generator Generator and electric post, connecting far away

[MyTJ]

TL/DR : Get new electrical cable in game (14/2 gage), be able to make makeshift electrical post, connect generator from a safe distance.

 

I was reading some posts in steam discussion and I thought that this would be a good idea : having some electrical cable and being able to connect a generator far from one's base.

 

Right now, you need to connect generator close to your base or at least where you keep your food.  This has two major drawbacks : (1) noise attrack zombies, (2) risk of explosion (when condition is low).  Seems to me in a zombie appocalipse, as soon I'd notice a zombie lurking near my generator I'd move it as far as is reasonable from my base.  If possible I'd put it on a now dead electrical tower and run a rope bridge or some such to it so I can reach it safely without crossing zombies... but that's just me.

 

I was thinking along the lines of making some electical posts (like lamp post, but with cable attached to it).  Would require pretty much the same thing as a lamp post, but the lamp (and rope?) would be replaced by electrical cable and 1-2 extra (bent) nails to hold the cable in place.  The cable required would definitely not be the one in game, it's too small and weight next to nothing.  I'm talking about standard 14/2 cable that could be found mostly at hardware store and in garages.  According to the info I found, it's about half a pound (232 grams) per meter including the spindle.

 

That's to simplify things (because they have maximum recommended intensity and minimal operating temperature).  If we wanted more realism and keep on track with the scavenging part of the game, we could chop down old electrical post to get log and higher grade of cable.

 

Now, to keep it simple, I'd suggest that you'd need one post every few squares (5?) that would effectively extend the range of the generator of 5 in both direction of that post.

 

Any thoughts?

[Bughunter66]

Why not run the wire on the ground?

[Geras]

If this was real life I'd not put my generator away from my base: how would you check its condition and fuel level? Would you risk your life every time going outside doing just that? Too much hassle to do it in a game as well.

The way to go is to put it inside a shed, or - ever better - in a basement and connect its exhaust with a pipe and put its other end outside via window.  Hopefully basements will allow that.

[MyTJ]

12 hours ago, Bughunter66 said:

Why not run the wire on the ground?

 

It risk being torn away by zombies dragging their feets on it   Or it could be from you tripping on it and falling while running away from zombies.

 

There could also be the risk of damage to the protective layer, for exemple with stone and zombie feets, that could lead to short circuit. 

 

Although I doubt those would be implemented if the feature was added to the game... so, yeah, why not  

 

8 hours ago, Geras said:

If this was real life I'd not put my generator away from my base: how would you check its condition and fuel level? Would you risk your life every time going outside doing just that? Too much hassle to do it in a game as well.

The way to go is to put it inside a shed, or - ever better - in a basement and connect its exhaust with a pipe and put its other end outside via window.  Hopefully basements will allow that.

 

The basement is a good idea for sound dampening, but it does not remove the risk of explosion.  I grant you that proper maintenance does remove it (for now).

 

Checking condition and fuel level would be a routine thing... like watering crops if there's no rain.  I did say "reasonably" far away.  Power shortage would be a clear giveaway that you need to anticipate a routine check.

 

As for risking my life, that why I'd prefer to have it high up (assuming zombies don't climb... if they do I'd have to think of an alternative), with a way to go from point A to point B without going on the ground.  I guess that a tunnel between two basement could work in the same way, assuming that the entrance of both is safe from zombie intrusion.  In that particular instance, I'd say : yes... wire can go directly on the ground of the tunnel.

[Bughunter66]

You could bury it, that's what most people do when they run power from a house to a shed. The minimum depth irl is 1 foot underground, which isn't very deep and would be quite easy for someone to do.

[TheWraithPlayer]

10 hours ago, Geras said:

If this was real life I'd not put my generator away from my base: how would you check its condition and fuel level? Would you risk your life every time going outside doing just that? Too much hassle to do it in a game as well.

The way to go is to put it inside a shed, or - ever better - in a basement and connect its exhaust with a pipe and put its other end outside via window.  Hopefully basements will allow that.

Carbon Monoxide poisoning isn't high on my bucket list, but that may just be me. Your idea to divert it sounds good, but probably isn't feasible. I personally would wall it of in a metal walled in area connected to my house, so I could check it and the carbon monoxide would go up, and not collect in my lungs.

[MyTJ]

1 hour ago, Bughunter66 said:

You could bury it, that's what most people do when they run power from a house to a shed. The minimum depth irl is 1 foot underground, which isn't very deep and would be quite easy for someone to do.

 

Good point   And it's not likely to be any accendental cutting by excavation anytime soon.  Zombies won't do it and NPC are not in play.  That just leave other player in MP but it seem very unlikely (they will either ignore your base, help you out, or loot your base).

[Keshash]

I'm all in for getting electrocuted, while digging in a garden or being poisoned, while trying to figure out how the generator works.

 

I feel like I didn't died in an interesting way lately.

Edited July 16, 2016 by Keshash