How to make and use a Rain Collector in Project Zomboid

Project Zomboid is a survival game that puts players in a post-apocalyptic world where they must scavenge for food and water to survive. Finding a steady source of clean drinking water can be difficult, but with a rain collector, players can ensure that they have a reliable source of water. This guide will explain how to make a rain collector in Project Zomboid, as well as how to use it.

First, players will need to craft a rain collector barrel. There are three types of barrels available: the smaller rain collector barrel can hold 160 units of water, the larger rain collector barrel can hold 400 units of water, and the metal barrel (can be found around the Louisville military camp) which can hold up to 800 units of water.

To craft a barrel, players will need to have level 4 carpentry (the larger collector requires level 7 carpentry), and the following items: four planks, four nails, and four garbage bags. With a hammer in their hand, players can craft a rain collector barrel through the build menu (carpentry->furniture).

Ingredients4 ×  Plank
4 ×  Nails
4 ×  Garbage Bag

Once the rain collector barrel is crafted, it can be placed anywhere outdoors to collect rainwater. If a sink needs to be connected to the barrel, the barrel must be placed one floor above the sink. To connect the barrel to the sink, the player will need a pipe wrench. Once the sink is plumbed, the player can test the sink by adding water to the rainwater collector. If the sink drains properly, then the placement is successful.

The sink has to be inside if its outside plumbing option won’t show up.

Incomplete walls and Plumbing options will not show up

In order to be classified as inside, the sink must be surrounded by walls. This means that the sink must be enclosed by a wooden doorframe, wooden frame, or other similar structure.

Classified as inside

The inside of a room can be determined by the sudden change in temperature. When you walk into a room, the temperature change can be saw immediately. The inside of a room is usually warmer than the outside, so the temperature change would be a decrease.

You will need to have the rainwater collector barrels at one floor above the sink.

The red tiles in the screenshot correspond to the location of the downstairs sink, and the outer circle of blue and green tiles corresponds to the location where the rainwater collector can be placed. The rainwater collector cannot be placed in the middle of the red tile.

The screenshoot shows a schematic of the location.
Placement examples

Plumbing a Sink with the pipe wrench

You should see the plumbing option if you did every step correctly.

After you successfully plumb the sink, You can test the sink by adding water to the rainwater collector. To do this, simply fill a container with water and pour it into the rainwater collector. If the sink drains properly, then the placement is successful. If not, you may need to adjust the placement of the collector or the sink itself.

Conclusion

A rain collector is a simple and effective way to collect water for use in Project Zomboid. By following the steps outlined in this article, players can easily make and use a rain collector to help them survive in the zombie apocalypse. With a reliable source of water, players can stay alive for as long as possible and have a chance to beat the game.