We had these when I was a kid (about 50 years ago) on our farm, 3 things I’d add, place top of barrels below frost line, add gravel below barrels and up to top of side drain holes, and lastly we’d find a dead critter, squirrels, cats whatever that had been infested with maggots and throw in first barrel they’ll eat the solids and you’ll never have to clean,pump or add more barrels! Old school !!
Best diy septic video on UA-cam. Very simple and straight to the point without all the technical crap and fancy words, tools and equipment. Great job sir
Wife and I bought a little trailer house in 1980. Couldn’t afford a septic system. Built what you have here with only two barrels. Lasted 10 years with us and our three boys. Attached about 120’ of drain pipe for a drain field. Never had to have it pumped out. Kept Ridex or buttermilk in it. I think that’s what kept everything broke down. Thanks for a great video.
@@ka24detpower I am using three inch. You don't really need four inch unless you're running some huge unit or something where there is going to be quite a lot of sewage.
Thank you. Viewing from Malawi. 99%+ of areas don't have codes. This is absolute budget friendly and easy to execute. Thank you. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.
Brother I love all of your work and your videos showing more cheap and efficient ways on dyi septic systems. I am buying 10 acres off grid and will definitely be utilizing some of your methods. Your vids definitely help people. The time is rapidly approaching where people will have a choice to go off grid or be a slave. Thanks for all of the help
Hello from Türkiye! I really appreciate your videos, we have just bought a little piece of land in a tiny town and placed a tiny house on it. They told us there is a sewage system but local elections are soon and they won't do anything until new mayor elected. We decided we cannot hold our poops until then, and should make our own sanitary system. There are a lot of diy videos of this topic but yours is the best with all the explanation and different types of systems. ❤ Much love from Turkiye!
I appreciate the time you put into showing us all in detail how to create a good diy septic system. Never mind the narcissistic A holes with negative comments. They must vent because they are full of waste just like this 3 barrel setup. You sir are wise an kind. Many will see the value of your knowledge and use it. Take care and thank you. I just got a remote cabin up no water or elec out here so no code either. 🙏
this is exactly what I was hoping to come across , a good Ol Boy figuring out how to get somthing done with limited resources. Thank you for your time with this. Code is for yuppies and flatlanders
Awesome system. I suggest a filter fabric root barrier wrap around the barrels with holes to prevent roots growing into them. Also every 6 months, chop up a tomato and send it into the first tank. The enzymes in tomatoes help accelerate the bacterial break down process of the solids and is cheaper than expensive store bought septic tank treatments. Nicely done brother !!
City plumber here, never delt w.septic systems before but I love this system. They make long sweeps w.an outlet on its side where you could have that peekaboo at the last barrel and continue on with some perforated piping for an additional leech field just to be safe. Might last 25+ years w.basic maintenance.
I made a similar system with a 300 gallon plastic tote and two plastic barrels with 2 10ft drain pipes and a load of gravel. It's been working great for over 5 years now. There are 2 "tiny homes" (an RV and a converted shed) attached to it.
Out here in west Tennessee myself, and I'm with you, brother. "The law to live trumps all laws and codes". When I build my 20 unit apartment complex in Ukraine, I'm using this design, however, I might modify for a leach field.
I figured if my next door neighbors are allowed to have a thirty foot high pile of cow shit behind my back fence I'm not going to bother checking for "codes" when i save myself thousands of dollars this spring building this. Thanks for the video
Whats the best way to drill holes on 2nd amd 3rd barrels. If theyre already set that sufficient. Number oh holes and heught for last 2 barrels thats sufficient@theappalachianamerican8607
I did the same thing on a cabin. I built for my son. Used 4 tanks. 2 were for solids. One feeds into the other. Then that 2nd solid tank feeds into 2 drain field tanks drilled with holes and filled with crushed stone.
I did this with 2 barrels, and 20 feet of perforated black drain pipe. It worked perfectly. No smell, no mess. Its suggested to use 2 for one person, and add one for each additional person. I think its as efficient and hygenic as the approved ones. Btw, someone left an older used one here, and it let it evaporate, and when it was over, it had only a small amount of "dirt" , and you'd never guess what it was.
Great simple system...Too many channels don't explain things simply and make it sound complicated...As septic systems are basically a simple process...One thing you could do is run a 4" line into first barrel so you can have a access line to pump the solids ...You also could wrap the two drain barrels with non woven fabric before backfilling and place some gravel around the base of the last two barrels...and lay fabric over the gravel then backfill
Watching in from Fiji...We do these kinds of Septic Tank Procedure. It saves us alotta money as we have plastic barrels scattered around and is put to good use Vinaka 👌🏽
A better way to do this is to use blue barrels with removable lids and bands. This guy used an excavator whereas I used a hand shovel. I used 4 barrels and 2 twenty foot leech lines. Trenches and pit, was done by hand and with removable lids, connections were a snap! All told the digging, fitment, and backfill took about 2 months. Sure beats pooping in 13 gallon trash bags!
Very helpful video. I am about to buy a travel trailer to put on my farm out in rural Texas. I have been looking for a septic solution and your system fits the bill. Thank you for taking the time to put this video together-- and thanks for the clarification on the 3-1/4" hole--that was the only thing that didnt make any sense and I didnt see your correction until i decided to comment. Thanks again!
Many thanks due The Appalachian American for saving me from drifting into long laber and high cost. A relative dug up the needed trench for free and added a gift of directing me to the barrel configuration. I have one steel 55Gal. barrel and two plastic ones. I will cover the barrels with double nylon sheets and some lumber, then cover the lot with soil. The relative suggested also to surround the barrels with rocks and gravel. I cannot thank you more. I loved what Appalachians were introduced in the movie "Deliverance". I am Lebanese got my education in the USA in mid 1960s.
Great details for the beginners going off-grid. I was raised in the Florida Everglades and Dad used a similar system with steel barrels. Worked for 5 years till we moved away. Head's up on a few things I've learned about lately; Put some live yeast into the first barrel to activate the solid's breakdown faster and NEVER use harsh chemicals to clean the toilet with which will stop this process. Use natural soap, biodegradable, nontoxic cleaners. SIMPLE GREEN is my choice. Also to prevent roots from growing into the system you can use a copper mesh wire around the barrels, a little costly but saves on digging again or building another system. I liked the other comments about using tomatoes and maggot infested critters. Haven't tried it yet but I will keep those in mind. I Also use a small odor controlled trash can next to my toilet for after doing my paperwork, since I prefer a thicker paper that would plug up most RV systems, then I burn that every night before bed along with the other paper/wood/cardboard trash. I compost my biodegradables and any meat scraps go to the cat, dog and what ever stray creatures come along after they are done.
I live in Peru and pay $370 for a plastic septic tank that works very well. They call it a biodigestor. I can buy those plastic barrels for $30 a piece so this would save me money for an economy job
I did a similar thing for my camper, I lived in it for a bit when covid hit. But I had 4 barrels in a square pattern, all dumping across to each other. But all of my barrels had holes, and I had probably 200’ of pipe coming out into a makeshift leech field, added this part. I dig a hole that left 24” around the entire collage and I buried the entire thing with gravel not dirt except the top 4-6”
If you place large rocks around the outside of the blue cans it gives a leach system then a plastic film can be placed over the hole supported by the rocks. Cover this film with a few inches of dirt and you have a leach system that won't collapse inward and with the dirt over it no oder..
TY. I’m adding a small home & will be using this. I originally thinking 2 barrels but 3 is better. NE TN here too. I will add a cloth around the 2nd & 3rd barrels. I alrdy had to fix my main septic to the house cause of roots clogging the main outlet line. Easy fix with a backhoe
Although I would prefer an aerobic system I love this idea as it requires less maintenance (no additional energy required) 2 things to consider Tow barrels for the first section ( greatly increased capacity) Instead of a grinder which is expensive and requires power You might consider using Bidets which eliminate the need for TP. Thanks so much for this video. OH BTW Important not mentioned please do a perc test to determine if the soil has the capacity to leach effluent. Too much clay in the soil will greatly affect the system and it can fill up fast.
Hello, thank you for information. Very helpful. What is the capacity of this system? Can it handle a toilet, two sinks and a shower for an off-grid cabin with intermittent use? Thanks!
I have used these before but I cut them lengthwise, remove the top and lay them end to end with the ends overlapping. It's very strong and will not compress underground. The end effect is the plastic half drums end up forming a long arch. The structure is not unlike the leaching chambers that a lot of people use in place of the older leach line systems that tend to clog with roots on occasion. Of course this would never go in a big city such as say, San Francisco. Cities like San Francisco have highly technical and ridged building codes. No way can you just throw up a makeshift shelter there and just shit in the streets. There would be human fecies all over the town and eventually medieval disease would start to spread. That's why big cities have these codes to protect public health.
I rather think it's ashamed urban areas don't allow certain citizens to enjoy primitive camping on city sidewalks. They could perform valuable municipal services like picking up trash, making commuters' windshield sparkle, keeping on the lookout for and notifying authorities about "shady" characters and most importantly beautifying our underpasses with folk art.
Oh wait. The homeless people in San Francisco are already shitting in the streets. Have you not heard. They have a shit avoiding map you can purchase to try not to step in it.
A lot of people had these systems where I grew up. They were all two barrel systems made from the steel drums and 50’ of field line. They didn’t perforate the second barrel. The main problems people had with them was rusting out and root masses inside around where the pipe went in or out. This system shouldn’t have any problems.
Nice idea but I would be concerned about the soil compressong the barrels;but maybe starting out with full (H2O) ma prevent crushing. My only advise is, if you can route grey water (wash water, soaps, detergents, clorox, any bacteria killing substance) away from the first digester and onto a fourth tank (grey water only barrel) that would be good. If you dont kill off the bacteria digesting the waste you wont have solids building up. Your only expense would be the extra PVC you'd have to by but it beats the cost of a honey dipper truv coming to pump ot the system
Thanks I have been thinking about using barrels for a septic system. I wasn't sure about the best way to make it work . I was going to use two barrels and 5 or 10 gallon bucket for a junction box drain field ? 3 and like you're and third barrel 3 drain fields . I have wet land here in GA It's 1 just for temporary . Camper that is being remolding into a tiny house to live in while I'm remodeling on the main two homes and building tiny houses on the land . The main house has a septic system in the back yard but bought the place camper was in front yard 50 ft + away house , camper was in bad shape to move it but still can live in part of it while remolding , I needed a septic system. But the water table is a few feet, digging 1 or 2 ft down the water starts filling in the hole . The well pump is 20 ft and 8 or 10 hit water . Question is the barrel septic system works for a temporary 3 to 6 month on wet land? And what the best way I build system to work where I wouldn't have to pump solids out of the septic system ?
put crushed stone, encapsulated in filter fabric, around the leaching barrels so the stone doesn't get choked up with dirt and reduce its ability to disperse / infiltrate the liquids.
What is the purpose of using sanitary T's instead of a straight T, or just an elbow? Also, with the way you've cut the "lid" in the top, what keeps dirt and debris out and what keeps it from caving in on the sides?
Wondering. can this same system be made with a shallower series of barrels. Probably about 25 gallon size... I am just thinking the digging may be better on the upper level of the soil as opposed to lower... Probably finishing off with a longer tube run...the type that uses foam popcorn wrapped arounfd a perf. tube...for a drain field.
Aloha Appalachian American: Stan here in Maui I am getting ready to install your 3 barrels septic system this Saturday..I like your design very much thanks for putting it on Utube..I have two questions: I am planning to fill the area around the barrels to about 20" with 1 1/4" gravel (I drilled 1" holes in barrels 2 and 3) and then I am thinking off putting window screening on top of the gravel and then top off the gravel level to the surface with a mixture of excavated soil and gravel. that would be about 20" on top of the gravel/screening..My thought is that the screening would slow or stop dirt from above from entering the weeping field..What do you think about this idea? Stan
How often do you get the tanks sewage pumped out. It won't dissolve and disappear you know. The barrel is too small to promote proper breakdown of the solids and papers
What keeps the flaps you cut in the top from caving in after you cover it with dirt? Soil is 100#'s per cubic foot. Eventually, that little metal tab will give way and you'll have a barrel full of dirt and a nasty job fixing it.
I hate to be a negative Nancy here, but for someone who has installed septics for 30 years, there are a lot of problem with this. First , if you don't test the soils where you plan to install one of these, and you have a lot of clay types of soils these don't work well. Second a lot of time is spent talking about gravity of this which is worthless and the 2nd and 3rd barrels are over kill and not needed if you don't seal joints between barrels. You might as well do like we used to do in northern Georgia just out of high school... dig a big pit, take a steel 55 gal barrel put holes in it and run the pipe to the top , put gavel around and over the barrel, backfill and don't look back! You might as well use the old out-house method of dig a hole stack stones , or put in a small steel or wood barrel, put large stones around it put you out-house over it and when fill , just move the out-house! Over the years we have dug up and replace or cleaned up this bio hazard messes. So if you are going to do one of these cheap outlaw DIY systems, first make sure you have the right type of soils like sandy or rocky for proper leeching. Second, make sure your plumbing to, in and out of the first barrel is sealed. Otherwise the rest is not needed and a waste of your time money and effort! Third, as many have suggested here, dig you hole and extra 8 to 12 inches deep to have that much stone under your barrels! Spend the time and money to line your hole with silt or landscape fabric before putting you stone in! Think I'm lying? Ask any home owner or excavating contractor who dealt with a basement with water coming in due to a silted up footer drain! Understand hydraulics. Water travels throught the ground taking silt and mineral with it and silt in your stone. If you install an extended leech pipe away from your system, spend the extra money to use a silt sock over the pipe and have at minimum, 6 to 8 inches of stone around your pips! If it were me, I would add a 6 or 8 inch stand pipe wiith a cleanout cap for each barrel for inspection or cleaning.
Just need clarity. When you say drop the barrel are you actually dropping the barrel down about an inch or just the inlets and outlets? In your reckoning, when would the first barrel need to be cleared? Two people will be using this. What size are these barrels? Litre wise.
Won’t the toilet paper get clogged in the top of the sanitary T? Sorry I’m not sure how that works exactly. It seems the toilet paper would get in there?
Interesting to see other systems than I am usually installing (which is factory manufactured systems in Northern Europe). This is almost a 3-chamber system, which is good, even if not according to US code regulations. However, I would only drill holes in the third barrell. And T-connections are probably not needed for the ingoing connections in the 2nd and 3rd barrel. But it is not bad to have it. Still, the outgoing water might need some more infiltration area than this, depending on the use of the septic system. A gravel field is usually used, but there are cubes made of plastic netting that reduces the infiltration area needed. Perhaps something similar can be used for this. With these modifications you might get a system that actually is quite efficient compared to regulatory approved systems with little risk of contaminating drinking water sources.
I’d say that is why he put the door on it. There really wouldn’t be much reason for access to the first 2 barrels. Only reason I could think of is maybe if your ex came over asking for a drink!!!!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂
I built a similar system and the run off is cleaner (yes, tested) than my original (to NC code) system. I filter through the three "chambers", through a screen "catch" than out to my leach field
doe you fill the barrel with gravel or around the barrels.? is this just for toilet or shower and sink as well? I'm confused as to how it is filtered and draining through the holes without contaminating the dirt around the barrels. not nik picking actually want answers lol I do like this build and set up. does it literally just fill up and overflow intthe next barrel just sems strange hkw it would overflow into the 3rd tank if the 2nd tank has holes?
You said 1&1/4 inch hole saw, so what size pipe are you using? I like your idea but thought that you need a larger pipe. Would you need a 4 inch hole saw and a 4 inch pipe? I'm not a troll. I want to install this setup.
Same question I have. Do you just hope the county doesn't show up? Anyone going off grid knows that the county is your biggest hurtle. They have enormous power. Right or wrong.
Very nice job. I think it even may be a little over kill 😊. My question to you is how do you get a 3” pipe though a 1” and a 1/4”hole 🤔. I’m a retired master plumber that’s a good trick 😊. After watching the hole video I see you are using the second barrels for a leach line 😊. I like the idea, I think I would like to have more than one barrel for the solids :-). I’ve had a lot of septics pumped over the years and a small septic will fill up pretty quickly 😢.
If your really a retired Master Plumber then you understand Scooter that it’s no problem to squeeze a 3” fitting into an 1 1/4” hole with the right amount of plumbers lube brother 😂
So i tried to use a plastic barrel like this and the soil pressed the sides of the tank in. I am going to try wrapping the barrel with wire fencing, then use sprayfoam to cover the wire with about 3 inches of polyfoam. I'm hoping the strength of the plastic will be as good as putting cement around the barrel. If the sprayfoam doesn't work then cement will have to be put around the barrels. The other thing i did with my barrels was to cut off the bottom of another barrel and place the top half over the tank barrel. I cut the top out of the barrel half then i had a service space over the tank barrel. Also I'm going to put a dirty water pump in the tank to pump out the sludge once a month so it can digest better.
From what I understand, people have been saying fill the barrels with holes in them with gravel to keep them from caving in...... would be interested to hear what you ultimately used as a solution and how it's working out for you
What about a clean out in the first barrel? Do you still put one in line prior to 1st barrel like normal? Or do you just re dig it if it fill up and then do clean out? I want to do this for a camper setup.
My grandparents had this on their farm in Missouri in the 50's. Only problems ever were in the summer when people would come to visit and put TP in the toilet. Grandpa would have to go unclog the pipe going to the barnyard. We all knew better: TP went in the trash can.
"The Law to Live trumps all laws and all codes." I love that statement. Made me want to subscribe. Thanks.
Thank you!
We had these when I was a kid (about 50 years ago) on our farm, 3 things I’d add, place top of barrels below frost line, add gravel below barrels and up to top of side drain holes, and lastly we’d find a dead critter, squirrels, cats whatever that had been infested with maggots and throw in first barrel they’ll eat the solids and you’ll never have to clean,pump or add more barrels! Old school !!
So that's why Tom Sawyer and Huck Fin wanted a dead cat?
If you can’t get below frost use rigid foam, it blocks the frost, over hang in all directions 6-12”
how do the maggots survive with all the water? how do the flies survive to reproduce?
@@mrniusi11 Teenage Mutant Ninja Maggots 🎶pupating in a hard shell,🎶 Maggot Power! 🎶
@@mrniusi11 they live. I have a pork roast floating in my tank. I put it in over a month ago. Covered in maggots.
Best diy septic video on UA-cam. Very simple and straight to the point without all the technical crap and fancy words, tools and equipment. Great job sir
Wife and I bought a little trailer house in 1980. Couldn’t afford a septic system. Built what you have here with only two barrels. Lasted 10 years with us and our three boys. Attached about 120’ of drain pipe for a drain field. Never had to have it pumped out. Kept Ridex or buttermilk in it. I think that’s what kept everything broke down. Thanks for a great video.
Was that running just your toilet or your whole house?
What is the diameter of the pipes needed? 3"? Or 4"?
@@ka24detpower I am using three inch. You don't really need four inch unless you're running some huge unit or something where there is going to be quite a lot of sewage.
@@j.b.5691 thanks a lot man, now I'm ready :)
@@ka24detpowerhe used 3 1/4 inch hole saw
Thank you. Viewing from Malawi. 99%+ of areas don't have codes.
This is absolute budget friendly and easy to execute.
Thank you. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Brother I love all of your work and your videos showing more cheap and efficient ways on dyi septic systems. I am buying 10 acres off grid and will definitely be utilizing some of your methods. Your vids definitely help people. The time is rapidly approaching where people will have a choice to go off grid or be a slave. Thanks for all of the help
I hit subscribe when you said the law to live trumps all laws and codes. This is the first video I have seen.
Hello from Türkiye! I really appreciate your videos, we have just bought a little piece of land in a tiny town and placed a tiny house on it. They told us there is a sewage system but local elections are soon and they won't do anything until new mayor elected. We decided we cannot hold our poops until then, and should make our own sanitary system. There are a lot of diy videos of this topic but yours is the best with all the explanation and different types of systems. ❤ Much love from Turkiye!
Thank you so much for the kind words!
This video was inspirational for my poor folks in small town, Gurdaan/Warmaxun, south of Mogadishu (45kms), Somalia. Thanks a million.
Glad I could help
I appreciate the time you put into showing us all in detail how to create a good diy septic system. Never mind the narcissistic A holes with negative comments. They must vent because they are full of waste just like this 3 barrel setup. You sir are wise an kind. Many will see the value of your knowledge and use it. Take care and thank you. I just got a remote cabin up no water or elec out here so no code either. 🙏
this is exactly what I was hoping to come across , a good Ol Boy figuring out how to get somthing done with limited resources. Thank you for your time with this. Code is for yuppies and flatlanders
Awesome system. I suggest a filter fabric root barrier wrap around the barrels with holes to prevent roots growing into them. Also every 6 months, chop up a tomato and send it into the first tank. The enzymes in tomatoes help accelerate the bacterial break down process of the solids and is cheaper than expensive store bought septic tank treatments. Nicely done brother !!
I was wondering about roots. Just to help prevent & last longer.
City plumber here, never delt w.septic systems before but I love this system. They make long sweeps w.an outlet on its side where you could have that peekaboo at the last barrel and continue on with some perforated piping for an additional leech field just to be safe. Might last 25+ years w.basic maintenance.
I made a similar system with a 300 gallon plastic tote and two plastic barrels with 2 10ft drain pipes and a load of gravel. It's been working great for over 5 years now. There are 2 "tiny homes" (an RV and a converted shed) attached to it.
300 gallon tote for solids and 2 55 gallon drums for your liquid drainage?
Out here in west Tennessee myself, and I'm with you, brother. "The law to live trumps all laws and codes". When I build my 20 unit apartment complex in Ukraine, I'm using this design, however, I might modify for a leach field.
I'm in west Tennessee I'm building this too
I figured if my next door neighbors are allowed to have a thirty foot high pile of cow shit behind my back fence I'm not going to bother checking for "codes" when i save myself thousands of dollars this spring building this. Thanks for the video
Awesome!
Whats the best way to drill holes on 2nd amd 3rd barrels. If theyre already set that sufficient. Number oh holes and heught for last 2 barrels thats sufficient@theappalachianamerican8607
Fantastic video btw. Thank you for sharing the info
I did the same thing on a cabin. I built for my son. Used 4 tanks. 2 were for solids. One feeds into the other. Then that 2nd solid tank feeds into 2 drain field tanks drilled with holes and filled with crushed stone.
I did this with 2 barrels, and 20 feet of perforated black drain pipe.
It worked perfectly.
No smell, no mess.
Its suggested to use 2 for one person, and add one for each additional person.
I think its as efficient and hygenic as the approved ones.
Btw, someone left an older used one here, and it let it evaporate, and when it was over, it had only a small amount of "dirt" , and you'd never guess what it was.
Great simple system...Too many channels don't explain things simply and make it sound complicated...As septic systems are basically a simple process...One thing you could do is run a 4" line into first barrel so you can have a access line to pump the solids ...You also could wrap the two drain barrels with non woven fabric before backfilling and place some gravel around the base of the last two barrels...and lay fabric over the gravel then backfill
like my grandpa always said what they don't know won't hurt them
Watching in from Fiji...We do these kinds of Septic Tank Procedure. It saves us alotta money as we have plastic barrels scattered around and is put to good use
Vinaka 👌🏽
I love the logical attention this man pays and the way he speaks when appointing logic.
Haaa? 🤣
"a twenty unit apartment complex" 😂 you killed me with that one
Me too. It blows my mind a three drum can handle 20 unit apartment. And I believe him saying it in a very confident tone.😮
A better way to do this is to use blue barrels with removable lids and bands. This guy used an excavator whereas I used a hand shovel. I used 4 barrels and 2 twenty foot leech lines. Trenches and pit, was done by hand and with removable lids, connections were a snap! All told the digging, fitment, and backfill took about 2 months. Sure beats pooping in 13 gallon trash bags!
One of the better hillbilly septic systems that I've seen.
My deceased uncle did similar in Oklahoma decades ago, still going strong for a single person/couple living in an old house. Never been pumped either.
Very helpful video. I am about to buy a travel trailer to put on my farm out in rural Texas. I have been looking for a septic solution and your system fits the bill. Thank you for taking the time to put this video together-- and thanks for the clarification on the 3-1/4" hole--that was the only thing that didnt make any sense and I didnt see your correction until i decided to comment. Thanks again!
Thank you
Many thanks due The Appalachian American for saving me from drifting into long laber and high cost. A relative dug up the needed trench for free and added a gift of directing me to the barrel configuration. I have one steel 55Gal. barrel and two plastic ones. I will cover the barrels with double nylon sheets and some lumber, then cover the lot with soil. The relative suggested also to surround the barrels with rocks and gravel. I cannot thank you more. I loved what Appalachians were introduced in the movie "Deliverance". I am Lebanese got my education in the USA in mid 1960s.
Great details for the beginners going off-grid.
I was raised in the Florida Everglades and Dad used a similar system with steel barrels. Worked for 5 years till we moved away.
Head's up on a few things I've learned about lately;
Put some live yeast into the first barrel to activate the solid's breakdown faster and NEVER use harsh chemicals to clean the toilet with which will stop this process. Use natural soap, biodegradable, nontoxic cleaners.
SIMPLE GREEN is my choice.
Also to prevent roots from growing into the system you can use a copper mesh wire around the barrels, a little costly but saves on digging again or building another system.
I liked the other comments about using tomatoes and maggot infested critters. Haven't tried it yet but I will keep those in mind.
I Also use a small odor controlled trash can next to my toilet for after doing my paperwork, since I prefer a thicker paper that would plug up most RV systems, then I burn that every night before bed along with the other paper/wood/cardboard trash. I compost my biodegradables and any meat scraps go to the cat, dog and what ever stray creatures come along after they are done.
Thanks
Hilarious and really enjoyed. Very educative. With love from Zambia
My friend has a similar system on his land but on a bigger scale and he is very happy with it 😊 thanks for sharing
I didn't know you could do that. You're genius
I live in Peru and pay $370 for a plastic septic tank that works very well. They call it a biodigestor. I can buy those plastic barrels for $30 a piece so this would save me money for an economy job
Backfill them last two barrels with some stone and it'll drain much better that's a nice setup you got there
Well done.
Thanks.
People don't understand how important sanitation is.
"people don't understand how important sanitation is"? What people exactly?
I think I do...
Good information Sir. If a lot of places have this in place we would protect our water and the environment as a whole.
Screw the codes. Screw them. All they are there for is so the government or some rich ceo can make a little extra scratch.
I did a similar thing for my camper, I lived in it for a bit when covid hit. But I had 4 barrels in a square pattern, all dumping across to each other. But all of my barrels had holes, and I had probably 200’ of pipe coming out into a makeshift leech field, added this part. I dig a hole that left 24” around the entire collage and I buried the entire thing with gravel not dirt except the top 4-6”
If you place large rocks around the outside of the blue cans it gives a leach system then a plastic film can be placed over the hole supported by the rocks. Cover this film with a few inches of dirt and you have a leach system that won't collapse inward and with the dirt over it no oder..
Nice job loved the way you laid it out.
Love this, but could you show how the final product looks, like after all filled in and the attaching of the toilet, etc. Thank you
I love this video...from Mizoram, India
TY. I’m adding a small home & will be using this. I originally thinking 2 barrels but 3 is better. NE TN here too. I will add a cloth around the 2nd & 3rd barrels. I alrdy had to fix my main septic to the house cause of roots clogging the main outlet line. Easy fix with a backhoe
Thank you for this informative Video! My Parents’ Cabin might just have to make use of your idea. ✌🏻😎
After 7 months how has it been going? Do you recommend any alterations? Jim in California
Thank you so much! Really appreciate your awesome knowledge.
I did this for my grey water from the washer I put in the garage, cheaper then hooking it to the main septic, and easier.
Excellent video my friend! Thanks for sharing 🙏🏻 I too am in TN and this method will be perfect for my situation! 🤌🏼
Great, video. I'm no Ukrainian but I know ingenuity when I see it.
Ukrainians smart ?
Although I would prefer an aerobic system I love this idea as it requires less maintenance (no additional energy required) 2 things to consider Tow barrels for the first section ( greatly increased capacity) Instead of a grinder which is expensive and requires power You might consider using Bidets which eliminate the need for TP. Thanks so much for this video. OH BTW Important not mentioned please do a perc test to determine if the soil has the capacity to leach effluent. Too much clay in the soil will greatly affect the system and it can fill up fast.
hey i like this guys attitude! hell yeah great video! thanks!
Thank you for the advice!
On the last pipe, could you run a field line about 50 feet?
Your tree roots will love you
Great video my friend many thanks from n Ireland 🤝
Hello, thank you for information. Very helpful. What is the capacity of this system? Can it handle a toilet, two sinks and a shower for an off-grid cabin with intermittent use? Thanks!
I have used these before but I cut them lengthwise, remove the top and lay them end to end with the ends overlapping. It's very strong and will not compress underground. The end effect is the plastic half drums end up forming a long arch. The structure is not unlike the leaching chambers that a lot of people use in place of the older leach line systems that tend to clog with roots on occasion. Of course this would never go in a big city such as say, San Francisco. Cities like San Francisco have highly technical and ridged building codes. No way can you just throw up a makeshift shelter there and just shit in the streets. There would be human fecies all over the town and eventually medieval disease would start to spread. That's why big cities have these codes to protect public health.
I rather think it's ashamed urban areas don't allow certain citizens to enjoy primitive camping on city sidewalks.
They could perform valuable municipal services like picking up trash, making commuters' windshield sparkle, keeping on the lookout for and notifying authorities about "shady" characters and most importantly beautifying our underpasses with folk art.
@@maxi-me It is a shame indeed. Maybe in the future though we can have a society that allows that and we can all reap the benefits.
Oh wait. The homeless people in San Francisco are already shitting in the streets. Have you not heard. They have a shit avoiding map you can purchase to try not to step in it.
I see what you did there..... Well played sir. 😂
A lot of people had these systems where I grew up. They were all two barrel systems made from the steel drums and 50’ of field line. They didn’t perforate the second barrel. The main problems people had with them was rusting out and root masses inside around where the pipe went in or out. This system shouldn’t have any problems.
Nice idea but I would be concerned about the soil compressong the barrels;but maybe starting out with full (H2O) ma prevent crushing.
My only advise is, if you can route grey water (wash water, soaps, detergents, clorox, any bacteria killing substance) away from the first digester and onto a fourth tank (grey water only barrel) that would be good. If you dont kill off the bacteria digesting the waste you wont have solids building up.
Your only expense would be the extra PVC you'd have to by but it beats the cost of a honey dipper truv coming to pump ot the system
Yup...this is what i needed!!! Ty
You're welcome
Thanks I have been thinking about using barrels for a septic system. I wasn't sure about the best way to make it work . I was going to use two barrels and 5 or 10 gallon bucket for a junction box drain field ? 3 and like you're and third barrel 3 drain fields . I have wet land here in GA It's 1 just for temporary . Camper that is being remolding into a tiny house to live in while I'm remodeling on the main two homes and building tiny houses on the land . The main house has a septic system in the back yard but bought the place camper was in front yard 50 ft + away house , camper was in bad shape to move it but still can live in part of it while remolding , I needed a septic system. But the water table is a few feet, digging 1 or 2 ft down the water starts filling in the hole . The well pump is 20 ft and 8 or 10 hit water . Question is the barrel septic system works for a temporary 3 to 6 month on wet land? And what the best way I build system to work where I wouldn't have to pump solids out of the septic system ?
put crushed stone, encapsulated in filter fabric, around the leaching barrels so the stone doesn't get choked up with dirt and reduce its ability to disperse / infiltrate the liquids.
What is the purpose of using sanitary T's instead of a straight T, or just an elbow? Also, with the way you've cut the "lid" in the top, what keeps dirt and debris out and what keeps it from caving in on the sides?
Wondering. can this same system be made with a shallower series of barrels. Probably about 25 gallon size... I am just thinking the digging may be better on the upper level of the soil as opposed to lower... Probably finishing off with a longer tube run...the type that uses foam popcorn wrapped arounfd a perf. tube...for a drain field.
Yes
Aloha Appalachian American: Stan here in Maui I am getting ready to install your 3 barrels septic system this Saturday..I like your design very much thanks for putting it on Utube..I have two questions: I am planning to fill the area around the barrels to about 20" with 1 1/4" gravel (I drilled 1" holes in barrels 2 and 3) and then I am thinking off putting window screening on top of the gravel and then top off the gravel level to the surface with a mixture of excavated soil and gravel. that would be about 20" on top of the gravel/screening..My thought is that the screening would slow or stop dirt from above from entering the weeping field..What do you think about this idea? Stan
How often do you get the tanks sewage pumped out. It won't dissolve and disappear you know. The barrel is too small to promote proper breakdown of the solids and papers
What keeps the flaps you cut in the top from caving in after you cover it with dirt? Soil is 100#'s per cubic foot. Eventually, that little metal tab will give way and you'll have a barrel full of dirt and a nasty job fixing it.
Good DIY off grid septic sir!
good man--you helped many people in need r
I hate to be a negative Nancy here, but for someone who has installed septics for 30 years, there are a lot of problem with this. First , if you don't test the soils where you plan to install one of these, and you have a lot of clay types of soils these don't work well. Second a lot of time is spent talking about gravity of this which is worthless and the 2nd and 3rd barrels are over kill and not needed if you don't seal joints between barrels. You might as well do like we used to do in northern Georgia just out of high school... dig a big pit, take a steel 55 gal barrel put holes in it and run the pipe to the top , put gavel around and over the barrel, backfill and don't look back! You might as well use the old out-house method of dig a hole stack stones , or put in a small steel or wood barrel, put large stones around it put you out-house over it and when fill , just move the out-house!
Over the years we have dug up and replace or cleaned up this bio hazard messes. So if you are going to do one of these cheap outlaw DIY systems, first make sure you have the right type of soils like sandy or rocky for proper leeching. Second, make sure your plumbing to, in and out of the first barrel is sealed. Otherwise the rest is not needed and a waste of your time money and effort! Third, as many have suggested here, dig you hole and extra 8 to 12 inches deep to have that much stone under your barrels! Spend the time and money to line your hole with silt or landscape fabric before putting you stone in! Think I'm lying? Ask any home owner or excavating contractor who dealt with a basement with water coming in due to a silted up footer drain! Understand hydraulics. Water travels throught the ground taking silt and mineral with it and silt in your stone. If you install an extended leech pipe away from your system, spend the extra money to use a silt sock over the pipe and have at minimum, 6 to 8 inches of stone around your pips! If it were me, I would add a 6 or 8 inch stand pipe wiith a cleanout cap for each barrel for inspection or cleaning.
Don't need anything in the City of SanFrancisco where they just poop on the sidewalks and streets 😂😂
We grew up with an out house. It had a shower and everything! You have to cover the leavings with dirt when you move it.
Loved the video. Question: how do you pump the solids fromt he first barrel?
Just need clarity. When you say drop the barrel are you actually dropping the barrel down about an inch or just the inlets and outlets? In your reckoning, when would the first barrel need to be cleared? Two people will be using this. What size are these barrels? Litre wise.
I appreciate your disclaimer. Some people need rules made by people not the actual laws of nature, which this follows
What is the idea of the pipes connecting bagels 2 and 3 if they have lots of holes in the side?
About to start our four barrel system on our California 5 acre High Desert property!
Very cool! How could the user pump it without relying on a company? What would you do with the solids?
Had to subscribe 😂 Loved the intro
Won’t the toilet paper get clogged in the top of the sanitary T? Sorry I’m not sure how that works exactly. It seems the toilet paper would get in there?
Great job explaining everything. This obviously isn't your first rodeo
Thanks
check out bio filter, for the discharge, will discharge clean water to code. allowing to not have holes and discharge sewage into ground,
Where can I find more info on this?
@@SSingh-nr8qz search The Benefits Behind Biofiltration for a Wastewater Treatment
Interesting to see other systems than I am usually installing (which is factory manufactured systems in Northern Europe). This is almost a 3-chamber system, which is good, even if not according to US code regulations. However, I would only drill holes in the third barrell. And T-connections are probably not needed for the ingoing connections in the 2nd and 3rd barrel. But it is not bad to have it. Still, the outgoing water might need some more infiltration area than this, depending on the use of the septic system. A gravel field is usually used, but there are cubes made of plastic netting that reduces the infiltration area needed. Perhaps something similar can be used for this. With these modifications you might get a system that actually is quite efficient compared to regulatory approved systems with little risk of contaminating drinking water sources.
Thanks
Explain those "cubes" more lol. 😂
@@theappalachianamerican8607"soakaway crates."
Nice video about the 3-barrel septic system. My question is: Can one empty the first barrel when the system gets full over time?
I’d say that is why he put the door on it. There really wouldn’t be much reason for access to the first 2 barrels. Only reason I could think of is maybe if your ex came over asking for a drink!!!!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂
I built a similar system and the run off is cleaner (yes, tested) than my original (to NC code) system.
I filter through the three "chambers", through a screen "catch" than out to my leach field
doe you fill the barrel with gravel or around the barrels.? is this just for toilet or shower and sink as well? I'm confused as to how it is filtered and draining through the holes without contaminating the dirt around the barrels. not nik picking actually want answers lol I do like this build and set up. does it literally just fill up and overflow intthe next barrel just sems strange hkw it would overflow into the 3rd tank if the 2nd tank has holes?
i grew up where most people had systems like this and sadly some ran it off in the ditch or creek instead.. this is a much better option and does work
You said 1&1/4 inch hole saw, so what size pipe are you using? I like your idea but thought that you need a larger pipe. Would you need a 4 inch hole saw and a 4 inch pipe? I'm not a troll. I want to install this setup.
When you fill in the dirt, is there no worry of dirt getting into the holes?
The law to live ..... Well said - great vid 👍 - new sub - GOD bless from KY
Will the last two barrels not cave in when you backfill will your gravel and dirt?
No they are really Ridgid
Are you going to put gravel where the holes are in the barrel on the outside That way the dirt don't clog them up
Will rural counties in TN that still have no codes on unrestricted land allow home owners to put in their own septic like this?
Allow homeowners? Damn son. Put down the cool aid
Same question I have. Do you just hope the county doesn't show up? Anyone going off grid knows that the county is your biggest hurtle. They have enormous power. Right or wrong.
What do you put in the bottom of the hole? Sand small stones. Liquid will be draining out of the hole from the second and third barrels.
Very nice job. I think it even may be a little over kill 😊. My question to you is how do you get a 3” pipe though a 1” and a 1/4”hole 🤔. I’m a retired master plumber that’s a good trick 😊. After watching the hole video I see you are using the second barrels for a leach line 😊. I like the idea, I think I would like to have more than one barrel for the solids :-). I’ve had a lot of septics pumped over the years and a small septic will fill up pretty quickly 😢.
If your really a retired Master Plumber then you understand Scooter that it’s no problem to squeeze a 3” fitting into an 1 1/4” hole with the right amount of plumbers lube brother 😂
Great video my friend thanks for the information
Dumb question- what's stopping the poo building up in tank 1?
So i tried to use a plastic barrel like this and the soil pressed the sides of the tank in. I am going to try wrapping the barrel with wire fencing, then use sprayfoam to cover the wire with about 3 inches of polyfoam. I'm hoping the strength of the plastic will be as good as putting cement around the barrel. If the sprayfoam doesn't work then cement will have to be put around the barrels.
The other thing i did with my barrels was to cut off the bottom of another barrel and place the top half over the tank barrel. I cut the top out of the barrel half then i had a service space over the tank barrel.
Also I'm going to put a dirty water pump in the tank to pump out the sludge once a month so it can digest better.
From what I understand, people have been saying fill the barrels with holes in them with gravel to keep them from caving in...... would be interested to hear what you ultimately used as a solution and how it's working out for you
What about a clean out in the first barrel? Do you still put one in line prior to 1st barrel like normal? Or do you just re dig it if it fill up and then do clean out? I want to do this for a camper setup.
Out of curiosity, how would this kind of system be brought up to code?
In some places, like a few Arizona counties, these systems ARE within code. I've seen these types of system be permitted and passed by inspectors.
My grandparents had this on their farm in Missouri in the 50's. Only problems ever were in the summer when people would come to visit and put TP in the toilet. Grandpa would have to go unclog the pipe going to the barnyard. We all knew better: TP went in the trash can.
If you use a cloth to wash & wipe is even better.
Just use three sea shells like normal people.
@@jameskane4600 corn cobs