Pedal-powered Washing Machine: Build And Test

I've been meaning to do this for a while, we're very happy we have a washing machine now. In this video I show you how I put two broken things together to make one working, needed, luxury.
There are so many different types of washing machines and bikes that it's impossible to perfectly replicate what I built. I just hope you grasp a few of the things you need to do to have a succesful build.
As you can see in the video, I'm no professional but a total amateur so dont let the NASA t-shirt fool you! :p I do enjoy building stuff even when things dont go my way though.
This time it turned out pretty good. Very happy with the results.
I hope you enjoy the video
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[@anthonymangino5074]

You are an amazing absolute genius. You have proudly shown us the way of getting free exercise, no electricity needed, and good clean clothes, and this saves about $10 a week on going to a Laundromat. This guy deserves a free college degree.

[@hellagood30]

This is rewarding in everyway possible. Saves on electricity, gets your clothes cleaned, gets you outside and away from TV, computer etc and of course most obvious you get some exercise. I wish we had donations centers like the ones in usa, I use to find everything in those stores not always at an affordable price but almost always. I'd be on my way now in search of a bike and washer and try to copy this. Luv is best 💟

[@HassanHassan-iv7lk]

Tip for you, you need to attach bicycle gear so it can spin slowly when washing then change the gear to spin fast when rinsing the clothes.

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Hi Hassan.. yes I plan to! Also want to put a roof on it and attach a mirror to it so i can see the washing while cycling. That way i wont have to get up to empty it! Hopefully I'll do an update once i get all that done 😁

[@steveearnshaw1917]

Great job for a first time but if I may make a couple of suggestions for you and other's who may want to try this. First off (and I know it is mentioned below: please, please, wear eye protection when grinding, especially when living in the middle of nowhere. 1, No need to remove all the springs and mounts to replace with braces: just replace the factory transit bolts that prevent the drum bouncing around. I also left in the balance weight (the concrete block ) as this gave it stability. 2, Remove the water fill control solenoid and connect your water feed directly, this means you can still use the detergent drawer as normal. 3, Use a long drive belt from the rear wheel with either the tyre removed (directly around the rim but this needs a long belt) or attach a drive pully to the axle. By doing this, you still have use of all the drive gears if required. 4, By fitting a long threaded bolt from the bike frame to the machine, you can adjust the belt tension. 5, I connected a bar across a ball valve and connected to the front and rear brakes this would open and close the waste as required. So: washing in, soap in, on the bike and everything is controlled from there: fill, wash, rinse and spin without needing to get off the bike. You must make sure that the machine and the bike are connected on one skid or pallet as they tend to fight each other and detach. Especially if you feel like a hard workout. It is also possible that you can drive the drum pully (replace with a wheel barrow wheel and tyre). directly from the back tyre of the bike, this does work well but I still want to fabricate a frame so I can use any bike and disconnect it if I need to use it. If possible (and I am still looking for one) a 'fixed gear' bike would be ideal as this does not have a freewheel capability, so it means that you can back peddle for better agitation of the washing and prevents it balling up. It is also nice to exercise your legs in the opposite direction. My next project was a wind powered washing machine that worked well but issues with wind control (too fast, to slow or stopped), then a waterwheel machine that needed a big wheel and couldn't spin. I hope you had as much fun as I did playing with these ides. Keep up the good work.

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Yes of course thank you Steve . We are always learning from others with more experience

[@virabadrasana]

Steve's reply rocks. Would love to have one in my back garden - how much power is possible on spin cycle? Reasonably possible to equal that of the electric version?

[@steveearnshaw1917]

@@virabadrasana not as fast as that unless you use a gear system. Probably no more than 500rpm.

[@christinamarina6008]

This was awesome. One thing that bothered me though is that you didn't wear safety glasses while cutting that metal. I mean, you can still pedal and wash clothes if you're blind, but your family may not be too happy. Metal shavings in the eye SUCKS. Be careful sir!

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Hi christina! Thanks for your concern! You are obviously 100% right. I am making a bigger effort to use safety equipment..thanks for watching!!

[@NunyaPeru]

I told my wife I found a new washing machine that will help her loose weight... she punched me in the face

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

🤣🤣🤣

[@manasseskamau5327]

🙉🙉🙉🙉🙉😂😂😂😂

[@mafish7962]

What an ingenious idea for an eco washing machine! Tfs, Laura 🌸🌸🌸

[@edwardciantar1033]

Hello Luke, That is a very ingenious invention, great handiwork. If I may, I would suggest that you raise the seat to the point where your leg is fully extended when the foot pedal is at the bottom. This should allow for a more efficient pedalling and less pain on the leg muscles. In your current set up, both legs are always bent at the knees when you are pedalling. Love what you and Sarah have accomplished on your beautiful farm. Prosit!

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Thanks for the tip Edward , we haven't used it all of winter because we needed to make a few adjustments so we will keep that in mind 😁

[@bogaziciliceohaluk]

you are a hero this is a genius i'm definitely using this as an inspiration for the mechanical projects i will create in the future. thank you kind man

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Thanks haluk!

[@micjam1986]

I've been thinking about doing this with a top loader.. but seeing the chain set on this, it looks alot easier.. thx for posting!!👍

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Glad to help

[@opusydaisy6563]

Lightening the load. Awesome

[@LaOwlett]

This is engineering art. I love it! The only thing it needs is a more comfortable seat.

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

You are not wrong about that..it's on the long list of to do's 😁

[@petuniaromania6294]

Brilliant; great job!

[@melinda5777]

I started watching yall couple of episodes before this! This one had me hooked!! A DIY GUY!

[@debrapaulino918]

So darn smart

[@austinrwann5509]

Brilliant 👏 I want one!

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Thanks 😃

[@germandtputter3482]

Great job, thanks for sharing

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Thanks for watching!

[@Jonathan-zh1it]

Good idea

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Thanks jonathan

[@daffs0]

Oh I love this 😂🤣 Thank you for sharing 😁

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Is_This_Really_Necessary]

Very efficient. :)

Szuper 😃 👍

[@melinda5777]

Great Job! Never seen one built before!

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Thanks Melinda ,it is fun to watch Luke wash the clothes🤣

[@melinda5777]

@@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife yes it was. Now he can't say thats woman's work. Haha!

[@Knobhead0]

Excellent!!!

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Thanks!!

[@sarahkinahan4166]

@@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife you shoulda said cheers knobhead!

[@stevennicholas5472]

Need to raise that saddle so you can maximise your leg extensions, but an awesome idea none-the-less. Next, a cycle-powered dishwasher, because the only thing worse than washing clothes is washing dishes; maybe link them up so one session does both.

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

I actually really enjoy washing dishes (of course this is Sarah 😁) but you are right we do need to upgrade the washing machine

[@stevennicholas5472]

@@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife Hey, who am i to argue. Finding someone who enjoys doing dishes is as difficult as finding someone who wants to be the designated driver. As rare as hen's teeth. All comes down to personal preference, but if that helps with the day-to-day then i am glad you enjoy it.

[@gladkorv]

Hello fantastic humans Thank you for Lovely time at ur place. U guys are such inspiration. I got a place that i rent, see u soon. All the best Patrik

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

So happy to hear that Patrik congratulations and , good luck on your future project😁

[@nspires1]

FANTASTICO!

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

😃

[@talktowarlock3250]

enjoying these videos so much! Wonderfully put together and with so much radiant love and passion. I'm very excited for your growth

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

I love this comment, thank you so much and thanks for supporting us by watching our videos 😃have a great weekend

[@davidlubary1049]

Hi! I like your machine! Put the sit higher to make it more confortable to ride. The proper higth for you is: the length between your isquion and the floor divided by .87 the result is in cm and idicates the correct higth for you. There are many videos about this. If u use it like that every day you can hurt your knees. Best regards, dave from Arg. I hope to make tthis machine one day!

[@davidlubary1049]

Multiplied by .87, sorry hhaha

[@tinderboxcreations]

Brilliant!

[@brianpetersen2364]

Brilliant idea Luke, hook it up to a treadmill for Molly 🐶

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Haha..love it!

[@denverstewart8301]

Great job peeps. I'm thinking about trying this but I'm going to see if I can use a long v-belt fed around the rear wheel, to the existing fitting on the drum (with the bike facing the opposite way of course). Mostly because I don't know one end of a welder from the other lol! Kudos for sharing your ingenuity and for keeping it green!!!! 👍

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Thanks so much Denver and I wish you the best of luck with this project

[@mistaowickkuh6249]

This might be the tipping point before I take to the mountains and become a hairy feral man.

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

🤣🤣

[@theyareourbread]

Great job thanks for sharing . I've been wanting to build one just wasn't sire where to start.

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Go for it!

[@mindripperful]

💯

[@KristiPrice007]

Well, that was awesome! Subscribed! Best wishes from Florida :)

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Awesome! Thank you! and welcome to our KZbin Family Kristi🧡🧡

[@amymassey545]

But cool idea 💡

[@obviouslytwo4u]

Seeing vidoes like this gives me ideas. I thought to make one but add a flywheel and manual clutch. Or use a slack belt system like lawn mowers

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

That sounds great

[@kevo8172]

Fantastic hahaha

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Thanks 😅

[@denisdb725]

Nice video, well done. Can you do one with a dishwasher to? Ours is not that good no more and who know's I can go on for a couplle of years ussing it as you do on the laundrymachine. BTW If you make the used water ( even with soap in ip ) goes into a container, that is verywell to be used for carwash or even for plantwatering. Soap is a good stuf for plants. And, as you use a multiple gear you can do a gearchanger to. The chain has his tention all the time and as you want the drum to go faster you just change gear.

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Hi denis, thanks for the feedback. Figuring out how to run a dishwasher without power isnt high on my list yet but maybe in time! 😁 I like the idea of adding gears especially for the spin cycle. I thought there might be a bigger chance of the chain slipping off but it seems quite smooth so i might give it a go and post an update.

[@carlitosway8555]

that Lidl Welder actually works hahah! Hello from Malta!

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

🤣 Hi Carlito, yes it's been a real trooper so far.

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

@@georgie4808 the middle isle has all the goodies 😁

[@rory6089]

Carlitos Way - Great movie 👍

[@rory6089]

Hey Luke and Sarah - you can get ecover so you don't have to worry about the waste water going into your ecosystem - cheaper on Amazon (generally) than the supermarkets.

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Awesome thanks o much for this Rory

[@kingscairn]

Why cant you use the existing tub springs & shock absorbers - they absorb impact of heavy wet clothes and water falling top to bottom in process saving on bearings etc ?

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

I guess you can do that too 😀

[@SpidersInMyHouseRentFree]

aww ur dog is sooo cute :’(

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Thanks Z!! ❤🐕

[@scopex2749]

This is like something from Willy Wonka but IT WORKS!

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

😀it does

[@benmowatmusic]

How do you attach the bike cog cassette to the washing machine drum?

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

I'm guessing each washing machine will be different but this one I just bolted it on instead of the belt.

[@Storm20172]

Love this, wish I had the space for one! Do you still use it?

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

We stopped using it about 8 months ago because Luke has to make a few adjustments to it ,like changing the seat and making it lower for me to be able to use to and put gears on it

[@debrapaulino918]

Where to put it in cold climes 🤔 Basement drain if you have one. Large bathroom if you have. Figuring out to beat gas electric.

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Was planning to build a solar water heater for it but now we have more solar power and we bought a normal washing machine. Was good for the first couple of years though.

[@MisterBrownJack]

I do feel bad since it is an old Bosch washing machine which are quite rare nowadays but that is very good I have to say!

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Hi Jack, We had no idea we had such a treasure🤣, a friend gave us her old broken washing machine .

[@MisterBrownJack]

@@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife Ok XD

[@arturjcrebelo3275]

I have one for 30 years... But one day she stop out of nowhere and the kitchen was like a lake...

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

@@arturjcrebelo3275 30 years is pretty good 😀

[@MisterBrownJack]

@@arturjcrebelo3275 One of problems of a leaking washing machine can be the door seal for example which is quite easy to fix at the same time it could e a pipe that detached somewhere in the machine which would be quite easy to fix to but this shows how good Bosch washing machines are even today they are still one of the best!

[@mysticmeadowshomestead6209]

Success indeed. I like your design ur the best. I suggest you hang clothes to dry where you wash them. Use a pulley system so that you can place bakery of washed clothes on top of machine and hang clothes while standing on lbs stop. I'll try to find a video showing this and put it in here.

[@mysticmeadowshomestead6209]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2qwpaKhf5Z9nrM

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Thanks for that idea.. I love it!

[@jamesphilip2660]

How can I send a Purchase Order for one Cyclowashing Trainer? Great job👍 . Luv seeing ur videos.

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Hahaha..thanks James! ❤

[@alexanderhammond6712]

Hi , is it hot or cold water ?

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Hi Alex.. in summer it's super hot just cos the water in the pipes from the ibc tank get so hot in the sun. In the winter it's cold... for now. I still have some work to do on this machine.. I want to put gears on it so I can spin dry faster, put a roof on it so its protected by the rain and also build a little solar water heating system for it by putting a coiled black irrigation line behind glass. When I do do all off this I will post an update. Thanks for watching 😃

[@whothefoxcares]

How hard is it to make a well drilling rig, pedal powered?

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Hmm.. interesting idea. Something to look into I guess 😁

[@heidikarinen563]

@@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife And what about a water pump?

[@evanyang1969]

does it spin two ways？

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

No it doesnt

[@amymassey545]

He not don't that in the winter I bet lol

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

No...brrrr it is too cold but we will be upgrading it soon, building a roof for it and a solar water heater

[@jewelfeltham]

save electrictity

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Yes 😀

[@maddogwillie1019]

you may want to wear safety glasses when grinding...a lost eye is seldom found

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

It s probably difficult to find with one eye .. joking apart, please excuse some of our earlier videos as I was not very safety conscious. I am much better now, and my eyes thank me for it.😁

[@maddogwillie1019]

@@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife Remember the moto...Safety, then mission, then speed...Be safe and tell Sarah I said Hi.

[@mjack1935]

i must have missed this one until now. a good idea in many aspects! modern washing machines usually crap out within the first 5 years and there is just no decent stuff on the market . i just imagine the satisfaction to rip out all the shitty electronics and useless expensive gimmicks and kiss capitalist grifters good bye, while loosing some pounds...

[@mickduncan3564]

Where do you live?

[@mickduncan3564]

its ok i see its Portugal now, I live in Spain and am hoping to go off grid soon

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

good luck with that Mick

[@maxwellspeedwell2585]

Oh man, You're working much too hard. 1. Use a free wheel, not a free hub (you did) 2.The washer and bike are attached by springs and shock absorbers. 3. Use a universal (in the socket wrench section at Ace Hardware). 3. Drill a 1/8" hole through the freewheel, and insert a pin. This locks the pedals and tub. 4. Record the washing sequence on a small portable recorder (Sony stick) 5. Pedal forward slowly for 5 seconds 6. Rest 20 seconds 7. Pedal backwards 5 seconds 8. Do this for 20 minutes 9. Remove the 1/8" pin in the freewheel. 10. Shift through the gears as you drain and refill the tub. 11. Rest as the tub refills. 12. Reinsert the pin, and repeat wash cycle but without soap 13. Repeat rinse sequence. 14. Remove clothes Use a two piece tub, and a manual (not electronic) door lock Don't overfill tub. That will destroy the tub bearing. Regular (not front load) soap sudzes too much. The soap then reaches the tub bearing and ruins it.

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

I have no complaints with it. Works great.

[@Chaz1962]

you need to wear goggles if you're grinding - being blind will ruin your off grid life.

[@lukeandsarahsoffgridlife]

Yes two years ago we were terrible, we are much more safety conscious now