diff --git a/code/game/objects/items/circuitboards/machine_circuitboards.dm b/code/game/objects/items/circuitboards/machine_circuitboards.dm
index 64ccdf50470..a18b0636975 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/items/circuitboards/machine_circuitboards.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/items/circuitboards/machine_circuitboards.dm
@@ -912,11 +912,3 @@
 	req_components = list(
 		/obj/item/stock_parts/manipulator = 2,
 		/obj/item/stock_parts/matter_bin = 2)
-
-/obj/item/circuitboard/machine/generator
-	name = "Thermo-Electric Generator (Machine Board)"
-	build_path = /obj/machinery/power/generator
-
-/obj/item/circuitboard/machine/circulator
-	name = "Circulator/Heat Exchanger (Machine Board)"
-	build_path = /obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/code/modules/atmospherics/machinery/components/binary_devices/circulator.dm b/code/modules/atmospherics/machinery/components/binary_devices/circulator.dm
index f8c366a4401..e8007a66081 100644
--- a/code/modules/atmospherics/machinery/components/binary_devices/circulator.dm
+++ b/code/modules/atmospherics/machinery/components/binary_devices/circulator.dm
@@ -1,40 +1,23 @@
 //node2, air2, network2 correspond to input
 //node1, air1, network1 correspond to output
-#define CIRCULATOR_COLD 0
-#define CIRCULATOR_HOT 1
+
 
 /obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator
 	name = "circulator/heat exchanger"
 	desc = "A gas circulator pump and heat exchanger."
-	icon_state = "circ-off"
+	icon_state = "circ1-off"
 
-	var/active = FALSE
+	var/side = CIRC_LEFT
+	var/status = 0
 
 	var/last_pressure_delta = 0
 	pipe_flags = PIPING_ONE_PER_TURF
 
 	density = TRUE
 
+	var/global/const/CIRC_LEFT = 1
+	var/global/const/CIRC_RIGHT = 2
 
-	var/mode = CIRCULATOR_HOT
-	var/obj/machinery/power/generator/generator
-
-//default cold circ for mappers
-/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/cold
-	mode = CIRCULATOR_COLD
-
-/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/Initialize(mapload)
-	.=..()
-	component_parts = list(new /obj/item/circuitboard/machine/circulator)
-
-/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/ComponentInitialize()
-	. = ..()
-	AddComponent(/datum/component/simple_rotation,ROTATION_ALTCLICK | ROTATION_CLOCKWISE | ROTATION_COUNTERCLOCKWISE | ROTATION_VERBS )
-
-/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/Destroy()
-	if(generator)
-		disconnectFromGenerator()
-	..()
 
 /obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/proc/return_transfer_air()
 
@@ -73,55 +56,11 @@
 
 /obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/update_icon()
 	if(!is_operational())
-		icon_state = "circ-p"
+		icon_state = "circ[side]-p"
 	else if(last_pressure_delta > 0)
 		if(last_pressure_delta > ONE_ATMOSPHERE)
-			icon_state = "circ-run"
+			icon_state = "circ[side]-run"
 		else
-			icon_state = "circ-slow"
+			icon_state = "circ[side]-slow"
 	else
-		icon_state = "circ-off"
-
-/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/wrench_act(mob/living/user, obj/item/I)
-	if(!panel_open)
-		return
-	anchored = !anchored
-	I.play_tool_sound(src)
-	if(generator)
-		disconnectFromGenerator()
-	to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You [anchored?"secure":"unsecure"] [src].</span>")
-	return TRUE
-
-/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/multitool_act(mob/living/user, obj/item/I)
-	if(generator)
-		disconnectFromGenerator()
-	mode = !mode
-	to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You set [src] to [mode?"cold":"hot"] mode.</span>")
-	return TRUE
-
-/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/screwdriver_act(mob/user, obj/item/I)
-	panel_open = !panel_open
-	I.play_tool_sound(src)
-	to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You [panel_open?"open":"close"] the panel on [src].</span>")
-	return TRUE
-
-/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/crowbar_act(mob/user, obj/item/I)
-	default_deconstruction_crowbar(I)
-	return TRUE
-
-/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/on_deconstruction()
-	if(generator)
-		disconnectFromGenerator()
-
-/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/proc/disconnectFromGenerator()
-	if(mode)
-		generator.cold_circ = null
-	else
-		generator.hot_circ = null
-	generator.update_icon()
-	generator = null
-
-/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/setPipingLayer(new_layer)
-	..()
-	pixel_x = 0
-	pixel_y = 0
+		icon_state = "circ[side]-off"
diff --git a/code/modules/power/generator.dm b/code/modules/power/generator.dm
index da6a2888889..eb6e82a2422 100644
--- a/code/modules/power/generator.dm
+++ b/code/modules/power/generator.dm
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
 	var/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/cold_circ
 	var/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/hot_circ
 
+	//note: these currently only support EAST and WEST
+	var/cold_dir = WEST
+	var/hot_dir = EAST
+
 	var/lastgen = 0
 	var/lastgenlev = -1
 	var/lastcirc = "00"
@@ -15,18 +19,34 @@
 
 /obj/machinery/power/generator/Initialize(mapload)
 	. = ..()
-	find_circs()
+	var/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/circpath = /obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator
+	cold_circ = locate(circpath) in get_step(src, cold_dir)
+	hot_circ = locate(circpath) in get_step(src, hot_dir)
 	connect_to_network()
 	SSair.atmos_machinery += src
-	update_icon()
-	component_parts = list(new /obj/item/circuitboard/machine/generator)
 
-/obj/machinery/power/generator/ComponentInitialize()
-	. = ..()
-	AddComponent(/datum/component/simple_rotation,ROTATION_ALTCLICK | ROTATION_CLOCKWISE | ROTATION_COUNTERCLOCKWISE | ROTATION_VERBS )
+	if(cold_circ)
+		switch(cold_dir)
+			if(EAST)
+				cold_circ.side = circpath.CIRC_RIGHT
+			if(WEST)
+				cold_circ.side = circpath.CIRC_LEFT
+		cold_circ.update_icon()
+
+	if(hot_circ)
+		switch(hot_dir)
+			if(EAST)
+				hot_circ.side = circpath.CIRC_RIGHT
+			if(WEST)
+				hot_circ.side = circpath.CIRC_LEFT
+		hot_circ.update_icon()
+
+	if(!cold_circ || !hot_circ)
+		stat |= BROKEN
+
+	update_icon()
 
 /obj/machinery/power/generator/Destroy()
-	kill_circs()
 	SSair.atmos_machinery -= src
 	return ..()
 
@@ -41,8 +61,7 @@
 		if(L != 0)
 			add_overlay(image('icons/obj/power.dmi', "teg-op[L]"))
 
-		if(hot_circ && cold_circ)
-			add_overlay("teg-oc[lastcirc]")
+		add_overlay("teg-oc[lastcirc]")
 
 
 #define GENRATE 800		// generator output coefficient from Q
@@ -103,7 +122,7 @@
 	lastgen -= power_output
 	..()
 
-/obj/machinery/power/generator/proc/get_menu(include_link = TRUE)
+/obj/machinery/power/generator/proc/get_menu(include_link = 1)
 	var/t = ""
 	if(!powernet)
 		t += "<span class='bad'>Unable to connect to the power network!</span>"
@@ -128,12 +147,8 @@
 		t += "Pressure Inlet: [round(hot_circ_air2.return_pressure(), 0.1)] kPa / Outlet: [round(hot_circ_air1.return_pressure(), 0.1)] kPa<BR>"
 
 		t += "</div>"
-	else if(!hot_circ && cold_circ)
-		t += "<span class='bad'>Unable to locate hot circulator!</span>"
-	else if(hot_circ && !cold_circ)
-		t += "<span class='bad'>Unable to locate cold circulator!</span>"
 	else
-		t += "<span class='bad'>Unable to locate any parts!</span>"
+		t += "<span class='bad'>Unable to locate all parts!</span>"
 	if(include_link)
 		t += "<BR><A href='?src=[REF(src)];close=1'>Close</A>"
 
@@ -152,80 +167,10 @@
 	if( href_list["close"] )
 		usr << browse(null, "window=teg")
 		usr.unset_machine()
-		return FALSE
-	return TRUE
+		return 0
+	return 1
 
 
 /obj/machinery/power/generator/power_change()
 	..()
 	update_icon()
-
-/obj/machinery/power/generator/proc/find_circs()
-	kill_circs()
-	var/list/circs = list()
-	var/obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator/C
-	var/circpath = /obj/machinery/atmospherics/components/binary/circulator
-	if(dir == NORTH || dir == SOUTH)
-		C = locate(circpath) in get_step(src, EAST)
-		if(C && C.dir == WEST)
-			circs += C
-
-		C = locate(circpath) in get_step(src, WEST)
-		if(C && C.dir == EAST)
-			circs += C
-
-	else
-		C = locate(circpath) in get_step(src, NORTH)
-		if(C && C.dir == SOUTH)
-			circs += C
-
-		C = locate(circpath) in get_step(src, SOUTH)
-		if(C && C.dir == NORTH)
-			circs += C
-
-	if(circs.len)
-		for(C in circs)
-			if(C.mode == CIRCULATOR_COLD && !cold_circ)
-				cold_circ = C
-				C.generator = src
-			else if(C.mode == CIRCULATOR_HOT && !hot_circ)
-				hot_circ = C
-				C.generator = src
-
-/obj/machinery/power/generator/wrench_act(mob/living/user, obj/item/I)
-	if(!panel_open)
-		return
-	anchored = !anchored
-	I.play_tool_sound(src)
-	if(!anchored)
-		kill_circs()
-	to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You [anchored?"secure":"unsecure"] [src].</span>")
-	return TRUE
-
-/obj/machinery/power/generator/multitool_act(mob/living/user, obj/item/I)
-	if(!anchored)
-		return
-	find_circs()
-	to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You update [src]'s circulator links.</span>")
-	return TRUE
-
-/obj/machinery/power/generator/screwdriver_act(mob/user, obj/item/I)
-	panel_open = !panel_open
-	I.play_tool_sound(src)
-	to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You [panel_open?"open":"close"] the panel on [src].</span>")
-	return TRUE
-
-/obj/machinery/power/generator/crowbar_act(mob/user, obj/item/I)
-	default_deconstruction_crowbar(I)
-	return TRUE
-
-/obj/machinery/power/generator/on_deconstruction()
-	kill_circs()
-
-/obj/machinery/power/generator/proc/kill_circs()
-	if(hot_circ)
-		hot_circ.generator = null
-		hot_circ = null
-	if(cold_circ)
-		cold_circ.generator = null
-		cold_circ = null
diff --git a/icons/obj/atmospherics/components/binary_devices.dmi b/icons/obj/atmospherics/components/binary_devices.dmi
index ebe5a61ddb5..9331613af32 100644
Binary files a/icons/obj/atmospherics/components/binary_devices.dmi and b/icons/obj/atmospherics/components/binary_devices.dmi differ
diff --git a/icons/obj/power.dmi b/icons/obj/power.dmi
index dc6d4547b45..cd76709b00c 100644
Binary files a/icons/obj/power.dmi and b/icons/obj/power.dmi differ