Medium Generator

The Medium Generator is a power-producing item that burns Carbon to generate a steady 3 U/s. It is a larger, more efficient version of the Small Generator, and is especially useful when you need reliable portable power or an autonomous base power source. Unlike fuel-free options, it requires a constant supply of Carbon to keep running, but it can also pull fuel from nearby connected storage when set up correctly.

Once researched, it can be crafted in the Small Printer using 1 Aluminum and 1 Tungsten. It occupies a tier 2 slot and can be placed in two adjacent slots on compatible platforms or storage. Medium Generators may also sometimes be found in wrecks on various planets, providing an early way to obtain a dependable power source without needing to manufacture one immediately.

A single nugget of Carbon fuels the Medium Generator for 120 seconds and produces 1,080 Units of power. When it is plugged into a socket, it converts fuel over time into power. If there is nowhere for that power to go, it continues consuming fuel anyway, so it can waste fuel when left running unattended. Because of this, it is best used on a grid that is actively drawing power or paired with batteries to buffer excess output.

• The generator can be turned on and off manually by hovering over it and using the Use key; Carbon is not consumed while it is off.
• If placed on a platform or storage with nearby Carbon available, it will automatically pull the next nugget when the current one is exhausted.
• This makes it suitable for automated power setups, especially when combined with a Tapper to create self-fueling stations.
• For long trips, it has one of the highest consumable power yields per single tier 1 slot of any item in the game, though its own size means the total storage efficiency changes depending on how much fuel you are carrying.
• Smelting Organic into Carbon is a common way to supply it, and a single Smelting Furnace can keep multiple Medium Generators running if enough Organic is available.
• If you only need portable power for a small amount of storage space, carrying Organic can be more efficient; once your fuel needs grow large enough, the Medium Generator becomes the better way to store and transport that energy.

Because it uses Carbon rather than Organic, the Medium Generator is a good bridge between basic early-game fuel and more advanced, fuel-independent power systems. It is especially effective in modular base designs where fuel can be delivered automatically and power can be distributed across several connected machines.