For decades, we've built our filters in 3 layers - small washed river stones, coarse washed sand, & charcoal, each in its own container, stacked in order with charcoal on the bottom. When the charcoal needs cleaning, we remove its container, back flush it, heat to 400F in oven, & replace. Water tastes great & no one has ever gotten sick. Ancient tech works great.
@@kolobkolobkolobkolob Ok. Thanks. I'll get to it.. Basically, it's 3 water-safe wooden boxes or stainless soup pots, all the same size. Also something to catch the filtered water. Make holes all over the bottoms of each, then lay copper or stainless (window screen, if you're desperate) inside to cover the bottom of each. Carefully fill the bottom one to 2-3" from the top with charcoal (from a fire that had no painted or stained wood in it is fine). Set the middle one on/in that & fill it carefully to 2-3" from top with washed coarse sand (builder's supply). Set the top one on/in & fill it carefully with small washed river stones (they're about 1-1.5" across). It's ready. Pour in your water & let it run thru into your catch unit. Good drinking! If you have concerns about bacteria, put bleach in the water before you pour it thru.
@@pahinhwinh3936 thank you , your instructions are clear enough without a video. I would also suggest putting some Shungite rocks in the container that the filtered water is stored in
Very good idea and model. I would like to bring an engineering problem to your attention that will fix your flow rate and also the filtration rate. The bottom container when starting has only air in it. As it fills with water, the air is pushed upwards, and has only one area to escape from, and that is back through the two water filters. The filters are not able to displace the air in proportion to the water flow out of them, and this causes the filters to slow down, and eventually stop. What needs to be done is another hole needs to be put in the system, and a food grade safe ventilation tube needs to be installed. It would need to have a threaded system similar to the filters, and a clear tube that would reach about 1 1/2" short of the top of the water chamber when filled. This will allow air to vent from the bottom chamber receiving water, to the top chamber losing water, which would regulate it. Your filtration rate would increase to its maximum capacity, and the dispensing rate would be equalized by the infusion of air from the top, preventing vapor lock. Overall, great idea, and a easy way to filter bulk water. Alexapure filters rate much higher than the Berkey filters. Keep in mind that whereas Berkey are tall and lean, the Alexapure are fat and shorter. If you use Alexapure, you need to space accordingly. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this video. Brother Levi Matthews
You are correct. I noticed that I had to place a small paper clip to break the seal between the two Berkey filters to break the pressure build up due to the hydraulic effect of the water filling up the bottom chamber and pressurizing it, so that the remaining flow from the top chamber became impeded.
To me, the best part of the design is that other than the filter prep, this can all be built, disassembled and stored. Nest the buckets, put all the materials inside and nest the lids. Ready to deploy when needed.
Thank you for showing this very good idea. I live in Australia and a Berkey filter here costs $800 and close to a thousand for a spare filter and stand. America is showing the way for the future preppers! Thank you.
Ty so much for this! & those in the comments as well! Its soon to be upon us HEAVY. When u stay ready u don't have to get ready. Blessings to all who value freedom over safety ❤
Genius!! I love this!! For anyone concerned about the look, consider building a cute "cabinet" around it or some type of attractive enclosure that matches your existing cabinetry.
I love this! We have thousands of gallons of water stored on our property for emergency use if we loose “city” water. But none of it is ready to use. It would need to be filtered and or boiled first. This gives us an affordable way to make our water safe for humans! Thanks man!
Its smart having bulk supply, when i bought my place was a part of my plan i have 5000 g system well, and live on a 200 acre lake,, can't see going thirsty lol, i like his filter too, good insurance if i need go into lake water
@ Kris Nicholas - I have stored water also that will need to be cleaned before running it through this system. Curious how you would do that? I was thinking of running it through swimming pool type filters first, to remove large particles, disinfectaning it with bleach (6 drops per gallon of water at 8.25% bleach strength) then running it through the filters as the last step. I recall a video I saw where a Berkey rep stated that if a person used barrels of water that ran off the roof, they should use bleach first in case bird droppings were in the water. Please let me know your thoughts if you are willing to share. I also think boiling the water would be just as good before running it thru the filters.
@@plaguevendor6705 You could possibly run it through a solar heating element like in this video ua-cam.com/video/7w4rg3UcsgI/v-deo.html . At that point like the video you could also us it to cool your house and only add in then siphon off enough for drinking when needed.
I don't normally rush out and build everything that I see on UA-cam, but I am so making a couple of these. Absolutely AMAZING!!!!!! Greetings from Australia 🇦🇺 😀
I made myself a Berkey system just like this but used the actual Berkey filters. With the money saved by making my own system I was able to buy a replacement set of the Berkey filters. So far I've been very pleased with the results.
My Berkey came with a white and black filter? I don't know the difference in the black and white but I know this making one only show the black ones? I got the smallest Berkey because of the price. But I need to make one with the buckets. Should I get the white and black or the two black ones. Sorry I'm concerned that there may be a difference between the white and black so therefore need the white one too.? 😁
@@DRUMMER-j-u2x thank you very much I will definitely be using the white as well as the Black! Cuz right now I purify my tap water. But if we ever lose water I will have to purify the pond water I have. And or rainwater. Thanks for your time very much appreciate it
I did this exact same thing years ago. Take it to the next level: get a couple 5 gallon water cooler bottles and a water cooler. You can find used cheap. The you can have filter ice cold (and filtered hot water with the right cooler) water on tap 24/7. My toddler kids love it. They get water on demand.
I did this several years ago for a fishing trip in the boundry waters. Had to portage so limited space and couldn't really hall enough water to last. This was a good solution. I used 3 of the smaller dome style filters and we filtered and drank lake water all week (6 grown males). Warning: These filters are good for MANY gallons, BUT they will get slimey filtering lake water and need to have their surface cleaned every couple days or so. Also, I believe these style (maybe all) filters list an enourmous amount of water that can be filtered OR 1 year. So I used them for a week and then had to replace the filters each year. The filters are around $10 each, so it is economical. $12 in buckets, $3 for a sealed spigot and $30 for filters = very affordable peace of mind. I keep 6 filters on hand just in case. Take the spigot off and you can nest the buckets together to make them very storeable and portable as well.
Berkeley did a revised test and I believe it filters out 90% . This is an affordable option. I’m not a fan of food grade plastic but this is great to have for emergencies, thanks!
It’s interesting to me the price difference in 8 months. I decided to build my own because of the cost of a Berkey. Searched and yours was the first to come up. Thank you for the instructions.
I spent $63 for these filters a week ago and built this. I have been brewing beer for nearly 2 decades (not as much recently) and have several 7 gallon fermentation buckets and spigots. I have had these for quite some time, are food grade as well. Works quite well.
Thank you, thank you. Finished this project today for both my elderly parents and my family. This was my last major prep I really needed to get done. This is really cool and self satisfying.
Thank you for the idea. I went ahead and built my own. I did some research and made sure to get water filters that had good reviews. In total it cost me $107, and took maybe 5 minutes to build. I was able to filter about 10 gallons of water in 4 hours, so 2.5 gallons an hour is not bad. Since this is so easy to assemble and disassemble, I think this is going to go with me on all of my car camping trips so I can save the backpacking filters for backpacking. Thanks again.
The camping filters are by far, the best there is, lasting 100X longer…. so much better then the Berkeley system. They used a camping-type filter for missionaries when they went to other countries. The only problem is that it doesn’t remove chlorine, that’s why I added a Activated Carbon Fiber on top of the other one …… ; )
You are a great teacher thank you for this video. Exciting news I will be building one tomorrow. How crazy to be excited about this but this day and age it's a must-have. Thank you again and God bless you for helping all of us
Wow !! BRILLIANT IDEA!! I sure wish that I had seen this video just 6 months ago before I bought four Big Burkeys for myself and my siblings. I’m NOT going to calculate how much $ I could have saved. Instead I will just remember this and going forward I will always know how to do it. Thank you.
I built my system today. Only I used some 3 gallon buckets I had laying around that I use to make beer with. Thanks for the video, it saved me a lot of money. 👍
I find these filters fascinating. My children have these. I have been treating dring water for 31 years. Always read anything on water purification. These work extremely well.
This plan has been around for a long time. I built one about 10 years ago from an internet design and have used it with success since in my off-grid cabin. The bottom bucket needs a very small hole in its lid to relieve air pressure in the bottom bucket as the filters work. One problem is that when the system is disassembled for cleaning of the filters, the bottom lid releases with a jar or sudden pop. This has the potential of breaking the filter candles at their base. Judicial trimming of the bottom lid will alleviate this problem. Filters should be carefully dried between periodic uses to avoid mold growth. Also dry filters need to be "primed" prior to use by gently pressuring water retrograde with a faucet or squeezed plastic water bottle. This removes air locks from the filter pores and increases filter flow rate when the filter is used.
Thanks for the video. I don't know why I never thought of this a long time ago. I have had a big Berkey filtering system for myself for about seven years. I never thought of making one for my friend who drinks rainwater that runs off her roof and doesn't filter it at all. Sometimes it looks yellow. I'm definitely going to make one of these for her.
Your friend is not thinking her water source through. Bird droppings on the roof, air pollution, chemicals in shingles (if asphalt roof). Your kindness should keep her from getting ill.
I found filters on ebay. 4 for $75. Got my buckets, used once for food from marketplace for $1.50 with lid. Great gift idea. Love the small vent to let air out of bottle. I am sharing with friends.
Thank you so much for this video, I can not believe the people that are willing to pay 300+ dollars for this and then I would bet most never replace the filters in the burky due to cost.
Many people do spend it on the Berkey unit. I don't know about you but long-term use of plastic for food it's not something that I do. I use it for all of my drinking water, cooking and canning. And even at the price of the Berkey filters... it is way cheaper than the $1 per gallon I was paying for water at the store. 6000 gallons of filtered water on my kitchen counter as opposed to spending $6,000 for the same amount of bottled water... do the math.... I use 5-7 gallons of water per week for one person. More when im canning. Just because you don't see them need or Justify the expense doesn't mean that it's wrong for others. He did this as a means for emergency water. And it is perfect for that. Not for day in and day out as a primary water source.
In addition to my other comment do the math. 7 gallons of water per week * 52 weeks is 364 gallons per year. If I buy it in the store that's $364 per year. The Berkey filters last 6,000 gallons. 6000 gal / 364 per year the filters would be good for 16 and 1/2 years. With proper maintenance. Most people replace them after 6 years. So if the replacement filters are $130 / 6 years that would mean you are spending less than $22 per year for clean water. So betting that people don't use enough common sense to spend $22 a year for clean water..... you may want to rethink your position on that.
Never having seen a Berky(sp?) until I watched a van-life video before, you’ve explained what it is and demonstrated how I don’t need one all in one video. I distil my drinking water but, if ever the lekky goes, I know what to do now. Thank you. PEACE ;]
I built one of these months ago. It works pretty well. Aftermarket filters do have some sediment/dust they let off the first 10-15 gallons or so. I also have hard water so it doesn't really help with that, but for having good clean drinking water, this works quite well. My build is identical with the exception that I used a gamma lid on top, and a metal spigot. I think if I have some spare cash in the future I'll definitely add 2 more filters because like you said it DOES slow down significantly after the water level goes below the tops of the filters.
THIS is the type of stuff I want to see on pepper sites!!! Cheap, easy ways to deal with real possible problems. Thank you and.... I'm gonna now subscribe to your channel... 🤗
I made exactly this a year ago with the same thoughts and motive. I ordered the Berkey filters off of Amazon and utilized some 6 gallon beer brewing buckets that I laying around.
One of those Christmas tree looking step drills work even better making holes in plastic. The $5ish three pack from Harbor Freight is sufficient for pretty much any plastic job.
Great idea! We got a Big Berkey a year or so ago and immediately put it in he stash (over my mild protestations). DH has always insisted on drinking bottled water. 😂 I'm not that fancy. 🤷♀️ We have an in-house filtration system because of high iron content, so I just used tap water. He finally got tired of buying water and had the bright idea to use our fancy filter. You should totally USE yours. The filters last a very long time and the water is excellent. We bought extra filters.
I have a filter system from about 8 years ago that never filtered all the water from the top. Can't remember the brand. I kept it just in case, and now there are alternative filters that look like they'll fit!! Yes!!
Berki is not the standard. They look nice but they choose to not allow any certification. Lab testing even shows inconsistency in what they say their results are. So this solution is perfect. Like you said, you can only go on the companies word. I will be building these to take camping, can't wait.
Thanks for the great video. I immediately went out to order the Waterdrop filters and saw the full setup for sale for $140. I figured I'd go for it and then they took $40 off when it was in my cart!
What about putting in the upper bucket, a small air valve and pumping in some air with a small bike type hand pump? Give it about 10-15 small pumps. That should force the water through a little faster. This could help a family that needs water a bit faster. It works for my setup.
I had a problem when I built mine with flow. I had to take the big seal out of the lid on the bottom bucket. It flows down and fills the bottom 3 times as fast. The bottom bucket being sealed and filled with air would not let the water filter down until you opened the spout. In other words, the bottom bucket does not need to be air tight. Great video
@@GreatLakesPrepping I'm having an issue. After first use put in about a gallon and a half to two gallons no issues. Yesterday filled up to the top of the filters and water leaking at the top of bottom lid. Have seal on bottom lid. What could be the problem? Maybe the holes at the bottom to big? Also: the tool you used to smooth out the holes; what is the name and where can I purchase?
@@shawn78789 Hi Shawn, my first through is to make sure the rubber gasket for each filter is in place correctly and the plastic wingnut is screwed down tightly enough. As for that tool, I'm actually not sure what it's called. I've had it in my tool box as long as I can remember and I don't even recall where I got it. Really any de-burring tool or even the tip of a sharp knife ought to work.
What a great DIY project!!! This is going on my bucket list!🙄 FYI: Grocery store bakeries are usually good about giving away their 5 gal buckets and lids. Just ask!
I also made a water filter system just like yours but made it better by installing an external clear stand hose to visually see how much water I have in the bottom tank..no guessing how much water I have available before adding more water to the upper tank..works great!!!
We did this exact thing years ago! Love it. But I let the buckets and filters offgas for months before use. Even though the buckets were food grade they still smelled. The Berkeley filter smelled also. We used a gamma lid to make it air tight yet easy to fill.
AWESOME! I was srsly considering Buying a Berkey for the travel trailer, but this seems like a much cheaper / better solution. thanks for the great vid!
I have a small water filtration unit that’s Mobile & small & compacted . I can get 3041 gallons out of 2 filters before I have to change them & as all precautions I intent to boil said water also before I run it through my filtration unit , it also comes with a battery operated U.V. light . I also own a water straining unit that gets rid of muck like mud ,silt , vegetation & very small microorganism in the water all of this is very small & can accommodate 5 gallons of water in 1/2 hour through both units very fast if you need clean water in a hurry , I’ve used it on occasions & had the water tested just to make sure there’s no pathogens or chemicals in the water that we’re going through the filters & staying in the water . Works like a charm . I have enough filters to last me a life time over & over , my grand children’s grand children should be able to use it . The units I have are military grade & are well built & you can find them at just about any military surplus store if you know what your looking for both units for under $100 dollars .
Went thrifting and saw an Aquapure system, similar to the Birkey. Only needed to replace the tap, whomever had put the tap on wrong with rubber fittings in wrong areas! Brand new filter and all parts were there, complete stainlees steel unit. Just faucet put on wrong. Great purchase at $24.99! Faucet assembly for stainless steel replacement was less than $22 with rubber and metal fittings! :) So e tire cost, less than $50.00!!! :)
I ordered two spickets from Walmart app as well as two sets of berry filters and made our own with lowes 5gallon buckets with backup spicket and filter replacement
Of course, I just bought a Berkey before I saw this video. Murphy's Law in action. Lol. I am planning to make your diy system. Your directions are clear and to the point. Thanks.
I've used the 6 gallon size Berkey for about 15 years and my experience is that their filters work much faster than the competition plus many times it's been used by military stationed where the water has been contaminated, I've heard that it even made water drinkable that had been exposed to radiation. You can't convince these guys to go with a cheap alternative so for that reason I only use Berkey filters as well. I used all 8 filter holes because it extends the length of time before needing to purchase filters again, about 20 years based on our use. It filters extremely quickly so no waiting on water. Mine will filter 6 gallons in just a little over 15 minutes. This is important because I use it with my food cart to make lemonade and its important to be able to quickly replenish it when it runs out plus the water tastes better than any water I've ever had. I often ask people who complain about how bad their water tastes to bring over 6 gallons and I filter it and give it back to them. It's funny but it seems that the worse the water is before filtering means it'll be even better afterwards than just using tap water. I want to add the white filters for floride and arsenic etc. That are not trapped by the black filters. The use of buckets is ingenious though, it means if something is dropped its more resilient and for a few dollars more you can fill more buckets up front to prevent running out.
So about how much are you using it daily for it to last @20 yrs? To me that’s worth having if ever one needs to survive on pond water due to whatever circumstances. Thanks
@@alfredabbey6162 that’s an impressive filtering system! I’m going to show my husband these as I think it would work nice and be of great value! Thank you 😁
Unless that "exposes to radiation" means it's contaminated with radioactive particles, that's hardly a brag. Water doesn't really react to radiation the way metals do; exposure to radiation itself isn't going to make it dangerous.
In a SHTF scenario a bucket like this is great for the short term. Unless you stocked up on filters this will only last so long. I agree with Pahinh a three layer filter system will work for ever because the materials to create the filter are free and easily readily available. Not knocking the filter you built. I think I may build one myself for a backup. I also have built a distillery that I can use to purify water on a camp fire as well.
Awesome video! Thank you so much! I use a countertop Pur water filter for my drinking water but will definitely add this project to my to-do prepping list :) :)
@Anonymoussilurian Anonymoussilurian I am Canadian and I ordered everything from amazon. The stock pots were about $30 each and the spigot was about $15. I had to get a step drill bit which makes the hole bigger the more you drill. I kept drilling until the tip of the filter would fit through the hole. You also need tin snips to cut the middle out of the bottom lid.
@Anonymoussilurian Anonymoussilurian yes, they stack perfectly, but the lid of the bottom pot has to have a big hole cut out of it so that the tips of the filters, which are in the top pot, can drip into the bottom pot.
@Anonymoussilurian Anonymoussilurian I found the video of the exact same water filter I made. The youtube channel is called 'Off grid homesteading with the boss of the swamp' and the video is called 'how to make your own Berkey style water purifier'. I didn't do the part where he puts tape on the lid to hold it together because it stacks very securely.
@Anonymoussilurian Anonymoussilurian I think I said I used a step drill. You need the lid on the bottom pot because it isn't stable enough to have the top pot sitting in the bottom pot when you fill the top pot with water and the bottom pot is empty. So you cut out the middle of the lid for the bottom pot and just leave a ring that the top pot sits on.
I've had this setup for 3 years. It works. I found that it's better to just attach the elements to the top bucket and not the lower lid. Your way puts stress on the connection an it will leak pretty soon.
Built one of these but added two elbows at top and bottom of collection bucket with clear tubing between them to provide a sight window.Mine works great been providing clean water for about a year now saving gas,time,water cost and effort carrying five gallon jugs around.I try to keep about twenty gallons of filtered water around,using the water jugs I used to lug around to town to get water from a provider.
Dude, Genius. You just save me $300 Bucks. I owe you a cold Beer. Bout to have my parts on order from Ebay, and their Filters are a little more Cheaper...
GREAT TURORIAL!! - This is on my list to build! I'm in Michigan - Home depot has free Water test kits. I am on a good city water source, but I picked up a couple for my off grid project.
Get your water tested not just for bacteria, but chemicals & pharmaceuticals. We filter all our drinking water because we don’t want Roundup in our water from farms in the area. We have a UV whole-house system because our water had e.coli when we bought it (the seller had to pay for it).
More filter has replacement for 48 buck and they work pretty good. Good video this is really all we need in a emergency or any day use for all that matters 🙂
Brilliant video, I've heard that the filters need to be kept wet by filling up the top reservoir once a day or every other day, otherwise they will get filled with air and prevent water from filtering properly. With the large size of your setup, how often are you filling up the Top reservoir? Have you had any issues with the filters working more slowly?
@@courtneye4789 I've figured out e easy solution: All Berkey's use the same size black filter, about 9" tall, so no matter how large Berkey you buy, you don't have to fill it to the brim, just to the top of the filter. I am just 1 person using the IMPERIAL 4.5 Gallon, and if I only fill to the top of the Black Filter it's 3 gallons/ 384oz. The BIG BERKEY filled to the top is 2.5 Gallon because its a smaller circumference. Another step to prevent the filters from drying out before you use the water, is just empty enough water from the bottom reservoir and pour it in the top again to keep the filters primed. Hope that makes sense.
Here are a couple of tips for when you prime the filters: 1) Remove the aerator from the faucet if it has one. 2) The filters will continue to leak water after you're done so be mindful of where you set them after your'e done.
For decades, we've built our filters in 3 layers - small washed river stones, coarse washed sand, & charcoal, each in its own container, stacked in order with charcoal on the bottom. When the charcoal needs cleaning, we remove its container, back flush it, heat to 400F in oven, & replace. Water tastes great & no one has ever gotten sick. Ancient tech works great.
I'd like to see a video of what you did with your three stage system. Nice
@@kolobkolobkolobkolob Ok. Thanks. I'll get to it.. Basically, it's 3 water-safe wooden boxes or stainless soup pots, all the same size. Also something to catch the filtered water.
Make holes all over the bottoms of each, then lay copper or stainless (window screen, if you're desperate) inside to cover the bottom of each. Carefully fill the bottom one to 2-3" from the top with charcoal (from a fire that had no painted or stained wood in it is fine). Set the middle one on/in that & fill it carefully to 2-3" from top with washed coarse sand (builder's supply). Set the top one on/in & fill it carefully with small washed river stones (they're about 1-1.5" across).
It's ready. Pour in your water & let it run thru into your catch unit. Good drinking!
If you have concerns about bacteria, put bleach in the water before you pour it thru.
@@pahinhwinh3936 please do a video, I need visuals, thanks in advance!
@@shamachelon Ok. Thanks!
@@pahinhwinh3936 thank you , your instructions are clear enough without a video.
I would also suggest putting some Shungite rocks in the container that the filtered water is stored in
Very good idea and model. I would like to bring an engineering problem to your attention that will fix your flow rate and also the filtration rate. The bottom container when starting has only air in it. As it fills with water, the air is pushed upwards, and has only one area to escape from, and that is back through the two water filters. The filters are not able to displace the air in proportion to the water flow out of them, and this causes the filters to slow down, and eventually stop. What needs to be done is another hole needs to be put in the system, and a food grade safe ventilation tube needs to be installed. It would need to have a threaded system similar to the filters, and a clear tube that would reach about 1 1/2" short of the top of the water chamber when filled. This will allow air to vent from the bottom chamber receiving water, to the top chamber losing water, which would regulate it. Your filtration rate would increase to its maximum capacity, and the dispensing rate would be equalized by the infusion of air from the top, preventing vapor lock.
Overall, great idea, and a easy way to filter bulk water. Alexapure filters rate much higher than the Berkey filters. Keep in mind that whereas Berkey are tall and lean, the Alexapure are fat and shorter. If you use Alexapure, you need to space accordingly.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this video.
Brother Levi Matthews
You are correct. I noticed that I had to place a small paper clip to break the seal between the two Berkey filters to break the pressure build up due to the hydraulic effect of the water filling up the bottom chamber and pressurizing it, so that the remaining flow from the top chamber became impeded.
This is a very helpful suggestion and one that I will likely be adding to my build of this model. Thanks Levi!
I’m thinking you could use a wine making air lock to enable the escape of air from the bottom bucket.
Most excellent idea on both . I will have to add this to my stock and supplies
You could also open the lid on the lower bucket, periodically, to let the air out.
My husband built this for me thank you 😊 We now have water without all the nasty stuff.
That's great!
To me, the best part of the design is that other than the filter prep, this can all be built, disassembled and stored. Nest the buckets, put all the materials inside and nest the lids. Ready to deploy when needed.
Being a disabled Veteran my budget is small so I can't afford a Berkey but I have enough buckets that I can do this. Thank you
Thanks for your service and keeping us 1
Thank you for showing this very good idea. I live in Australia and a Berkey filter here costs $800 and close to a thousand for a spare filter and stand. America is showing the way for the future preppers! Thank you.
No, Im here and I get 2 for $200. Did it twice.
Oh wow !!
I’m also in Oz and just got my berkey two filters and two white filters spent nearly 1000. Going to get more filters next.
Ty so much for this! & those in the comments as well! Its soon to be upon us HEAVY. When u stay ready u don't have to get ready. Blessings to all who value freedom over safety ❤
Genius!! I love this!! For anyone concerned about the look, consider building a cute "cabinet" around it or some type of attractive enclosure that matches your existing cabinetry.
PLEASE SPARE US "cute"!!
I love this! We have thousands of gallons of water stored on our property for emergency use if we loose “city” water. But none of it is ready to use. It would need to be filtered and or boiled first. This gives us an affordable way to make our water safe for humans! Thanks man!
Thanks Kris. I definitely like the higher capacity of this DIY version. Fill it up at night, wake up to 4-5 gallons of filtered water!
Its smart having bulk supply, when i bought my place was a part of my plan i have 5000 g system well, and live on a 200 acre lake,, can't see going thirsty lol, i like his filter too, good insurance if i need go into lake water
@ Kris Nicholas - I have stored water also that will need to be cleaned before running it through this system. Curious how you would do that? I was thinking of running it through swimming pool type filters first, to remove large particles, disinfectaning it with bleach (6 drops per gallon of water at 8.25% bleach strength) then running it through the filters as the last step. I recall a video I saw where a Berkey rep stated that if a person used barrels of water that ran off the roof, they should use bleach first in case bird droppings were in the water. Please let me know your thoughts if you are willing to share. I also think boiling the water would be just as good before running it thru the filters.
@@plaguevendor6705 You could possibly run it through a solar heating element like in this video ua-cam.com/video/7w4rg3UcsgI/v-deo.html . At that point like the video you could also us it to cool your house and only add in then siphon off enough for drinking when needed.
Is boiling the filtered rain water necessary before its healthy to drink
I don't normally rush out and build everything that I see on UA-cam, but I am so making a couple of these. Absolutely AMAZING!!!!!! Greetings from Australia 🇦🇺 😀
Thank you!
Same here, but from the U.K, been looking for something like this for a while now and this is by far the best and easiest I've seen, many thanks,👍
I wish all vids on UA-cam were this well done, straight to the point.. no filler, you get my thumbs up and subscribe! 👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you Big Al, I appreciate that!
I made myself a Berkey system just like this but used the actual Berkey filters. With the money saved by making my own system I was able to buy a replacement set of the Berkey filters. So far I've been very pleased with the results.
food grade buckets taste like plastic??
@@RealityAudits Not from my experience.
My Berkey came with a white and black filter? I don't know the difference in the black and white but I know this making one only show the black ones? I got the smallest Berkey because of the price. But I need to make one with the buckets. Should I get the white and black or the two black ones. Sorry I'm concerned that there may be a difference between the white and black so therefore need the white one too.? 😁
@@flowergirl8375 White ones are to remove fluoride from the water.
@@DRUMMER-j-u2x thank you very much I will definitely be using the white as well as the Black! Cuz right now I purify my tap water. But if we ever lose water I will have to purify the pond water I have. And or rainwater. Thanks for your time very much appreciate it
I did this exact same thing years ago. Take it to the next level: get a couple 5 gallon water cooler bottles and a water cooler. You can find used cheap. The you can have filter ice cold (and filtered hot water with the right cooler) water on tap 24/7. My toddler kids love it. They get water on demand.
I did this several years ago for a fishing trip in the boundry waters. Had to portage so limited space and couldn't really hall enough water to last. This was a good solution. I used 3 of the smaller dome style filters and we filtered and drank lake water all week (6 grown males). Warning: These filters are good for MANY gallons, BUT they will get slimey filtering lake water and need to have their surface cleaned every couple days or so. Also, I believe these style (maybe all) filters list an enourmous amount of water that can be filtered OR 1 year. So I used them for a week and then had to replace the filters each year. The filters are around $10 each, so it is economical. $12 in buckets, $3 for a sealed spigot and $30 for filters = very affordable peace of mind. I keep 6 filters on hand just in case. Take the spigot off and you can nest the buckets together to make them very storeable and portable as well.
I built mine about a year ago.. 2 Home Depot 5 gallon buckets 3 ceramic candle stick filters and a water valve...$90.. works great
Berkeley did a revised test and I believe it filters out 90% . This is an affordable option. I’m not a fan of food grade plastic but this is great to have for emergencies, thanks!
It’s interesting to me the price difference in 8 months. I decided to build my own because of the cost of a Berkey. Searched and yours was the first to come up. Thank you for the instructions.
Thanks Wanda, I'm glad the video helped!
This system also works for filling larger containers. Ive got one that empties into a 35 gal barrel. So many more options with a home built system
I spent $63 for these filters a week ago and built this. I have been brewing beer for nearly 2 decades (not as much recently) and have several 7 gallon fermentation buckets and spigots. I have had these for quite some time, are food grade as well. Works quite well.
Thank you, thank you. Finished this project today for both my elderly parents and my family. This was my last major prep I really needed to get done. This is really cool and self satisfying.
That's great! Thanks for your comment.
I'm 66 and plan in doing mine too, thanks for video!
Thank you for the idea. I went ahead and built my own. I did some research and made sure to get water filters that had good reviews. In total it cost me $107, and took maybe 5 minutes to build. I was able to filter about 10 gallons of water in 4 hours, so 2.5 gallons an hour is not bad. Since this is so easy to assemble and disassemble, I think this is going to go with me on all of my car camping trips so I can save the backpacking filters for backpacking. Thanks again.
That's great! Thanks Greg
Can you link to the filters you used?
@@willmontes85 Hi Will, the link is in the video description.
The camping filters are by far, the best there is, lasting 100X longer…. so much better then the Berkeley system. They used a camping-type filter for missionaries when they went to other countries. The only problem is that it doesn’t remove chlorine, that’s why I added a Activated Carbon Fiber on top of the other one …… ; )
You are a great teacher thank you for this video. Exciting news I will be building one tomorrow. How crazy to be excited about this but this day and age it's a must-have. Thank you again and God bless you for helping all of us
Thank you, I appreciate your comment. Good luck and happy building!
Wow !! BRILLIANT IDEA!! I sure wish that I had seen this video just 6 months ago before I bought four Big Burkeys for myself and my siblings. I’m NOT going to calculate how much $ I could have saved. Instead I will just remember this and going forward I will always know how to do it. Thank you.
$880. You could have saved $880.
@@wotmuddingtrolloc savage ;)
That was so nice of you to purchase such an amazing gift for your siblings! They are blessed to have you!
I built my system today. Only I used some 3 gallon buckets I had laying around that I use to make beer with. Thanks for the video, it saved me a lot of money. 👍
I still use the one I made 9 years ago…still going strong & works great!
That's awesome!
I find these filters fascinating. My children have these. I have been treating dring water for 31 years. Always read anything on water purification. These work extremely well.
This plan has been around for a long time. I built one about 10 years ago from an internet design and have used it with success since in my off-grid cabin. The bottom bucket needs a very small hole in its lid to relieve air pressure in the bottom bucket as the filters work. One problem is that when the system is disassembled for cleaning of the filters, the bottom lid releases with a jar or sudden pop. This has the potential of breaking the filter candles at their base. Judicial trimming of the bottom lid will alleviate this problem. Filters should be carefully dried between periodic uses to avoid mold growth. Also dry filters need to be "primed" prior to use by gently pressuring water retrograde with a faucet or squeezed plastic water bottle. This removes air locks from the filter pores and increases filter flow rate when the filter is used.
Thank for your input! What filters did you use?
Thanks for the video. I don't know why I never thought of this a long time ago. I have had a big Berkey filtering system for myself for about seven years. I never thought of making one for my friend who drinks rainwater that runs off her roof and doesn't filter it at all. Sometimes it looks yellow. I'm definitely going to make one of these for her.
Your friend is not thinking her water source through. Bird droppings on the roof, air pollution, chemicals in shingles (if asphalt roof). Your kindness should keep her from getting ill.
@@spockmcoyissmart961 that is very sweet of you!
I found filters on ebay. 4 for $75. Got my buckets, used once for food from marketplace for $1.50 with lid. Great gift idea. Love the small vent to let air out of bottle. I am sharing with friends.
Thank you so much for this video, I can not believe the people that are willing to pay 300+ dollars for this and then I would bet most never replace the filters in the burky due to cost.
Many people do spend it on the Berkey unit. I don't know about you but long-term use of plastic for food it's not something that I do. I use it for all of my drinking water, cooking and canning.
And even at the price of the Berkey filters... it is way cheaper than the $1 per gallon I was paying for water at the store. 6000 gallons of filtered water on my kitchen counter as opposed to spending $6,000 for the same amount of bottled water... do the math.... I use 5-7 gallons of water per week for one person. More when im canning.
Just because you don't see them need or Justify the expense doesn't mean that it's wrong for others. He did this as a means for emergency water. And it is perfect for that. Not for day in and day out as a primary water source.
In addition to my other comment do the math.
7 gallons of water per week * 52 weeks is 364 gallons per year.
If I buy it in the store that's $364 per year.
The Berkey filters last 6,000 gallons.
6000 gal / 364 per year the filters would be good for 16 and 1/2 years. With proper maintenance.
Most people replace them after 6 years. So if the replacement filters are $130 / 6 years that would mean you are spending less than $22 per year for clean water.
So betting that people don't use enough common sense to spend $22 a year for clean water..... you may want to rethink your position on that.
Never having seen a Berky(sp?) until I watched a van-life video before, you’ve explained what it is and demonstrated how I don’t need one all in one video. I distil my drinking water but, if ever the lekky goes, I know what to do now. Thank you. PEACE ;]
I'm giving DIY Berky sets to my sons for Christmas. Thank you for making this much more affordable
Great idea for gifts!
Update from my guys:
"Awesome! Pepper gear AND a craft project!" 😆
I built one of these months ago. It works pretty well. Aftermarket filters do have some sediment/dust they let off the first 10-15 gallons or so. I also have hard water so it doesn't really help with that, but for having good clean drinking water, this works quite well. My build is identical with the exception that I used a gamma lid on top, and a metal spigot. I think if I have some spare cash in the future I'll definitely add 2 more filters because like you said it DOES slow down significantly after the water level goes below the tops of the filters.
THIS is the type of stuff I want to see on pepper sites!!! Cheap, easy ways to deal with real possible problems. Thank you and.... I'm gonna now subscribe to your channel... 🤗
Thank you Karen! I'm happy you enjoy the channel.
I made exactly this a year ago with the same thoughts and motive. I ordered the Berkey filters off of Amazon and utilized some 6 gallon beer brewing buckets that I laying around.
I built this same set up 3 years ago, works very well !
Is it still working as well as it did 3 years ago? How often do you use it?
@@Kittieslovetacos The Alexapure filter gets rid of fluoride and lasts for 5,000 gallons
One of those Christmas tree looking step drills work even better making holes in plastic. The $5ish three pack from Harbor Freight is sufficient for pretty much any plastic job.
Excellent video, thank you for being clear, concise,& short with exanation. I'm building this today.
Great idea! We got a Big Berkey a year or so ago and immediately put it in he stash (over my mild protestations). DH has always insisted on drinking bottled water. 😂 I'm not that fancy. 🤷♀️ We have an in-house filtration system because of high iron content, so I just used tap water. He finally got tired of buying water and had the bright idea to use our fancy filter. You should totally USE yours. The filters last a very long time and the water is excellent. We bought extra filters.
The fact I cannot give more than a single thumb up need to change.
Thanks for this really interesting video
I have a filter system from about 8 years ago that never filtered all the water from the top. Can't remember the brand. I kept it just in case, and now there are alternative filters that look like they'll fit!! Yes!!
Berki is not the standard. They look nice but they choose to not allow any certification. Lab testing even shows inconsistency in what they say their results are. So this solution is perfect. Like you said, you can only go on the companies word. I will be building these to take camping, can't wait.
Thank you - you’re helping a lot of people survive - thank you!
I put one together for my RV. It takes up a fair amount of space but works really well
Thanks for the video, I just built this and followed your directions. I will filter water from my rain collection system.
Great video.
Gonna do the same with 3.5 gallon buckets and Berkeley filters for SHTF only.
Berkeley stainless makes since for daily use.
Thanks for the great video. I immediately went out to order the Waterdrop filters and saw the full setup for sale for $140. I figured I'd go for it and then they took $40 off when it was in my cart!
Brilliant idea. Thanks for putting in the time to build and share this.
Thanks 👍I made it with 4 filters. Appreciate the part where you explained how to prime the filter 👍
For the filtered water, you can also use an Igloo cooler bucket with a spigot built in ( I have one) and it holds at least 3 gallons.
Brilliant
How do you do this? Separate it into two parts?
Built mine with a 10 gallon igloo cooler. 👍
We made this . Works perfectly. We bought the Berkey filters.
Awesome, thanks!
What about putting in the upper bucket, a small air valve and pumping in some air with a small bike type hand pump? Give it about 10-15 small pumps. That should force the water through a little faster. This could help a family that needs water a bit faster. It works for my setup.
My berky cracked so I did this and it works like a charm.
I had a problem when I built mine with flow. I had to take the big seal out of the lid on the bottom bucket. It flows down and fills the bottom 3 times as fast. The bottom bucket being sealed and filled with air would not let the water filter down until you opened the spout. In other words, the bottom bucket does not need to be air tight. Great video
Thanks Michael. Now that you mention it, I didn't have either lid sealed tight.
@@GreatLakesPrepping I'm having an issue. After first use put in about a gallon and a half to two gallons no issues. Yesterday filled up to the top of the filters and water leaking at the top of bottom lid. Have seal on bottom lid. What could be the problem?
Maybe the holes at the bottom to big? Also: the tool you used to smooth out the holes; what is the name and where can I purchase?
@@shawn78789 Hi Shawn, my first through is to make sure the rubber gasket for each filter is in place correctly and the plastic wingnut is screwed down tightly enough.
As for that tool, I'm actually not sure what it's called. I've had it in my tool box as long as I can remember and I don't even recall where I got it. Really any de-burring tool or even the tip of a sharp knife ought to work.
@@GreatLakesPrepping Thanks, I had a thought that might be the issue.
Great DIY instructions! Thanks a lot!
You're welcome Barney!
What a great DIY project!!!
This is going on my bucket list!🙄
FYI: Grocery store bakeries are usually good about giving away their 5 gal buckets and lids. Just ask!
Omg thank you for that tip !!!
@@alexismondolfi7452 You're very welcome! They're great for fermenting "things," food storage, & growing things like potatoes!
Haha bucket list.
@@jaycarr1790 Thank you! I was waiting for that!😂🤣
I also made a water filter system just like yours but made it better by installing an external clear
stand hose to visually see how much water I have in the bottom tank..no guessing how much
water I have available before adding more water to the upper tank..works great!!!
We did this exact thing years ago! Love it. But I let the buckets and filters offgas for months before use. Even though the buckets were food grade they still smelled. The Berkeley filter smelled also. We used a gamma lid to make it air tight yet easy to fill.
AWESOME! I was srsly considering Buying a Berkey for the travel trailer, but this seems like a much cheaper / better solution. thanks for the great vid!
I have a small water filtration unit that’s Mobile & small & compacted . I can get 3041 gallons out of 2 filters before I have to change them & as all precautions I intent to boil said water also before I run it through my filtration unit , it also comes with a battery operated U.V. light . I also own a water straining unit that gets rid of muck like mud ,silt , vegetation & very small microorganism in the water all of this is very small & can accommodate 5 gallons of water in 1/2 hour through both units very fast if you need clean water in a hurry , I’ve used it on occasions & had the water tested just to make sure there’s no pathogens or chemicals in the water that we’re going through the filters & staying in the water . Works like a charm . I have enough filters to last me a life time over & over , my grand children’s grand children should be able to use it . The units I have are military grade & are well built & you can find them at just about any military surplus store if you know what your looking for both units for under $100 dollars .
Robert, would you mind sharing the name of your unit and where you purchased it? Thanks!
Went thrifting and saw an Aquapure system, similar to the Birkey. Only needed to replace the tap, whomever had put the tap on wrong with rubber fittings in wrong areas! Brand new filter and all parts were there, complete stainlees steel unit. Just faucet put on wrong. Great purchase at $24.99! Faucet assembly for stainless steel replacement was less than $22 with rubber and metal fittings! :) So e tire cost, less than $50.00!!! :)
Great deal!
I ordered two spickets from Walmart app as well as two sets of berry filters and made our own with lowes 5gallon buckets with backup spicket and filter replacement
Love this, can't afford the cost of berkey or it's competitors.
Of course, I just bought a Berkey before I saw this video. Murphy's Law in action. Lol. I am planning to make your diy system. Your directions are clear and to the point. Thanks.
Of course, isn't that how it always goes! Thanks Dawn.
It's an awesome setup. Thanks for posting this
I've used the 6 gallon size Berkey for about 15 years and my experience is that their filters work much faster than the competition plus many times it's been used by military stationed where the water has been contaminated, I've heard that it even made water drinkable that had been exposed to radiation. You can't convince these guys to go with a cheap alternative so for that reason I only use Berkey filters as well. I used all 8 filter holes because it extends the length of time before needing to purchase filters again, about 20 years based on our use. It filters extremely quickly so no waiting on water. Mine will filter 6 gallons in just a little over 15 minutes. This is important because I use it with my food cart to make lemonade and its important to be able to quickly replenish it when it runs out plus the water tastes better than any water I've ever had. I often ask people who complain about how bad their water tastes to bring over 6 gallons and I filter it and give it back to them. It's funny but it seems that the worse the water is before filtering means it'll be even better afterwards than just using tap water. I want to add the white filters for floride and arsenic etc. That are not trapped by the black filters. The use of buckets is ingenious though, it means if something is dropped its more resilient and for a few dollars more you can fill more buckets up front to prevent running out.
So about how much are you using it daily for it to last @20 yrs? To me that’s worth having if ever one needs to survive on pond water due to whatever circumstances. Thanks
@@anncarroll7354 I fill it about every 3 days. At first I kept a log so I would have an idea and I kept it up for about 10 years.
@@alfredabbey6162 that’s an impressive filtering system! I’m going to show my husband these as I think it would work nice and be of great value! Thank you 😁
@@anncarroll7354 you're welcome.
Unless that "exposes to radiation" means it's contaminated with radioactive particles, that's hardly a brag. Water doesn't really react to radiation the way metals do; exposure to radiation itself isn't going to make it dangerous.
Plastic bucket $4.00
Lid. $7 to $8
Stainless pot and lid at Wal-Mart $10 for 12 or 16 qt
Same drill bit. Easier to clean.
Thanks for the video! I just built two of these yesterday 10/09/2022. It is a slow process. It took four hours to make 5 gallons of water.
I have been considering a water filtration system and yours looks fine with me,.I like your keep it simple thinking..
Just built one for $100 ,,,,, THANK YOU FOR THE INFO
Replacement filters $51 for a two pack on Ebay
Stainless steel spicket for $17 on Ebay
I got a Berkey ad on this video haha. Will definitely give this a try.
I got the same...lol
This is SOO awesome!!! Glad I searched for a better alternative to paying the HUNDREDS of dollars for the pre-built stuff.
Thanks, glad it helped!
I appreciate your ingenuity. Thanks for the video.
Thanks Abigail!
Those white filters that you said don’t improve filtration are what removes fluoride from the water. Great DIY.
You nailed it again, great information in a short and understandable format.
Thank you and blessings.
In a SHTF scenario a bucket like this is great for the short term. Unless you stocked up on filters this will only last so long. I agree with Pahinh a three layer filter system will work for ever because the materials to create the filter are free and easily readily available. Not knocking the filter you built. I think I may build one myself for a backup. I also have built a distillery that I can use to purify water on a camp fire as well.
Awesome video! Thank you so much! I use a countertop Pur water filter for my drinking water but will definitely add this project to my to-do prepping list :) :)
I have had that container for eight years love it.
Great Great Great Great 👍 Information!! You did your thing!
Thank you Chawncy
Paying the extra money for quality is worth the piece of mind for me
Great tutorial and very informative. 👍
Thank you! I have been tempted to buy the berkey, but the hold up has been the price.Now there is a way to get one.
Great idea & video! You’ve got to love a DIY solution that’s not only cheaper, but higher performance/capacity.
I would decorate the outside of the buckets with waterproof contact paper or anything really to make them look nice or match to my decor. 😉
I made the same thing with stainless steel stock pots and a stainless steel spigot. I made sure I got the real Berkey filters.
@Anonymoussilurian Anonymoussilurian I am Canadian and I ordered everything from amazon. The stock pots were about $30 each and the spigot was about $15. I had to get a step drill bit which makes the hole bigger the more you drill. I kept drilling until the tip of the filter would fit through the hole. You also need tin snips to cut the middle out of the bottom lid.
@Anonymoussilurian Anonymoussilurian yes, they stack perfectly, but the lid of the bottom pot has to have a big hole cut out of it so that the tips of the filters, which are in the top pot, can drip into the bottom pot.
@Anonymoussilurian Anonymoussilurian I found the video of the exact same water filter I made. The youtube channel is called 'Off grid homesteading with the boss of the swamp' and the video is called 'how to make your own Berkey style water purifier'. I didn't do the part where he puts tape on the lid to hold it together because it stacks very securely.
@Anonymoussilurian Anonymoussilurian I think I said I used a step drill. You need the lid on the bottom pot because it isn't stable enough to have the top pot sitting in the bottom pot when you fill the top pot with water and the bottom pot is empty. So you cut out the middle of the lid for the bottom pot and just leave a ring that the top pot sits on.
@@HeatherRose_ how big are the stock pots because if they're not bigger than the Berkey you might as well have spent the money on 1
I've had this setup for 3 years. It works. I found that it's better to just attach the elements to the top bucket and not the lower lid. Your way puts stress on the connection an it will leak pretty soon.
solves the vent situation too
Partly. There is some suction but it is not an issue
Excellent tutorial.
Built one of these but added two elbows at top and bottom of collection bucket with clear tubing between them to provide a sight window.Mine works great been providing clean water for about a year now saving gas,time,water cost and effort carrying five gallon jugs around.I try to keep about twenty gallons of filtered water around,using the water jugs I used to lug around to town to get water from a provider.
Use the alexapure filters instead of the berkeys filter..they perform a bit more filtering.
Me too. I’ve read that you have to get an extra filter to filter out the fluoride. Not with Alexapure.
Also PurOne doesn’t require extra fluoride filters either
Dude, Genius. You just save me $300 Bucks. I owe you a cold Beer. Bout to have my parts on order from Ebay, and their Filters are a little more Cheaper...
Thanks Friend, glad I could help.
GREAT TURORIAL!! - This is on my list to build!
I'm in Michigan - Home depot has free Water test kits. I am on a good city water source, but I picked up a couple for my off grid project.
Thanks Dokk. I did not know that about Home Depot. I definitely have to look into that. The test kits I've seen for sale aren't especially cheap.
Get your water tested not just for bacteria, but chemicals & pharmaceuticals. We filter all our drinking water because we don’t want Roundup in our water from farms in the area. We have a UV whole-house system because our water had e.coli when we bought it (the seller had to pay for it).
More filter has replacement for 48 buck and they work pretty good. Good video this is really all we need in a emergency or any day use for all that matters 🙂
I’m off to build a giant one. Filter rain water as we have loads in the uk.
use mine daily, have high iron in water here this makes the water taste great.
Brilliant video, I've heard that the filters need to be kept wet by filling up the top reservoir once a day or every other day, otherwise they will get filled with air and prevent water from filtering properly. With the large size of your setup, how often are you filling up the Top reservoir? Have you had any issues with the filters working more slowly?
Im interested to know as well! Following
@@courtneye4789 I've figured out e easy solution: All Berkey's use the same size black filter, about 9" tall, so no matter how large Berkey you buy, you don't have to fill it to the brim, just to the top of the filter. I am just 1 person using the IMPERIAL 4.5 Gallon, and if I only fill to the top of the Black Filter it's 3 gallons/ 384oz. The BIG BERKEY filled to the top is 2.5 Gallon because its a smaller circumference. Another step to prevent the filters from drying out before you use the water, is just empty enough water from the bottom reservoir and pour it in the top again to keep the filters primed. Hope that makes sense.
I plan to add a water harvesting unit to my rain gutters and this would make a great addition to the system. Thank you this was very informative.
Great idea, make sure you put your rainwater through other filters first such as sand to filter out all the debris that will come in with the rain
Awesome video! Thank you for sharing.
Here are a couple of tips for when you prime the filters: 1) Remove the aerator from the faucet if it has one. 2) The filters will continue to leak water after you're done so be mindful of where you set them after your'e done.
You got a sub for that! Crazy awesome.
Awesome. Simple, cheap and functional. Can't beat that....