Essential Electrical Components
To establish an electrical system in Sons of the Forest, you’ll need three primary components: Solar Panels, Batteries, and Wires. These items are crucial for generating, storing, and distributing power throughout your base.
Solar Panels are your primary source of electricity. They generate power during the day, regardless of whether they are facing the sun or if it’s raining. You can find these panels in yellow-lidded loot boxes, often located near 3D printers or in various camps left by previous visitors around the island. Their distinct blue cells make them easy to spot against the green foliage.
Batteries are essential for storing the electricity generated by solar panels, allowing you to power devices through the night. A recent update made batteries a required component for continuous power. These are typically large golf cart batteries and can be found in the back of golf carts. A good place to search for them is in the northeast part of the island, particularly around the golf course. One confirmed location for a battery is near the 3D printer room in the middle of the map, marked by a green dot on your GPS. Maintenance bunkers can also contain batteries. Keep in mind that a single battery can only power a limited number of devices, so larger setups may require multiple batteries.
Wires act as the conduits for your electrical current. You’ll encounter these orange cables frequently throughout the game, often found in crates or simply lying around camps. Wires are a fairly abundant resource and are necessary for connecting your power sources to your electrical devices.
Setting Up Your Electrical System
Once you’ve gathered the necessary components, you can begin constructing your electrical system. The process involves placing solar panels, connecting batteries, and routing wires to your desired devices.
First, place your Solar Panels. Your guidebook provides instructions on deployment. Panels can be mounted or placed on flat surfaces or slopes up to 45 degrees. While roofs are a common choice, you can also hide them under floors.
Next, connect your Batteries. Since solar panels only generate power during daylight hours, a battery is crucial for storing energy and ensuring your base remains powered overnight. The guidebook also covers how to connect batteries to your system. Batteries charge during the day and discharge at night to power your devices.
Finally, route your Wires. Take a cable roll from your inventory and connect one end to the bottom-right corner of a solar panel. A dashed white line will indicate the cable’s direction. You can run the cable along the length of logs or let it hang in the air to reach your desired destination. For a neater appearance, you can wrap cables around log beams to conceal the wiring. The game’s intuitive building system generally makes it clear where cables can and cannot be routed. You can connect multiple solar panels to power more devices, as there is currently no cap on how many light bulbs a single solar panel can run, only being limited by your available resources and battery capacity.
Uses for Electricity
Electricity in Sons of the Forest offers various practical and aesthetic benefits for your base.
The simplest and most common application is lighting. You can install Light Bulbs by running cables horizontally along a beam. A downward arrow will appear, indicating where a light bulb can be attached to the cable. Each solar panel can power up to ten light bulbs, so additional panels are needed for more extensive lighting.
For decorative purposes, you can find the blueprint for the Leg Lamp south of the large river on the island’s east side, near an abandoned house and a mine entrance. Once built, it must be connected directly to a power cable to illuminate.
Floodlights provide brighter illumination for your base’s exterior. Their blueprint is found near the Leg Lamp blueprint. Floodlights can be mounted on exterior walls and, once connected with a cable, shine in a fixed direction.
Electricity also plays a role in base defense. You can create an Electric Fence by building a regular fence in free build mode and then wrapping cables around the individual sticks. White arrows and lines will guide cable routing. When powered, these fences will show blue sparks, and walking into them will cause damage.
Lastly, the Large Cross is an advanced build that uses power. Its blueprint is located in the northern beach cave. This structure requires several light bulbs and, once built and powered, is visible from a distance. It is said to help ward off weaker mutants and demons from your base.
FAQ
Where can I find Solar Panels? Solar panels are found in yellow-lidded loot boxes, often near 3D printers or in various camps around the island.
How do I get Batteries? Batteries are large golf cart batteries found in the back of golf carts. Look in the northeast part of the island, especially around the golf course, or in maintenance bunkers. A battery is also located near the 3D printer room in the middle of the map.
Do Solar Panels work at night or in the rain? Solar panels generate power during the day, regardless of rain. However, they do not generate power at night, which is why batteries are essential for continuous power.
How many Light Bulbs can one Solar Panel power? A single solar panel can power up to ten light bulbs. If you need more lighting, you’ll need to install additional solar panels.
Can I power traps with electricity? Yes, later in the game, you can set up small circuits to power traps, in addition to lighting and other devices.