What Are Wires and What Are They Used For?

Wires are an Uncommon crafting material that you’ll encounter early in the game. They are essential for making a variety of weapon mods, traps, and other gadgets. In gameplay terms, you can think of wires as the small but critical “glue” that connects multiple crafting systems.

Some of the common uses for wires include:

  • Crafting weapon mods such as compensators, silencers, and muzzle brakes.

  • Making traps like Blaze Grenade Traps or Gas Grenade Traps.

  • Completing certain quests, such as After Rain Comes (5 wires) or Eyes On The Prize (3 wires, not consumed).

In practice, most players prioritize wires for weapons upgrades first, since traps and other gadgets are often optional or situation-dependent.


Where Can You Find Wires?

Wires are not rare, but they are not everywhere. The main sources are:

  • Scavenging Electrical or Technological loot: Look for server racks, broken electronics, or high-tech crates.

  • Recycling: Many broken weapons, gadgets, or electronics can be broken down to yield wires. For example, items like broken tasers, handheld radios, and certain advanced weapon mods can be recycled.

  • Vendors: Some NPCs, like Celeste, sell wires directly. This is handy if you need them immediately but costs in-game currency.

A useful tip: When you’re scavenging, always prioritize items that can be recycled into multiple wires. It saves trips and inventory space. For players who don’t mind spending a little, checking the best deals on arc raiders items online can sometimes be worth it for bulk wires, especially if you are in the middle of a crafting-heavy project.


How Much Do Wires Weigh and How Many Can You Carry?

  • Weight: Each wire weighs 0.25 units, so they’re light but can add up if you carry many.

  • Stack size: You can carry 15 wires per stack in your inventory.

For experienced players, this means you should always keep wires organized in stacks and plan your inventory for scavenging runs. Avoid filling your slots with low-priority items when wires are critical for your next upgrade.


Recycling Wires: How It Works

One of the advantages of wires is that they can also be recycled back into basic components. For example:

  • Recycling 1 wire usually gives you 2 rubber parts.

  • Salvaging yields slightly less but can still recover valuable crafting materials.

Common items that recycle into wires include:

  • Broken electronics (handheld radios, tasers)

  • Advanced weapon mods (like Compensator II and III, Muzzle Brake III)

  • Household electronics (toasters, portable TVs, power cables)

This makes wires very flexible—you can recycle items you no longer need into materials for the upgrades that matter most.


Crafting With Wires: Practical Advice

Knowing where to get wires is one thing; using them wisely is another. Here are some examples of how wires fit into common crafting projects:

  • Weapon Mods: Most mods like compensators and silencers require anywhere from 1 to 8 wires. Experienced players often stockpile 30–40 wires if they plan to upgrade multiple weapons.

  • Traps: Even a single wire combined with a grenade can make a trap. This is efficient for lower-level crafting and doesn’t consume too much of your stockpile.

  • Advanced Projects: Some large-scale crafting projects, like building Core Systems or Framework components, can require dozens of wires. Planning ahead is essential to avoid repeated scavenging trips.

In practice, I’ve noticed that players who prioritize upgrades by wire efficiency (choosing mods or traps that give the most impact per wire) tend to progress faster and spend less time running for materials.


Batteries: How They Fit Into the Resource System

While wires are the “connection” material, batteries act as the energy source. Batteries power certain gadgets and advanced traps, and they’re often required alongside wires in crafting recipes.

Key points about batteries:

  • Found in technological loot and recycling of power banks.

  • Sometimes purchased from vendors when scavenging is slow.

  • Used in combination with wires for gadgets that require an active energy source, like pulse mines or electrical traps.

In practice, you rarely need batteries in huge quantities early on. The main strategy is to collect them as you scavenge, so you’re never forced to delay a project due to a lack of power.


Tips From Experienced Players

  1. Stack strategically: Always keep wires in full stacks to avoid wasting inventory space.

  2. Recycle smartly: If you have broken or low-level mods, recycle them rather than selling them. You’ll get wires and other components faster.

  3. Plan for quests: Know which quests require wires and prepare your inventory ahead. Some quests consume wires, while others don’t.

  4. Combine scavenging and crafting runs: Collect wires and batteries together, and prioritize items that give both when recycled.

  5. Track recipes: Some mods and traps require wires and other materials in precise combinations. Knowing the recipes saves repeated trips to vendors or storage.

Understanding wires and batteries in Arc Raiders is less about luck and more about planning and efficiency. Treat wires as a core resource, recycle wisely, and keep a small battery reserve. This approach will save you time, reduce scavenging frustration, and let you focus on upgrading your gear and completing projects effectively.

If you’re looking for ways to save time or skip repetitive scavenging, checking best deals on arc raiders items online can help you bulk up your materials without long farming sessions. It’s a practical shortcut for players who want to focus on gameplay and crafting rather than constant resource hunting.

Mastering wires and batteries will make you more self-sufficient and ready for anything Arc Raiders throws at you. Once you get this part right, upgrading weapons, crafting traps, and completing quests becomes a much smoother experience.

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