Base power fix: separate circuits before Tesla Towers trip everything

Understanding Cascading Power Failure

When a base loses power at night, the cause is rarely a single device drawing too much. The typical failure pattern follows a predictable sequence: a Tesla Coil activates during a raid, the battery drains, the refrigerator shuts off, and by morning the food has spoiled. This happens because every device shares one charge pool.

The game's power system treats all devices connected to the same battery as a single load. When that load exceeds the battery's charge capacity during a night cycle, every connected device fails simultaneously. A stove and a defense tower may not seem like much, but combined with lights, traps, and a refrigerator, the total draw can exceed what a single battery can sustain through a full night.

The Star Topology Solution

A star topology separates base power into independent branches. Each branch has its own battery and serves one category of device. If the defense branch drains during combat, the food branch remains unaffected.

How it works:

• One wall socket is the central hub
• A Plug Strip splits the socket into multiple outputs
• Each output connects to a dedicated battery
• Each battery powers only one category of device

This arrangement prevents any single power spike from affecting other systems. A raid that drains the defense battery will not interrupt the refrigerator or crafting bench.

Building the Star Network

Prerequisites

Before building a star topology, gather these materials:

Power Supply Units come from breaking Computers, Photocopiers, or Analysis Machines. Power Cells appear in Flathill equipment boxes, Office Sector near the Data Farm, and various locations in Manufacturing West and Cascade Laboratories.

Step-by-Step Setup

Step 1: Position the hub Find a wall socket near the center of the planned base area. This socket becomes the star hub. Place it where cables can reach all intended device locations without crossing through doorways or high-traffic areas.

Step 2: Install the Plug Strip Attach the Plug Strip to the wall socket. The Plug Strip must sit between the socket and the batteries, not after them. This placement ensures each battery receives power independently from the same source.

Step 3: Assign battery branches From each Plug Strip output, run a separate cable to a dedicated battery location. Assign one battery per device category:

• Food branch: Industrial Battery → Refrigerator. This branch stays active at all times. A single refrigerator on an Industrial Battery provides approximately 500 seconds of runtime, covering two full night cycles.
• Utility branch: Makeshift or Industrial Battery → Crafting Bench plus one lamp. This branch can be toggled during daytime to conserve charge. Two devices on a Makeshift Battery provide about 125 seconds of runtime, suitable for short crafting sessions.
• Defense branch: Carbon Battery → Tesla Coil plus Chopinator. This branch must remain armed during night cycles. Two devices on a Carbon Battery provide approximately 875 seconds of runtime, covering three full night cycles.

Step 4: Install branch controls Place a Lever between each battery and its device group. During daytime, flip off nonessential branches to let batteries charge faster. Essential branches (food, Portal Suppression Field) stay active continuously.

Step 5: Test the system Run the base through one full night cycle with all expected loads active. Check battery levels at dawn. If any branch dropped below 20% charge, consider upgrading that battery to a higher capacity model or reducing the device count on that branch.

Managing Power Leech Events

During Rolling Blackout weather events, Power Leeches appear. These creatures attach to power outlets and batteries, draining electricity. A Portal Suppression Field installed on the Crafting Bench automatically kills Power Leeches on contact.

The Portal Suppression Field draws power like any other device. Count it in the utility branch device tally. Prioritize powering this upgrade during blackout events, as a portal spawning inside an undefended base creates more problems than a dim lamp.

Recovery from Power Failure

If a power failure occurs despite star topology implementation:

1. Check each battery's charge level individually. One branch may have failed while others remain functional.
2. Identify which branch failed. If the defense branch drained during a raid, the food branch should still show charge.
3. Reduce device count on the failed branch. Remove nonessential devices or upgrade to a higher capacity battery.
4. Verify the Plug Strip placement. If the Plug Strip sits after a battery instead of before, all devices on that battery share one charge pool with no isolation.
5. Test overnight with the reduced configuration before adding more devices.

Branch Labeling System

Mark each branch at the Plug Strip to prevent accidental reconfiguration during expansion:

• Green label: Food branch. Do not disconnect or add devices.
• Yellow label: Utility branch. Can be toggled during daytime.
• Red label: Defense branch. Must remain armed at night.

When expanding the base later, this labeling prevents plugging a second refrigerator into the defense battery or adding a lamp to the food branch.

When to Use Alternative Topologies

Star topology works best for bases with three distinct power categories. For smaller bases with only one or two devices, a single battery with a Lever may suffice. For larger bases with multiple rooms, consider running separate star networks from different wall sockets, each serving a different room or function.

The decision to use star topology depends on base size and device count:

Star topology adds material cost and setup time but prevents the cascading failures that occur when one power spike takes down the entire base. For bases that survive multiple night cycles and raid events, the investment pays for itself in saved food and functional defenses.