Overview
Four simple step-by-step examples for understanding Standby Power, Power Consumption, Power limit, and Short Circuit.
The Jargons
Power Limit is analogous to the internet bandwidth, or to the cross-section size of a pipe in a water pipe system. It’s the maximum amount of electricity per sec that can safely go into or go out of the said electrical device without triggering a short circuit. Thus, it should be understood as the “safety limit” instead.
Power Consumption is the amount of electricity the electrical device needs every time it tries to perform a task such as attacking per cycle, lighting per sec, passing electricity through per sec, etc.
Standby Power is the maximum amount of electricity the device consumes every second when it’s not performing its Power Consumption task.
Power Consumption has a higher priority than Standby Power. That is, an electrical device consumes electricity in only one fashion, not both. Therefore, Power Consumption is the primary mode for electricity consumption, whereas Standby Power is the secondary mode.
Short Circuit is a phenomenon that happens to an electrical device which an amount of electricity exceeding the device’s Power Limit (safety limit) goes out of or goes into.
Example 1
Scenario setup:
A connected electrical system of 2 devices.
Upstream – an unupgraded Battery (B499) with 499 units of electricity already stored within.
Downstream – a Plasma Shocker (PS).
There’s an enemies near the Plasma Shocker.
What happens:
Upon connection, PS detects an enemy within a range of 25 units, so it attempts to enter its primary mode.
PS, in order to perform primary mode (Power Consumption: 2000), asks B499 to send 2000 units of electricity.
B499 does not have 2000 electricity for a primary mode request, so it doesn’t send.
PS, in order to maintain secondary mode (Standby Power: 500), asks B499 to send whatever amount up to 500 electricity instead.
B499 does not have 500 electricity for a secondary mode request, so it sends whatever it has instead.
B499 has a bandwidth of 500 electricity per sec (Power Limit: 500), so 499 units safely go out of B499.
PS has a bandwidth of 5000 (Power Limit: 5000), so 499 electricity from B499 safely goes into PS.
PS now has 499 electricity, not enough for primary mode (Power Consumption: 2000), so it enters secondary mode.
PS consumes 499 electricity, and does a shock attack by using up one of its 5 internal charges (manually reloadable with 100 cells).
Example 2
Scenario setup:
A connected electrical system of 2 devices.
Upstream – an unupgraded Battery (B1999) with 1999 units of electricity already stored within
Downstream – a Plasma Shocker (PS).
There is an enemy near the Plasma Shocker.
What happens:
Upon connection, PS detects an enemy within a range of 25 units, so it attempts to enter its primary consumption mode.
Ps, in order to perform primary mode (Power Consumption: 2000), asks B1999 to send 2000 units of electricity.
B1999 does not have 2000 electricity for a primary mode request, so it doesn’t send.
PS, in order to maintain secondary mode (Standby Power: 500), asks B1999 to send whatever amount up to 500 electricity instead.
B1999 has enough, so it sends 500 electricity.
B1999 has a bandwidth of 500 electricity per sec (Power Limit: 500), so 500 units safely go out of B1999.
PS has a bandwidth of 5000 (Power Limit: 5000), so 500 electricity from B1999 safely goes into PS.
PS now has 500 electricity, not enough for primary mode (Power Consumption: 2000), so it enters secondary mode.
PS consumes 500 electricity, and does a shock attack by using up one of its 5 internal charges (manually reloadable with 100 cells).
Example 3
Scenario setup:
A connected electrical system of 2 devices.
Upstream – an unupgraded Battery (B2000) with 2000 units of electricity already stored within.
Downstream – a Plasma Shocker (PS).
There is an enemy near the Plasma Shocker.
What happens:
Upon connection, PS detects an enemy within a range of 25 units, so it attempts to enter its primary mode.
PS, in order to perform primary mode (Power Consumption: 2000), asks B2000 to send 2000 units of electricity.
B2000 has enough, so it sends 2000 electricity.
B2000 has a bandwidth of 500 electricity per sec (Power Limit: 500), so 2000 units go out of B2000 UNSAFELY.
B2000 explodes, setting fire to everything flammable within 10 units around, and also leaves a 10-sec burning damage-over-time debuff on anyone flammable in that range.
B2000 short circuits, stopping any further flow of electricity into or out of itself, and spits sparks until it’s repaired with a Piece of Iron.
PS has a bandwidth of 5000 (Power Limit: 5000), so 2000 electricity from B2000 safely goes into PS.
PS now has 2000 electricity, enough for primary mode (Power Consumption: 2000).
PS consumes 2000 electricity, and does a shock attack WITHOUT using any of its 5 internal charges.
Example 4
Scenario setup:
A connected electrical system of 2 devices.
Upstream – an upgraded Battery (B2000) with 2000 units of electricity already stored within.
Downstream – a Plasma Shocker (PS).
There is an enemy near the Plasma Shocker.
What happens:
Upon connection, PS detects an enemy within a range of 25 units, so it attempts to enter its primary mode.
PS, in order to perform primary mode (Power Consumption: 2000), asks B2000 to send 2000 units of electricity.
B2000 has enough, so it sends 2000 electricity.
B2000 has a bandwidth of 2500 electricity per sec (Power Limit: 2500), so 2000 units safely go out of B2000.
PS has a bandwidth of 5000 (Power Limit: 5000), so 2000 electricity from B2000 safely goes into PS.
PS now has 2000 electricity, enough for primary mode (Power Consumption: 2000).
PS consumes 2000 electricity, and does a shock attack WITHOUT using any of its 5 internal charges.
In Closing
There can be more complicated systems like:
An unupgraded Battery (Power Limit: 500) with 2000 E stored, which is connected to an unupgraded Switch (Power Limit: 500), which is connected to PS.
In this case, the unupgraded Switch, when activated, will also explode and short circuit along with the unupgraded Battery because of 2000 electricity passing through them and exceeding their safety limits.
Q: What to do when a short circuit happens?
A: 
If a Switch or Trap Controller is in the system, repair those first and turn them off to disconnect the system.
If there is no switches, instead, use Wire Connector tool to disconnect the wire between the power source and the device that consumes electricity.
After disconnection, repair and put out the fire if any.
While the system is disconnected, upgrade devices to higher Power Limits if possible.
Finally, when every device is within its safety limit, reconnect devices back with Wire Connector or turn the switch back on.
If safety limit cannot be maintained, either wait till upgrades are available, or just live with short circuits.
Addendum
Bicycle Generator, Wind Power Generator, Solar Panel, and Fuel Generator are designed to not short circuit. Because they have no input ports, no amount of electricity that exceeds their Power Limits can ever go into or out of them. The amount of electricity that goes out of them is generated by themselves, which is within their Power Limits.
The descriptions of Wind Power Generator and Solar Panel state that they can break on their own even without any connections. The breakage seems random from time to time. There are sparks coming out of them but those are not short circuits, and they cause no AoE fire explosion.
