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Details | |
Tier | Small |
Group | Item |
Type | Automation |
Crafted at | ![]() |
Recipe | ![]() ![]() |
Unlock Cost | 500 Bytes |
The Power Sensor is an Automation item in Astroneer. It allows players to detect when there is a change in Power flow and will send a signal to connected items.
Source[]
Output | Input | Module |
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Uses[]
The Power Sensor can be used to detect when there are changes in the flow of power to the connected platform, such as losing or gaining power. This can be useful to shut down or start parts of players' bases depending on power availability, such as turning on generators when power runs out.
Power Sensors currently have three different settings, which are indicated by the green arrows on its side. The player can cycle through those by pressing the Use key (PC: , Xbox:
, PS4:
, Switch:
). Each sending a signal when a state change is detected:
- Gained or Lost: Will send a signal when power is completely shut down, and when any power is provided again.
- Gained: Will send a signal when any power is provided after previously being shut down.
- Lost: Will send a signal when power is completely shut down, after previously being powered.
Due to how Power Sensors detect changes based on if any power is provided, connecting it directly to a power network with a constant power generator (i.e. a Shelter or
RTG) will render the sensor useless, as it will never fully lose power in order to trigger. This can be avoided by providing power to the sensor via a directed power cable instead of the default cable. Since directed cables fully shut off when the origin doesn't meet its own power demand, the sensor can now detect if the network meets the power demands of everything connected to it, rather than only when you completely run out of power.
Example[]

Turbine (left) active

Generator (right) active
The images above show a simple example how to wire up a Power Sensor located in the background. It is connected via network cable to the
Small Wind Turbine on the left. The Power Sensor has its pin connected to a
Small Generator on the right and is set on Gained-Or-Lost-Mode. At the first time, the player has to manually turn on the generator, while the wind turbine is off. The network cable on the right provides power to the rest of the network.
After this, it works automatically: The generator turns off, when wind energy is available (left image), and turns on, when no wind blows (right image). Of course, the player has to provide new fuel for the generator e.g. by using an Auto Arm or connecting it to a
Medium Resource Canister.
The Extender in the center was not yet mentioned, but is crucial for the setup to work: It allows the Power only to flow in the shown direction. Otherwise, power from the generator (or the network) would flow back through the wind turbine into the sensor and turn the generator off immediately, resulting in turning it on and off in fast succession.
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