At the counter
Most production runs overnight. Check the recipe, inputs, output space and machine battery first; the Power Service supports grid devices and charging, not every machine automatically.
Release 1.0; source reviewed. Not independently play-tested.
Diagnose the whole job
A machine sitting on the counter is not necessarily running. Before sleeping, check its recipe or instruction note, required ingredients, selected job, power source and room for its result. Then inspect the next morning's tooltip and output before buying more supplies.
Wikily's machine reference describes overnight production and battery draw. NPC Tips' release machine guide independently distinguishes powered production from tools that act directly.
| Check | What to establish |
|---|---|
| Recipe | Correct machine and selected process |
| Inputs | Required items, quantities or container contents |
| Space | Output can be stored or collected |
| Battery | A compatible cell has enough usable charge |
| Timing | An overnight cycle has actually occurred |
| Services | Required charging or grid service was paid |
Store power and machine power differ
An Energy Cell sits in a powered machine's battery slot and supplies its nightly draw. The shop's Power Service keeps grid devices working and allows chargers to replenish cells. A paid bill does not replace an absent or empty machine battery.
Conversely, a machine with sufficient stored cell energy can operate when the grid is unavailable. If production continues while the lights are dim, that alone does not prove the service toggle is broken. Follow the machine's own power state.
Recharging without mixing up devices
Wikily lists a Recharger restoring 3 kJ per night and a PowerBloc restoring 2 kJ to adjacent cells or machine batteries; the Commercial Grade Power Supply upgrade doubles those rates. Recharging depends on the required power service. A self-charging cell and a Hypertech Power Cell follow different rules, so their behavior should not be generalized to an ordinary empty cell. Energy-cell reference.
Plan several nights of production against the cell's actual charge. If your machine uses more energy each night than the setup restores, adding a charger delays depletion without necessarily eliminating it.
Machine-specific examples
The Water Purifier needs an inserted water container and works overnight. AgeWell needs finished wine rather than a fermenting bottle. A 3D Printer requires the appropriate chip and material. The Livestock Feed Dispenser is a separate feeding device that does not use the same powered production loop.
Read the relevant article before transferring supplies between these systems. Similar-looking slots do not mean their inputs are interchangeable.
Speeding up a job
NPC Tips documents Turbo Boosters as a way to advance a machine cycle. Load a valid job first; a booster is not evidence that missing inputs or an incompatible battery can be ignored. Check the booster type and its current state before spending a consumable.
Test one complete cycle before expanding. Record input, battery charge and result; that small comparison is the quickest way to identify whether the bottleneck is the recipe, power or timing.
Check the record
Sources & version notes
Use the current game prompts when a build changes. This guide distinguishes source review from hands-on testing.
- Wikily: machine timing and power
- Wikily: Energy Cells and charging
- NPC Tips: release machine descriptions