Generators on board Capsules - How do they work?

[Xtra]

I've always been confused about how to start the generators in like the MK1 Command Pod.  Generators are supposed to Generate Power, but everytime I've started one it chews EC up faster than if I leave it off.  So what's the point of having a generator that doesn't produce power?

[DeadJohn]

13 hours ago, Xtra said:

I've always been confused about how to start the generators in like the MK1 Command Pod.  Generators are supposed to Generate Power, but everytime I've started one it chews EC up faster than if I leave it off.  So what's the point of having a generator that doesn't produce power?

What mods are you using? IIRC the unmodded stock capsules don't create EC on their own.

[Xtra]

9 hours ago, DeadJohn said:

What mods are you using? IIRC the unmodded stock capsules don't create EC on their own.

I have a whole bunch of mods that I'm using, but even the stock version of KSP 1 (if I recall correctly) has generators in the capsules like the Mk1... But it's been a very long time since I played stock.  Right now I'm fighting with the game stalling and crashing.  So I'm backing off a whole bunch of the mods I love.  Community Fixes appears to be causing me issues according to my KSP.Log file.

[Superfluous J]

No there are no generators on the modules. The closest thing to a generator like that is the Fuel Cells, that burn LOX and generate EC.

[nrum7366]

There is a generator in the stock game (PB-NUK Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator) that does not draw power from anywhere and can produce electric and never runs out of charge. 

If you use a heavily modded KSP depending on the mods you use, this is removed and replaced with Nuclear power (if you choose that) so, it does use fuel (enriched uranium etc) 

But there is no generator built into any of the capsules or pods even with the mods. 

Do you really mean 'generator' and not scrubber or something else?