Probably Stolen Junk is a basic material that sells for 3 Credits and takes up 3 x 2 cells. It has three uses. You can sell it to material buyers, smelt 6 Junk into 4 Scrap Metal in a Furnace, or use it to repair the Makeshift Micro Nuclear Reactor. You find Junk at the Dumping Ground, where each successful search has a 55.2% chance to give it, and Eleanor sells it at your counter.
What You will Read:
Quick Facts for Junk
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Material, Basic Material, Junk |
| Price | 3 Credits |
| Size | 3 x 2 cells |
| Legality | Not contraband |
| Smelting | 6 Junk –> 4 Scrap Metal (Furnace Module (Junk Processing)) |
| Reactor effect | Restores 30 integrity to the Makeshift Micro Nuclear Reactor, lowers its maximum by 5 |
| Dumping Ground chance | 55.2% per successful search |
| In-game text | “Broken scraps and useless rubbish. Barely recyclable, worth next to nothing.” |
What to Do With Probably Stolen Junk
Junk has three uses, and the right one depends on what you own. Smelting needs a Furnace, reactor repair needs the Makeshift Micro Nuclear Reactor, and selling needs nothing.
Smelt 6 Junk Into 4 Scrap Metal
A Furnace with the Furnace Module (Junk Processing) turns 6 Junk into 4 Scrap Metal. At list price, 6 Junk are worth 18 Credits and 4 Scrap Metal are worth 40, so this is the best deal Junk offers.
- Get a Furnace from Dr. Jackson.
- Insert the Furnace Module (Junk Processing).
- Add an Energy Cell with enough charge.
- Load 6 Junk into the input.
- Sleep, then collect the 4 Scrap Metal from the outputs.
Players load the Furnace at night and check the outputs the next morning. Scrap Metal can go back into the Furnace to become Metal Ingot, which lists at 50 Credits. Real offers move with discounts and markups, but 18 Credits against 40 is a big enough gap to matter. One player says the module turns up often.
Repair the Makeshift Micro Nuclear Reactor
Junk restores 30 integrity to the Makeshift Micro Nuclear Reactor but lowers its maximum by 5. The reactor comes with the Makeshift Reactor starting perk, which cuts your store off from the station power grid, so blackouts do not affect it. It powers the store and needs regular repairs.
Sell Junk to Material Buyers
Material buyers take Junk at a list price of 3 Credits. These customers buy it, and other buyers exist as well:
- Dr. Jackson
- Lower Level Citizen
- Foreman
- Station Engineer
- Scrap Dealer
- Lower Level Repairman
Some buyers pay a variety bonus. These buyers do not want the same item twice, so a mix of materials sells better than a stack of one thing. Junk can be one piece of that mix.
Where to Get Junk
Junk comes from the Dumping Ground, from Eleanor at your counter and from ruined modules.
Dumping Ground
The Dumping Ground is the main source. Each successful search has a 55.2% chance to give Junk, and I’ve pulled two in a single run myself. You get a set number of attempts each night, and every attempt carries a wound risk. I noticed a 9% wound chance before making a late attempt. A Flashlight from Dr. Jackson lowers the chance of getting hurt while you scavenge.
Some days an event makes Junk less likely and injuries more likely. A Plasma Cutter in your pack adds 10% more scrap on Dumping Ground runs.
Eleanor’s Junk Sales
Eleanor sells Junk at your counter. Her full storyline is covered in our Eleanor guide
Break Ruined Modules With a Screwdriver
A Screwdriver breaks a ruined module into electronic parts, Junk and 3D Printing Filament. You can find ruined modules at the Dumping Ground. Modules with the overcharged trait have a 10% chance to break when used, and Degrading modules break when their stats reach zero. The only way around it is to skip modules with those traits.
Is Junk Worth Keeping?
Junk is low value. It takes 3 x 2 cells and sells for 3 Credits, which is a lot of space for very little money. I saw a player leave Junk behind to make room for better finds, and another takes it when rent is close.
I’d keep Junk only if the Furnace Module (Junk Processing) is installed. Without it, take Junk when you have spare cells and drop it when a Plasma Cutter or a module needs the room.
Why Your Furnace Isn’t Processing Junk
Check these first:
- Count your Junk. The Furnace Module (Junk Processing) needs 6 Junk.
- Flux does not count as an input. Flux Smelting Agent (Basic) only raises the quality of the output. The Furnace still needs Scrap Metal, Metal Ore or Junk.
- Check the Energy Cell. The Furnace runs on an Energy Cell, so confirm it still has charge.
Three players in one Steam thread say the PowerBloc is lit green but does not charge the Energy Cells in nearby machines. One of them tried placing it directly next to the machine and with a one-block overlap. One reply suggested a blackout, but the original poster said the power was fine. Nobody in the thread posted a fix.
Junk vs. Junk Grade
Junk Grade is a purity rating on chemistry products, and some customers carry chem scanners to check it against the label. It has nothing to do with the Junk item, so a search for one can land on the other.
