We Went A Year Without A Shower | Building Off-Grid

[@AmbitionStrikes]

If this year has taught us anything, it's that we will NEVER take a long, hot shower for granted again. 🚿

[@johnjulie6657]

In the Coast Guard, we called short showers "sea showers" and a long hot shower were "hotel" showers!

[@ZILAwelds]

where are the links for the pump and the water filters ?

[@derekstark5352]

Buy a drill ur own well kit its cheap and easy to do I did mine that way and have been very happy with it the only issues we had was going through some clay

[@dilbotmacguillacutty4849]

Maybe try to capture grey shower water in an insulated IBC in the garage area.... could be plumbed to a future toilet. 🤔

[@kinomarko]

Incoherent mumbling

[@theresaluvspims6163]

Man, I love how you both can troubleshoot any obstacle. The gravity-fed reservoir is genius! I have wondered how those on-demand water heaters work efficiently. Seems you figured that out too. Woooo Hooo for shower time! The "still in the wrapper" filter was hilarious stuff LOL.

[@AmbitionStrikes]

It's not a long term solution but we are loving having a little extra water!

[@RoyceRippere]

There is SO MUCH we take for granted -- watching you re-invent all the wheels from scratch is unbelievable!

[@AmbitionStrikes]

I think that is the biggest thing we will take away from his experience, just how many things we used to take for granted. Including warm showers, a kitchen sink and a road that anyone can drive up!

[@shackman1306]

And so much fun.

[@steves.6519]

I almost fell out of my chair when I saw the wrapper on the filter! Lol

[@mo0seboy]

That first real shower after going months without is truly glorious. Some ideas for future infrastructure you can do with the equipment you've got: 1. Dig a surface well with your excavator. This is basically the advanced version of what you did with the culvert runoff. You should be able to get 10 feet down which will be more than enough for fall/winter/spring. It'll likely dry up in the summer unless you're very fortunate in topography. You won't want to drink the water directly, but honestly reverse osmosis systems are cheaper than a comprehensive water test these days. 2. Set up a greywater system (suitable for treating most domestic water except toilet). In a nutshell, you'll be digging a shallow hole in the ground a yard in volume downhill from your place and filling it with bark chips (ideal) or chipped wood. After that, trench a drain pipe from your domestic drain stack to it. After those have had a couple months to break down and start turning into soil, transplant some reeds/grass from a nearby marsh to do bioremediation. Planting a couple of nearby fruit trees is also a good idea as they'll soak up any excess water -- and give you food. The province of BC made a pretty good guide to give you all the math you need to plan one out. Google "Manual of Composting Toilet and Greywater Practice" 3. This one's a bit of a legal grey area as many jurisdictions don't recognize it as valid. You can do a DIY composting septic system using red wiggler worms in an IBC tote that is partially buried. Google keyword here is "Vermicomposting toilet". The basic premise is that the worms will break down solid and liquid waste and their castings are broken down by aerobic bacteria that live on bark/wood chips. The leachate from this system can be adequately treated by a typical greywater system. The end result is that your system will outperform a typical septic system in terms of groundwater pollution, but has an additional maintenance item that you have to do care and feeding for a worm colony. In your situation, I'd probably get the IBC 90% buried and put a few inches of foam sheet around the top to keep the colony cozy. You do need access to the top to periodically feed them wood chips and make sure the colony is still alive.

[@Buck1954]

DON'T USE REVERSE OSMOSIS! Use carbon filters. I will explain. Our bodies have vital minerals. Water also has vital minerals. Reverse Osmosis removes the vital minerals from the water. So when you drink the water, the water absorbs the minerals from your body and those vital minerals leave your body when you pee. Do that often enough and your body begins having other issues. Water craves those minerals when you remove them through RO. You must not ever drink that water.

[@dmwi1549]

Never heard this. Millions use for their drinking after. Do you have a source or published article for this information?

[@dmwi1549]

Interesting. Wouldn’t a composting toilet or outhouse to use as a backup be simpler? I like the ideas of a well if it weren’t for there location high on a hill. Perhaps instead of an plastic IBF they can dig a pond, direct their runoff to it and filter with rock in ditches. Then the remaining sediment will settle and they can pump relatively clean water back up the hill as needed or into storage during winter. A separate roof runoff to a sistern deep enough under ground to avoid freezing may work. Depends on rainfall. I’ve seen multiple KZbin Off Grid people get very creative and spend countless hours of labor with quite considerable money. In the end, they drill wells.

[@willmac2099]

How about using the totes in a series when you're filling them, using the first for "settling" and let that one feed off at a higher point to the next, so the next 2 bins would have less deposits? Then use that plasma table you have to cut a flange for those totes and make a large enough hole to drop the pump in the tote? All easier said than done. Just thought I would make the suggestion

[@hanselgretel8563]

The retractable ratchet straps is super great! But for it to work perfectly, you need to give it a light tug and say, " That's not going anywhere".🤣😂🤣

[@AmbitionStrikes]

😂

[@orlandovazquez2915]

"Embarrassing" Come on guys, you're showing so many how to do these incredible things and be self sustaining. Always looking forward to the next video.

[@HeavyHaulKen]

How much land do you own uphill of your home? Use that elevation to collect runoff. Small dam, hose, pipe to your totes by the shop. Watch what soaps and shampoos that go into the gray water that gets released back to the ground. Enjoy the hot showers! You both earned that privilege!

[@mkollander99]

you both work as God intended together. it is wonderful to watch you go. woohoo.l!!!!

[@gailmaree7719]

Nothing better than that first hot shower in your new bathroom. After 2 years in a caravan shower it felt so big i could run around it 😃

[@shreyaswankhede6449]

I would install a couple of solar panels beside the roadside tote and power the pump using that. Always great to see this couple working 😄

[@shreyaswankhede6449]

Also I am sure you must have thought about collecting the water from uphill rather than downhill to avoid the pumping up.

[@loucinci3922]

So refreshing. Good job getting the shower 100%. Thanks for sharing

[@pisom4314]

its the little thing in life that make it great!!! hot water is one of them along with a shower that makes life easier!!thanks for sharing & be safe

[@rodlister3098]

I would love to see you guys with a 25,000 litre tank and some sort of roof collection system. I know the snow load is the issue, but nothing beats fresh rain water…

[@paulratto8638]

We paralleled your build but 45 years ago….(married for 49 years) building a two story 1,000 square foot building in Mariposa. At first we set plastic trash cans in the Sun on the deck for bathing, one for washing and one for rinsing ! After bring our water heater on line, we used a plastic lined wheel barrel…Great memories ! FYI our son graduated Cal Poly SLO… Masters in Electrical Engineering (Icadautomation/Lighthouse Electric)

[@AmbitionStrikes]

The many phases of building when we do it ourselves! Go Mustangs! 💚

[@phillipdickinson8557]

That was turffic really enjoyed like the way you hooked up shower like the way you retrieved the run off water that was great loved it thank you for sharing and your time was really great 👍.

[@Mr0001jack]

Another conquest - I know you’re excited - congratulations - again 😊❤️‼️

[@membershipmovement]

Now you just need a 1k propane tank, a well and an underground cistern. This is what I had when I lived on 35 acres in northern Colorado at 8k feet asl. You guys are doing awesome!! Really enjoying watching while I'm home sick with COVID.

[@ramdslpwr]

I gotta say I know the feeling. When we built our current house, we lived in a 28' 5th wheel camper with 4 kids ages 4-16. Temps went down to -28. The first time I took a shower in the new house I felt like I'd died and gone to heaven. Hot water endlessly with no shower door hitting me every time I turned around. Looking great.

[@AmbitionStrikes]

Now THAT is cold! 😳

[@w3bb0y]

The fact you used polystyrene or similar to protect the floor when you rotated the heavy shower glass panels shows just how savvy and on the ball you are. You aren't just smart for the camera, you're smart for life. Big fan :)

[@ncubesays]

Hell yes... had to doff my hat for that too!!

[@SEAKAdventures]

Very cool! I can’t even imagine how rewarding that must have felt using water you collected. Gotta love those leaking plastic fittings. Oh and when you added “Ambition Springs” nice touch there!

[@markjordan348]

Growing up in rural Southern Ohio most homes had a cistern fed off the rainwater from the roof. I would bet you guys could dig and construct a cistern Network supply all of your washing water from the runoff of half of your roof. Also a grey water system for the outflow from the shower bathroom sink and even kitchen sink is 100% doable many people in my family had this type of arrangement. Finally for drinking water take a look at "Girl in the woods" or "Bush Radical" KZbin channels about driving a well. Driving a well pipe is a lot easier than digging a well. It's possible that you could even do it within your building and pump groundwater into a tote. Good luck!

[@mxc2007]

Never use a box cutter in a motion towards yourself!!! (3:44) Looking amazing guys, great job!

[@ericaschultz1426]

You should check out Life Uncontained and see their water catchment system. Collect from gutters from your roof with as much rain and snow you guys get!

[@markbrown9765]

First observation; Title can be read that you lived a year off grid and didn't bath the entire time :) For the last house we built we lived in a pole barn shop for four years that was about the size of yours. We were east of you (just north of Spokane). I set up a rain water collection/filter system. We used Culligan water for all cooking and drinking but had a bathroom with shower, washer and dryer, ect. and it worked fine while we lived there. Never had to haul in water. If you look online there are some pretty easy systems to set up. Ours had a "roof washer" to divert the first bit of run off and three filters, I believe down to 3 microns. With an ultraviolet light added we could have drank the water. I never put that in as it was always meant to be temporary.

[@JP-tl8rr]

Nothing better than a hot shower … Good Job !

[@grundyb]

I have a UV light on the water line also to kill bacteria. Maybe when you have a permanent installation. The shower looks great!

[@rickharris5485]

Katadyn makes a gravity style water filter that you could use to filter your filtered water so you can use it for drinking water.

[@rcdad2]

I would add a accumulator tank between the pump and filter. It is a cheap add on and will give you a smoother even flow of water and your pump will thank you.

[@etagrats]

Not with that type of pump.

[@jlfdep]

Riley, it takes a lot of self-confidence to publish (and own) an “oops!” Love your NBD attitude & persistence. Enjoy the shower!

[@terrylarkin690]

So cool/hot shower I remember when I finally got the shower working on our cabin in Northern Minnesota in 80s it was so nice.

[@LaidBackLiving]

Congrats on the hot water! It’s so easy to take running water for granted, projects like this remind us to appreciate the little things in life.

[@AmbitionStrikes]

It’s so true! It’s amazing how we have a way of powering through, but then once we have it again we ask ourselves “how did we go this long without one?”.

[@thetravellingpicker5096]

Crazy that the thermocoupler wasn't hooked up. Awesome Riley was able to figure it out. Hot showers are definitely underrated. Nice job you two.

[@garymichalski5197]

Must be nice to have that much water. We only have 36 gallons of water in truck. But being able to shower any time is nice. Enjoy your new shower

[@mmanut]

Just run the drain outside. Many offgrid properties do that permanently. Temporarily would be fine. The well is a must have. Bathroom looks FANTASTIC ‼️. Vinny 🇺🇸

[@AmbitionStrikes]

Long term we'll have a septic and leach field. However, we temporarily run the drain outside right now, It'll freeze solid. Thanks for watching!

[@rudeboy8628]

How you make us appreciate the 'small things in life.

[@meirionevans5137]

We had similar setup 35yrs ago, had to heat a vat of water for 14mins, not 13 or 15, then hit the 12volt pump. Woohoo! Best shower ever, l know how great it feels. We bit the bullet and drilled our own well, never looked back. Filters are important, we have 5 & 30 micron, plus charcoal. Makes best tea ever. Replaced 1 pump motor since '97 otherwise fine.

[@C_J_81]

I would definitely consider adding gutters to collect cleaner water off your roof. Maybe do it on the side without the chimneys as long as your ash doesn't end up on the other side of the roof.

[@not-fishing4730]

The book “Rainwater Collection for the Mechanically Challenged” estimates that a more realistic number is 550 gallons of rainwater harvested per inch of rain per 1000 (horizontal or flat) square feet of collection surface. At 13 inches per year that would be a pretty big tank. Of course you'd want to install a pair of diverters or beef up the gutters in a section for extension ladder placement when visiting the roof.

[@anttiroppola4414]

In Australia the go to for water is to put gutters and water tanks onto every substantial sized roof you can. I'm guessing that gutters would impede shedding snow or something as one reason why it may not be as common in the USA. 5,000 gallons for a tank is a good starting point here in Oz and houses often have far far more than that. We are nowhere near as cold as you, but still have issues with valves being damaged by freezing in winter.

[@suncitybooksgeraldton335]

@@anttiroppola4414 Melted snow from the roof if good to the roof was designed for a high snow load.

[@keonikaig9247]

Couple of learning oops and SUCCESS... GREAT JOB again...😁

[@townswiley4429]

Watching your mistakes makes my projects seem normal! I would totally had forgotten about the wrapper over the filter!

[@AmbitionStrikes]

If a project goes smoothly, it usually means we just have to wait awhile for the thing that went wrong to reveal itself. 😂

[@chucklogan9611]

Start a rain water collection system! Especially now that winter is here

[@erichuggins09]

That shower water install was brilliant. Just as always I can't wait to see the final product. You both ROCK.

[@AmbitionStrikes]

Thanks Eric! 😊

[@MelissaMalzahn]

Awesome, good idea to use the run off. Glad you were able to take a hot shower. Hooray!!!

[@davidjackman5773]

A giant step for mankind! Few things can make you feel good all over like a hot shower. Oh, the memories of hot showers in faraway lands.....like beautiful sunny SouthEast Asia, a tropical paradise. Goodbye, Quang Tri....I do not miss you at all....ever.

[@TheBignick243]

You should look into regen showers. They seem to becoming a big thing with camper vans. Filters the drain water from your shower. And get a uv light to kill off bacteria.

[@mr.miraclemantm.6455]

You 2 crack me up! lol First, I like your water catching system. Second, can you rig something up now or in the future up-hill from the house and have the tote by the building? C thanks for reminding me I bought BACON and I can have some today! lol 4th Having the wrapper on the filter was so funny. E The shower drain set-up is great, for now! lol Nice job on the shower and NOT breaking the glass, wheeeeew! Take care

[@mcspaddencw]

Simple comforts make all the difference

[@shakinariley6272]

I don't see a outlet for the toilet, I just watch to see, love you guys 👍 you are a great team

[@ranger8129]

Congrats on getting ur shower hooked up and going.i know exactly how u feel about being able to shower after not having one.

[@MrSparkums]

You guys might think about mounting a couple of those tanks up in the corner inside your shop to collect rain/snowmelt from your gutter rain collection system.. Vid idea.. ; )

[@marcericdavis]

Guys. Look in to hyperchlorination. We did that while living on a boat in the Caribbean. The basic idea is that you add quit a bit of chlorine to the water in the tank to kill every thing. Then you remove the chlorine with a carbon charcoal filter as you pump it from the tank into the house. Works great and it's cheap.

[@paulchristensen1912]

When you get your used oil filter it before use as it may have metal shaving that will plug your tip I use old oil also and it can be pretty dirty I use old nylon to filter have a great day!

[@brentderksen]

Your excitement is palpable! That shower had to have been the best one you've have in a long time. And the kicker, it all yours!

[@MrClivelupo]

Only advice Riley, can you get a dark cover for your storing tank in the shop, it will avoid algae growing aswell and last but not least an UV light against microorganismen. They grow best at shower temprture. And once a week, waterheater on fullblast and roundabout 2 - 3 minutes cold and hot waterline with that hot water running till everything is hot. Throw that water away. Be carefull with this because all is pex and can mabe split. I don´t know the exatly configuration you made.

[@mosbysmen]

black spray paint can work well short term

[@PtangPtangBiscuitBarrelSmith]

Just so you know for the future. You can drill tile and glass with Masonry drill bits ( obviously do not use hammer setting on the drill lol )

[@slamsshenanigans2296]

The wrapped filter was hilarious!

[@jtgrec3179]

Ever think about a in-ground tank, like a 5,000 gallon tank, you could install gutters and drain into the tank, you could also make a run off system to fill it,

[@adventureoverland2984]

If you have a primary tank to put the water in first you can let the dirt settle out. Then the cleaner water can siphon it’s self into a second tank. You’ll just need to shovel it out once in a while.

[@TerraFirmaX]

lol, we haven't had a full size shower for 4 years. Can't wait for it. Congrats on the shower

[@mosbysmen]

you should rig up the roof of the building and the shed to collect rain water , if you run that water through a big berkey filter you can drink it with no problem

[@motivatedbydesigns]

Awesome!! so Happy for you guys... for the record I laughed so hard at the plastic of the filter cause that's something I would probably do LMAO thanks for sharing great video as always!!!!!

[@willemijnkamerling4011]

McGuyver eat your heart out!! You guys rock!

[@Matt-kf4bw]

Have you guys thought about installing a “below ground” cistern? Collect the snow AND rainwater from your roof and gutters? I mean……you guys already have the excavator……..step one! Dig a hole! Lol! And depending on the size of tank you bury ( bigger IS better!), you won’t have to haul near as much H2O!

[@robertbass5283]

Congrats on your NEW Shower !

[@bronzeage_222]

You have an excavator, why not make a collection pond at the lowest point of your property and then use a high volume transfer pump to pump from the pond to the totes placed above your house so you have gravity pressure. You can connect the totes in series. If you line your pond with plastic and put gravel then most of the segment will settle downstream. Just idea.

[@cab1198]

Couples matching colors, cute 🤘

[@diggerdog9096]

Long time coming but well worth it ,,, heaven

[@roberttribbie9179]

Great video, love that the mistakes are included (embarrassing or not), those could help someone else following for DIY info. Incoherent mumbling cracked me up :) :) Another success story !!!

[@jameskitselman9670]

You should put gutters on the shop and catch the run off from your roof

[@dmwi1549]

Sometimes you just have to love a good Rube Goldberg project! I have a new appreciation for my septic, well and hot water heater. I was surprised at how little debris were in the first tote. If you line you’re ditches with rocks and gravel when you gravel the drive this may actually be a viable long term solution for water to use even after you drill the well. Now you need a good sponsor for multi-stage filtration with UV. Nice work!

[@brettn4337]

G'day from downunder guys It's probably been said before but if you put in guttering and install a bank of slimline water tanks along the side/back of your building you will be able to harvest so much water. Keep up the good work

[@robertspivey709]

Dig a hole this summer or spring to fill up with snow over the winter, you can build a water heater with a old wood stove and copper pipe

[@norcoredneck]

Awesome. More progress. One bite at a time.

[@tuxsoncox7958]

You should look into a ram pump. It doesn't take any electricity and its all gravity feed. It has a pretty cool history too. If I remember right it dates back too the Roman's.

[@kimd4060]

I love your guys format how you explain while your doing and I learn a lot even with mistakes lol

[@timnash6870]

Tim from Canada suggestions bring in an IBC tote put it underneath your drain take the hose from your drain put it in ABC tote until you get something figured out long-term this way the water you use from your tote you can use for your garden if you decide to go that way or use the water for something else

[@none5355melvinMadigan]

Good job getting the shower working👍

[@MrJoey1570]

I held my breath when you were hanging the last panel! Man I love those straps I'm ordering right now!

[@wstrater]

Why not install gutters and collect water from the roof? Can pre-filter the water with a stone and sand trap too.

[@zspat]

you are so much fun to watch! Greetings from Austria!

[@richarddunlap1165]

youall are crazier than i thought and i had my doughts about u guys then i saw her cooking bacon and i knew every thing was fine. keek up the good work

[@carolewarner101]

Wow, you two are unstoppable!!!

[@georgevangordon9728]

That’s quite a mcgiver set up. What ever it takes👍 Fun fact about tempered glass ( the shower enclosure) it’s almost bullet proof unless it gets hit or dropped on the edge of the glass if it does it will shatter into a million pieces.. the shower job ! Very impressive excellent choice of colors 👏👏👏👏👏

[@theworshiptraveler6709]

I really love you guys! Your so natural at what you do. Nothing hidden in your videos. It’s all about REAL LIFE and that’s what makes it so great. Your perfect together! God Bless 🙏🏻

[@stephenurban9880]

Having recently redone the filter setup on our well I highly recommend getting the clear bowels in order to monitor the state of your filter element,

[@etapepartners]

the plastic wrapper left on the filter was really funny... :)

[@danielharsh7698]

I love you guys, you are human.

[@hollandduck79]

Hello from the Netherlands Congratulations whit the shower thanks for the video AS

[@markfreeman7264]

Hi Y’all!! 3:31 two of the luckiest dogs I know!!

[@AmbitionStrikes]

They’re living their best life. Boone is actually quite happy he hasn’t gotten a proper bath in awhile. 😂

[@markfreeman7264]

That is what I am saying! He gets to run around and have fun. Bath wait I don’t have time for that 😂

[@Franisboche]

I'd be collecting the water off the roof before collecting the water through the culvert. That water is silty. I'd put the IBC containers(3) inside and use the other for transporting.

[@smayo44]

We also live in the country and pretty remote. We decided to install a new above ground pool so it could be used for fire suppression. Our house has gutters, so we decided to fill our new pool (over 6000 gallons) by diverting the water from the roof. I thought it would take weeks or even months to fill it. It filled in one storm of just over 2 inches of rain. Perhaps you could do that with your house water.

[@AmbitionStrikes]

That is so awesome!

[@pacificnorthwest9416]

Having experimented with similar collection methods and sources, I can tell you sediment will be a major consideration. We have had to spend a lot of time cleaning filter media, etc. I would highly recommend putting on gutters and downspouts with totes at all four corners of the shop for rain/snow melt collection. You can daisy chain totes together to increase storage. Hope you guys enjoy your work, the content has been much appreciated! Looking forward to your thoughts on the new winch performance 👍

[@CurrentConnected]

the green zip ties are the best, highest strength I recommend propex, the ones you are using are prone to leaks...

[@robertburgess6100]

It's amazing what you can scab together to make things work. We do that on the farm all the time. Great job!

[@tommynikon2283]

I just went 6 days; in my condo. It's a good thing I live alone, eh? Man, covid can be so destructive. What an INCREDIBLE shower design/build; love it! Lastly guys, what takes longer?: a typical project or the planning/shooting/editing of the same for your channel. ps: this project reminded me WHY I hate plumbing- my least fave trade DIY.

[@papymaxant8063]

Thanks for this vidéo ...❤ Hi from France ...😍😍👍

[@jerryward9840]

You two are so smart. Love your videos

[@danieloliver20]

Well done crew, just a few leaks!! 😁😂

[@davecox7458]

Good job on collecting the run off, I knew you wouldn’t allow that free resource go down the drain,,,, Hoping that before the end of the video you’ve added the other containers to the rear corners of roof to catch the clean roof run off,,,,