How to hook up water and power

[Bahger]

I've been trying to hook up water and power in my first prison but I'm a bit stuck and would appreciate help with the following questions:

- Must all light and electrical fixtures like cookers be individually connected to the main electrical supply by attaching power lines directly to them all, or can the lines be connected to the room to accomplish this?

- I can't see what I'm doing at night. If I connect all my interior/exterior lights properly, will indoor and outdoor areas be illuminated effectively?

- As above, must all toilet and shower units be individually connected to the main water supply by attaching pipes directly to them all, or can the pipe be connected to the room to accomplish this?

I'm stuck. Thanks.

[motoryogurt]

When you add lines down for power (running them off the generator) and into a room you will provide power to lights (and I think) objects that are within a certain distance. Its pretty clear [graphically] when you have powered all, or a portion of a room. If say only half the room is powered than just extend out the power line further towards the section without power.

Water needs to be plumbed direct to the object you are sending it to. For the shower heads and toilets I use the small pipes which I generally tie into a larger pipe thats connected to the pump.

and yes, if you have powered your lights you will be able to see at night =)

[Illanair]

Most items only need an indirect connection to the nearest electrical cable (these can be in walls). You'll see small electrical wires go from lights and such within a set distance from the cable. The wires can cross doorways, but not walls. So say you have a long cell block with cells on either side of a long 1 tile wide center corridor. All of the cells can receive light because they are "open" due to the jail doors.

Outdoor lights don't seem to require power? But yeah - every light has a radius. Place them with some distance and your nightscape will light up, making it easier for your workers to get around and spot escapees.

As for specific items that need direct connection - stoves, fridges (and the water plant as examples) all need to be connected by electrical cables to one of the sides. If you put two stoves next to each other they will "link" so one expands the power to the other.

Toilets, shower heads and sinks all need direct water pipe access - that is a pipe ON the item leading to the water plant. Usually you'll want to run big water pipes and electrical cables (they CAN stack but you can only see the pipe) along your "paths" in the prison and then lead small water pipes into the buildings and run electrical cables into a side wall (or through if the rooms are large enough)

[XmAkiNA]

Just to add, be sure to put a valve where your big pipe plugs into a building - if a prisoner decides to smash up his cells toilet you're going to have a damp prison!

[Illanair]

Just to add, be sure to put a valve where your big pipe plugs into a building - if a prisoner decides to smash up his cells toilet you're going to have a damp prison!

*facepalm* I can't believe I never thought of this before. My cell blocks used to be overflooded sometimes due to broken toilets.