
Factorio is a video game that involves crafting items and managing energy consumption. To connect electrical things in Factorio, you must first place electrical generators, such as steam engines or solar panels, and electrical consumers. Distributors, such as small electric poles, are then used to connect the generator and consumer. The electric poles have different areas of coverage, indicated by a blue overlay, and will automatically connect if placed close enough together. To connect wires or cables to a power pole, simply click on one entity and then on the base of the power pole. To remove an individual connection, you can use copper wire. To remove all connections from a power pole, you can shift-click on the pole.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Connecting wires or cables to a power pole | Click on one entity, then on the base of the power pole |
| Erasing a wire or cable connection | Place the same color wire over an existing connection |
| Removing all connections from a power pole | Shift-click on the pole |
| Removing an individual connection | Redraw the connection with copper wire |
| Creating a network | Place electrical generators and electrical consumers, then ensure a connection between the generator and consumer using Distributors |
| Electric pole area of coverage | Appears as a blue overlay around the pole |
| Removing all connections from an existing pole | Shift-click on a pole |
| Removing individual wires | Use the same wire (copper, red or green) between the two connected objects |
| Connecting wires to an arithmetic or decider combinator | Take care to connect the wire to the correct input or output side |
| Viewing the orientation of the combinator | Use "Show details" mode |
| Connecting the output network back to the input network | Results in a feedback loop |
| Channels | Separated from each other, allowing each network to carry a number for each item, fluid, and user-defined channel |
| Receivers | Can use broadcast information to enable/disable the device and compare results between channels or a specific value |
| Energy consumption | The energy consumed by a machine while actively in use |
| Insufficient power generation | Electricity will be evenly spread across all machines in the network, with all machines slowing down proportionally to the power available |
| Drain | The energy consumed by a machine whether it is active or not |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Use different coloured cables to separate networks
- To connect wires to a power pole, click on one entity, then the power pole base
- Shift-click to remove all electrical connections from a power pole
- Hover over a pole to see current satisfaction of power demands
- Click on a pole to see a detailed GUI of its electric network

Use different coloured cables to separate networks
When connecting electrical things in Factorio, it is important to use different coloured cables to separate networks. This is because all wires of the same colour that are connected together form a network, meaning they will pass their signals to each other. For example, if you have two red wires connected to the same combinator input, each wire will receive the content from the other. This can result in a feedback loop if not done carefully.
To avoid this issue, you can use different coloured cables, such as red and green, to create separate networks. This is especially useful when you have multiple networks in close proximity. By using different colours, you can ensure that the networks remain separate and do not link up. For example, you can connect every pump and fluid tank to a single circuit network of red or green wire. This will allow the network to know the fluid level in each storage tank and pass this information to every pump.
Additionally, receivers can use broadcast information to enable or disable devices and compare results between different channels. If a receiver is connected to a red wire carrying a signal for 20 copper plates and a green wire with 10 copper plates, the input signal for that receiver will be 30 copper plates. This shows how different coloured wires can be used to transmit and combine information effectively.
When connecting wires or cables to a power pole, simply click on one entity and then on the base of the power pole. To erase a wire or cable connection, place the same colour wire over an existing connection. Using different coloured cables allows you to create distinct networks and control the flow of information in your Factorio setup.
Electric Fence Installation: A Step-by-Step Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products

To connect wires to a power pole, click on one entity, then the power pole base
To connect wires to a power pole in Factorio, click on one entity, then the power pole base. This is a simple and effective way to connect wires to a power pole.
Firstly, you will need to have placed electrical generators, such as steam engines or solar panels, and electrical consumers. Distributors, such as small electric poles, can then be used to connect the generator and consumer.
To connect wires or cables to a power pole, simply click on one entity and then on the base of the power pole. You can also use the wire tool to select a machine and the ground, and the game will create a power pole for you.
If you are using copper wire, you can manually connect the poles by clicking on the source pole and then the target pole. The game will automatically chain connections, so you can simply click each pole once you have started.
You can also connect wires to a power pole by shift-clicking on the pole. The first shift-click will remove all electrical connections, and the second will remove all red and green wires. This method allows you to then manually wire the power pole as you like.
It is important to note that if red and green wires touch the same power pole or device, the networks will remain separate and will not link up. However, two wires of the same colour will link if they touch.
Selecting the Right Electric Radiator Fan: A Quick Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Shift-click to remove all electrical connections from a power pole
In Factorio, you can remove all electrical connections from a power pole by using the "Shift-Click" function. This is done by holding the "Shift" key and clicking on the power pole. This action will remove all wires connected to the pole, including both the red and green circuit wires and the copper wire.
The "Shift-Click" function is a useful tool in Factorio for managing your power connections and improving the aesthetics of your factory. By removing all wires from a power pole, you can reorganize the wiring to make it more efficient or simply make it look better. This can be especially helpful if you have a large number of poles and want to clean up the extra wires to improve clarity.
Additionally, the "Shift-Click" function can be used to remove individual wires by using the same type of wire (copper, red, or green) between the two connected objects. This allows for greater control over your power connections and can be useful for various applications, such as controlling steam backup power or building a large computer.
It is important to note that while the "Shift-Click" function removes the connections, it does not return the wires to your inventory. Therefore, it is a one-way action that cannot be easily undone. However, it does not consume or cost anything to perform this action.
By utilizing the "Shift-Click" function, you can easily manage your power connections in Factorio, making your factory more organized and efficient. This tool provides flexibility in designing your power infrastructure and ensures that your power poles are connected optimally.
Electricity's Nature: Positive to Negative Flow
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Hover over a pole to see current satisfaction of power demands
Hovering the cursor over a pole in Factorio will display the current satisfaction of power demands in that pole's network. This is shown as a bar, which should ideally be full. If the bar is not full, it means that the machines connected to the network are consuming more power than is being produced. In this case, the bar will change colour to yellow (>50%) or red (<50%), indicating that additional power is required to meet the demand.
The Electric Network Info GUI can be accessed by left-clicking on an electric pole. This provides detailed information about the pole's electric network, including the current energy produced and consumed, as well as the accumulator charge.
It is important to note that the electric network info is measured by network, rather than globally. This means that you will only see the information from the electric network to which the pole is connected.
To remove all connections from a power pole, you can use the shift-click function. This will first remove all electrical connections and then all red and green wires if shift-clicked again.
By understanding the current satisfaction of power demands and utilising the Electric Network Info GUI, players can effectively manage their power generation and distribution in Factorio.
Jail Security: Can Power Cuts Open Cell Doors?
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Click on a pole to see a detailed GUI of its electric network
To connect electrical things in Factorio, you must first understand the electric system. The electric system in Factorio powers a lot of different machines, and electricity is one of two ways machines can be powered, the other being burner devices running off fuel.
To access the Electric network info GUI, you can left-click on any electric pole nearby. Clicking on a pole will provide a detailed GUI about that pole's electric network. This will show you the current satisfaction of power demands in that pole's network. The GUI will display the following information:
- Satisfaction: This bar indicates the current amount of energy consumed by the network. If this bar is full, it means the energy consumption is being met. If it is not full, it means machines are consuming more power than is produced, and the bar will change colour to yellow (>50%) or red (<50%).
- Production: This bar shows the current energy produced by the network. This bar should never be full as it indicates that the machines are consuming all available energy. The less full this bar is, the more surplus energy is available.
- Accumulator Charge: This displays how much energy is currently held inside the accumulators connected to your network.
To remove all connections from a power pole, you can shift-click on the pole. The first shift-click will remove all electrical connections, and a second shift-click will remove all red and green wires. To connect wires or cables to a power pole, simply click on one entity, then on the base of the power pole.
Electricity's Circuitous Flow: Understanding the Fundamentals
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
To connect wires or cables to a power pole, simply click on one entity and then on the base of the power pole.
You can remove an individual connection by connecting it with a copper wire tool. Alternatively, you can use the same wire (copper, red or green) between the two connected objects.
Shift-click on the power pole to remove all its connections to other poles. The first shift-click will remove all electrical connections, and the second will remove all red and green wires.











































