# Permanent or semi-permanent lights?

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112>\
**Category:** The Drawing Board\
**Created:** [May 4, 2013, 3:33pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112 "2013-05-04T15:33:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 19\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pingpong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4bbf92/32.png) [@pingpong](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/pingpong)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2013, 3:33pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/1 "2013-05-04T15:33:23Z")

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Nuclear powered lights, or maybe solar panels with some wire leading to a battery and light system? Even if it had to be something as crude as a new construct, a “roof with solar panel” tile, and anything rechargeable underneath it was applied charge, so we could build a ‘rechargeable flashlight’ or something and use that.

Or even on that subject, rechargeable batteries or electric tools would be nice.

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**Author:** ![TaintedHolyWater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5e925/32.png) [@TaintedHolyWater](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/TaintedHolyWater)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 1:29am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/2 "2013-05-05T01:29:34Z")

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Nuclear powered lights… um… what? (now I want one, but “what?”)  
Solar panels, yes.

In the time being I recommend lighting up your house/base/exc with headlights.

Put down your lamp pole (steel frame)  
Screw in a light bulb (weld on a flashlight)  
Place your favourite chair in arms reach (attach car seat)  
Check to make sure the light switch is properly wired (add controls)  
Sit down in comfort and flip the switch. (turn on light)

Now that your light is on you “can” take back your seat (and controls) to go wire up other lights.

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**Author:** ![Flare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c0e974/32.png) [@Flare](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Flare)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 2:19am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/3 "2013-05-05T02:19:05Z")

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> [@TaintedHolyWater](#):
>
> Nuclear powered lights… um… what? (now I want one, but “what?”)

> **[Tritium radioluminescence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-powered_lighting)**
>
> Tritium radioluminescence is the use of gaseous tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, to create visible light. Tritium emits electrons through beta decay and, when they interact with a phosphor material, light is emitted through the process of phosphorescence. The overall process of using a radioactive material to excite a phosphor and ultimately generate light is called radioluminescence. As tritium illumination requires no electrical energy, it has found wide use in applications such as...

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**Author:** ![grisamentum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@grisamentum](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/grisamentum)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 7:06am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/4 "2013-05-05T07:06:04Z")

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[quote=“pingpong, post:1, topic:1112”]Nuclear powered lights, or maybe solar panels with some wire leading to a battery and light system? Even if it had to be something as crude as a new construct, a “roof with solar panel” tile, and anything rechargeable underneath it was applied charge, so we could build a ‘rechargeable flashlight’ or something and use that.

Or even on that subject, rechargeable batteries or electric tools would be nice.[/quote]

you are a rechargeable tool and flashlight if you get a CBM: Metabolic Intercharge, CBM: Cranial Flashlight, CBM: Intergrated Toolset

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**Author:** ![KA101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/278dde/32.png) [@KA101](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/KA101)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/5 "2013-05-05T16:40:21Z")

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The Crainial Flashlight is underpowered and Metabolic Interchange gets…tricky at higher amounts of Batteries installed. I prefer Solar Panels/Internal Furnace/Ethanol Burner, and agree that the Toolset is an excellent investment.

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**Author:** ![krAbhandz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c77e96/32.png) [@krAbhandz](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/krAbhandz)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/6 "2013-05-05T17:16:22Z")

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I haven’t tested it yet, but I think if you make frames and stick headlights on them you can turn the headlights on for infinite light.

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**Author:** ![grisamentum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@grisamentum](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/grisamentum)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/7 "2013-05-05T21:45:11Z")

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> [@krAbhandz](#):
>
> I haven’t tested it yet, but I think if you make frames and stick headlights on them you can turn the headlights on for infinite light.

oh man i can’t believe i didn’t think of that

what a good solution.

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**Author:** ![grisamentum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@grisamentum](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/grisamentum)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/8 "2013-05-05T21:48:46Z")

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> [@KA101](#):
>
> The Crainial Flashlight is underpowered and Metabolic Interchange gets…tricky at higher amounts of Batteries installed. I prefer Solar Panels/Internal Furnace/Ethanol Burner, and agree that the Toolset is an excellent investment.

nah, none of those things can possibly provide the sheer amount of power metabolic can. i’ve had 150-200 worth of power installed. you just walk around with a couple MREs or pieces of uncooked meat (which you can cook with an integrated toolset for a mere 1 Power, which is way less than the amount of power eating meat provides.)

Internal furnace just doesn’t produce as much power. I ate a whole tree once and got a couple power. My metabolic interchange could have just regenerated that in a few turns. I don’t have time to stop and eat when I’m walking through triffid root blasting my fusion blaster every other step.

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**Author:** ![halberdsturgeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7ab992/32.png) [@halberdsturgeon](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/halberdsturgeon)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 12:50am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/9 "2013-05-06T00:50:35Z")

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> [@TaintedHolyWater](#):
>
> Nuclear powered lights… um… what? (now I want one, but “what?”)

You ought to be able to rig up a generator for your shelter with a minireactor.

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**Author:** ![KA101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/278dde/32.png) [@KA101](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/KA101)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/10 "2013-05-06T01:37:58Z")

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> [@grisamentum](#):
>
> [quote=“KA101, post:5, topic:1112”]The Crainial Flashlight is underpowered and Metabolic Interchange gets…tricky at higher amounts of Batteries installed. I prefer Solar Panels/Internal Furnace/Ethanol Burner, and agree that the Toolset is an excellent investment.

nah, none of those things can possibly provide the sheer amount of power metabolic can. i’ve had 150-200 worth of power installed. you just walk around with a couple MREs or pieces of uncooked meat (which you can cook with an integrated toolset for a mere 1 Power, which is way less than the amount of power eating meat provides.)

Internal furnace just doesn’t produce as much power. I ate a whole tree once and got a couple power. My metabolic interchange could have just regenerated that in a few turns. I don’t have time to stop and eat when I’m walking through triffid root blasting my fusion blaster every other step.[/quote]  
Huh. It takes 7 power to cook a meat in 02Feb, last I checked. Glad Metabolic Exchange works for you, at least.

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**Author:** ![Weyrling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7bcc69/32.png) [@Weyrling](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Weyrling)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 3:14am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/11 "2013-05-06T03:14:32Z")

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> [@KA101](#):
>
> Huh. It takes 7 power to cook a meat in 02Feb, last I checked. Glad Metabolic Exchange works for you, at least.

From a recent test of the git build, eating 3 pieces of cooked meat can bring you from Very Hungry (Metabolic Interchange does not function) to Full. Which then gave me around 50-60 energy before going back down to Very Hungry (Which took about 5 minutes using the Wait command).  
I didn’t check the cost of cooking meat, but 21 for 50 seems like a good trade, assuming you kill rabbits with a fusion arm, 25 for 50 still seems like a good trade.

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**Author:** ![Tripsky](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/tripsky/32/43_2.png) [@Tripsky](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Tripsky)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 10:51am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/12 "2013-05-06T10:51:15Z")

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> [@TaintedHolyWater](#):
>
> In the time being I recommend lighting up your house/base/exc with headlights.

thank you a hundred times over for this gem. i am also slapping myself for not thinking of this, so if you’re into that sort of thing, i hope that is reward enough.

also, has anyone floated the idea of a CBM that can be used to recharge items from your power reserve? like a reversible CBM: Battery system?

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**Author:** ![grisamentum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@grisamentum](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/grisamentum)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/13 "2013-05-07T19:03:32Z")

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> [@KA101](#):
>
> [quote=“grisamentum, post:8, topic:1112”][quote=“KA101, post:5, topic:1112”]The Crainial Flashlight is underpowered and Metabolic Interchange gets…tricky at higher amounts of Batteries installed. I prefer Solar Panels/Internal Furnace/Ethanol Burner, and agree that the Toolset is an excellent investment.

nah, none of those things can possibly provide the sheer amount of power metabolic can. i’ve had 150-200 worth of power installed. you just walk around with a couple MREs or pieces of uncooked meat (which you can cook with an integrated toolset for a mere 1 Power, which is way less than the amount of power eating meat provides.)

Internal furnace just doesn’t produce as much power. I ate a whole tree once and got a couple power. My metabolic interchange could have just regenerated that in a few turns. I don’t have time to stop and eat when I’m walking through triffid root blasting my fusion blaster every other step.[/quote]  
Huh. It takes 7 power to cook a meat in 02Feb, last I checked. Glad Metabolic Exchange works for you, at least.[/quote]

Maybe I misread it. I thought it was just 1. Regardless, what weyrling said. Honestly I think metabolic interchange is borderline broken. It completely alters the balance of Power and CBM power use. Since you have to eat anyway, it’s nothing special to just eat a little more. Wolves, bears, and cougars give so much meat that I can never use it all before it rots (I try to avoid cooking rotten meat because it’s cheesy and obviously a bug) so eating more is really easy.

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**Author:** ![i2amroy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/i2amroy/32/909_2.png) [@i2amroy](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/i2amroy)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 11:17pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/14 "2013-05-07T23:17:21Z")

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Another form of illumination is lightstrips, which right now function for something like 120 days regardless of what their description says.

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**Author:** ![drake1storm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/54ee81/32.png) [@drake1storm](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/drake1storm)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/15 "2013-05-08T00:55:21Z")

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> [@i2amroy](#):
>
> Another form of illumination is lightstrips, which right now function for something like 120 days regardless of what their description says.

Need a crap load of them to read by, though.

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**Author:** ![Ferodaktyl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/ferodaktyl/32/56_2.png) [@Ferodaktyl](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Ferodaktyl)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 1:04am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/16 "2013-05-08T01:04:31Z")

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> [@drake1storm](#):
>
> [quote=“i2amroy, post:14, topic:1112”]Another form of illumination is lightstrips, which right now function for something like 120 days regardless of what their description says.

Need a crap load of them to read by, though.[/quote]

like 2… 😛

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**Author:** ![drake1storm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/54ee81/32.png) [@drake1storm](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/drake1storm)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/17 "2013-05-08T01:22:46Z")

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> [@Ferodaktyl](#):
>
> [quote=“drake1storm, post:15, topic:1112”][quote=“i2amroy, post:14, topic:1112”]Another form of illumination is lightstrips, which right now function for something like 120 days regardless of what their description says.

Need a crap load of them to read by, though.[/quote]

like 2… :P[/quote]

hrumph? I thought it was like 4?

What was I thinking of then?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![i2amroy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/i2amroy/32/909_2.png) [@i2amroy](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/i2amroy)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:23am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/18 "2013-05-08T03:23:09Z")

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> [@drake1storm](#):
>
> [quote=“i2amroy, post:14, topic:1112”]Another form of illumination is lightstrips, which right now function for something like 120 days regardless of what their description says.

Need a crap load of them to read by, though.[/quote]  
In the latest git version if you are carrying an active lightstrip in your inventory then you are able to perform all fine detail tasks (sewing and reading to name two) regardless of the current light level.

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**Author:** ![drake1storm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/54ee81/32.png) [@drake1storm](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/drake1storm)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/permanent-or-semi-permanent-lights/1112/19 "2013-05-08T03:25:49Z")

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> [@i2amroy](#):
>
> [quote=“drake1storm, post:15, topic:1112”][quote=“i2amroy, post:14, topic:1112”]Another form of illumination is lightstrips, which right now function for something like 120 days regardless of what their description says.

Need a crap load of them to read by, though.[/quote]  
In the latest git version if you are carrying an active lightstrip in your inventory then you are able to perform all fine detail tasks (sewing and reading to name two) regardless of the current light level.[/quote]  
wish I knew that before I used them as zombie bait…

Whelp, that’s 400 batteries I won’t be getting back. Hope they enjoyed the fireball.