Runtime fuel planning
Use the Total rate shown by an active generator to estimate tank and reserve runtime without assuming static appliance costs.
Build 42 utilities archive
Project Zomboid Utilities & Power Database
Plan generator fuel and repairs, compare official outage settings, calculate campfire output, and search 1,318 burnable or tinder source records from Build 42.20.4.
4generator variants
5official presets
1,318fuel/tinder records
1,056static durations
What the source actually supports
Use live values where the game does
Build 42 calculates generator load from powered objects at runtime. The page therefore asks for the in-game Total, while repair, refuel, outage, fire-fuel, light-radius, and extinguish rules come directly from the supplied scripts.
Exact repair formula
Each Scrap Electronics restores 4 plus half your Electrical level, grants 5 Electrical XP, and uses less action time at higher levels.
Complete fire-fuel index
Search 1,318 tag, ratio, category, legacy, and tile records with 722 verified native icons and transparent runtime limits.
Source-backed generator planner
Fuel reserve and repair planning
Enter the Total consumption shown by the active generator info window. The source lists powered items, base consumption, and Total at runtime, so this planner uses that live number instead of inventing fixed appliance costs.
Tank fuel
5 LTo full
5 LCurrent runtime
8.3hWith reserve
41.7hBuild 42 refueling transfers actual gasoline volume. The menu conversion treats each liter as 10 percentage points, giving a 10 L full tank. Runtime changes whenever the in-game Total changes.
Repair calculator
- Condition per scrap
- +5.5
- Repairs to reach 100
- 8
- Scrap Electronics
- 8
- Electrical XP
- 40
- Action-time units each
- 141
The generator must be off and below 100 condition. Each action consumes one Scrap Electronics and grants 5 Electrical XP. At 50 condition or lower, each activation attempt has a 50% failure-to-start roll.
Generator - Lectromax
Base.Generator
- Weight
- 40 units
- Condition-loss roll
- 1 in 30
- Sound radius
- 20 tiles
Generator - ValuTech
Base.Generator_Blue
- Weight
- 30 units
- Condition-loss roll
- 1 in 24
- Sound radius
- 23 tiles
Generator - Premium Technologies
Base.Generator_Yellow
- Weight
- 40 units
- Condition-loss roll
- 1 in 36
- Sound radius
- 20 tiles
Generator - Old
Base.Generator_Old
- Weight
- 40 units
- Condition-loss roll
- 1 in 25
- Sound radius
- 25 tiles
Power-loss baselines
Official preset utilities
These are the literal settings in the five supplied preset files. A blank Six Months Later cell means that legacy preset does not define the newer field.
| Preset | Electricity | Water | Generator spawn | Fuel use | Station gas range | Empty station | Fire cap | Power range | Fire spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apocalypse | 14 - 30 Dayscode 2, modifier 14 | 0 - 30 Dayscode 2, modifier 14 | Rarecode 4 | 0.1 | 0% to 80% | 20% | 8h | 20 tiles, ±3 levels | Enabled |
| Extinction | 14 - 30 Dayscode 2, modifier 14 | 0 - 30 Dayscode 2, modifier 14 | Insanely Rarecode 2 | 0.1 | 0% to 70% | 25% | 8h | 20 tiles, ±3 levels | Enabled |
| Outbreak | 14 Days - 2 Monthscode 3, modifier 14 | 0 - 2 Monthscode 3, modifier 14 | Normalcode 5 | 0.1 | 50% to 90% | 20% | 12h | 20 tiles, ±3 levels | Enabled |
| Rising | 14 Days - 2 Monthscode 3, modifier 14 | 0 - 2 Monthscode 3, modifier 14 | Rarecode 4 | 0.1 | 70% to 100% | 10% | 8h | 20 tiles, ±3 levels | Enabled |
| Six Months Later | Instantcode 1, modifier -1 | Instantcode 1, modifier -1 | Rarecode 4 | 0.1 | Not defined | Not defined | Not defined | Not defined | Enabled |
Prepare before day 14
Apocalypse and Extinction begin their electricity shutoff window at day 14. Outbreak and Rising can extend to two months.
Power the fuel pump
All four current presets allow generators to power exterior objects, including fuel pumps. Gas stations can still roll empty.
Never run one indoors
The item tooltip and generator info window both warn about toxic fumes when the generator is inside a building.
Campfire fuel planner
Burn time, fuel cap, and light radius
Build a fuel load from the exact Build 42 weight-ratio rule, the item or category cap, the chosen preset's maximum storage, and the campfire's six-hour intensity ceiling.
Added time
12hStored time
8hLight radius
10 tilesAfter extinguish
7h 12m5h exceeds the selected preset's storage cap and cannot be added.
Six-hour intensity ceiling
Fuel beyond 360 minutes extends runtime but does not increase the campfire's light radius further.
Indoor and outdoor radius
The source scales from a minimum radius of 2 toward 18 indoors or 10 outdoors.
Extinguishing costs 10%
Putting out a lit campfire retains 90% of its current fuel minutes.
Fire fuel and tinder database
1,318 Build 42 source records
Search item tags, category fallbacks, custom ratios, legacy tables, verified native icons, and static burn-time calculations. Runtime-dependent records stay visible without a fabricated duration.
1318 matching records
Fuel
Log
Base.Log
Per item/use
6hBase weight
9Weight ratio
0.667Rule count
2Source calculation
- Item type
- General item
- Display category
- Material
- Selection rules
- Fuel tag, Legacy item table
- Legacy maximum
- 6h
- Fabric
- Not applicable
- Drainable use delta
- Runtime value
- Source
- generated/items/normal.txt
Runtime conditions
Fuel time uses actual runtime weight multiplied by the record's ratio. If a legacy value exists, the game uses the lower result.
Clothing must have a supported fabric, be dry, unequipped, and not favorited. Leather clothing is rejected.
Containers must be empty. Fluid containers must also contain no liquid.
Practical blackout checklist
Prepare the system before the grid fails
Start as an Electrician, read Magazine: How to Use Generators, or reach Electrical 3 to learn Generator Maintenance.
Keep filled containers before shutoff, then place a generator within range of a fuel pump if the station still has gasoline.
Turn off nonessential loads and reread Total after changing refrigerators, freezers, lights, or other powered objects.
Do not run a generator indoors. Keep Scrap Electronics nearby and repair while the unit is off.
Utilities FAQ
Common Build 42 questions
How much gasoline does a Project Zomboid generator hold?+
The Build 42 refuel menu converts each liter to 10 percentage points, and the timed action stops at the generator maximum. That gives a 10 L full tank.
How do I calculate generator runtime?+
Activate the generator, open its information window, and enter the displayed Total consumption into the planner. Divide current and stored liters by that live liters-per-hour rate.
How do I learn to operate a generator?+
The source supports three paths: the Electrician profession, Magazine: How to Use Generators, or reaching Electrical level 3, which teaches Generator Maintenance.
How much condition does one generator repair restore?+
One Scrap Electronics restores 4 plus 0.5 for each Electrical level and grants 5 Electrical XP. The generator must be off and below 100 condition.
Why does a low-condition generator sometimes fail to start?+
At condition 50 or lower, each activation attempt makes an even two-outcome source roll. One outcome calls failToStart, producing a 50% failure chance per attempt.
When does electricity shut off in Apocalypse?+
The Apocalypse preset uses Electricity Shutoff code 2, translated as 14 to 30 days, with a shutoff modifier of 14.
How is campfire fuel duration calculated in Build 42?+
The game multiplies actual item weight by a ratio. The default is two-thirds; clothing, containers, literature, and maps use one-quarter unless a custom ratio exists. If a legacy duration exists, the lower value wins.
How does campfire light radius scale?+
A lit campfire has a minimum radius of 2 and scales with fuel up to a six-hour intensity ceiling. The maximum is 10 tiles outdoors or 18 indoors.
Does extinguishing a campfire save all remaining fuel?+
No. The Build 42 campfire source retains 90% of the current fuel amount when the fire is put out, so 10% is lost.