Electronics

Electronics covers batteries, wires, light bulbs, generators, crafted triggers and household gadgets. The group also holds CDs and VHS tapes. These items keep lights, radios and appliances running after the power grid fails. Many of them break down into Scrap Electronics, the base of most electrical crafting. The Electrical skill decides what can be built from them. The Electrician is the best occupation for electronics. It starts with the most Electrical skill. The Engineer also starts with some Electrical skill.

All Tools and Equipment Categories

Best Electronics

The top pick for each role, by the game's own figures.

For	Name	Image	Stats	Spawn ID
Lightest	Battery		0.1 weight	/additem Base.Battery
Heaviest	Generator - Lectromax		40 weight	/additem Base.Generator

Power and Generators

The power grid shuts off at a time set in the sandbox options. The default Apocalypse setting cuts it off within 14 to 30 days. After that, a generator is the main way to keep a home powered.

The generators are the Generator - Lectromax, the Generator - Premium Technologies, the Generator - ValuTech and the Generator - Old. Their tooltip calls each one a portable power supply. Place it near the safe house and connect it. It needs some Electrical knowledge and runs on gasoline.

Never run a generator indoors. The tooltip says "Do not operate indoors." The game's guide adds that the fumes will damage the character. A connected generator powers buildings within 20 tiles and up to 3 floors above and below.

Generators weigh 30 to 40. The Electrician and the Engineer can operate generators from the start. Both also know the Generator Maintenance recipe.

Batteries and Bulbs

Batteries power small devices. Insert Battery fits a Battery into a flashlight or any device that uses one. Remove Battery takes it out again. A Box of Batteries holds 12.

Light bulbs fit lamps and light fixtures. The Light Bulb comes in plain white and in colours such as Light Bulb - Red and Light Bulb - Green. A Box of Light Bulbs holds 6. Light bulbs also go into crafted flashlights and lanterns.

Make Improvised Flashlight and Make Improvised Lantern each use a Light Bulb, Electrical Wire and Scrap Electronics. They need a screwdriver, pliers and a small saw. The Electrician and the Engineer know both recipes.

Scrap and Salvage

Scrap Electronics is the most useful electronic part. Dismantle Simple Electronic Item breaks a small gadget into Scrap Electronics with a screwdriver. Hair dryers, pagers, earbuds and handheld game consoles all count. Dismantle Electronic Item breaks a CD Player, a Home Alarm, a TV Remote or a Speaker. It can also give an Amplifier, a Motion Sensor or a Receiver.

Larger devices give more. Dismantle Electronic Device takes apart televisions, radios and walkie talkies. Dismantle Power Bar gives Electrical Wire. Dismantling devices is the main way to train the Electrical skill early on. Dismantle Electronic Device gives 10 Electrical XP. The smaller dismantle recipes give 2.

Crafted Devices

Electrical crafting builds radios and triggers. Make Makeshift Radio needs Electrical 1, an Amplifier, a Light Bulb, a Radio Receiver and Electrical Wire. Make Makeshift Ham Radio needs a Radio Transmitter as well. The Electrician knows both.

Bomb parts are electronics too. Make Timer turns a Timer or an Alarm Clock into a Timer - Crafted at Electrical 1. Make Remote Trigger makes a Crafted Trigger at Electrical 2. Remote controllers come in short, medium and long range, at Electrical 2, 4 and 6.

The Motion Sensor tooltip calls it a component triggered by movement. It turns improvised devices into booby-traps. The Receiver links to a crafted Remote Controller to trigger a device from a distance.

Entertainment

Some electronics fight boredom. The Bored moodle's first tooltip says to occupy oneself or seek entertainment. The CD Player plays a CD and runs on batteries. Its tooltip says to equip it as a primary or secondary item to operate it. Headphones and Earbuds go with it.

Televisions and radios carry news, music and shows. The game's guide says certain shows give skill points or new recipes. Some televisions also play VHS tapes. Tapes come as VHS - Retail and VHS - Home, and some of them give skill XP.

The Handheld Game Console is another small gadget. Like the other small devices, it breaks down into Scrap Electronics.

Skill and Leveling

The Electrical skill governs all of this work. Its in-game text says it allows the creation and maintenance of electrical devices. The Electrician starts with Electrical 5 and knows many recipes. The Engineer starts with Electrical 1 and knows the bomb and trap recipes.

Electrical has five skill books. Electrical I: "Basic Electronics" covers levels 1 and 2. Electrical II: "Kentucky AV Guide '93" covers levels 3 and 4. Electrical V: "Understanding Integrated Controls for Electronic Systems" covers levels 9 and 10. Magazines teach device recipes. Magazine: Like Clockwork teaches timers, and Magazine: Zapper! teaches remote triggers and controllers.

Locations

Scrap Electronics fills electronics crates, control rooms and engineer and electrician tool boxes. Electrical Wire fills wire factories, army electronics storage and mechanic shelves. Batteries sit in closets, science rooms and survivor supply stashes.

TV Remotes sit on living room side tables and electronics store shelves. Light bulbs come from janitor closets and gas station storage. Generators are rare and turn up in generator crates. Amplifiers and Motion Sensors come from engineer and electrician tool boxes.

Notes

• Watch TV and radio broadcasts before the power fails, since some shows give skill XP or teach recipes.
• CDs and VHS tapes play on the matching devices, and some VHS tapes give skill XP.

All Electronics