Electrical Wire
| Electrical Wire | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Class | Electronics |
| Weight | 0.1 |
| Research | Make Improvised Lighter |
| Location | Containers |
| Spawn ID | /additem Base.ElectricWire
|
Electrical Wire is a short length of insulated copper wire. It is one of the basic parts for homemade electronics.
Survivors who work on Electrical need it most. It goes into improvised flashlights, lanterns, lighters and makeshift radios. It can also bind a blade to a stick for a spear, or be melted down for copper at a forge. Its strength is how many recipes take it. It weighs almost nothing, so a stock costs little room.
The wire is a common find in closets, sheds, garages and army storage. It also comes from taking apart a Power Bar. The Electrician is the best occupation for electronics. It starts with the most Electrical skill. The Engineer also starts with some Electrical skill.
Using
The wire is a part in several Electrical recipes. Each uses up the wire:
- Make Improvised Lighter takes one wire, one Battery and Adhesive Tape or Duct Tape. It needs no skill.
- Make Improvised Flashlight and Make Improvised Lantern each take one wire. Both need Electrical level 1.
- Make Makeshift Radio takes one wire and needs Electrical level 1.
- Make Makeshift Walkie Talkie takes two wires and needs Electrical level 2.
- Make Makeshift Ham Radio takes three wires and needs Electrical level 3.
The "Research Craft" option on the wire teaches the Make Improvised Lighter recipe. That lighter is a good fire starter once matches and lighters run out.
Outside electronics, the wire binds a blade to a stick. The Bind Spear Head With Wire recipe takes two Wire or two Electrical Wire, a Long Stick or Sapling, and a knife or similar blade. It needs pliers and Maintenance level 1.
At a forge, ten Electrical Wire stand in for one Copper Scrap. The Forge Small Copper Sheet recipe turns them into a Copper Sheet - Small with charcoal, a hammer and tongs.
Research
The Research Craft option in the inventory menu studies the Electrical Wire and teaches the recipes below.
| Recipe | Output | Image | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Make Improvised Lighter | Lighter - Improvised Battery | 
|
/additem Base.Lighter_Battery
|
Used in Crafting
These recipes take the Electrical Wire as an ingredient or a part.
| Recipe | Output | Image | Station | Skill | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bind Spear Head With Wire | Spear with Glass Head | 
|
- | Maintenance: 1 | /additem Base.SpearGlass
|
| Forge Small Copper Sheet | Copper Sheet - Small | 
|
Primitive Forge | Blacksmithing: 0 | /additem Base.SmallCopperSheet
|
| Make Improvised Flashlight | Flashlight - Improvised | 
|
- | Electrical: 1 | /additem Base.Flashlight_Crafted
|
| Make Improvised Lantern | Improvised Electric Lantern | 
|
- | Electrical: 1 | /additem Base.Lantern_CraftedElectric
|
| Make Improvised Lighter | Lighter - Improvised Battery |
|
- | Electrical: 0 | /additem Base.Lighter_Battery
|
| Make Makeshift Ham Radio | Makeshift Ham Radio | 
|
- | Electrical: 3 | /additem Base.HamRadioMakeShift
|
| Make Makeshift Radio | Makeshift Radio | 
|
- | Electrical: 1 | /additem Base.RadioMakeShift
|
| Make Makeshift Walkie Talkie | Makeshift Walkie Talkie | 
|
- | Electrical: 2 | /additem Base.WalkieTalkieMakeShift
|
Locations
The wire is a very common find. Army storage, pawn shop offices and military crates in offices hold it more than half the time. Closets, sheds and pawn shops are nearly as good. Radio factories, radio storage and radio shipping rooms hold it about half the time. Bedroom boxes and garage crates turn it up often. Car supply stores, control rooms and electronics stores keep it on shelves and counters too. Taking apart a Power Bar with a screwdriver or knife gives one wire. Taking apart an improvised battery lighter gives the wire back with the Battery.
The places where it spawns, with the rough chance per container. Each tab shows one kind of place.
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Army storage | Metal shelves | 61.4% |
| Army storage | Military crate | 61.4% |
| Army storage | Other | 61.4% |
| Office | Military crate | 61.4% |
| Radio factory | Other | 53.3% |
| Radio factory | Tool cabinet | 53.3% |
| Radioshipping | Other | 53.3% |
| Radio storage | Other | 53.3% |
| Army storage | Counter | 33.5% |
| Control room | Counter | 33.5% |
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Pawn shop office | Metal shelves | 61.4% |
| Pawn shop office | Other | 61.4% |
| Pawn shop | Other | 55.9% |
| Car supply store | Counter | 29.3% |
| Car supply store | Metal shelves | 29.3% |
| Car supply store | Shelves | 29.3% |
| Car supply shop, sport | Shelves | 29.3% |
| Electronics store | Locker | 26.7% |
| Car supply store | Other | 16.2% |
| Car supply store | Tool cabinet | 16.2% |
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Closet | Crate | 55.9% |
| Closet | Other | 55.9% |
| Shed | Other | 55.9% |
| Bedroom | Cardboard box | 44.7% |
| Bedroom | Crate | 44.7% |
| Garage storage | Crate | 44.7% |
| Attic | Cardboard box | 22.4% |
| Attic | Crate | 22.4% |
| Attic | Other | 22.4% |
| Closet | Locker | 22.4% |
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Survivor safehouse | Cardboard box | 21.2% |
| Survivor safehouse | Crate | 21.2% |
| Survivor safehouse | Small box | 21.2% |
| Survivor safehouse | Metal shelves | 15.9% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Cardboard box | 15.9% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Crate | 15.9% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Metal shelves | 15.9% |
| Survivor safehouse (late game) | Small box | 15.9% |
| Survivor safehouse (mid game) | Cardboard box | 15.9% |
| Survivor safehouse (mid game) | Crate | 15.9% |
| Location | Container | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Any building | Zombie wearing a duke outfit | 19.2% |
Notes
- Researching the wire teaches the Make Improvised Lighter recipe.
- An improvised lighter can be taken apart to get the wire and Battery back.
- Ten wires make a small copper sheet at a forge.
- Two wires can bind a knife to a stick for a spear.
- A Power Bar is a quick way to get one wire.
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