Generator (Fallout 4)

Generators are settlement objects in Fallout 4 and its add-ons Vault-Tec Workshop and Wasteland Workshop.

Gameplay
Generators are required to produce electricity for settlements. Once a generator has been constructed, it is necessary to connect it with copper wires to a power grid to harness its power. The power can then be used to power other settlement objects such as lights, turrets, water purifiers, and other utilities.

Power grids
Each settlement may have one or more power grids. A power grid is a collection of settlement objects, including one or more generators, and one or more power-consuming settlement objects, connected together by one or more wires. The power available to the power-consuming objects in each grid is the sum of the power of all generators connected to that grid.

Connectivity

 * Objects do not need to be directly connected to each other to form part of the same grid. They may be indirectly connected via any number of intermediate connecting settlement objects (including conduits and pylons, other generators, and other power-consuming objects) or wires.
 * Note that connections do not pass through settlement objects - whether those are generators or power-consuming objects - that are damaged or turned off.

Zero-power objects

 * Certain objects such as light bulbs do not need to be wired into the power grid, but need to be placed in proximity to a power-radiating object in the grid.
 * The zero-power objects also do not reduce the remaining power available to the grid.
 * These objects are identified by having no number next to the lightning bolt when viewed in Build mode.

Power-radiating objects

 * Power-radiating objects include most connectors, switches, and pylons, but not generators.
 * They cannot be identified easily in-game as power-radiating objects, but have the actor value PowerRadiation, with a value that indicates the range of power radiation for that object.
 * Generally most switches have a value of 256, most other connectors have a value of 500, hence a greater range of radiated power.

Bugs

 * Upon returning to a settlement powered by a fusion generator, its power output will be 0. Replacing the wire connected to it in workshop mode can temporarily fix this.
 * Occasionally upon returning to a settlement, the wires that power the generator will not display as being connected to the generator. This can be fixed by opening up the Workshop menu and pick the generator up and then placing it down again.