Pressure actually decreases as water flows thru the Venturi. That’s why the flow speed increases. It’s also why the ozone gets pulled into the tube because it’s going to an area of lower pressure
It looks great, but honestly, I would prefer to have purely filtered water going back into the tub and also if possible through the pump and chiller - so essentially the first part of the whole system would be a direct input and output through the water filter and after the water has passed through there, would I make a T -section or 45 degree angle section, where the water would split and part would go through the venturi injector and part would pass freely through the other section and they would meet up and continue through the pump and chiller and back into the tub (not sure of the hydrodynamics there (no engineer here) - so Im not sure that the water wouldnt choose the direction of least resistance and just bypass the venturi injector, but the idea is not that different from what you have going here, so it should work). The idea is to protect the pump and chiller from larger debris, that might actually escape the filter, when you have this system, where only part of the pumped water is actually filtered. But great project overall - I am very interested in how you handle condensation - on the tub itself and also in the filtration/cooling part of your build - that seems to be a nightmare and biggest hazard in terms of water/electricity interaction and of course a constant puddle underneath the tub limiting indoors use, where the temperature differential is huge
I like how you think! The setup I have here is how most hot tubs/commercial plunges are set up plumbing-wise. I totally understand the logic in your idea, but I think with the use of the cold plunge from a frequency and time perspective the need for all of the water to be filtered in-line could be overkill (which I greatly appreciate). Most tubs should have a strainer cap on the outlet to catch the large debris, and then the turnover rate of the water should filter out most everything else. Even if you set it up with that extra bypass, there is no guarantee all debris will leave the tub to be filtered anyway.
Question! Part 1.) Since the ozone technically only needs to run 1 hr per day, would it make sense to include a shut off valve to the ozone to optimize the water pressure through the filter and chiller? But mainly for the chiller. Part 2.) Thinking through it further now, in a similar case, an additional split/shut off valve to the filter would optimize pressure for times where the plunge is “locked” and covered. It would technically put the chiller at risk of something foreign entering, but after a few hours running through the filter after use, it seems everything would be filtered enough to run directly to the chiller? This might optimize pump and chiller performance in the unused hours? Thinking out loud. Look forward to your response! Thinking further, I see how that would make the entire process manual vs automatic given the ozone/ timer piece. So certainly some downside there. Btw I’m building my own based off your plans. Currently going with the 1 hp penguin model, as suggested, however it’s seems orders may be backlogged. Is the reducing of pump pressure primarily a lower hp issue? Or is it the other way around?
All good questions! For me, the simplest, most hands off way is the most appealing. You can absolutely add those bypasses if you want and think it would be beneficial. As far as the chillers question - my understanding is that high PSI can be an issue regardless of size, you will just want to make sure there is adequate flow rate going through the chiller.
Hey brother! Does the ozone unit have to be placed/installed above the water line? or does it matter? Just binged watch your videos to build my own DIY. Thank you for all the info and effort!
I just started following you, and love all the videos. I'm getting ready to order the plans for the enclosed 100gal tank. My question is with this ozone set up, what are you using to test the water to know when to change the water? My wife and i will be using probably 3 times a week or so
Good Q! Test strips will help a bit, but our tap water isn't the most "balanced" to begin with. I went over 100 days without a change plunging every day. Sometimes clean, sometimes after a workout.
Plumber here, love the design. My observation would be when you make that loop with the venturi and then heads back to the outlet side of the water filter, you are creating some back pressure that could affect your filter and flow. A suggestion would be to perhaps put a 90 down after the outlet of the water filter, then add a spring check to avoid back pressure, then add your T to complete the loop with the venturi.
@@dragsbae Imagine your homemade water filtration system like a garden hose. In this system, you’ve crafted a special loop, similar to bending the hose, which includes a ‘venturi,’ a point where the pipe narrows. This narrowing speeds up the water, essential for your system’s functionality. However, this loop creates a complication known as ‘back pressure,’ akin to a traffic jam in your water filter. Like cars piling up due to a roadblock, water faces resistance, slowing down its flow and hindering the filter’s effectiveness. To address this, think of adding a smooth curve, like a 90-degree bend, right after the water exits the filter. This curve guides the water gently, preventing the abrupt stop that causes back pressure. Additionally, incorporating a spring check valve acts like a one-way gate, allowing water to flow forward but preventing it from flowing backward, thus avoiding any pressure build-up. Finally, you reconnect this improved path to your venturi loop using a ‘T’ connection. This is like a three-way intersection, seamlessly integrating the modified path into your loop. This design ensures a smooth, efficient flow of water through your filtration system, preventing any back pressure and enhancing the overall performance of your homemade water filter.
Parallel the Venturi after the filter discharge, then add a valve on the main post filter discharge line to adjust the flow to the Venturi / mail line 👍
This way all the water passes through the filter and the filtered water is injected with ozone and you avoid trying to send full pressure through the Venturi 👌
It's a good thought, you won't notice any difference in performance on a closed loop system this small though. You can do that, but this condenses the system down.
Hey man, thanks for providing such awesome content. I ordered the venturi and ozone generator from you and am returning the stuff I bought from Amazon. My question for you, is are you concerned about the flow rate of those whole home water filtration kits? Yours and mine that I ordered both say flow rate of 4GPM which appears to restrict flow by a lot compared to what our pumps are doing and what our chillers want to see. What are your thoughts on this?
What chiller are you running? I've been able to run both 1/4HP and 1/2HP without issue. Keep in mind that every inch and turn of plumbing will reduce the flow rate of your pump.
Hey mate, your design and throughly process in developing this is really great! I’m looking at building this for a chest freezer setup after plumping the ozone line through the lid, do you know if the filter and pump can be submerged? Cheers from Australia!
I spoke with the manufacturer of my Vevor brand 1/3HP chiller and they said not to use Ozone with their chiller. Any other recommendations to sanitize a plunge?? Thanks in advance! Love the channel and really appreciate the transparency and help!
With a filtration system like this, what is the total maintenance for an ice regulated cold plunge? (Frequency of filter changes/ water draining/ etc). I want to make sure I’m doing everything I can to maintain my system! Thank you for your videos!
If you are doing ice, you'll likely need more frequent filter changes and draining/cleanings with the potential for new debris/contaminants with every "icing" lots of surface area for stuff to stick to and then melt into your plunge. I'm on 1 filter every 5-6 weeks for mine.
If you're not using a filter (I have an inline strainer before the pump), would you see issues with doing an inline venturi that is located close to the outlet (after both the pump and the chiller)?
Hi! just started following. Great content! Thank you! Trying to build my own plunge while following your stuff. Would you be able to create a video showing how you're able to set timers for your pump/chiller/ozone? Do you use a thermostat to determine when the chiller kicks in? If so, do you run ozone on a separate timer? and .... if so (sorry for the run on) how do you get the pump to run with ozone when needed, then with chiller (and not ozone) when needed? I feel I'm making this more challenging than it needs to be. If you've already answered these questions either in a different video, or in part of your paid content, please point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance.
Hey! Pump & Chiller run 24/7 (as they are designed to do) and the ozone is on a Christmas light timer like this set to 60min/day for me. amzn.to/44Hzct6
Question: Why do you filter after the water passes through the chiller? I'm thinking I don't want sediment getting into the chiller so it would make sense to filter before the chiller. Thanks for these videos.
Why does my cold plunge feel slimy? I have a simple portable one right now from Amazon right now and don’t want to upgrade until I figure this out. I get in right after I shower but after three or four days it starts to feel slimy on the floor and walls. I use ice and frozen water bottles to get it cold and keep a lid on it all the time that I’m not using it. Is it from stagnant water? Is it the oils from my body or something else? Do I need to use chemicals or get some kind of pump/ filtration device? Or would a water chiller keep it moving enough (if it’s from stagnant water) to prevent this from happening? Or do I just have to keep draining and cleaning it? Thank you
If you don't have any filtration or sanitation method in place, your water is going won't keep long. Frozen water bottles likely bring in some sort of dirt/debris on the surface too. You'll either need to replace water more frequently or have filtration AND sanitation methods in place.
It looks like you are using the tubs premade drain as the inlet source to the pump instead of having to drill a hole at the bottom? Will there be enough flow with that sized piping? I’d like to avoid drilling if possible. Thank you!
Thanks for the great info! Is there any reason to not have the sanitation system setup prior to the chiller? I'm thinking it would save the chiller, but maybe the ozone should not go into the chiller....
My guess is that you won't be able to create a vacuum. The ratings don't always translate 100% Every piece of pipe, fitting, turn, etc. drastically reduce the flow rate. I would honestly be surprised if the 350 truly put out 350 directly out of the pump.
I had to slightly close the filter in order to get suction from the top of the Venturi. 3 weeks in, I had it open all the way and was getting no ozone into the water. Seems to be working now with it slightly closed
I think it's pretty darn safe, it's been used in hot tubs for years. I know there are concerns with using it indoors/not on a timer but I have several friends who have commercial plunges in their facilities and homes - all that use ozone.
Received order last night. Appreciate the quick shipping and look forward to replicating this build. Have my ice barrel indoors in a storage room in the basement. Bought a programmable timer and planned to set to run for 30-60 mins each night. What level or duration of exposure would lead to health concerns? Any recommendations to mitigate?
I don't have experience with it, but the bigger generators are definitely overkill IMO, and the kitchen ones you can find on Amazon specifically say not for use in a a spa/cold plunge setting from the manufacturer.
Yep! My plumbing plan includes shutoff valves to you can remove each component if needed or repairs/replacement 👉diycoldplunge.com/collections/stock-tank-plans-products
If I get a 1 inch Venturi injector, can I just run it in line then (my piping is all 1 inch)? Presumably that shouldn’t create an issue with the flow since the piping will remain 1 inch. Thanks Joe! Really appreciate the info.
Thanks joe, you are the man! One more question, can I just extend a typical ozone generator in the tub via a tube / water diffuser? That’s what I have been using to start. Was curious if the Venturi injector is a better approach for some reason. I’ve noticed the typical generator have higher outputs too. Thanks !!
I’m new to all the technical info about filters and pumps but I’ve been using a big chest freezer and just looking for a simple filter system for it. Winter’s coming so not going to use a chiller for now. Do you think this setup would be a good idea with a chest freezer?
I've seen a lot of folks use a Marineland filter/pump for freezers. The only thing with this system is you'll want to feed the tubing outside of the freezer. I'm not sure how complicated that would be.
I'm about to utilize a Costco hot tub tough to build my cold plunge why haven't other people done this maybe because it holds a 1000 gallons of water but it seems like a great option
I would speculate the main reason is the size. Most 1HP chillers are recommended for up to 300 gallons I believe - could be slightly off on that. But even so, that is more than 3x the recommended amount of water.
How long do you let the ozone generator run on the system a day? Have any issues with the ozone concentrations being high enough to cause throat and lung issues?
Appreciate all the info you've put together on this subject, thank you. Since I don't see a way to search for the answer I have in previous comments... Is there a reason you've not incorporated a UV light into this system for very thoroughly killing any other bacteria roaming around? I don't fully understand the "stack" of the filter & the venturi inlet... but could you not just stack the UV light on top of this? Or would it be better in line? I would have thought all of these would be best suited in-line... but I'm not that level of a home engineer. :O)
Follow up to my question... my goal is to have the entire pump, house filter, venturi inlet & UV light submersed in my deep freezer build as a drop in set up.
UV doesn't work as well as ozone, and there are a few different companies that used to offer UV that don't anymore because ozone is nearly as effective on its own. UV bulbs degrade over time, and they can be a pain to replace. If you go UV, depending on flow rate you could maybe keep it in line
Thanks for this... But I'll be planning to set it up on my drinking water filtration (alkaline water). First, municipal water will pass through pre-filtering stage wherein the water inlet goes through the 40 micron filter w/backwash that goes out with your ozonizer setup but will be using the ceramic base washable candle filter (0.1 - 0.9 micron). With such a setup, some water got through the ozonizer (breaking down and sanitized the water) and some goes through the ceramic filter. Then, after this stage... It goes finally to the alkaline filtration setup wherein it goes through seven stage of filtration that start with a 1 micron sediment filter... then UDF, CTO, UF, Alkaline,T33, and finally the output alkaline water goes through the UV sanitation.
I created the same system and am wondering if the pressure or volume of water going into the filter exceeds the flow rate (in PSI's) to make the filter ineffective? I see you don't have it installed but I assume you get my question. The housing has turned into a whirlpool and may not hold the particulates? Thanks!
For sure. It's a balance of making sure there is enough flow to create the vacuum at the venturi and not overworking the pump. My setup has worked well so far 👍
@@DIYColdPlunge True that. Many chillers have limitations on incoming pressure but many pumps express GPM's versus PSI ratings. I may have recently killed my 1HP chiller BUT it may not be related to the pressure. Thanks for your engagement and response !
Great video. So with a venturi setup you don't need a ozonator with a pump? I'm trying to understand using the difference between the Ambohr and the Jed 203( over $300 w/built in pump).
Hey! Yes you are correct. If you use the venturi there is no need for a pump. It definitely makes it more affordable and pairing it with the filter saves alot of space.
@@DIYColdPlunge so to clarify, if you do this filter setup with the venturi it will create enough suction with ozone generator to move the water? Or does one need to purchase a Danner 1200 or another pump?
@@johnhuppenbauer4949 The Danner is a water pump. You will need that to have both the filter and venturi work correctly. I have a components guide that dives into the core pieces here linktr.ee/diycoldplunge
Question; have you considered UV-C light as an alternative to Ozone? How does OZONE go with metal corrosion? I read it can corrode metals so was exploring alternative sanitisation for algae
Hey! I haven't had a ton of time to dig into this. What I've seen/heard is that UV is a good option, but that ozone is superior. Companies like "The Plunge" started with UV and ozone but now only use ozone because it is just as effective. The bulbs in UV filters diminish over time, decreasing it's effectiveness and can possibly be a pain to replace. As far as compatibility with steel tanks, ozone is used in the Morozko Forge - so I would assume the fact that it's galvanized would protect it but I don't have any personal experience with it. The corrosion is the main reason I recommend the rubbermaid tanks 👍 Hope this helps!
Where do you get the ozone machine? I have a cold plunge, but it gets dirty very quickly. I also bought a cover for it and the cover started to get moldy on the inside! yuck!
Any issues with ozone and the stock tanks? Not sure if the galvanized steal has any issues and if the inline injector would account for any potential issues.
Galvalnized steel is listed as incompatible with ozone. I would stick to HDPE or something. I use a 360L HDPE wheeled recycle bin with ozone and chiller
What kind of pump are you using to move the water? Looking at the penguin chiller owners manual, I see the unit needs 500-1000gph and not to exceed 10ps, how are you controlling that?
I'm using a Danner 1200 pump, and it works great. High flow with enough pressure to pull the ozone through without damaging the chiller - amzn.to/3VW4DeT
@@DIYColdPlunge thanks. One more question. Is it ok if the Venturi injector is not parallel to the ground and the water is going to the chiller before entering the plunge? Thanks
The pumps I use have a very low PSI, and they lose "flow rate" with every length, turn, void (chiller), etc. that is in your plumbing system. So at the point of filtration it isnt 1200. It is probably still slightly higher than the 720gph but I have not had any issues at all.
Hey i want to use this filter system for my build but I am using a 14.8 cf deep freezer and therefore not using a chiller. In my case would i just use a submersible pump to pump into the filter? If so what horsepower do you recomend for it?
Weird, I wonder if they are out of stock or something. Here's the item on Home Depot's site - www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Whole-House-Water-Filtration-System-GXWH20S/202073874
Doesn't the filter create a bottle neck in the system. The GE filter housing you show in video is capable of 12gpm or 720 gph. The Danner pump runs at 1200 gph. Doesn't it cause more load on pump due to back pressure
I haven't had any issues. One thing to consider is that every inch and turn in your plumbing reduces flow rate, along with flowing through your chiller.
I’m having trouble understanding how the water gets in the filtration system if there is no hose going into the water, I’m assuming it’s the black hose that goes into the bottom that is doing the suction but he never showed him installing that hose on the ozone generator and I know nothing about filtration so it’s confusing, can someone confirm if he removed the see through hose and replaced with the black one?
It should go bulkhead from the tank, to a threaded pvc connection, spa hose to the filtration system 👍 I have plans on my site to help with the entire setup if needed! diycoldplunge.com/collections/all-products
That adds 4 feet of head to the system due to all the 90 tees. If you have a longer run, this may be risky due to the build of of PSI. You'd have to upgrade your chiller depending on your chiller
@@luke1the3duke Most chillers have a max PSI rating of 10 PSI, above that and you can crack the heat exchanger. Very costly. Also, a lot of these dinky pumps have a max head rating of 10ft or 12 ft of head height. Head height (in feet) is the number of feet that you are pushing water vertically. My system will have the tub approx 5 feet above the pump and chiller, meaning I have 5 feet of head to push the water from pump to tub. Every elbow or tee you add roughly adds 1 foot of head height. Also the filter adds approx 3 PSI So, you need to run these calculations to make sure your pump can pump it and if you upgrade your pump you need to run the calculations again to make sure you don't crack your coil in the chiller. If you're doing a system where everything is within a a foot or two from each other then this is not a worry but when you are putting your chiller in the basement and your tub in the backyard on your deck like I am, then you must be very careful in running your numbers
@@DanSanniti what’s the correlation of head height to PSI? Edit: looks like 2.31 feet of head = 1psi In that sense 4 feet of head (in your original post) = 1.73 psi doesn’t see like very much But aren’t there technically 6 elbows/tees all together (that last tee seems would be a little funky) which would add 2.6 psi all together? But.. in correlation to the chiller,since the chiller is directly after the pump, wouldn’t filtration not affect the chiller? Or is the psi correlated to the entire system (I’m sure it is)? Wrecking my mind this morning man. I think we need a diagram of the basic system to solve this.. and I have to many questions to do it lol
@@DIYColdPlunge Watched and tightened up the gaps. Housing top and venturi still create some condensation. Gonna have to get that venturi wrapped up better.
Depends on your plumbing setup (and the 700 has 1/2" fittings). I run the Danner 950 with my 1/4HP chillers 👉 diycoldplunge.com/products/danner-950-pump
Electrical engineer here. I am just a tiny bit skeptical at the flow of water through each part of this system. You essentially have 2 parallel paths for water to choose to go through. If they are not perfectly balanced then water will favor one over the other. Just like a short circuit, water and electricity will always follow the path of least resistance. It might be better to just put them in series with each other, one right after the next then you don't have to worry about water choosing which way to go. In series, 100% of water gets both treatments. Cheers!
Hey thanks! I'm not a fan of everything setting it up that way, the flow is drastically reduced goin in-series. Coming up on 2 years with this setup, still works like a charm.
@@jfc8681 Interesting. Well, Penguin has recommended Danner pumps from the beginning. Several commercial plunge units also use their pumps in their builds. I haven't heard of an instance of it becoming an issue or seen any problems in my builds 🤷♂
@@DIYColdPlunge as long as you keep the pump below ware level I think you are safe, if you place the pump At water level that is when it starts to create water bubbles
@@DIYColdPlunge I'm using a Rubbermaid 300 galon stock tank I called penguin chillers they told me the 1/4 and the cold therapy models don't have the capacity to chill a 300galon tank, any other chiller you recommend? thanks man
If you want to support the channel, you can order through this link - www.penguinchillers.com/product/diy-cold-plunge-special/ It would be greatly appreciated!
Seamless design, and most ozone generators people buy with air pumps on Amazon are not powerful enough to sanitize water volume as big as a cold plunge
I'm working on a bundle of parts where there would be very little to assemble, in the meantime this tutorial & plan on my site is the best I can do! diycoldplunge.com/
Are you measuring this? Or just assuming based on specs? Long story short, these pumps are rated at the head of the pump, not for each additional component, pipe length, twist and turn. Each of those will factor into flow rate of the overall system, and you'll need something to push through all of it.
@@DIYColdPlunge I measure the 950 after the filter and the 1/4 chiller and getting 300gph so will actually be upgrading. Thank you. My worry is the 1200 will be stressed if the filter only allows 5gpm like stated on Amazon. Hopefully it will allow a little more. Do you know what you are getting after the filter for gpm ?
@@gregglozanoff8299I found a filter on Amazon rated at 50mcron and a flow of 10GPM. Look up Hydronix SPC-25-1050 I think I looked up the specs from the manufacturers website to find this filter.
I break this down here - th-cam.com/video/RELc6xNzfLM/w-d-xo.html Also, if you want purely filtered water, you'd need to completely transfer from one container to another. As soon as the "filtered" water returns to the tank, its not technically filtered anymore.
Pressure actually decreases as water flows thru the Venturi. That’s why the flow speed increases. It’s also why the ozone gets pulled into the tube because it’s going to an area of lower pressure
👍
Fixed mine! I now have bubbles and ordered it from you. And had my cheap Venturi going the wrong way. Thanks for your videos!
Glad its working!
My cold plunge only has 1/2” ports will there be enough flow for a 3/4” pump to push enough water through to get proper flow for the Venturi?
It looks great, but honestly, I would prefer to have purely filtered water going back into the tub and also if possible through the pump and chiller - so essentially the first part of the whole system would be a direct input and output through the water filter and after the water has passed through there, would I make a T -section or 45 degree angle section, where the water would split and part would go through the venturi injector and part would pass freely through the other section and they would meet up and continue through the pump and chiller and back into the tub (not sure of the hydrodynamics there (no engineer here) - so Im not sure that the water wouldnt choose the direction of least resistance and just bypass the venturi injector, but the idea is not that different from what you have going here, so it should work). The idea is to protect the pump and chiller from larger debris, that might actually escape the filter, when you have this system, where only part of the pumped water is actually filtered.
But great project overall - I am very interested in how you handle condensation - on the tub itself and also in the filtration/cooling part of your build - that seems to be a nightmare and biggest hazard in terms of water/electricity interaction and of course a constant puddle underneath the tub limiting indoors use, where the temperature differential is huge
I like how you think! The setup I have here is how most hot tubs/commercial plunges are set up plumbing-wise. I totally understand the logic in your idea, but I think with the use of the cold plunge from a frequency and time perspective the need for all of the water to be filtered in-line could be overkill (which I greatly appreciate). Most tubs should have a strainer cap on the outlet to catch the large debris, and then the turnover rate of the water should filter out most everything else. Even if you set it up with that extra bypass, there is no guarantee all debris will leave the tub to be filtered anyway.
Damn that's pretty smart not gonna lie haha
Question!
Part 1.) Since the ozone technically only needs to run 1 hr per day, would it make sense to include a shut off valve to the ozone to optimize the water pressure through the filter and chiller? But mainly for the chiller.
Part 2.) Thinking through it further now, in a similar case, an additional split/shut off valve to the filter would optimize pressure for times where the plunge is “locked” and covered. It would technically put the chiller at risk of something foreign entering, but after a few hours running through the filter after use, it seems everything would be filtered enough to run directly to the chiller? This might optimize pump and chiller performance in the unused hours?
Thinking out loud. Look forward to your response!
Thinking further, I see how that would make the entire process manual vs automatic given the ozone/ timer piece. So certainly some downside there.
Btw I’m building my own based off your plans. Currently going with the 1 hp penguin model, as suggested, however it’s seems orders may be backlogged. Is the reducing of pump pressure primarily a lower hp issue? Or is it the other way around?
All good questions! For me, the simplest, most hands off way is the most appealing. You can absolutely add those bypasses if you want and think it would be beneficial. As far as the chillers question - my understanding is that high PSI can be an issue regardless of size, you will just want to make sure there is adequate flow rate going through the chiller.
Thanks joe finally putting the system on my plunge next weekend. Excited to not have to change the water so often
Awesome! Glad this helps.
Hey brother! Does the ozone unit have to be placed/installed above the water line? or does it matter?
Just binged watch your videos to build my own DIY. Thank you for all the info and effort!
It's best if you do, but not absolutely essential. It's a minor layer of defense for water backflow.
I just started following you, and love all the videos. I'm getting ready to order the plans for the enclosed 100gal tank.
My question is with this ozone set up, what are you using to test the water to know when to change the water?
My wife and i will be using probably 3 times a week or so
Good Q! Test strips will help a bit, but our tap water isn't the most "balanced" to begin with. I went over 100 days without a change plunging every day. Sometimes clean, sometimes after a workout.
Great video. Answered all the questions I had from your build video. Much appreciated!
You're welcome!
Plumber here, love the design. My observation would be when you make that loop with the venturi and then heads back to the outlet side of the water filter, you are creating some back pressure that could affect your filter and flow. A suggestion would be to perhaps put a 90 down after the outlet of the water filter, then add a spring check to avoid back pressure, then add your T to complete the loop with the venturi.
Thanks! I didn't even know that was a thing!
I'm having trouble understanding what you are describing. Do you mind rephrasing it for a layman a little more clearly/simply?
@@dragsbae Imagine your homemade water filtration system like a garden hose. In this system, you’ve crafted a special loop, similar to bending the hose, which includes a ‘venturi,’ a point where the pipe narrows. This narrowing speeds up the water, essential for your system’s functionality. However, this loop creates a complication known as ‘back pressure,’ akin to a traffic jam in your water filter. Like cars piling up due to a roadblock, water faces resistance, slowing down its flow and hindering the filter’s effectiveness. To address this, think of adding a smooth curve, like a 90-degree bend, right after the water exits the filter. This curve guides the water gently, preventing the abrupt stop that causes back pressure. Additionally, incorporating a spring check valve acts like a one-way gate, allowing water to flow forward but preventing it from flowing backward, thus avoiding any pressure build-up.
Finally, you reconnect this improved path to your venturi loop using a ‘T’ connection. This is like a three-way intersection, seamlessly integrating the modified path into your loop. This design ensures a smooth, efficient flow of water through your filtration system, preventing any back pressure and enhancing the overall performance of your homemade water filter.
Parallel the Venturi after the filter discharge, then add a valve on the main post filter discharge line to adjust the flow to the Venturi / mail line 👍
This way all the water passes through the filter and the filtered water is injected with ozone and you avoid trying to send full pressure through the Venturi 👌
It's a good thought, you won't notice any difference in performance on a closed loop system this small though. You can do that, but this condenses the system down.
Hey man, thanks for providing such awesome content. I ordered the venturi and ozone generator from you and am returning the stuff I bought from Amazon. My question for you, is are you concerned about the flow rate of those whole home water filtration kits? Yours and mine that I ordered both say flow rate of 4GPM which appears to restrict flow by a lot compared to what our pumps are doing and what our chillers want to see. What are your thoughts on this?
What chiller are you running? I've been able to run both 1/4HP and 1/2HP without issue. Keep in mind that every inch and turn of plumbing will reduce the flow rate of your pump.
Hey mate, your design and throughly process in developing this is really great! I’m looking at building this for a chest freezer setup after plumping the ozone line through the lid, do you know if the filter and pump can be submerged? Cheers from Australia!
Awesome! Yes, they can both be submerged 👍
I spoke with the manufacturer of my Vevor brand 1/3HP chiller and they said not to use Ozone with their chiller. Any other recommendations to sanitize a plunge?? Thanks in advance! Love the channel and really appreciate the transparency and help!
Thanks! I run my components in this order for that reason - th-cam.com/video/RELc6xNzfLM/w-d-xo.html but you could always go chlorine
With a filtration system like this, what is the total maintenance for an ice regulated cold plunge? (Frequency of filter changes/ water draining/ etc). I want to make sure I’m doing everything I can to maintain my system! Thank you for your videos!
If you are doing ice, you'll likely need more frequent filter changes and draining/cleanings with the potential for new debris/contaminants with every "icing" lots of surface area for stuff to stick to and then melt into your plunge. I'm on 1 filter every 5-6 weeks for mine.
If you're not using a filter (I have an inline strainer before the pump), would you see issues with doing an inline venturi that is located close to the outlet (after both the pump and the chiller)?
I'd do a loop with a ball valve so you don't choke the flow, but other than that no issues.
Nice job man, looks like a fun little project and saves lots of money over a jed 303. 👏
thanks!
Hi! just started following. Great content! Thank you! Trying to build my own plunge while following your stuff. Would you be able to create a video showing how you're able to set timers for your pump/chiller/ozone? Do you use a thermostat to determine when the chiller kicks in? If so, do you run ozone on a separate timer? and .... if so (sorry for the run on) how do you get the pump to run with ozone when needed, then with chiller (and not ozone) when needed? I feel I'm making this more challenging than it needs to be. If you've already answered these questions either in a different video, or in part of your paid content, please point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance.
Hey! Pump & Chiller run 24/7 (as they are designed to do) and the ozone is on a Christmas light timer like this set to 60min/day for me. amzn.to/44Hzct6
Question: Why do you filter after the water passes through the chiller? I'm thinking I don't want sediment getting into the chiller so it would make sense to filter before the chiller. Thanks for these videos.
I break that down here - th-cam.com/video/RELc6xNzfLM/w-d-xo.html
Why does my cold plunge feel slimy? I have a simple portable one right now from Amazon right now and don’t want to upgrade until I figure this out. I get in right after I shower but after three or four days it starts to feel slimy on the floor and walls. I use ice and frozen water bottles to get it cold and keep a lid on it all the time that I’m not using it.
Is it from stagnant water? Is it the oils from my body or something else? Do I need to use chemicals or get some kind of pump/ filtration device? Or would a water chiller keep it moving enough (if it’s from stagnant water) to prevent this from happening? Or do I just have to keep draining and cleaning it? Thank you
If you don't have any filtration or sanitation method in place, your water is going won't keep long. Frozen water bottles likely bring in some sort of dirt/debris on the surface too. You'll either need to replace water more frequently or have filtration AND sanitation methods in place.
Perfect. Thank you very much. Following now.
Happy to help!
It looks like you are using the tubs premade drain as the inlet source to the pump instead of having to drill a hole at the bottom? Will there be enough flow with that sized piping? I’d like to avoid drilling if possible. Thank you!
I repurposed the drain hole and haven't had any issues yet 👍
Thanks for the great info! Is there any reason to not have the sanitation system setup prior to the chiller? I'm thinking it would save the chiller, but maybe the ozone should not go into the chiller....
Correct, I'd keep the ozone away from the chiller. Any debri that gets through the drain screen AND pump likely will not harm the chiller at all.
@@DIYColdPlunge thanks, that makes sense
My chiller says not to use a pump rated higher then 420-720 gph. I bought a danner 350 will i be ok with that pump?
My guess is that you won't be able to create a vacuum. The ratings don't always translate 100% Every piece of pipe, fitting, turn, etc. drastically reduce the flow rate. I would honestly be surprised if the 350 truly put out 350 directly out of the pump.
I had to slightly close the filter in order to get suction from the top of the Venturi. 3 weeks in, I had it open all the way and was getting no ozone into the water. Seems to be working now with it slightly closed
What other components are you using? And what order are they in? All of that stuff plays a factor in overall performance
Venturi injector vs bubble diffusion. Is one better than the other?
Venturi ensures proper mixing/circulation and cleans up the overall setup without having tubes draping over - so IMO yes, way better 👍
what do you think about safety of ozone for sanitation?
I think it's pretty darn safe, it's been used in hot tubs for years. I know there are concerns with using it indoors/not on a timer but I have several friends who have commercial plunges in their facilities and homes - all that use ozone.
Received order last night. Appreciate the quick shipping and look forward to replicating this build. Have my ice barrel indoors in a storage room in the basement. Bought a programmable timer and planned to set to run for 30-60 mins each night. What level or duration of exposure would lead to health concerns? Any recommendations to mitigate?
What are the thoughts on using a separate ozone like CAMECO Ozone Generator with Air & Water Modes since it will only be ran an hour a day?
I don't have experience with it, but the bigger generators are definitely overkill IMO, and the kitchen ones you can find on Amazon specifically say not for use in a a spa/cold plunge setting from the manufacturer.
Can this be submerged in a chest freezer with just the ozone generator outside or do you need to drill holes in the freezer for the two tubes?
This can be submerged
Do you have shut off valves in your system somewhere? I was thinking I should put one leaving the chillier and one entering the chiller, thoughts?
Yep! My plumbing plan includes shutoff valves to you can remove each component if needed or repairs/replacement 👉diycoldplunge.com/collections/stock-tank-plans-products
So I'm trying to plan my system out. Should the pump be before or after the chiller? Or does it matter?
I recommend going tank > pump > chiller > filtration & sanitation > tank
If I get a 1 inch Venturi injector, can I just run it in line then (my piping is all 1 inch)? Presumably that shouldn’t create an issue with the flow since the piping will remain 1 inch. Thanks Joe! Really appreciate the info.
Should be good! I'm not sure if you'd need to up pump size with the larger tubing, may need to experiment with that.
Thanks joe, you are the man! One more question, can I just extend a typical ozone generator in the tub via a tube / water diffuser? That’s what I have been using to start. Was curious if the Venturi injector is a better approach for some reason. I’ve noticed the typical generator have higher outputs too. Thanks !!
I’m new to all the technical info about filters and pumps but I’ve been using a big chest freezer and just looking for a simple filter system for it. Winter’s coming so not going to use a chiller for now.
Do you think this setup would be a good idea with a chest freezer?
I've seen a lot of folks use a Marineland filter/pump for freezers. The only thing with this system is you'll want to feed the tubing outside of the freezer. I'm not sure how complicated that would be.
Its not complicated at all. Look up bulkhead fittings. You can connect them directly to the tubing and run a hole through the lid.
I'm about to utilize a Costco hot tub tough to build my cold plunge why haven't other people done this maybe because it holds a 1000 gallons of water but it seems like a great option
I would speculate the main reason is the size. Most 1HP chillers are recommended for up to 300 gallons I believe - could be slightly off on that. But even so, that is more than 3x the recommended amount of water.
How long do you let the ozone generator run on the system a day? Have any issues with the ozone concentrations being high enough to cause throat and lung issues?
I run in 1 hour each day - it starts about an hour after I plunge. I have experienced no issues.
Appreciate all the info you've put together on this subject, thank you. Since I don't see a way to search for the answer I have in previous comments... Is there a reason you've not incorporated a UV light into this system for very thoroughly killing any other bacteria roaming around? I don't fully understand the "stack" of the filter & the venturi inlet... but could you not just stack the UV light on top of this? Or would it be better in line? I would have thought all of these would be best suited in-line... but I'm not that level of a home engineer. :O)
Follow up to my question... my goal is to have the entire pump, house filter, venturi inlet & UV light submersed in my deep freezer build as a drop in set up.
UV doesn't work as well as ozone, and there are a few different companies that used to offer UV that don't anymore because ozone is nearly as effective on its own. UV bulbs degrade over time, and they can be a pain to replace. If you go UV, depending on flow rate you could maybe keep it in line
Thanks for this... But I'll be planning to set it up on my drinking water filtration (alkaline water). First, municipal water will pass through pre-filtering stage wherein the water inlet goes through the 40 micron filter w/backwash that goes out with your ozonizer setup but will be using the ceramic base washable candle filter (0.1 - 0.9 micron). With such a setup, some water got through the ozonizer (breaking down and sanitized the water) and some goes through the ceramic filter. Then, after this stage... It goes finally to the alkaline filtration setup wherein it goes through seven stage of filtration that start with a 1 micron sediment filter... then UDF, CTO, UF, Alkaline,T33, and finally the output alkaline water goes through the UV sanitation.
Nice!
Is there a benefit in using alkaline water?
That sounds incredible!!! Do you have pics, videos, or a website showing your amazing setup?
What size pump? That seems to be my primary concern. And why the focus on alkalinity? Seems to be a lot for a 4 min plunge? No?
I created the same system and am wondering if the pressure or volume of water going into the filter exceeds the flow rate (in PSI's) to make the filter ineffective? I see you don't have it installed but I assume you get my question. The housing has turned into a whirlpool and may not hold the particulates? Thanks!
For sure. It's a balance of making sure there is enough flow to create the vacuum at the venturi and not overworking the pump. My setup has worked well so far 👍
@@DIYColdPlunge True that. Many chillers have limitations on incoming pressure but many pumps express GPM's versus PSI ratings. I may have recently killed my 1HP chiller BUT it may not be related to the pressure. Thanks for your engagement and response !
Great video. So with a venturi setup you don't need a ozonator with a pump? I'm trying to understand using the difference between the Ambohr and the Jed 203( over $300 w/built in pump).
Hey! Yes you are correct. If you use the venturi there is no need for a pump. It definitely makes it more affordable and pairing it with the filter saves alot of space.
@@DIYColdPlunge so to clarify, if you do this filter setup with the venturi it will create enough suction with ozone generator to move the water? Or does one need to purchase a Danner 1200 or another pump?
@@johnhuppenbauer4949 The Danner is a water pump. You will need that to have both the filter and venturi work correctly. I have a components guide that dives into the core pieces here linktr.ee/diycoldplunge
Do you still have to add chemicals (chlorine or bromine)or anything to the water to keep it clean?
I haven't used any additional chemicals. I did my first water change after like 110 days.
Question; have you considered UV-C light as an alternative to Ozone? How does OZONE go with metal corrosion? I read it can corrode metals so was exploring alternative sanitisation for algae
Hey! I haven't had a ton of time to dig into this. What I've seen/heard is that UV is a good option, but that ozone is superior. Companies like "The Plunge" started with UV and ozone but now only use ozone because it is just as effective. The bulbs in UV filters diminish over time, decreasing it's effectiveness and can possibly be a pain to replace. As far as compatibility with steel tanks, ozone is used in the Morozko Forge - so I would assume the fact that it's galvanized would protect it but I don't have any personal experience with it. The corrosion is the main reason I recommend the rubbermaid tanks 👍 Hope this helps!
@@DIYColdPlunge thanks for such a detailed response really valuable
Where do you get the ozone machine? I have a cold plunge, but it gets dirty very quickly. I also bought a cover for it and the cover started to get moldy on the inside! yuck!
diycoldplunge.com/products/ambohr-spa-124-ozone-generator
Any issues with ozone and the stock tanks? Not sure if the galvanized steal has any issues and if the inline injector would account for any potential issues.
Galvalnized steel is listed as incompatible with ozone. I would stick to HDPE or something. I use a 360L HDPE wheeled recycle bin with ozone and chiller
I wish I had an answer here. Morozko uses stock tanks and ozone, but I'd like to experiment before I can say for sure.
What kind of pump are you using to move the water? Looking at the penguin chiller owners manual, I see the unit needs 500-1000gph and not to exceed 10ps, how are you controlling that?
I'm using a Danner 1200 pump, and it works great. High flow with enough pressure to pull the ozone through without damaging the chiller - amzn.to/3VW4DeT
@@DIYColdPlungehave you had issues with pump creating air bubbles in the line and damaging the chiller?
My assumption is this system goes directly into the cooler system. Does ozone injection negatively affect the cooler?
Good Q - Order should be tank > pump > chiller > filtration + sanitation > tank. th-cam.com/video/RELc6xNzfLM/w-d-xo.html
I made the mistake of buying a bigger filter (40L w/ 1” fittings). Can I still make it work, or do I need to use a smaller one like in the video?
You should be able to make that work, you *might* need a more powerful pump to create suction at the venturi - I'm not positive though.
Is there a shopping list in the plans?
Yep! With direct links
Anything to worry about with having the ozone going into the water? E.g. turn it off when getting in?
I haven't had any trouble leaving it on - however it's probably recommended to have it on during a time you are not in the tub
@@DIYColdPlunge thanks. One more question. Is it ok if the Venturi injector is not parallel to the ground and the water is going to the chiller before entering the plunge? Thanks
This filter is rated for 720 gph. Isnt the Danner pump you use now 1200 gph? Have you done anything to ensure these work well together? Thanks
The pumps I use have a very low PSI, and they lose "flow rate" with every length, turn, void (chiller), etc. that is in your plumbing system. So at the point of filtration it isnt 1200. It is probably still slightly higher than the 720gph but I have not had any issues at all.
@@DIYColdPlunge thanks
Hey i want to use this filter system for my build but I am using a 14.8 cf deep freezer and therefore not using a chiller.
In my case would i just use a submersible pump to pump into the filter? If so what horsepower do you recomend for it?
Good questions... I'm not sure the HP, any idea how many gallons per minute for the submersible pump? Mine is 1200
Gallons per hour*
Hey, what is the part number on that filter housing? The one you linked to on Amazon has the opaque white housing, but I'd love the clear one.
Weird, I wonder if they are out of stock or something. Here's the item on Home Depot's site - www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Whole-House-Water-Filtration-System-GXWH20S/202073874
@@DIYColdPlunge Awesome, thanks. I figured that might be the case.
@@APEX.86 You bet! It's nice to have it clear but I prefer this one mostly because it has the shutoff and bypass valve built in.
Doesn't the filter create a bottle neck in the system. The GE filter housing you show in video is capable of 12gpm or 720 gph. The Danner pump runs at 1200 gph. Doesn't it cause more load on pump due to back pressure
I haven't had any issues. One thing to consider is that every inch and turn in your plumbing reduces flow rate, along with flowing through your chiller.
what happen to the intex pump from your first video? Was that not good enough anymore?
My setup has evolved. I wanted to build a plunge that could live outside all year. Nothing wrong with the pool pumps, just not what I needed anymore 👍
I’m having trouble understanding how the water gets in the filtration system if there is no hose going into the water, I’m assuming it’s the black hose that goes into the bottom that is doing the suction but he never showed him installing that hose on the ozone generator and I know nothing about filtration so it’s confusing, can someone confirm if he removed the see through hose and replaced with the black one?
It should go bulkhead from the tank, to a threaded pvc connection, spa hose to the filtration system 👍 I have plans on my site to help with the entire setup if needed! diycoldplunge.com/collections/all-products
That adds 4 feet of head to the system due to all the 90 tees. If you have a longer run, this may be risky due to the build of of PSI. You'd have to upgrade your chiller depending on your chiller
What does this mean?
@@luke1the3duke Most chillers have a max PSI rating of 10 PSI, above that and you can crack the heat exchanger. Very costly. Also, a lot of these dinky pumps have a max head rating of 10ft or 12 ft of head height. Head height (in feet) is the number of feet that you are pushing water vertically. My system will have the tub approx 5 feet above the pump and chiller, meaning I have 5 feet of head to push the water from pump to tub. Every elbow or tee you add roughly adds 1 foot of head height. Also the filter adds approx 3 PSI
So, you need to run these calculations to make sure your pump can pump it and if you upgrade your pump you need to run the calculations again to make sure you don't crack your coil in the chiller.
If you're doing a system where everything is within a a foot or two from each other then this is not a worry but when you are putting your chiller in the basement and your tub in the backyard on your deck like I am, then you must be very careful in running your numbers
good info 👍
@@DanSanniti what’s the correlation of head height to PSI?
Edit: looks like 2.31 feet of head = 1psi
In that sense 4 feet of head (in your original post) = 1.73 psi doesn’t see like very much
But aren’t there technically 6 elbows/tees all together (that last tee seems would be a little funky) which would add 2.6 psi all together?
But.. in correlation to the chiller,since the chiller is directly after the pump, wouldn’t filtration not affect the chiller? Or is the psi correlated to the entire system (I’m sure it is)?
Wrecking my mind this morning man. I think we need a diagram of the basic system to solve this.. and I have to many questions to do it lol
Condensation on the piping is going crazy. Any way to avoid this? I know you sell a sock for the filter but...?
I've got a tutorial for insulating the pipes 👍 th-cam.com/video/2xYAHIVGZSE/w-d-xo.html
@@DIYColdPlunge Watched and tightened up the gaps. Housing top and venturi still create some condensation. Gonna have to get that venturi wrapped up better.
are you selling the entire setup already build like just plug and use? if so when?
Not at this time, it would be awesome at some point though!
This is so epic thank you so much
You're welcome! Happy to share
Would the Danner 700 work just as well?
Depends on your plumbing setup (and the 700 has 1/2" fittings). I run the Danner 950 with my 1/4HP chillers 👉 diycoldplunge.com/products/danner-950-pump
Electrical engineer here. I am just a tiny bit skeptical at the flow of water through each part of this system. You essentially have 2 parallel paths for water to choose to go through. If they are not perfectly balanced then water will favor one over the other. Just like a short circuit, water and electricity will always follow the path of least resistance. It might be better to just put them in series with each other, one right after the next then you don't have to worry about water choosing which way to go. In series, 100% of water gets both treatments. Cheers!
Hey thanks! I'm not a fan of everything setting it up that way, the flow is drastically reduced goin in-series. Coming up on 2 years with this setup, still works like a charm.
danner pumps tend to cavitate and create air bubbles in the line which end up messing up the chiller have you guys has any issues with this???
I haven't, although im getting this question more frequently - where did you hear about cavitation from?
@@DIYColdPlunge from danner the sales guy told me that
@@jfc8681 Interesting. Well, Penguin has recommended Danner pumps from the beginning. Several commercial plunge units also use their pumps in their builds. I haven't heard of an instance of it becoming an issue or seen any problems in my builds 🤷♂
@@DIYColdPlunge as long as you keep the pump below ware level I think you are safe, if you place the pump At water level that is when it starts to create water bubbles
@@DIYColdPlunge I'm using a Rubbermaid 300 galon stock tank I called penguin chillers they told me the 1/4 and the cold therapy models don't have the capacity to chill a 300galon tank, any other chiller you recommend? thanks man
And definitely was going to buy the Penguin chiller
If you want to support the channel, you can order through this link - www.penguinchillers.com/product/diy-cold-plunge-special/ It would be greatly appreciated!
@@DIYColdPlungeunfortunately the link for the chiller is broken. Is the special over? Thank you for all the great info.
@@AaronBoerger Yep! You can still find it on their site though 👍
I was going for the high efficient one horsepower for the amount of water I have
How big is your plunge?
Wouldn’t you want the water to be filtered before it enters the chiller? I would think that filtrate damage the chiller…
Not really... I go in-depth on that here - th-cam.com/video/RELc6xNzfLM/w-d-xo.html
you need to add a ozone mixer.
You dont *need* to, but you certainly can.
Why not just use an air stone hooked up to the venturi system, both systems injects fine airs into the water
Seamless design, and most ozone generators people buy with air pumps on Amazon are not powerful enough to sanitize water volume as big as a cold plunge
What exactly is “ozone”
It's what I use (and most commercial cold plunges) to sanitize the water. A small generator is tied into the plumbing system.
bro are you able to build these for us and we just purchase it? haha would be great if you offered that
I'm working on a bundle of parts where there would be very little to assemble, in the meantime this tutorial & plan on my site is the best I can do! diycoldplunge.com/
@@DIYColdPlunge can i use this for my ice barell/ chilleer set up?
Filter is reducing gpm to 5. Why use a 1200 gph pump when it’s way over the filter rate. The filter has a flow rate of 5gpm max at 50 microns
Are you measuring this? Or just assuming based on specs? Long story short, these pumps are rated at the head of the pump, not for each additional component, pipe length, twist and turn. Each of those will factor into flow rate of the overall system, and you'll need something to push through all of it.
@@DIYColdPlunge I measure the 950 after the filter and the 1/4 chiller and getting 300gph so will actually be upgrading. Thank you. My worry is the 1200 will be stressed if the filter only allows 5gpm like stated on Amazon. Hopefully it will allow a little more. Do you know what you are getting after the filter for gpm ?
@@gregglozanoff8299I found a filter on Amazon rated at 50mcron and a flow of 10GPM. Look up Hydronix SPC-25-1050
I think I looked up the specs from the manufacturers website to find this filter.
You're bypassing your filter, all filtered water should have to go thru the filter
I break this down here - th-cam.com/video/RELc6xNzfLM/w-d-xo.html Also, if you want purely filtered water, you'd need to completely transfer from one container to another. As soon as the "filtered" water returns to the tank, its not technically filtered anymore.