

Solar panels may suit places you cannot keep an eye on better than turbines, because turbines need upkeep and solar panels do not.

How much power does a Typhoon make?

The wiki lists the Typhoon at 2 kW and the Cyclone at 1 kW, but no second source confirms either figure yet, so check the reading in your game.

Which battery should I use?

The Medium Battery, unlocked at tier 8, stores 6.0 kWh and is the first battery with a confirmed capacity.

The Bulk Battery, unlocked at tier 24 after the MOSES Field Reserve Program, holds more, but its capacity reads 18.0 kWh in official sources and 20.0 kWh on a crafting screen, so check the number in your game.

Can power flow back the other way?

Yes: every cable has three modes, input, output and equalize, and equalize balances power between both ends. If a single cable is set the wrong way, the equipment behind it gets no power, so check every cable from the source to the machine.

Channel37’s own checklist also says to make sure power flows the right way on every connection.

How do you power the boat?

Put wind turbines on the boat and cable them in; turbines on deck work, and you can add solar panels as well.

The wiki counts 14 power outlets on the boat.

What does the Power Management enhancer do?

It lowers your own base power draw a little with every level, from 250 W at level 0 to 125 W at level 100, half the draw.

Cables and extenders

Each Electric Cable section can span up to 20 m.

Extenders join cable sections and let a connection branch to other destinations.

Electric Cable and Electric Cable Extender both unlock at Tier 2.

Enter the route distance in the Power Grid & Cable Calculator to find the minimum sections and extenders for a straight connection.

Power sources

Power source names, unlock tiers and uses
Name	Unlock	What is verified
LumiLite	Tier 2	Fixed solar panel.
LumiMid	Tier 6	Solar panel that turns toward the sun.
LumiMax	Tier 13	Solar panel that turns toward the sun.
Whisper	Tier 3	Wind turbine. No verified output figures are available.
Cyclone	Tier 8	Wind turbine. No verified output figures are available.
Typhoon	Tier 14	Wind turbine, the highest tier of the three. No verified output figures are available.
Portable Electric Generator	Tier 5	Burns petrol to generate electricity.
Large Electric Generator	Tier 15	Burns petrol to generate electricity.

Solar output readings do not agree across sources. This guide does not use them to size a grid or rank the panels.

The solar panel guide compares the conflicting readings and verified panel recipes.

Diesel Refinery uses organic material and electricity to make diesel. It does not generate electricity.

See the fuel and gases guide for petrol and diesel production.

Storing power

Small Battery

Tier 3

Medium Battery

Tier 8

Bulk Battery

Tier 24

Requires MOSES Field Reserve Program.

Medium Battery stores 6.0 kWh.

Small Battery capacity is disputed: a July 7, 2026 build card shows 2.0 kWh, while a July 24, 2026 screen and the wiki show 500 Wh. Neither reading is selected as confirmed.

The Fuel & Storage Calculator helps plan storage and shows where capacity evidence is disputed.

Powering the Lazarus Complex

No. The sockets on the Lazarus Complex’s lower floor are not wired to the racks.

Most players get the rooftop and balcony generators working again (solar panels and wind turbines) and drop a cable through the elevator shaft, adding extenders on the way down. Setting a petrol generator next to the racks works too.

You do not have to run all four racks at once. Solar output is weak at night.

The rack’s Estimation screen shows 10.0 kWh as the estimated electricity to grow one human. This is a growth-cycle estimate, not a rack’s continuous power draw.

Use the Lazarus Complex guide for the rack setup, and the Lazarus Human Calculator to check the inputs for growing a human.

Racks wired up but still showing No Power? Work through the Lazarus power guide.

When the power doesn't arrive

A Lazarus rack showing No Power may lack a working fresh-water supply. For the known wiring issue, Channel37 advises disconnecting power, saving, restarting the game and then reconnecting. Two cables placed in the same connector port can also cause trouble.

Check the fresh-water connection

Connect the pump’s salt-water outlet to the purifier’s lower salt-water inlet, then send its fresh-water output through a water tank to the equipment that needs water.

Pump: salt-water outlet
Purifier: lower salt-water inlet
Purifier: fresh-water outlet
Water tank
Water-using equipment

For the complete official checks and more fixes to try, read the troubleshooting guide.

A planning checklist

List the equipment you want to power before laying out the connections.
Measure the cable route and keep each section within 20 m. Use the cable calculator to estimate the minimum number of sections.
Put extenders where the route needs to continue or branch to another device.
Plan for weak solar output at night, with batteries or a petrol generator to supplement it.

Power grid FAQ

How long can an Electric Cable section be?

Each Electric Cable section can span up to 20 m. Use extenders to join sections for a longer connection.

Can the downstairs wall sockets power the Lazarus racks?

No. The sockets on the Lazarus Complex’s lower floor are not wired to the racks. Lay a cable from your own power source straight to the racks.

Which electric generators burn petrol?

Portable Electric Generator and Large Electric Generator both burn petrol to generate electricity.

How much energy does a Medium Battery store?