Why is my electric fence not working? It sparks

[SenLim]

Edit: It was too far. 12 blocks apart = no go. 11 = go. I thought the wiki said 14 including their block (so 12). Did they change this?

 

It was working before.

Now it goes "bzzzt!" sparks every 3 seconds. What's wrong with it? I'm in creative mode. I rebuilt it and it's still doing the same.

 

Generator bank (has fuel and engine) -> switch -> relay -> relay -> electric fence post -> electric fence post (this one sparks).

 

Thanks.

Edited July 28, 2023 by SenLim (see edit history)

[theFlu]

The sparks are there when the pole has taken enough damage to stop working. It takes damage from being used - when actively hitting zeds. Once it hits something like 50/200 HP, it stops so it doesn't self-destroy and starts sparking.

[SenLim]

That pole had over 190 hp. It was too far from the other pole.

 

Another question: Some vids say (A21) that the last pole takes the damage... however from my test the middle one does. (I have 3 poles, the 3rd & last one is next to me so I can repair - but this last one does not take damage).
Was this changed?

[theFlu]

24 minutes ago, SenLim said:

Some vids say (A21) that the last pole takes the damage...

I think it's been "the last of a PAIR will take the damage", as in whatever poles a zed goes in between of, one of those takes damage, of those it is the latter one. But I have seen some weird behaviours past that; they're just so buggy in general that I'm happy whenever they're not pointing to 0,0 ...

[The_Great_Sephiroth]

I place my poles 14 or 15 apart in A21 and they work. Sparking normally means damaged or broken. Fences are the first thing zeds hit at my base so I can snipe some before they hit other traps.

 

Also, some zeds specifically target the poles and take them out. Every horde night we get a few zeds attacking the poles. I also made a small modlet to double their health due to this new behavior.

Edited July 28, 2023 by The_Great_Sephiroth (see edit history)

[SenLim]

Ok rebuilt them and they are 14 apart (not 15, 15 too far) and they do work now.

I'm confused. It did not work before (it sparks and has 190 hp). Oh well. Probably glitch or something.

[Riamus]

1 hour ago, The_Great_Sephiroth said:

Also, some zeds specifically target the poles and take them out. Every horde night we get a few zeds attacking the poles. I also made a small modlet to double their health due to this new behavior.

I avoid that by having my poles above and below the path for the zombies so the wire is vertical.  They can't get at the poles that way and I can get on top to repair if I feel like it. 😁

[Syphon583]

8 minutes ago, SenLim said:

Ok rebuilt them and they are 14 apart (not 15, 15 too far) and they do work now.

I'm confused. It did not work before (it sparks and has 190 hp). Oh well. Probably glitch or something.

They don't have to be completely destroyed to spark. They will function until they are damaged to a certain point, then spark after the fact. They will still have HP, though (not sure what the threshold is when they start sparking).

[The_Great_Sephiroth]

The default fences have 200hp. When they reach 50hp they will no longer work. My upgraded fences are 400hp and 50 to fail. Maybe The Pimps will adjust the traps in a future patch now that zeds will go for and attack them.

[theFlu]

51 minutes ago, The_Great_Sephiroth said:

Maybe The Pimps will adjust the traps in a future patch now that zeds will go for and attack them.

You're the only one I've seen having issue with that; I don't doubt you in that regard, but how sure are you it isn't just zeds going for the standard destroy area mode? They seem real easy to get confused enough in A21..