Thepower siphon,power syphon, orenergy siphon collects ambient energy and converts it intoenergon cubes for transport. TheDecepticons made frequent use of power siphons to collect energy fromEarth.

Power siphons are apparently capable of converting any form of energy into energon, including thermal, solar, and even acoustic energy. They may require a certain level of available energy to properly function, which might be whyMegatron didn't simply leave a few outside collecting sunlight.

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

MarvelThe Transformers comics

Shockwave took over aBlackrock Enterprises offshoreoil-drilling platform for use both as a base of operations and to collect fuel.The Worse of Two Evils! He leftStarscream in charge ofThundercracker andSkywarp while he moved the main Decepticon base of operations to a capturedaerospace plant,Warrior School! He returned weeks later with a power siphon he constructed and converted theoil theSeekers collected into Energon cubes. They abandoned theoil rig and hid the siphon underneathMunicipal Stadium whereBrick Springhorn was performing a concert. There they used the siphon to convert the acoustical energy from the music into Energon cubes. TheAutobots figured out their plan andHoist cut the power feed leading to the siphon. This caused electrical feedback that shorted out the siphon.Rock and Roll-Out!

Soundwave andLaserbeak used an energy siphon on an electrical substation near the town ofMidville.Bumblebee discovered their plan and a group of Autobots confronted the Decepticons. Outnumbered, the Decepticons fled, apparently leaving the energy siphon behind.The Night the Transformers Saved Christmas

The Decepticons attacked a power plant on the East Coast, bringing with them a power siphon to convert the plant's electricity into energon cubes.The Return of the Transformers

Galvatron's finest masterpiece: The World's Largest Potty

Upon realizinghe couldn't rely on anyone in 1987,Galvatron developed an ambitious plan to defeatUnicron and all other among his enemies himself. He would be much more than just anotherDecepticon leader; He would turn himself into a god! To accomplish this goal, he build a large power siphon atopMount Verona inOregon in a few months time.Burning Sky!The plan was to stir up the energy in theEarth's core, deny it escape, and then, when the power was at its greatest, release the seal and let the energy be absorbed by his power siphon, which in turn would convert it into a form that Galvatron himself could absorb. Of course, that this would create a subterranean shockwave that would provoke other volcanoes into erupting and causeearthquakes that would affect the entire continent, Galvatron couldn't care less about.Fire on High!

The power siphon, once referred to as apower siphon station,Vicious Circle!doubled as Galvatron's base. When he had finalized its construction, he caused a small, controlled eruption to test his creation and was bestowed with power already out of the averageTransformer's reach.HuntersHowever, the tremors and suspiciously patterned forest fire around Mount Verona drew the attention ofUltra Magnus. When Galvatron noticed him, he beat him silly, but spared him to show off the power siphon and gloat about his forthcoming ascension to godhood.Burning Sky!After he had explained his plans to his nemesis, he prepared to throw him into the volcano, but was forced to use him as ammunition instead againstKup andBlurr when they, led byRodimus Prime, suddenly attacked. Next, the bounty hunterDeath's Head showed up to argue with Rodimus Prime about who'd get to kill Galvatron, allowing the latter plenty of opportunity to get rid of both. Before he could actually kill Rodimus Prime though, Ultra Magnus regained consciousness and shot one of the power siphon's thick power lines covering the volcano.Hunters

Someone had Taco Bell again

The weakened Autobots retreated, and Galvatron used the reprieve to repair the damage to his power siphon station. Moments later, the Autobots launched a second assault, this time in an organized manner. While most of them, in particular Ultra Magnus, distracted Galvatron with what seemed to be another attempt to defeat him by means of battle, Rodimus Prime snuck into the station and stole Galvatron'stime-jump trigger device. The intent was to rebuilt it into a get-Galvatron-back-to-2006 device. After a short fight, Ultra Magnus was thrown off of the station's balcony into the crater, and Galvatron was left to wonder if his victory was ensured now. He realized it wasn't and that his time-jump trigger device had been stolen. Confronting Rodimus Prime andWreck-Gar outside, he engaged the former in combat. Rodimus Prime shot one of the power lines in an attempt to electrocute Galvatron, but it just made the Decepticon angrier.

Wreck-Gar finished up the adjusted time-jump trigger device, but while it sent the future Autobots and Death's Head back to 2006, Galvatron had months ago worked in a failsafe mechanism for just this kind of situation.Fire on High!With all opposition out of the way, he resumed his plans to become a god, unaware that Ultra Magnus had been hanging off a ledge this whole time.Goldbug helped him up and together they confronted Galvatron inside the station. Frustrated beyond words, Galvatron ripped a piece of machinery out of the station and beat Ultra Magnus with it. As the two battled their way to the crater, Goldbug realized the machinery was a vital component of the power siphon, which was now going to be torn apart by the bottled up energy. Goldbug warned Ultra Magnus, but he couldn't risk Galvatron escaping. The eruption soon after obliterated the power siphon (butonly entombed the two Transformers).Vicious Circle!

Notes

Foreign names

• Japanese:Power siphon (パワーサイフォンpawā saifon)