Water Wheel
Converts kinetic energy harvested from flowing water into electricity.
Electrical & stations
Electrical
All electrical- Generates
- Up to 30 rW (from flowing water (ocean averages 6 rW, 23 at most), or up to 60 rW pedaled by hand)
- Outputs
- Power Out
Power is measured in rW (Rust Watts). Wire ports in the order shown to drive or chain this component.
Measured output in rivers and lakes
Power calculator- River, facing the flow
- 30
- rW, 12 of 12 sites
- Lake
- 0
- rW, 3 sites
- Ocean
- 6
- rW average, 23 at most
- Hand-cranked
- 60
- rW with a player on it
Wheels at 12 river points and 3 lakes, each facing the current, tested in game.
Wearing it
Survival
Farming & fishing
Repair
| Bench | Max repair cost | Condition loss | Blueprint needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | Yes |
A half-worn item costs about half and loses no max condition.
Vehicles & mounts
Details
- Decay
- Decay starts 8 hours after it is last touched, then it takes 8 hours to reach 0 HP without a stocked Tool Cupboard.
- Grade timers
- Twig 1h, Wood 3h, Stone 5h, Sheet Metal 8h, Armored 12h
Methodology
Tested ourselves: wheels at 12 river points and 3 lakes, each facing the current. Every river wheel held a steady 30 rW with no swing, unlike a wind turbine; every lake wheel made 0. Output is 30 rW times how squarely the wheel faces the flow: turned 50° off it made 20 and turned 78° off it made 7. A wheel with the bank or anything solid within 10 m upstream runs at a tenth: one headwater spot gave 3 rW. In the ocean the flow speed changes over time, so a wheel there averages 6 rW and never passed 23 rW in our tests.
Crafting
| Blueprint | What it takes | Scrap |
|---|---|---|
| 60 |
Recycling
| Recycler | Always | Chance of one more |
|---|---|---|
 Power Plant75% | ||
 Monument (powered)60% | ||
| Monument50% | ||
 Safe zone40% |
One item at full condition. Scrap is an average: the part after the point carries over to the next item.
Raid cost
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Plan a raid on several targets →More Electrical
Skins
Apply with the Repair Bench or Spray Can. Prices are Steam Market USD.
Loading skinsWater Wheel: common questions
- How much HP does Water Wheel have?
- Water Wheel has 400 HP.
- How many rockets, C4 or satchels destroy Water Wheel?
- Water Wheel takes 2 rockets, 1 C4 or 2 satchel charges.
- What does Water Wheel cost to craft?
- Water Wheel crafts for 500 Wood, 2 Gears, 1 Sheet Metal.
- What does Water Wheel recycle for?
- Recycling Water Wheel at a powered monument recycler (60%) returns 300 Wood, Gears, Gears (20%), Sheet Metal (60%). Safe-zone recyclers pay 40%; the Power Plant red recycler pays 75%.