long time ago it was the --in portion the world web because they never give us the truth untwisted there is universe web called the cosmic but you have to go to the manual mode called books cause it comes from people it was reveled--you have to be in circuited in the lord god almighty he's the reveler he's the infinite web when you are in circuited in him you have it all --he revels it to who ever ask
@@justprospecting697 He never claimed he made the filter. He said he attached the two little filters to the pot and showed us a way to save money compared to the Berkey system.
If he had bought the parts for a filter and assembled then he could say he made it but he used a store bought water filter and put it in a pot. Wake Up mate it's a store bought water filter
@@gonagaintoo bad i didn't see this $300 ago 🥴 bought the Berkey a while back. Your plan here is great. Maybe I'll do this, too, and be ready for another location. Thank you.
Yes Sir, it was tough here in Texas but we had a Big Berkeley (filled tubs with water prior to freeze), Generac natural gas home generator, two gas fireplaces and plenty of food. We hosted our three kids & grandkids and three elderly neighbors. It was wall to wall people but we were happy and grateful. We worn out our Rummikub and monopoly games. It was great spending time with our grandkids who were technology free.HaHa We are used to hurricanes so we had everything. God Bless.
I think it's an old school thing being prepared for what comes next! I was born and raised right outside of Yellowstone so the freeze was more of a minor inconvenience for me. I've lived in north Texas for the last 30 years and I believe that's the first time I've seen anything like that here but, back home that was just a weekly occurrence during the winter.
Great project. For drilling stainless steel use a slow drill speed with lots of pressure. A high speed will get the cutting edge too hot and it will dull. A bit of lubrication is also recommended to keep the bit cool. I usually use a drop of water.
Slow speed is good but a lot of pressure will cause the drill to grab and try to "thread" it's self through the hole and possibly cause injuries. 40+ years as a machinist.
@@rossdmcc With sheet metal anything will want to grab when it goes through. What I like about more pressure is you have a good grip on the drill. Using high speed and it grabs can twist your wrists or pull the drill out of your hand.
I truly hate all the negative people who made comments, but failed to provide a video of their own offering "better" way of doing this. Thank you Sir for putting together this very clear and informative video as well as providing emergency solution on a budget!
Back when the power grid was going down in Texas we all heard on the news that it was happening statewide. That's why I commented in the video that "The whole state of Texas was down". It was just a figure of speech so try not to get too upset over it. The point of the video is that you need to be prepared for such contingencies.
It felt like the whole state my son 30 miles away and not effected. He said you could have come here. No, It was a good experience for the younger ones in the house. The young generation has been protected from hardship.
Yes wonderful info im a senior woman and I think ill try it im in Texas.I thank God my daughter and my apt bldg held up for lights and heat but you need to be ready.
Whenever you drill through stainless steel always use a little 3-in-one oil or cutting oil to help lubricate the drill bit, it'll mean that the job is made easier, the bit will stay sharp longer and the bit will stay cooler as it cuts through the metal.
I made this same 2 pot system but bought the Berkey black filters and flouride white filters. The black filters are about a hundred and can be washed & reused, well worth it. The pots are equivalent to the Big Berkey container so you still save a lot but get the Berkey Filter quality.
@@tinagodsey1023 6 months to 1 year, after that you can still use them but their effectiveness is greatly reduced. Berkey says 3 years for a filter if you clean it well but activated carbon doesn't last that long so I highly doubt their claims.
Even though the brass water spigot is too thick for the thinner-wall stainless steel pot, I would still choose those over the plastic flip-lever ones, because I’ve had trouble with those leaking in the glass one and two gallon iced tea jugs. I’ve seen the black plastic ones in the large (30 cup?) coffee percolators drip/leak leak, also. So it doesn’t seem to matter whether they’re used in a cold or hot application. 🙂
About a month ago we had a scare and were told not to drink or use the water. A latex spill occurred in the river and we only had 1 case of water and they said DONT boil the water because it was chemicals. Philadelphia. I have a Berkey lite (not stainless) but need new filters
its good, ive been making these for years. You cant over-tighten those plastic nuts, or the water wont filter properly. But you can test it by putting 5 drops of red food color in water in top chamber.
That brass valve threaded part can be cut shorter, since it's going into the thin stainless steel pot. Then the threaded PVC coupling will be tighter against the pot. I'd add a silicon washer on the inside as well.
Before you cut it you can thread a nut on, after you make the cut, thread the nut off and it will straighten out the threads that might have been marred when cutting.
The thread is tapered and will only tighten up so far. If you know a machinist or plumber they most likely will have a pipe tap. They can easily tap the threads in the coupling deeper and make it screw on further. Add a rubber washer for the seal as it can be taken apart and cleaned. I do not like the idea of silicone in my drinking water. May not be harmful but i know rubber is fine.
Great post. Just ordered the filters. Will make 1 for my brother in TN and 1 for myself. This is just what my dad taught us and what he tried to convey to my son. Unfortunately we lost him this winter. Continue the tradition.. Dad built a box for the tent etc to be mounted on top of our station wagon. Thank you so much.
If you want to prime the filters easier, install them upside down at first and let them prime themselves by reverse filtering which also rinses any residue that may be on the filter, then clean both containers and re install the filter correctly and your good to go 👍
I built one myself about 15 years ago. Still have it, ready for emergency use. Mine has three long skinny filters which break much more easily. I’ll use the short ones when they need replacing. Oh, and those “wedding cake shaped bits” are called step bits.
Man I thank you for showing this. I've been WORRYED about getting a water filter for my family. Learning this from you is appropriated. It does make me really miss my dad. He was like you, knew how to do important things like this. And the times we live in, I really need him with us. Itd make me feel alot more safer for my family to, not knowing what to EXSPECT what comeing ahead of us all in the times ahead.. God bless you sir.
I love the steel pots idea! Much better than buckets I was hesitating on. Looked at recent reveries and some of the expensive set ups were outta my price range. Thank you. Gotta get my husband interested
Great video Rick. I was gonna do this but my "social director" bought an Alexapure unit before I found my "round tuit". About the same price as a Berkey too, darn it. 20 yrs ago, I started making mission trips to Guatemala. One of the things we did was build water filtration units for the indigenous Mayan. We used a ceramic pots like your SS ones but in the top pot, put in nylon screening, a layer of charcoal on top, then a layer of sand, then a layer of small pebbles, then a layer of larger ones. Worked great, and good water prevented a lot of sickness. In an emergency, we could all do the same. Absolute, grid down emergency when you have nothing else and can't get to Wallyworld.
Thanks for sharing that Bob. Then there's 6 to 10ccs per gallon of household bleach that works very well. We used to do that all the time in the South Pacific to kill the giardia in the stream water. I forgot a couple of times and rapidly learned how it is that dysentery can kill a person.
@@gonagain OK Giardia is bad, very bad, I had it in 2000 on Mauritius because the ice cubes for my Whiskey were made from tap water, but in the last 20 years UV Light does the job better than any chloride in a private household, just saying.
use two o-rings on the faucet or a couple of rubber washers and that will seal and take up the extra space on the faucet threads. one inside and one on the outside.
Beats nearly $300 for a Berkey...that's for sure! Although I prefer using my Lifestraw Go filtering water bottle as needed. Thanks for the demo. Always enjoy your offerings.
Excellent, thanks! One thing I noticed about those inexpensive plastic spigots, is that they are prone to leak in a short time. You will need spare washers. You could twist-tie some extra washers to the spigot for convenience in an outage easier to find a backup washer in the panic and storm with lights out. It is also possible to buy spigots designed with a slight curve on the base and nut mating surfaces. That corrects the problem of the regular spigots failure, the curvature of the vessel. Or perhaps it is merely the washers themselves that are curved. Apparently it makes a difference because these well designed spigots don't leak after only a short time..
Very nice! I purchased a new system still in the box at a garage sale. It had set so long in storage that the plastic threads on the filters were brittle and crumbled. I will buy some of the ones you listed. I’m so glad to find some at a decent price!!
Rick, you are absolutely amazing with the amount of common sense, as well as incredible intelligence that you posess.I am so thankful to you, for sharing your thoughts and discoveries with us.
I have liked, shared and subscribed! Thank You so much for this solution to my biggest worry, clean water. I drink on average 1 1/2 gallons a day and my biggest worry has always been how I would mitigate this issue in camping and emergency. God Bless my friend!
Great video. I made one of these 4 months ago and the wife loves it. I used the tall filters, next time I will use the short dome ones you used to make yours.
Nice video! Neat idea for the SS pots. I have seen those made from the 5 gal. Buckets. One couple yrs ago made theirs and they actually bought the 2 Berkey filters for theirs. Filters are expensive but last for yrs. in our RV we only drink the filtered water. Water in tanks is for showering and dishes. You bet some water from place to place tastes odd. Many places especially where mining use to go on, ground waters can contain heavy metals, so filtered water is best. Thanks for the video yawl have a great weekend!
You can just add activated charcoal in the upper pot to improve flavor. The charcoal also reduces the slime build up on the ceramic filters. Filters vary, but most can tell you how many gallons they can handle. I keep a notebook for each filter I use, so I can make sure not to exceed the amount of water the filter is rated to handle. I usually change filters at 90-95% of that amount. For instance, on a 500 gallon filter, I change filters between 450 and 480 gallons, just to be safe. That's when I'm using traditional filters, but I am switching over to building my own filters, so I can just replenish filter media. I use stackable, stainless steel steamer baskets to hold each layer of media, stacked in a bucket or deep stainless steel pot, like you use for your build. I limit my water flow to not overwhelm the filter through using a funnel to limit the intake, and it's very, very cheap. My filtering materials for my household of 3 costs about $100 per year for about 4,000 gallons of drinking water. I renew/replace my filter media every 400 gallons. I based this off another video I watched, but your system would be great for nomads.
Great video! I'm doing the same thing except I'm using 2 (stacked) food grade poly see through 12 quart rectangular containers which should take up less space on my CTC kitchen counter... Also the drill you were talking about is a step drill (enlarge holes) and can be purchased at Harbor Freight for as low as $6.00 for one drill and $18.00 for two drills with a hole size up to 1-3/8 inches. You can order online, it's one of those tools you don't use very much but glad you have it when needed.
when it comes to tools the savings of harbor freight are negated by the low quality of the product you get there... they use low quality metal and the bits and tools there will actually bend and break and sometimes even warp (metal is so soft) Spend more money buy something that wont break on first use, something that will last you a lifetime... (that's in my opinion the cheaper deal)
Yeah, and we can go a long ways like that. Years ago we looked at how much we were spending each week on fast food and that adds up! Curbed that right away.
If you stretch a clean, white gym sock over the filter it will catch the sediment so your filters will last longer. You can wash the socks from time to time. The old timers used to put a silver coin in their water barrels to kill bacteria. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for putting this out there for us. This is great information. I didn't see the way that the ceramic filter attached to the pots, but you may want to use a rubber or silicone gasket to seal it water tight. I've had problems with similar set ups where the wingnut hold the filter tight, but trace water that is contaminated still trickles through where the filter is attached, if it's not sealed water tight with a gasket. Many thanks, be safe and healthy y'all.
You never know how effective you tube diy projects will be but this looks like something to try. My grampa was a diy kinda guy and I sure miss him. Thanks.
You should have seen the look I got from DW when you mentioned Linda not wanting white buckets in the kitchen😜.(I suggested this to her in the past) But now thanks to this vid she will let me build one out of pots👍 Keep up the good work!
Oh My!! I don't know how I found you, and I am sure glad! How wonderful! There is so much love and positivity and humor (much needed in times of crisis) pouring out from the people who comment here, that I am overwhelmed with Gratitude and Hope that there are good people helping others in the world with ideas and inventiveness for these times. Your filter design is awesome, and there are people near me who have the tools necessary to make it. I have an old Gravidin, similar to this and the Berkey, but it's plastic, old and quite possibly not going to last much longer because of the plastic degrading a bit. Thank you so much! and Blessings!!
I'm a new subscriber and am so impressed by your video. I was just speaking to my sister who lives in Tacoma Washington and she was asking about a water filtration system and what to kind to purchase. I'm definitely implementing your self made filtration system and am going to send her this video so she and her husband can do the same. God bless you. 🙏🏻
So glad I found your video! Been struggling with the agony of paying Berkey dollars. What a great and helpful video. I will be getting all parts needed. Thank you!!!!!
I saw your note about people being unsubscribed. Lately when I wanted to watch one of your videos I had to look it up, so I unsubscribe Andre subscribed and I hit the notification Bell again. You guys do have really cool videos and I do like that you have quite a variety of topics.
Genius! I was looking at the berkey online and on RUclips and I'm thinking that it's thin metal and shouldn't be that expensive! $405 for a family size!?! I was trying to figure out how to afford a berkey, but now I don't have to buy one! I'm going with your idea, thank you!!! 😊
That’s a great idea! Now the Texas grid didn’t go down. Individual power companies cut power to many with no means of rolling the blackouts to keep the grid from collapsing. Most of us never lost power. But I get your point! It could have happened. With over 25% reliance on unpredictable “green” power it is a matter of time before it happens. (Solar and wind was totally down!). I would like a whole house generator (LP) but right at $10,000 including a 250 gallon tank is hard to swallow right now. Anyway, learned how to make an inexpensive water filter! Thanks!!! Y’all take care!
i think you should read all the stuff the Berkey filters filter. These little dome ceramic filters are limited. You want to use like tap water with the dome filters. Also, if you use stream water, theres no way to filter Coloforms (fecal matter, sewage), not even with Berkey. You must add bleach. Happy Trails! Do a lot of research.
@@ParttimePilgrim Mahalo nui loa! I think I'll try to keep a couple of Berkey filters on standby for emergency. Pricey but I'll use the little domes for day to day tap water. Hard to do this on a budget!
When you consider you can get years and years of super clean water from them, they are a bargain. How much did you spend on tatttoos, makeup, eating out and other silliness? Isn't your health worth the investment?
Coffee grinds as a filter for water also kills95% of germs and bacteria. It works beautifully. If you have a pottery kiln, up any of the equipment from the interior to filter your water which works like the ceramic filters he’s talking of. Line the bottom of the top section so they can filter water. Beauty.🇦🇺👏🏼
You are fantastic, Sir!!! I am going to ask my son to make this for me. Thank you so so much. And greetings to your sweet lady, from the Czech Republic. Hats off, Sir.
Awesome idea!!! Im gonna make with with my children this weekend!!! But what if you took the handle off the one lid and drilled the same holes where the filters are, you could attach the lid to the bottom and it would sit on top perfect??
You could also use grommets seals for the faucet. This way you don't have to worry about any silicone chemicals seeping into your water. But, it's a great idea.
Great information, was not aware that these filters are so good👍👍👍 ( i'd prefer a plastic Tap stainless vs brass/ bronce gives a galvanic element and not sure whether Zn and others would go into solution)
Great video! My wife and I are new viewers to your channel. We were inspired as we watched you talk about and make your double pot and double filter water filtration system. We noticed you talked about a possible charcoal filter being attached. Just out of curiosity, what about a triple pot system? You might be able to us a third pot, which would also need a different style charcoal filter inside? Also we thought you might be able to use a stainless steel wok between the second (middle) and third (bottom) pot? This could act as a catalyst to funnel the water towards the center, where you could drill a whole and mount a charcoal filter sticking up, like you did the other two? This could make your third (bottom) pot into becoming your catch basin for your faucet; just as you already did. We believe by using the wok it may limit how much water is filtered at one time, but it will allow it to be purer. We also noticed your wife talking about that she may need to move it from time to time. So we were thinking that maybe a small round house plant stand with caster wheels might help? We are truly curious to know if all this will work? Hope you think it's worth a try! Looking forward to more of your videos. Thanks, George & Sybil Vickers
So those graduated drill bits are expensive but you can buy a “hole” saw blade that fits a drill like for doorknobs but for metal or all purpose for around $10 and it comes with every size up to 2” I believe! Awesome video! I’ve been working on mine! Thanks for the inspiration!!
Had a Berkey water system in Africa. The ceramic candles had to be removed, washed then submerged in water, boiled for 10 minutes, cooled and then re-applied to the upper portion of the container. I filled bottles from the system and refrigerated them. The water straight from the filter was blah but after a while in the fridge and it was good. A Shaklee water filter system works very well.
We have a Berkey... but I would have made one if I would have been aware it was a DIY project. Drats! That is a great tip about the RV water filter. We use one, not only for traveling but for our garden. There's a reason... Several years ago the water company put massive amounts of some chemical (they won't tell us what) in the water and it killed our garden; we couldn't grow anything in that plot for almost 2 years. We now have an RV water filter at each hydrant for watering the garden. ~ Kir (and Ron) in Tennessee
@@gonagain We consulted a water specialist who said that it was probably a large dose of the powdered (?) chlorine they use now, but we couldn't prove it. All the tender leaves had whitish spots all over them. But it sure stayed in the soil a long time... We bought the Berkey right after that!
Hello Anastasia, sorry it took me a while to get back to you. You can buy these same style filters that are charcoal impregnated. I just haven't tried them yet myself.
In a pinch with a fine mess bag you can use charcoal meant for aquariums. Fill the bag, pre rinse and hang it in the water. You can also use rinsed reverse osmosis carbon block too. Although there are several types of carbon almost all carbon does the same job. The finer the grain the better it works however.
WOW! My wife and I were just talking last weekend about buying a Berkey! You just saved us a ton of money. So I am subscribing to your channel. Thank you!
We kept our power through the big freeze here in Texas. I was a little disappointed since I had my preps ready. Great idea on the homemade water filter.
@@shuny3595 Well my stove can do it in several ways. Use a coffee can upside down. It vents through a hole in the bottom of the stove. I also have a turpentine still that is dual use. It can make fuel from sap, plastic and wood, and it can also be used to make high quality charcoal for filtration. For cooking charcoal, i put hardwood chunk's into a cast iron pot. That fits inside the stove. The sand i use is from the beach so i rinse it well first. The pac stove stove pipe slides out and a hot plate can sit there. I just put a pan on there and fill it with sand. I heat it up really good to clean it. That i use for my water filters. You can see some of this on the website, but some of this is new and i haven't put up video's yet.
Wado (Thank You), for sharing this presentation. Very helpful. I will be making my own, and will use your method...except I will use five gallon buckets. Again, thank you ! You helped this old fellow out a lot. Appreciate it.
These are uncertain times now more than ever. It never hurts to be prepared with a way to filter drinking water. If we do have to make our own water access to a doctor might not be available making filtering even more important. Lets hope we don't but be prepared if we do. Thanks
I saw a couple of berkey filters in videos, you saved me from looking at them. They looked expensive, i see a lot of comments saying they are, now I'll have to look just to see how bad. Thanks for another informative video. God bless!!
If i were you if you go anywhere else i would think of boiling the water after filtration. Just incase those filters work as well as the Chinese surgical masks have. Just my thoughts on it. You can't be too careful.
People blame china thinking americs is any better, billyg and the org that's supposed to be about health for the world patented it in 2015. Then it was sent to the woohoo lab for them to alter incubation so it could spread for a week or so before you knew you have it. By 2017 every country was buying tests in prep for it's release. You don't hear any of that because if you come right out and say it it's instantly removed. About the most you can type is pland demic, unless your vague.
Well done, thanks. I would leave off the spigot and just empty the filtered water into a jug or carafe. Spigots often leak. I wonder how long it would take to empty if there was only one filter.
The stainless steel looks nicer for sure, however if anyone is still ok with using the 5 gallon (Approx 20 litre) buckets, then they can spray paint the outside of the buckets using a copper colour or a chrome look alike colour in the Rustoleum Spray's to make it more appealing to the eye.
Just be proud and use your bucket. It's unnecessary to do all that fancy stuff. Like the other person said, paint is real toxic, and will compromise the plastic from oil bases.
Yeehaw!!! Saw that Giant Springs in your video!! I grew up in Great Falls, and one summer the Missouri River got an algae bloom. The whole town(!) went to the Springs for drinking water. Still a great place to visit; an interpretive center for Lewis and Clark expedition is just up the hill. A fun Fact: The little river flowing out of the Springs is the Roe River; the shortest River in the world. Something like 200 feet long.😍
Lived in Great Falls for 5 years while stationed a Malmstrom AFB. 3 years the first time and 2 the second time. It’s awesome country! Great hunting, fishing and camping.........even in the winter!
As a side note...if I'd had a father or grandfather like you, I would have been so grateful. Thank goodness for RUclips University!
Thank you Sage K!
Agree !!!! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
long time ago it was the --in portion the world web because they never give us the truth untwisted there is universe web called the cosmic but you have to go to the manual mode called books cause it comes from people it was reveled--you have to be in circuited in the lord god almighty he's the reveler he's the infinite web when you are in circuited in him you have it all --he revels it to who ever ask
Yes great ideas. Love University of RUclips!
I did, my dad grew up on a farm during the great depression. They were big on use what you have and make it work. No Wal-Mart back then to go buy it.
You created a Berkey Water Filter System that is very affordable. I like the way you think. Great information!
That not making a water filter you just bought a water filter and put it in a pot so you didn't make it.
@@justprospecting697 He never claimed he made the filter. He said he attached the two little filters to the pot and showed us a way to save money compared to the Berkey system.
@@gmaneis mate read the title of the video. 'Water filter you can make yourself"
That means you can make it yourself that's the meaning of diy
If he had bought the parts for a filter and assembled then he could say he made it but he used a store bought water filter and put it in a pot. Wake Up mate it's a store bought water filter
Thank you so very much for teaching a man to fish.
You are very welcome!
@@gonagaintoo bad i didn't see this $300 ago 🥴 bought the Berkey a while back. Your plan here is great. Maybe I'll do this, too, and be ready for another location. Thank you.
Yes Sir, it was tough here in Texas but we had a Big Berkeley (filled tubs with water prior to freeze), Generac natural gas home generator, two gas fireplaces and plenty of food. We hosted our three kids & grandkids and three elderly neighbors. It was wall to wall people but we were happy and grateful. We worn out our Rummikub and monopoly games. It was great spending time with our grandkids who were technology free.HaHa We are used to hurricanes so we had everything. God Bless.
I'm happy to hear that you all were nicely prepared and came through it alright. It must have caught a lot of folks by surprise.
Outstanding preparation and readiness. 😊
Kudos with those preps! It saved a lot of aggravation and showed a whole new generation to prepare! Your teaching them well.
Today's date, we all have to think and get prepared for climate changes.
I think it's an old school thing being prepared for what comes next! I was born and raised right outside of Yellowstone so the freeze was more of a minor inconvenience for me. I've lived in north Texas for the last 30 years and I believe that's the first time I've seen anything like that here but, back home that was just a weekly occurrence during the winter.
Great project. For drilling stainless steel use a slow drill speed with lots of pressure. A high speed will get the cutting edge too hot and it will dull. A bit of lubrication is also recommended to keep the bit cool. I usually use a drop of water.
Thanks for the tip Danny!
Slow speed is good but a lot of pressure will cause the drill to grab and try to "thread" it's self through the hole and possibly cause injuries. 40+ years as a machinist.
@@rossdmcc With sheet metal anything will want to grab when it goes through. What I like about more pressure is you have a good grip on the drill. Using high speed and it grabs can twist your wrists or pull the drill out of your hand.
Hmmm. So whats safest way for 67 yr Grandma? I want to do it myself.
Use a hole saw that says it will work on stainless steel.@@grandmasinpajamas6619
A do it yourself water filtration system , thank you for showing us all this .
I truly hate all the negative people who made comments, but failed to provide a video of their own offering "better" way of doing this. Thank you Sir for putting together this very clear and informative video as well as providing emergency solution on a budget!
Thanks Aggie and you're welcome!!!
Back when the power grid was going down in Texas we all heard on the news that it was happening statewide. That's why I commented in the video that "The whole state of Texas was down". It was just a figure of speech so try not to get too upset over it. The point of the video is that you need to be prepared for such contingencies.
It felt like the whole state my son 30 miles away and not effected. He said you could have come here. No, It was a good experience for the younger ones in the house. The young generation has been protected from hardship.
Yes wonderful info im a senior woman and I think ill try it im in Texas.I thank God my daughter and my apt bldg held up for lights and heat but you need to be ready.
Whenever you drill through stainless steel always use a little 3-in-one oil or cutting oil to help lubricate the drill bit, it'll mean that the job is made easier, the bit will stay sharp longer and the bit will stay cooler as it cuts through the metal.
Use food grade mineral oil for safety. Non toxic. Lubricates all the same things. Baby oil is fine too.
Water works well..especially for food grade. The key is to keep the stainless cool so that the chrome doesnt harden from the heat.
Good advice.
I forwarded this to my son who lives in Texas and just went through that power outage. Good stuff! Thank you.
Thanks Jan, because I certainly had those folks in mind when I did this video.
What a great idea. Definitely something I need with the other emergency preparedness items. Thank you for the video!
I made this same 2 pot system but bought the Berkey black filters and flouride white filters. The black filters are about a hundred and can be washed & reused, well worth it. The pots are equivalent to the Big Berkey container so you still save a lot but get the Berkey Filter quality.
I have done the same as you as well.
How long do the berky filters last?
@@tinagodsey1023 6 months to 1 year, after that you can still use them but their effectiveness is greatly reduced. Berkey says 3 years for a filter if you clean it well but activated carbon doesn't last that long so I highly doubt their claims.
Even though the brass water spigot is too thick for the thinner-wall stainless steel pot, I would still choose those over the plastic flip-lever ones, because I’ve had trouble with those leaking in the glass one and two gallon iced tea jugs. I’ve seen the black plastic ones in the large (30 cup?) coffee percolators drip/leak leak, also. So it doesn’t seem to matter whether they’re used in a cold or hot application. 🙂
About a month ago we had a scare and were told not to drink or use the water. A latex spill occurred in the river and we only had 1 case of water and they said DONT boil the water because it was chemicals. Philadelphia. I have a Berkey lite (not stainless) but need new filters
its good, ive been making these for years. You cant over-tighten those plastic nuts, or the water wont filter properly. But you can test it by putting 5 drops of red food color in water in top chamber.
That brass valve threaded part can be cut shorter, since it's going into the thin stainless steel pot. Then the threaded PVC coupling will be tighter against the pot. I'd add a silicon washer on the inside as well.
Before you cut it you can thread a nut on, after you make the cut, thread the nut off and it will straighten out the threads that might have been marred when cutting.
That will not work as it is a tapered thread.
The thread is tapered and will only tighten up so far. If you know a machinist or plumber they most likely will have a pipe tap. They can easily tap the threads in the coupling deeper and make it screw on further. Add a rubber washer for the seal as it can be taken apart and cleaned. I do not like the idea of silicone in my drinking water. May not be harmful but i know rubber is fine.
@@martinswiney2192 they do make a food grade silicone
Great post. Just ordered the filters. Will make 1 for my brother in TN and 1 for myself. This is just what my dad taught us and what he tried to convey to my son. Unfortunately we lost him this winter. Continue the tradition.. Dad built a box for the tent etc to be mounted on top of our station wagon. Thank you so much.
I'm sorry to hear about your dad's passing, it sounds like he was quite the guy!
If you want to prime the filters easier, install them upside down at first and let them prime themselves by reverse filtering which also rinses any residue that may be on the filter, then clean both containers and re install the filter correctly and your good to go 👍
Good information and thank you for sharing that!!
I built one myself about 15 years ago. Still have it, ready for emergency use. Mine has three long skinny filters which break much more easily. I’ll use the short ones when they need replacing. Oh, and those “wedding cake shaped bits” are called step bits.
You should be using it for all your drinking water all the time. What use is it packed away in a box. The filters aren't that expensive.
@@amywalker7515 we have an RO filter at the kitchen sink, so we don’t need to use it all the time.
Brilliant. I’m so glad I happened upon this video, I was just looking at buying a Berkey system. So thank you!
Man I thank you for showing this. I've been WORRYED about getting a water filter for my family. Learning this from you is appropriated. It does make me really miss my dad. He was like you, knew how to do important things like this. And the times we live in, I really need him with us. Itd make me feel alot more safer for my family to, not knowing what to EXSPECT what comeing ahead of us all in the times ahead.. God bless you sir.
Thanks James, I miss my dad too. God bless you too.
I love the steel pots idea! Much better than buckets I was hesitating on. Looked at recent reveries and some of the expensive set ups were outta my price range. Thank you. Gotta get my husband interested
Great video Rick. I was gonna do this but my "social director" bought an Alexapure unit before I found my "round tuit". About the same price as a Berkey too, darn it.
20 yrs ago, I started making mission trips to Guatemala. One of the things we did was build water filtration units for the indigenous Mayan. We used a ceramic pots like your SS ones but in the top pot, put in nylon screening, a layer of charcoal on top, then a layer of sand, then a layer of small pebbles, then a layer of larger ones. Worked great, and good water prevented a lot of sickness.
In an emergency, we could all do the same. Absolute, grid down emergency when you have nothing else and can't get to Wallyworld.
Thanks for sharing that Bob. Then there's 6 to 10ccs per gallon of household bleach that works very well. We used to do that all the time in the South Pacific to kill the giardia in the stream water. I forgot a couple of times and rapidly learned how it is that dysentery can kill a person.
@@gonagain that works too but these villages are extremely remote. Bleach? What's that?.....
@@gonagain OK Giardia is bad, very bad, I had it in 2000 on Mauritius because the ice cubes for my Whiskey were made from tap water, but in the last 20 years UV Light does the job better than any chloride in a private household, just saying.
I’d like to have one of you around;
you’re really handy. 🌻
use two o-rings on the faucet or a couple of rubber washers and that will seal and take up the extra space on the faucet threads. one inside and one on the outside.
Fantastic! Wish I had the necessary tools to make this filter. I just spent the $ on the Berkey for my home. Linda is so blessed to have you!,
Tricia, I'm going to make sure she reads your comment.
My Berkey just arrived yesterday as well. I think I will still do this. I want to make sure I have enough water ;)
You are blessed to have the Berkey as well.
I'm a woman too,You need to have some tools around. Learn to use them for emergency.
Beats nearly $300 for a Berkey...that's for sure!
Although I prefer using my Lifestraw Go filtering water bottle as needed.
Thanks for the demo. Always enjoy your offerings.
Most of the cost in a Berkey is the filters. They are far superior to plain ceramic filters.
@@jamesgrows4591 how so?
Excellent, thanks! One thing I noticed about those inexpensive plastic spigots, is that they are prone to leak in a short time. You will need spare washers. You could twist-tie some extra washers to the spigot for convenience in an outage easier to find a backup washer in the panic and storm with lights out. It is also possible to buy spigots designed with a slight curve on the base and nut mating surfaces. That corrects the problem of the regular spigots failure, the curvature of the vessel. Or perhaps it is merely the washers themselves that are curved. Apparently it makes a difference because these well designed spigots don't leak after only a short time..
Thank you Mike!
Wow! Brilliant and extremely appropriate for our times. Thank you so very much!!
Great information to have on hand. I probably would have used rubber faucet washers on your spout if you had them lying around to make up the gap.
Very nice! I purchased a new system still in the box at a garage sale. It had set so long in storage that the plastic threads on the filters were brittle and crumbled. I will buy some of the ones you listed. I’m so glad to find some at a decent price!!
I think the rest of the world has been using these filters for quite awhile and we've just discovered them recently. They work!
Boss of the swamp made this year's ago using the Berkey filters. You can get get the same filters for half that price on Amazon.
Rick, you are absolutely amazing with the amount of common sense, as well as incredible intelligence that you posess.I am so thankful to you, for sharing your thoughts and discoveries with us.
This will be a great addition to our cabin. Thank you for sharing
I have liked, shared and subscribed! Thank You so much for this solution to my biggest worry, clean water. I drink on average 1 1/2 gallons a day and my biggest worry has always been how I would mitigate this issue in camping and emergency. God Bless my friend!
Thanks for subscribing!
Great video. I made one of these 4 months ago and the wife loves it. I used the tall filters, next time I will use the short dome ones you used to make yours.
These do work and the price is right.
Maybe add a third pot with a pre filter to add longevity to the ceramic filters?
Nice project.
Thank you for sharing.
Love my Berkey but this is a great DIY option! Linda tested, Linda approved!
Nice video! Neat idea for the SS pots. I have seen those made from the 5 gal. Buckets. One couple yrs ago made theirs and they actually bought the 2 Berkey filters for theirs. Filters are expensive but last for yrs. in our RV we only drink the filtered water. Water in tanks is for showering and dishes. You bet some water from place to place tastes odd. Many places especially where mining use to go on, ground waters can contain heavy metals, so filtered water is best. Thanks for the video yawl have a great weekend!
Thank you for watching, Betty. Montana has some really bad ground water too in places.
You can just add activated charcoal in the upper pot to improve flavor. The charcoal also reduces the slime build up on the ceramic filters. Filters vary, but most can tell you how many gallons they can handle. I keep a notebook for each filter I use, so I can make sure not to exceed the amount of water the filter is rated to handle. I usually change filters at 90-95% of that amount. For instance, on a 500 gallon filter, I change filters between 450 and 480 gallons, just to be safe. That's when I'm using traditional filters, but I am switching over to building my own filters, so I can just replenish filter media. I use stackable, stainless steel steamer baskets to hold each layer of media, stacked in a bucket or deep stainless steel pot, like you use for your build. I limit my water flow to not overwhelm the filter through using a funnel to limit the intake, and it's very, very cheap. My filtering materials for my household of 3 costs about $100 per year for about 4,000 gallons of drinking water. I renew/replace my filter media every 400 gallons. I based this off another video I watched, but your system would be great for nomads.
Thanks for sharing your ideas Jay!
Great video! I'm doing the same thing except I'm using 2 (stacked) food grade poly see through 12 quart rectangular containers which should take up less space on my CTC kitchen counter... Also the drill you were talking about is a step drill (enlarge holes) and can be purchased at Harbor Freight for as low as $6.00 for one drill and $18.00 for two drills with a hole size up to 1-3/8 inches. You can order online, it's one of those tools you don't use very much but glad you have it when needed.
Alan, thanks for the tip on where to find the step drills for a reasonable price. I'll be following up on that.
when it comes to tools the savings of harbor freight are negated by the low quality of the product you get there... they use low quality metal and the bits and tools there will actually bend and break and sometimes even warp (metal is so soft) Spend more money buy something that wont break on first use, something that will last you a lifetime... (that's in my opinion the cheaper deal)
What a great idea I’m with you always on the budget when you don’t work anylonger you do have to watch how you spend your money
Yeah, and we can go a long ways like that. Years ago we looked at how much we were spending each week on fast food and that adds up! Curbed that right away.
Laura, you never stop working ! Always something needing to be done, Amen
@@hannahshepherd9073 amen to that you get one thing fixed and something else happens 👍👍👍
If you stretch a clean, white gym sock over the filter it will catch the sediment so your filters will last longer. You can wash the socks from time to time.
The old timers used to put a silver coin in their water barrels to kill bacteria.
Thanks for the video.
Yes grandma says to use silver in the water too
Thanks for putting this out there for us. This is great information. I didn't see the way that the ceramic filter attached to the pots, but you may want to use a rubber or silicone gasket to seal it water tight. I've had problems with similar set ups where the wingnut hold the filter tight, but trace water that is contaminated still trickles through where the filter is attached, if it's not sealed water tight with a gasket. Many thanks, be safe and healthy y'all.
Thanks for the tip, Doc. I'll be checking on that for sure.
You never know how effective you tube diy projects will be but this looks like something to try. My grampa was a diy kinda guy and I sure miss him. Thanks.
You should have seen the look I got from DW when you mentioned Linda not wanting white buckets in the kitchen😜.(I suggested this to her in the past)
But now thanks to this vid she will let me build one out of pots👍
Keep up the good work!
You're welcome Mr. C!
Oh My!! I don't know how I found you, and I am sure glad! How wonderful! There is so much love and positivity and humor (much needed in times of crisis) pouring out from the people who comment here, that I am overwhelmed with Gratitude and Hope that there are good people helping others in the world with ideas and inventiveness for these times. Your filter design is awesome, and there are people near me who have the tools necessary to make it. I have an old Gravidin, similar to this and the Berkey, but it's plastic, old and quite possibly not going to last much longer because of the plastic degrading a bit.
Thank you so much! and Blessings!!
What a great gift idea & attitude, now I need to go get some buckets...
Make sure they're food grade. Not all are.
I loved watching this! If I had someone who was as handy as you and had those tools I would definitely have a project for him. Great video!
You can do it! Just go with food grade plastic containers.
For cutting the hole, use a multibit drill you can deburr the hole at the same time, much cleaner and easier
I'm a new subscriber and am so impressed by your video. I was just speaking to my sister who lives in Tacoma Washington and she was asking about a water filtration system and what to kind to purchase. I'm definitely implementing your self made filtration system and am going to send her this video so she and her husband can do the same. God bless you. 🙏🏻
Thanks for subbing! Be sure to check out all of our videos, they cover a range of subjects plus travel.
So glad I found your video! Been struggling with the agony of paying Berkey dollars. What a great and helpful video. I will be getting all parts needed. Thank you!!!!!
Buy the original Berkefeld filters much cheaper and better!
I saw your note about people being unsubscribed. Lately when I wanted to watch one of your videos I had to look it up, so I unsubscribe Andre subscribed and I hit the notification Bell again.
You guys do have really cool videos and I do like that you have quite a variety of topics.
Thanks for going through all of that for us, Bill. We appreciate you sticking with us! ~~Linda
You always come up with great ideas! Thank you!
Genius! I was looking at the berkey online and on RUclips and I'm thinking that it's thin metal and shouldn't be that expensive! $405 for a family size!?! I was trying to figure out how to afford a berkey, but now I don't have to buy one! I'm going with your idea, thank you!!! 😊
My husband did a great job making the drinking safe water. Thank you for making my life easier when we go boondocking.
Great Christine! I'll have more projects for him coming up.
@@gonagain it keeps him busy so he won’t get bored. 😁
That’s a great idea! Now the Texas grid didn’t go down. Individual power companies cut power to many with no means of rolling the blackouts to keep the grid from collapsing. Most of us never lost power. But I get your point! It could have happened. With over 25% reliance on unpredictable “green” power it is a matter of time before it happens. (Solar and wind was totally down!). I would like a whole house generator (LP) but right at $10,000 including a 250 gallon tank is hard to swallow right now. Anyway, learned how to make an inexpensive water filter! Thanks!!! Y’all take care!
Thanks for that info Bryan!
You made my day! Berkey brand is just too expensive for me. Thank you, I can do this!
You are so welcome!
i think you should read all the stuff the Berkey filters filter. These little dome ceramic filters are limited.
You want to use like tap water with the dome filters.
Also, if you use stream water, theres no way to filter Coloforms (fecal matter, sewage), not even with Berkey. You must add bleach.
Happy Trails! Do a lot of research.
@@ParttimePilgrim Mahalo nui loa! I think I'll try to keep a couple of Berkey filters on standby for emergency. Pricey but I'll use the little domes for day to day tap water. Hard to do this on a budget!
LoL love Linda
When you consider you can get years and years of super clean water from them, they are a bargain. How much did you spend on tatttoos, makeup, eating out and other silliness? Isn't your health worth the investment?
Coffee grinds as a filter for water also kills95% of germs and bacteria. It works beautifully. If you have a pottery kiln, up any of the equipment from the interior to filter your water which works like the ceramic filters he’s talking of. Line the bottom of the top section so they can filter water. Beauty.🇦🇺👏🏼
Please explain in more detail
And can the whole thing be ceramic?
You can always install ceramic filters with activated carbon for great testing water.
Thanks Joe, I see those, but haven't tried them yet.
You are fantastic, Sir!!!
I am going to ask my son to make this for me. Thank you so so much. And greetings to your sweet lady, from the Czech Republic.
Hats off, Sir.
Thank you, Andrea!
Fabulous job. How lucky I were to find two lots that fit together so well.
Awesome project. We do a lot of off grid camping so this water filter will be great to not have to carry so much water initially. Thank you.
An industrious lad you are! I think Linda will bless you another day
Hope so!
@@gonagain LOL
awesome! well done. I wouldn't use that spigot though, brass contains lead. Id spring for a stainless steel spigot.
Awesome idea!!! Im gonna make with with my children this weekend!!! But what if you took the handle off the one lid and drilled the same holes where the filters are, you could attach the lid to the bottom and it would sit on top perfect??
Yes you can and that was an option for me at the time. I still may do that.
You could also use grommets seals for the faucet. This way you don't have to worry about any silicone chemicals seeping into your water. But, it's a great idea.
Great tip!
@@gonagain great video
Would rather have a stainless steel spigot instead of plastic.
Awesome. Its important to show how it can be done on a budget. Thank you.
Great information, was not aware that these filters are so good👍👍👍 ( i'd prefer a plastic Tap stainless vs brass/ bronce gives a galvanic element and not sure whether Zn and others would go into solution)
You are well informed & awake sir!
Much respect.
There are 5 different lug nuts on that wheel, of 2 different brands.
Great idea! I’m going to make one. On my budget. 😁
Glad it helps Christine.
Great video! My wife and I are new viewers to your channel. We were inspired as we watched you talk about and make your double pot and double filter water filtration system. We noticed you talked about a possible charcoal filter being attached. Just out of curiosity, what about a triple pot system? You might be able to us a third pot, which would also need a different style charcoal filter inside? Also we thought you might be able to use a stainless steel wok between the second (middle) and third (bottom) pot? This could act as a catalyst to funnel the water towards the center, where you could drill a whole and mount a charcoal filter sticking up, like you did the other two? This could make your third (bottom) pot into becoming your catch basin for your faucet; just as you already did. We believe by using the wok it may limit how much water is filtered at one time, but it will allow it to be purer.
We also noticed your wife talking about that she may need to move it from time to time. So we were thinking that maybe a small round house plant stand with caster wheels might help?
We are truly curious to know if all this will work? Hope you think it's worth a try! Looking forward to more of your videos. Thanks, George & Sybil Vickers
Great idea. When the women are happy, everyone’s happy. Thanks for sharing.
Maybe not everyone. Adam and Eve?🤔
So those graduated drill bits are expensive but you can buy a “hole” saw blade that fits a drill like for doorknobs but for metal or all purpose for around $10 and it comes with every size up to 2” I believe! Awesome video! I’ve been working on mine! Thanks for the inspiration!!
Thanks for the info Joe!
HEY !! That's a Great Idea. Thanks for putting this demo on for us.
Good work. Great idea. You might tighten up your spigot by using a couple or 3 rubber seals, or something similar.
Had a Berkey water system in Africa. The ceramic candles had to be removed, washed then submerged in water, boiled for 10 minutes, cooled and then re-applied to the upper portion of the container. I filled bottles from the system and refrigerated them. The water straight from the filter was blah but after a while in the fridge and it was good. A Shaklee water filter system works very well.
Awesome! Thank you. I just purchased filters and will head to Walmart tomorrow. I appreciate you so much.
You are so welcome!
I've seen another person build a Burkee filter, but you by some good ideas. Also your filters are much cheaper.
Thanks that's a great video I will be making one myself cuz that's probably one of the simplest and efficient self made burkies system. Thank you
You and your Wife Look just like friends I had here in Kodiak , you two look like twins and talk almost the same way
Oh oh. Well, you said "friends" so they must be nice people.
Thanks so much. Those Burkey ones are so expensive.
They do those power grid failiers for a reason, to see how people react - they all ready see it nothing happened, no revolt no nothing just criing.
We have a Berkey... but I would have made one if I would have been aware it was a DIY project. Drats!
That is a great tip about the RV water filter. We use one, not only for traveling but for our garden. There's a reason... Several years ago the water company put massive amounts of some chemical (they won't tell us what) in the water and it killed our garden; we couldn't grow anything in that plot for almost 2 years. We now have an RV water filter at each hydrant for watering the garden. ~ Kir (and Ron) in Tennessee
Wow! That's bad, because if it killed the plants it sure as heck wasn't good for you either. Must have been a large dose of chlorine.
@@gonagain We consulted a water specialist who said that it was probably a large dose of the powdered (?) chlorine they use now, but we couldn't prove it. All the tender leaves had whitish spots all over them. But it sure stayed in the soil a long time... We bought the Berkey right after that!
Thank you for a great product-project! Have you any suggestion on how to install the charcoal filter within the unit?
Hello Anastasia, sorry it took me a while to get back to you. You can buy these same style filters that are charcoal impregnated. I just haven't tried them yet myself.
In a pinch with a fine mess bag you can use charcoal meant for aquariums. Fill the bag, pre rinse and hang it in the water. You can also use rinsed reverse osmosis carbon block too. Although there are several types of carbon almost all carbon does the same job. The finer the grain the better it works however.
WOW! My wife and I were just talking last weekend about buying a Berkey! You just saved us a ton of money. So I am subscribing to your channel. Thank you!
Thanks for subscribing Doug!
Step drill would work well for the holes on the bottom
We kept our power through the big freeze here in Texas. I was a little disappointed since I had my preps ready. Great idea on the homemade water filter.
Thank you, rg!
I found this very captivating. So interesting
Thank you! And being down there near Tornado Alley and Earthquake Central you should make one too. It's really easy of you use plastic buckets.
I just bought a Berkey yesterday, then today your video shows up! I think i'll make a back up, thank you!
"Jack of all trades, master of none" =) nice work & love the design
Thanks Brent and Connie.
This video popped up on my feed two days after I bought a Berkey!!! Hahaha! Great information! You’re family are lucky to have you!
I use a pac stove to make my own charcoal and pasteurize sand. Way cheaper than the plastic filters at chi-mart.
How do you make your own charcoal? And pasturize ? your own sand?
So Carolina lady wants to know
@@shuny3595 Well my stove can do it in several ways. Use a coffee can upside down. It vents through a hole in the bottom of the stove. I also have a turpentine still that is dual use. It can make fuel from sap, plastic and wood, and it can also be used to make high quality charcoal for filtration. For cooking charcoal, i put hardwood chunk's into a cast iron pot. That fits inside the stove. The sand i use is from the beach so i rinse it well first. The pac stove stove pipe slides out and a hot plate can sit there. I just put a pan on there and fill it with sand. I heat it up really good to clean it. That i use for my water filters.
You can see some of this on the website, but some of this is new and i haven't put up video's yet.
Wado (Thank You), for sharing this presentation. Very helpful. I will be making my own, and will use your method...except I will use five gallon buckets. Again, thank you ! You helped this old fellow out a lot. Appreciate it.
These are uncertain times now more than ever. It never hurts to be prepared with a way to filter drinking water. If we do have to make our own water access to a doctor might not be available making filtering even more important. Lets hope we don't but be prepared if we do. Thanks
I saw a couple of berkey filters in videos, you saved me from looking at them. They looked expensive, i see a lot of comments saying they are, now I'll have to look just to see how bad. Thanks for another informative video. God bless!!
Wow, 300-400 dollars for a berkey!!! That should be illegal, disgraceful.
If i were you if you go anywhere else i would think of boiling the water after filtration. Just incase those filters work as well as the Chinese surgical masks have. Just my thoughts on it. You can't be too careful.
True. Crap coming from China to USA, trust? Ha!!
@@leeglee111 AMEN. I trust really no one let alone folks that love to lie and think all Americans are idiots
People blame china thinking americs is any better, billyg and the org that's supposed to be about health for the world patented it in 2015. Then it was sent to the woohoo lab for them to alter incubation so it could spread for a week or so before you knew you have it. By 2017 every country was buying tests in prep for it's release.
You don't hear any of that because if you come right out and say it it's instantly removed. About the most you can type is pland demic, unless your vague.
Well done, thanks. I would leave off the spigot and just empty the filtered water into a jug or carafe. Spigots often leak. I wonder how long it would take to empty if there was only one filter.
Linda approved!
Happy wife, Happy life.
Who’s Linda?
@@amberrose1108 his wife
I was wanting to know how to make my own filter with stainless steel containers. This is very informative. Thank you!
The stainless steel looks nicer for sure, however if anyone is still ok with using the 5 gallon (Approx 20 litre) buckets, then they can spray paint the outside of the buckets using a copper colour or a chrome look alike colour in the Rustoleum Spray's to make it more appealing to the eye.
Paint!!! TOXIC.. not safe,,,you want to survive,,no paint..please...
A fabric sleeve will do the same thing with no toxicity.
Just be proud and use your bucket. It's unnecessary to do all that fancy stuff. Like the other person said, paint is real toxic, and will compromise the plastic from oil bases.
Yeehaw!!! Saw that Giant Springs in your video!! I grew up in Great Falls, and one summer the Missouri River got an algae bloom. The whole town(!) went to the Springs for drinking water. Still a great place to visit; an interpretive center for Lewis and Clark expedition is just up the hill. A fun Fact: The little river flowing out of the Springs is the Roe River; the shortest River in the world. Something like 200 feet long.😍
Lived in Great Falls for 5 years while stationed a Malmstrom AFB. 3 years the first time and 2 the second time. It’s awesome country! Great hunting, fishing and camping.........even in the winter!