Probably Stolen PowerBloc Guide: How to Use & Upgrade

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Probably Stolen PowerBloc is exactly what you need when running your pawnshop starts feeling like a full-time battery-swapping job. Your machines need energy to work overnight, but constantly removing and replacing Energy Cells gets old fast. That’s where this little 2×2 device comes in. It restores 2 kJ of energy per night to adjacent batteries, even when they’re still installed inside machines.

You can buy a PowerBloc from Dr. Jackson and double its charging speed through Joe Wild’s network. Multiple PowerBlocs can even charge the same battery and help you keep energy-hungry machines running longer. Sure, you could keep swapping batteries manually, but I’d rather spend that time doing literally anything else in the Lower Levels.

How Does the PowerBloc Work in Probably Stolen?

The PowerBloc recharges Energy Cells placed next to it, including those installed inside adjacent machines. As long as your store has electricity, it restores 2 kJ per night to each eligible battery during the early-night processing phase.

The best part is that it doesn’t split its charging output between targets. Each eligible battery gets the full bonus, and multiple PowerBlocs can charge the same battery. Charging stops when an Energy Cell reaches its maximum capacity.

Here are the PowerBloc’s basic stats:

Where to Buy a PowerBloc in Probably Stolen

You can buy a PowerBloc from Dr. Jackson, who sells equipment at his counter in the Lower Levels and through his shop. It’s part of his rotating inventory, so you won’t necessarily find one every time you visit.

The PowerBloc has a base value of 200 Credits, but that doesn’t mean you’ll always pay exactly 200. Dr. Jackson’s markup and any applicable price modifiers determine the final purchase price.

How to Use the PowerBloc to Charge Energy Cells

Getting a PowerBloc working is pretty straightforward. Place it next to an Energy Cell you want to recharge, or position it beside a machine that already has an Energy Cell installed.

When your store has electricity, the PowerBloc automatically restores energy to eligible adjacent batteries during the early-night phase. There’s no need to remove a machine’s battery or put it into a separate charger first.

Normally, you’ll need to pay for Power Service to keep the electricity running. If you’ve purchased Power Line Hijack, the regular nightly service fee is removed. The Makeshift Reactor starting perk provides another way to power your store.

Keep in mind that the PowerBloc doesn’t charge batteries stored inside a Recharger. It also can’t recharge Disposable Batteries. Hypertech Power Cells and Current Converters aren’t compatible charging targets either.

Do PowerBlocs Stack in Probably Stolen?

Yes, and this is where PowerBlocs become much more useful. Their charging bonuses stack, so placing multiple PowerBlocs next to the same eligible battery increases the energy it receives overnight.

For example, two normal PowerBlocs restore 4 kJ per night to a shared target. Add a third, and that becomes 6 kJ. After purchasing the Commercial Grade Power Supply Unit upgrade, each PowerBloc contributes 4 kJ instead of 2 kJ.

Of course, stacking more PowerBlocs doesn’t guarantee that a machine will run forever. The machine still consumes energy overnight, and its battery can lose charge if that consumption exceeds the amount restored.

How to Reduce Machine Power Consumption

Let’s say a machine consumes 6 kJ each night. One normal PowerBloc restores 2 kJ, leaving a net loss of 4 kJ. With two PowerBlocs charging the same battery, the net loss drops to 2 kJ instead.

You can also reduce energy consumption with Efficiency Modules or Eco Modules. Both improve a machine’s energy efficiency, meaning the energy restored by your PowerBloc can cover more of its nightly power usage.

This is also worth keeping in mind if you’re using a Water Purifier, since it needs energy to process water overnight. I’ve covered the full setup in my Probably Stolen water guide.

There’s a catch, though. Eco Modules also reduce Performance, which can slow production. They’re useful for cutting energy consumption, but I wouldn’t sacrifice production speed on every machine just to save a little power.

How to Upgrade PowerBloc Charging Speed

You can double the PowerBloc’s charging speed by purchasing the Commercial Grade Power Supply Unit from Joe Wild’s network. There’s also the Power Line Hijack upgrade, which removes the recurring electricity bill rather than increasing charging speed.

Commercial Grade Power Supply Unit: Double the Charging Rate

The Commercial Grade Power Supply Unit is the upgrade you want if your machines are draining their batteries faster than your PowerBlocs can recharge them.

It doubles each PowerBloc’s charging rate from 2 kJ to 4 kJ per night. The upgrade also affects Rechargers, increasing their output from 3 kJ to 6 kJ per night.

Because PowerBloc bonuses stack, the upgrade also makes setups with multiple PowerBlocs more effective.

Power Line Hijack: Remove the Electricity Bill

Power Line Hijack removes the normal nightly Power Service fee, so you can keep your store’s electricity running without paying that recurring cost. It also keeps store electricity available during blackouts.

If you’re saving up to buy the store in Probably Stolen, getting rid of that recurring electricity bill is one way to keep more Credits in your pocket.

Unlike the Commercial Grade Power Supply Unit, Power Line Hijack doesn’t increase charging speed. It’s about making electricity more convenient and less expensive.

Both upgrades have base prices that can change depending on difficulty and applicable modifiers. They’re also unavailable with the Makeshift Reactor starting perk.

PowerBloc vs. Recharger: Which Is Better?

Both machines recharge Energy Cells overnight, but they handle the job differently.

A single Recharger charges each stored battery faster than one PowerBloc charges an adjacent battery. However, PowerBlocs have a major convenience advantage: they can recharge batteries without removing them from their machines.

Their bonuses also stack. Two normal PowerBlocs can restore 4 kJ to the same battery, exceeding the 3 kJ rate of a single standard Recharger.

Personally, I’d prioritize PowerBlocs for machines that need to run overnight. Rechargers still have their place when you want to charge spare Energy Cells separately, but leaving a battery installed while it recharges saves you some unnecessary work.

Why Is My PowerBloc Not Charging?

If your PowerBloc isn’t charging anything, check the store’s electricity first. It needs functioning power to work, so make sure Power Service is active or that your store has another working power source. If there’s a blackout, Power Line Hijack can keep your electricity running.

Next, check the battery you’re trying to charge. The PowerBloc must be adjacent to an eligible target, and it won’t add energy to a battery that’s already full. It also can’t charge batteries stored inside a Recharger.

Another thing worth checking is how much energy the connected machine consumes. If the machine uses more energy overnight than the PowerBloc restores, its battery will still lose charge. That doesn’t necessarily mean the PowerBloc isn’t working. It just means the machine is using more than it’s getting back.

Finally, an older version of the game had a bug that prevented PowerBlocs from charging neighboring batteries on the first night after enabling electricity or purchasing Power Line Hijack. This issue was fixed in Update 049 on September 14, 2026, so it shouldn’t be a normal limitation of the full-release version.

Probably Stolen

Indie Role-Playing (RPG) Simulation Strategy

Release Date

October 28, 2026

Developer(s)

Questing Goose Studio

Publisher(s)

tinyBuild

Steam

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