Starting Off Survival With A Small Treehouse

Chapter 358: Chapter 284: Generator and Battery, Power System!

Besides these electric protective nets, some household appliances related to daily life also made an appearance.

[Electric Light (Green): Emits a faint yellow glow, enough to light up a small room. Requires Iron (Green) *1, Glass (Green) *2, Copper Block (Green) *1]

[Electric Oven (Green): Can grill food, smoke-free grilling is healthier! Requires Iron Block (Green) *10, Copper Block (Green) *2]

[Range Hood (Green): An appliance that extracts smoke and releases it from the treehouse, a kitchen essential! Requires Iron Block (Green) *10, Copper Block (Green) *2]

[Electric Water Pump (Green): Connects to a water source, automatically pumps water when powered, needs to be used with pipes. Requires Iron Block (Green) *5, Copper Block (Green) *2]

[Electric Water Heater (Green): Heats water for showers, needs to be used with pipes. Requires Iron Block (Green) *5, Copper Block (Green) *2]

[Pipe (Green): A pipeline connecting to the water pump, can withstand water temperatures from 0-100 degrees. One meter of piping requires Iron Block (Green) *1]

This works, it really works!

With these, his treehouse truly feels like a home!

Not to mention the electric oven and range hood, just the electric water pump and electric water heater are enough to make him smile.

He previously felt that his restroom’s functionality was too basic; he had to fetch water himself each time, and usually had to resolve major issues outside. There was no water heater either; previously, in the heat, the water temperature was fine, but now, with such cold weather, he had to heat water himself every time he bathed.

Too troublesome and time-consuming, and resolving issues outside isn’t safe.

And now, he can use the electric water pump to draw water!

The power system must be set up.

This time, it’s truly a significant renovation from the inside out! Most importantly, these appliances don’t require many copper blocks; the items needing the most are the electric grid and pipes, which don’t need copper!

The copper blocks he has can fulfill the needs of many people!

Get to work right away.

First, the generator.

Since he has coal mines at his disposal, he certainly won’t use a hand-cranked generator.

But the description of the coal generator mentions that it produces exhaust, heat, and noise, so it’s best not to place the coal generator inside the treehouse.

Xu Xin thought about it and felt that putting it outside wouldn’t be wise.

The outside of the treehouse isn’t safe, even though it’s surrounded by plant hearts for protection, unforeseen natural disasters and giant beasts are factors he can’t predict. Placing such a critical power-providing device outside is really unsuitable.

It’s essential to know that the three pillars of an apocalyptic fortress—food, energy, and weapons—must be inside the fortress. Once under attack, you can hold the fort; as long as the fortress stands, there won’t be significant losses.

Therefore, the generator should be placed inside the treehouse.

But the exhaust, heat, and noise...

Xu Xin thought about the newly expanded space on the first and second floors.

These spaces are entirely separated from his third-floor living area and fourth-floor planting area, and they’re far enough away to avoid mutual interference.

The new space on the second floor is the choice then! The second floor is just right for various workstations and work tables; it really has the ambiance of a factory.

Moreover, the new second floor doesn’t have a third floor above it, making it easier to vent the exhaust, as exhaust outlets can be opened above.

Xu Xin immediately went down to the second floor and opened the door to the new space.

This newly appeared 100-square-meter space seems slightly bigger than the last time he came.

According to the banyan tree’s description, the crown of this banyan tree will keep growing!

However, this presents a problem.

As the banyan tree continues to grow, will the positions of items placed in the treehouse change?

Xu Xin carefully observed and concluded through the patterns on the floor and walls: the already formed floor would not change; it won’t stretch as a whole but will expand its area from the edges.

This means if he places a coal generator by the window now, using the window for exhaust, as the banyan tree grows, the generator’s position won’t change, but the window will move further away!

Hmm... It’s a bit troublesome.

He could create an opening on the ceiling for exhaust, but that involves rainwater issues...

Let’s start like this; after all, the treehouse’s growth rate isn’t too fast. It seems it may not even grow a few centimeters a day, and adjustments can be made later if necessary.

Deciding on this, Xu Xin immediately crafted a coal generator.

[Please select the placement location.]

He directly chose the far edge of the second-floor treehouse, venting outside, located farthest from his living area.

”Clang!” With a loud noise, a coal generator, three meters wide and one and a half meters tall, appeared by the window.

Xu Xin stepped forward to observe.

The entire generator was made of iron, presenting a shiny metallic color; its angular design gave it a somewhat technological look. At the front of the generator, there was a round iron cover with a handle on it.

He pulled the handle open, revealing a furnace-like combustion chamber inside.

It seems only coal is needed to be placed inside.

Xu Xin didn’t throw the coal in directly; he hadn’t yet connected the wires and batteries, activating it now would just waste coal.

He thought about it and built a few more walls around, enclosing the coal generator in a small room, otherwise exhaust generated during power generation would fill the room; having just the window as an exhaust outlet shouldn’t be a problem.

This small room can be called the generator room.

Next is the battery; with a battery, the generator can start generating and storing electricity.

He immediately designated another area as the battery room and then crafted a large battery to place inside.

The battery was truly large, a nearly one-meter-tall cylinder with a diameter of about half a meter, standing on the ground.

A small screen was on the surface of the cylinder, which was dark; Xu Xin tapped it, and the screen lit up.

[Remaining Power: 0%]

Though lacking power, it could still light up, likely operating on the same principle as the treehouse screen and workstations, with the treehouse providing this portion of energy.

The next step is to connect the battery and the generator.

But how should these wires be laid out? Without insulated rubber, won’t accidental contact lead to electric shock?

He immediately returned to the workshop and tentatively created a ten-meter wire using a copper block (green).

[The electrical path can be set.]

Select the electrical path?

Xu Xin discovered that the small screen on the basic electronics manufacturing station had a schematic of the entire treehouse.

Could it be that the wires are directly embedded in the walls or floors of the treehouse?

Xu Xin tried to manipulate the screen, connecting the wire path with the generator, and led it straight to a battery in another room through the treehouse floor.

[Electrical path setting complete.]

Xu Xin immediately went to check the generator and found no traces on the path where he set up the wires.

As expected, these wires are automatically embedded in the walls of the treehouse.

This feels much more comfortable, avoiding messy wires and the risk of electric shock.

He immediately opened the generator’s circular small iron door, tentatively tossed in a few pieces of coal, and then closed it.

At the moment he closed it, numbers lit up on the circular small iron door: 7/200, and then the generator started roaring and vibrating as it went into operation.

He had indeed tossed in seven pieces of coal earlier. It seems the coal-powered generator can hold up to two hundred pieces.

However, the noise is quite loud, but it shouldn’t affect his living area.

Xu Xin went to the next room, where the battery screen already lit up automatically, showing the word [Charging], and the power level was still 0%.

Then, before Xu Xin’s eyes, it jumped to 1%.

”The coal-powered generator’s electricity generation speed isn’t very fast,” Xu Xin muttered.

But that’s understandable. This battery can store a total of five kilowatt-hours, which is quite a lot.

Normally, a household’s daily electricity consumption ranges around 5 to 10 kilowatt-hours, and when using high-power appliances like refrigerators, water heaters, and desktop computers, the daily consumption can be around ten kilowatt-hours.

Given this charging speed, the battery should be fully charged in about an hour.

Pretty decent charging efficiency.

However, being able to store only five kilowatt-hours is still too little; energy needs to be stored.

Xu Xin decided to directly make a blue-grade battery.

A green-grade battery requires five green-grade iron blocks and two green-grade copper blocks, so a blue-grade battery needs one blue-grade iron block and one blue-grade copper block.

He currently has twelve blue-grade copper blocks on hand, so he can definitely use one.

Power storage is very necessary; according to the requirement to connect the battery to the power grid and traps, both the power grid and traps require a large amount of stored power for support.

Xu Xin immediately and decisively made one.

[Battery (Blue): Advanced battery for storing generator’s excess electricity, can store a maximum of 180,000 kilojoules of electricity.]

Wow, they’ve added a zero!

Storage capacity of 50 kilowatt-hours!

This is much more comfortable!

Xu Xin placed it in the battery room, alongside the green-grade battery, and connected them with wires.

His coal-powered generator immediately started charging both batteries together.

Xu Xin returned to the generator room and filled the coal-powered generator with coal.

”Vroom!” The coal-powered generator emitted a roar.

Then, it began producing gas. Though colorless and invisible, Xu Xin could already smell an unusual scent in the air.

Is this... the smell of coal gas?

Coal gas is essentially carbon monoxide, a byproduct of incomplete carbon combustion, and excessive inhalation can lead to poisoning.

Unexpectedly, this generator actually produces coal gas...

Speaking of which, could this stuff be collected for use? I mean, it can be used for cooking, compressed for combustion, and explosion—it has many uses!

At this moment, his watch vibrated—Li Wenxi was making a video call.

Upon connecting, Xu Xin saw a table full of sumptuous dishes.

”Come quickly, we’re all ready!” Li Wenxi pointed the camera at the table, ”Look, so many... Whoa, what’s that behind you!”

She stopped mid-sentence, taken aback by the coal-powered generator behind Xu Xin, which was gently vibrating and making noise.

Xu Xin exited the generator room, closed the door, and then said with a smile, ”It’s a coal-powered generator; I can generate electricity now.”

”Huh? Generating electricity?” Beside him, Lou Fei’Er immediately leaned over, ”Where’s the generator?”

Xu Xin also heard exclamations from Le Youfang and Li Yajun; it seems they had already gone over.

”I’ll explain when I get there; I’m heading over now.”

”Oh, alright, you better come over!” Li Wenxi nodded.

After ending the video, Xu Xin thought for a moment and made two glass windows for each of the two rooms.

This way, he can still see the inside, as well as the remaining electricity and coal count, even from outside the rooms.

Reducing the number of times he needs to enter the generator room, since inhaling too much carbon monoxide is not good, having to open the door every time isn’t ideal; the coal gas could leak into the house.

Better keep charging, so that when he returns, the power level should be substantial enough, and he can then try out various appliances!