How to build solar panels, light bulbs, and wires in Sons of the Forest

Jan 07, 2024

Light up your base with this new feature.

Sons of the Forest is a survival horror game that originally released in February 2023, though developers Endnight have continually updated the title, adding new weapons, tools, and bug fixes. One of the most notable additions that came with the April 6 Sons of the Forest patch is the inclusion of solar panels, light bulbs, and wiring.

In Sons of the Forest, crafting is the most essential task to your survival. Without a home or shelter, players will be left vulnerable to the hordes of mutant cannibals. Now, players can massively upgrade their shelter by using the power of electricity to set up lights and other tools in their base.

If you are looking to harness energy in your new home with lights, solar panels, or wires in Sons of the Forest, this is what you need to do.

As of patch 03, Sons of the Forest now allows players to harness electricity by compiling three necessary components. Once players acquire solar panels, light bulbs, and wiring, you can then create an electrical circuit. Getting these items may be a challenge, as some are far more rare than others.

Solar panels are undoubtedly the most difficult of the three objects to find, as they can only be found and not crafted. Typically, solar panels and light bulbs can either be found inside of crates with yellow lids or at crash sites. Some players have also reported finding light bulbs and solar panels where 3D printers spawn, though these locations are limited.

Finally, wire is among the most common resources in Sons of the Forest. Wire can most often be found at abandoned campsites, crash sites, or located inside cannibal villages.

Once players have compiled the three necessary materials, players can set up their own electrical circuit. While players can certainly be creative in their customization, below are the basic tenets of crafting an energy system:

While this may change in future updates, players can run a seemingly unlimited number of lightbulbs from just one wire. Electricity can so far only be used for lighting, but we can be sure that Endnight will find further purposes for this new gameplay element.

Staff Writer for Dot Esports. Avid gamer for two decades and gaming writer for three years. I'm a lover of anything Souls-like since 2011. I cover everything from single-player RPGs to MMOs.