Electric Poles and Grids - Factorio-Access/FactorioAccess GitHub Wiki
Electric Poles and Grids
Electric poles distribute power to machines. Each pole has a supply area — any machine with at least one tile within that area is automatically connected to the pole's network. Poles also have a wire reach range: if two poles are close enough for their wire ranges to overlap, they connect automatically with copper wires at no cost. Any pole can carry any amount of power.
Two poles that are physically connected but not linked back to a generator form a disconnected network. Machines on a disconnected network receive no power. Checking a pole's status with RIGHT BRACKET will indicate whether it has power and point toward the nearest powered pole if not.
Small electric pole
The small electric pole is a 1×1 pole available from the start. Its supply range extends 2 tiles in every direction including diagonals. Its wire reach is 7.5 tiles, which means poles can be spaced slightly further apart than their supply areas while remaining connected. Keeping no more than 4 empty tiles between any two small poles ensures continuous coverage.
Build lock mode (CTRL + B) for small poles is set up to support maximum wire reach spacing, useful for running power across long distances with minimal poles.
Medium electric pole
The medium electric pole is a 1×1 pole with a 7×7 supply area, reaching up to 3 tiles in every direction including diagonals. Its wire reach is 9 tiles. Two assembling machines can fit side-by-side between two medium electric poles and both receive power, making medium poles well suited for compact factory rows.
Build lock mode for medium electric poles spaces them for full area coverage rather than maximum wire reach.
Big electric pole
The big electric pole is a 2×2 pole with a 4×4 supply area — it can only power machines directly adjacent to it. However, its wire reach is 30 tiles, making it the best option for carrying power over long distances. Build lock mode spaces big poles at maximum wire reach. When connecting to other pole types, the big pole must be placed within the smaller pole's wire reach.
Substation
The substation is a 2×2 pole with an 18×18 supply area — the widest of any pole. Its wire reach is also 18 tiles. Two substations can connect to each other without their supply areas overlapping if they are spaced exactly 18 tiles apart. Substations are most useful for covering large open production areas with minimal pole count.
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