An idea for your heater solution, someone below mentioned putting a 4x8 steel plate on the ground, then a layer of foam then the gas plant on top of that, and assuming your greenhouse holds heat relatively well, one thing you could possibly do is have a solar panel and a small battery inside to power a system that would automatically light and extinguish a burner inside the greenhouse powered off of the gas, and on top of the burner you could place a ceramic planter upside down that would turn on to maintain a set range of temperatures
I am 76 years old and I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed seeing your video. I have been a Ham Radio Operator for over 44 years so I too share your excitement with experimenting with new things. With young people like you searching for new ways which sometimes are old ideas that have been forgotten our World 🌎 is in good hands. I know there will be many young and older people that see this and get an inspiration to “PLAY” and then your mission will have started the ball rolling! GOD BLESS YOU ALL 👍🙏❤️🙏 PS Companies like this deserves our help for what they are doing to help people who have limited resources and funds to become more independent whether it is by using this system and/or solar it helps to save our PLANET 🌎!
I am wondering if you are not missing a step in the gray water filtration. The Earth ship homes use a sand and gravel filtration bed to remove solid particles and clean the water before they send it to the plants our out side to water outdoor plants. It is done by gravity and placing the bathroom in a higher position to allow for that type of flow.
The how did step of filtration maybe do some of the stale odor of recycling the water. There is an additional con that comes along with it and that governmental agencies do not want you to mix black water with gray water and they wanted to be put Into a holding tank which in this case would be your bio digester. I realize the two systems are not comparable. Yet I am intrigued by being able to produce gas when prices are skyrocketing for those of us who use natural gas.I am going to be moving from a 70 foot mobile home built in 1972 and remodeled in 1992 To a tiny house of 642 ft.²
Part 2 of same advice. Put a piece of sheet metal on the ground. Approximately 4 by 8. Then go buy a piece of pink 2in thick styrofoam insulation. Put it on top. Then put down the waterbed heater. It has its own thermostat. And when warm only uses 1/2 an amp. Per hour. Now you are insulated from the ground. Saving power. And preventing any creepy-crawlies. From tunneling up and putting a hole in your bag in future
Love how you think, young man! Whether your motivation is due to religious convictions or simple practicality, is irrelevant. The fact is that the earth was designed to take care of itself. We just need to get in the groove and work with it.
thank you for this informative video! I wish I could do this, but with my Ontario temperatures, we could probably only use it for a couple months in the summer. I hope one day they make a version that could go in a basement.
I'm on a well too. I won't be using grey water for the toilet. Toilets actually use very little water than what people probably think. Plus I am getting the bidet also and don't want to wash with used water. I'll check out the latest video since this is several years ago.
Hey Bro, Have you considered a woodchip/sawdust compost pile for cool weather heat. If you are covering it with a greenhouse anyway then putting a layer of plastic sheeting up against the system and making a compost pile around the system. If you didnt have electricity that is one possible way to maintain heat. I will be testing compost for heat starting this fall. I plan to do a couple of large piles and testing it for heating air in my greenhouse and heating water. I want to create a radiant floor heating with an insulated concrete slab so even in winter you walk in the greenhouse and the floor is warm to the touch compared to outside. Sorry so long a response, I am just very excited about being self sufficient and your biogas video is one of the best reviews Ive seen so far on this system, thank you.
This was fantastic and so helpful to my husband and I, we’re going to start building our tiny cabin in the mountains of Virginia next year, and we are most definitely going to use biogas AKA “poo gas.”😂
Hello my friend I really enjoyed your video. It was very educational. So I have a suggestion for. I think you should use a waterbed heater. They are large waterproof. They go underneath and you can set it and forget it. I think it would be much safer than the aquarium heater.
I might look into that. The only thing is it weighs many tons. I would hope this wouldn't destroy the heater. Plus there's no way I could possibly move it now since its full. I would have to empty it out.
@@lux5579 there are underfloor heating mats that would be great for supplemental heating. I haven't looked lately, but there used to be 12 Volt mats too. Solar panel - when the sun shines you get heat, self regulating heat that won't get dangerously hot. Enclose and insulate...
Did you think of bulding an insulated pad under it and put seed warmer pads between pad and digester to keep it warm? They regulate at perfect temp for bacteria
I would guess connecting it to a gas generator would also bring electricity to your house, as well as using the slurry as a mudcell, would increase the potental :) You would probably need some chickens, a pig & a cow to acchieve the amount of dung, but even that can be somewhat automated to be hauled into the digester, so theres minimal maintenance :) 1000l gas equals about 6kw energy, the majority is heat, but 2kw would be useable power :)
I'm currently working on new ways to make it more efficient. I'm all about efficiency. I actually already have quail, rabbits, and I'm getting ducks soon. I seem to be turning into a mini Farm of late :) It constantly amazes me with how much more powerful methane is compared to propane. The heat that comes off from that flame has so much more energy!
Do they make something to attached to a existing 1000 gallon septic tank in the ground or a air pump tank? Seems like it would be better to figure out how to get gas from a regular aerobic underground septic system.
It would have to be a somewhat heavy duty trailer, and you would need a truck with at least 3000 pounds of towing capacity unless you plan on draining it before moving.
You are a remarkable young man, very inspirational. I've subscribed to your channel. I know it seems awfully nosey asking this but what are your living costs like now?
I leased the land I'm currently on for around $300 a month. My electric cost for not that much more. I can live a very basic lifestyle for around 500 to $600 a month and that includes everything but my food.
one thing I think may help you with production: be careful what SOAP you are using if that recycled water is going in there.. could kill the bacteria... just a thought... GOD BLESS
I am very careful of that and every time I run bleach through my system I don't ever flush with recyclable water as that would kill the bacteria inside my digester. This is just another added benefit of having a bidet with a self-cleaning mode as it adds freshwater to the bowel and you don't have to flush with recyclable water. God bless you too!
Do you get range anxiety with the gas? Do you get nervous when using gas thinking you won’t have enough for some other more important time? I hope that makes sense.
The white tube from the toilet looks narrow for poops, and I’ve read elsewhere that a slurry (thick liquid) is preferable, such as chopping or grinding up food waste. Does the white tube ever get clogged? Also, how many days does it take before it begins to produce biogas? Is there a process for removing H2S? Thanks!
I would assume this toilet is equipped with a macerator which purees the poo and pumps it out through the tube. I have a DRV Elite Suite fifth wheel with two bathrooms. In order for both toilets to utilize the same tank it's equipped with Tecma macerator toilets by Thetford. There are a variety of tank outlet plug and play 12v macerator pumps available. These allow you to grind up and pump out your black and gray tanks into any nearby toilet or sewer inlet. Some have a range of 80+ feet with minimal terrain rise. One would assume you could get away with not purchasing this specific toilet if you choose to manually transfer the waste from the black tank every few days. I use regular toilet paper. Wet wipes are a definite no. So I've attached an electronic full feature bidet toilet seat.
It takes 4 weeks and you cannot activate it without cow poop. You add cow poop the slurry mix 25 gallons of it and wait 4 weeks once it starts producing gas you can add human all animal and food waste to it. I am currently stuck with one I cannot activate because it is not made clear until you go to setup 25gallons of cow shit and a month is needed before you can use it.
I was wondering the same thing. Most sewer pipes have a downward slope with plenty of water running down them. Lucidus has it sitting on his lawn then it's running upwards into the biodigester. How does that work?
The white tube is only for poop you’re not putting any scraps of food in it. It does not get clogged and the pump is pretty strong and it breaks down with the water you flush. I have some pretty big poops and I haven’t had any issues. My toilet is also higher than the exit into the digester
Bypass sink waste straight in to bladder so grey water will improve and home made wind turbine for the aquarium heater and.... Steel wool to filter gas.... For the win 😎✨👍🤔
Have you tried the BioLite camp stoves? They're ultra-efficient stoves that run on twigs and charge USB ports, plus they're pretty cheap. My current off-grid plans involve this bio-gas toilet system and the BioLite stoves. Between the two, I'm hoping it will be enough not to need propane.
wondering about the "recycled water". are you saying the smell is musty bc you are using greywater to flush? if you were not using greywater, then the toilet would have "clean" clear water and no smell? thank you
That’s why I have bidet on it. The recycle water is coming from the sink. So sometimes I’ll periodically flush it with clean water instead of using recycled water. It depends on what I am recycling and how dirty the water is because sometimes the filter can plug and Has to be changed periodically. It’s just a fun option although if I’m being honest I often use the bidet to flush with fresh water more
The burner that comes with it heats up a small room pretty quick. Methane Burns very hot. It's much hotter than propane. I would be careful when using a heater meant for propane with methane. You could potentially melt something and start a fire. I have not modified any heaters yet although it is something I am looking at doing. It would work but make sure what you are using can handle methane.
Hi. I need to ask, I made a biodigester, but so far I'm still waiting for the cow feces. however, I've been putting waste in it for three weeks and now I can see that it's even moldy. Can I add the feces to it or should I put all the moldy stuff away and clean it up? thank you for answer.
I will put the feces in as soon as you can. It starts a bacteria colony that will digest and break down everything you put inside of it. You don’t want any air in there as you want it to be an anaerobic bacteria colony. If you get the wrong bacteria started first it won’t allow the right bacteria to grow. I would start putting solid feces in there as soon as you can. The fresher the better
Does anyone know what the tax/custom fees are? I am getting ready to order and this was a disclaimer from the company. I am trying to figure out how much more it will cost.
Theme music is too loud compared to the dialog; I had to turn it down during the music. Also, why the heck do you have cloth touching your stove and burner?
If you take all the leaves around your area and place them around your bag it will keep it warm even in the winter. Composting generates significant heat and has been shown to work even with a snow layer on top.
I was just about to say the same thing and figured someone else already had the idea hehe alot of folks on youtube will even put the compost pile next to a greenhouse to keep it warm its soo cool!
One can easily switch one of their LP burners to biogas by replacing the orifice with a wider guage to allow for more oxygen to gas mixture. The biogas burner is not a required add-on to the biogas package. Some users buy a single or dual burner LP camp stove, swap the orifices out and use it to cook on the patio or deck during the summer months. Others have had success using biogas for their hot water tanks. Again this requires some modifications. Rather than messing with the onboard RV water heater, a standalone instant hot water boiler is used either outside or in the shower utilizing a valve to select the between the instant hot water boiler converted for biogas use vs onboard RV lp/electric water heater. When constructing an outdoor shower one must be mindful of the gray water. One simply cannot, despite using organic soap, let the water run off. This gray water still requires treatment. There are many beneficial, simple, and inexpensive means to recycle and/or treat this gray water. Otherwise you'll end up causing a stink and polluting the surrounding soil. There is even the potential of contaminating nearby streams/springs, and yes even a shallow aquifer tapped as drinking water source. Untreated gray water is full of harmful bacteria, skin cells, oils, and traces of human feces. This harmful gray water soup must be cleansed or treated to kill off harmful bacteria and viruses. Using tanks and plants is the most effective and economically feasible option to treat this water before using it for irrigation or other purposes. Others planning to buy their own biogas kit need to prep the ground to ensure the weight of the digester does not cause punctures. Rocks, sticks, and even dried thorns are potential sources of leaks once the digester is fully loaded. The soil will compress exposing the digester to sharp objects just under the surface. Organic matter decaying under the digester will degrade the material. Clear the site and lay a 3 inch layer of sand or pea gravel. Pea gravel will minimize the growth of plant material growing within the containment. Either dig the ground out and line it with heavy duty landscape fabric/weed barrier and fill with sand/pea gravel. Or build a box and line it with the landscape fabric and fill with sand or pea gravel. Do not use tarp fabric as a substitute for landscape fabric as the tarp won't allow water to drain. Cheap landscape fabric/weed barrier will begin to deteriorate under the weight and heat of the digester within just a few years. Cheers!
Lol the grey water is composed of the same things in soil - you do realize that our environment is designed to eat and breakdown the components you mentioned we don’t live in a sterile environment nor should we attempt to -
I think it’s terrific that the toilet is low. I’m a specialist in pelvic floor dysfunction and many people of all ages have chronic constipation because the 90 degree sitting posture tightens the muscles of the pelvic floor, crimping off the lower colon. I’m always recommending a s Squatty Potty stool. Squatting low is best.
What about people with mobility issues? Elderly, obese, people with knee injuries etc. I say go for the toilet height, and have a movable stool to raise the feet and improve the posture for defecation, so that people are able to get up again after sitting down on the toilet!
Thank you for the review! Does the tank need to be emptied eventually when it fills with slurry or does everything become gas and fertilizer? Do you have to use grey water or can it be connected to the plumbing like a nornal toilet? Thank you!
Great video, Thanks for sharing ! Now its about 4 years into your system, can you give an update on how things are going with the system or have you chosen another way?
The unit has already paid for itself as soon as you’ve bought it. Have you ever priced a septic tank and the cost to install it and lateral lines? “Leach lines”
A few years later, just wondering are you still using it? I'm in Australia about to possibly buy one but eant to kniw about the things they dont tell us. What extra kind of work is it? What long term maintenance?
I’m in Australia as well Looking at the system also I’m off grid but looks like the system still need a septic tank ? Have you bought it yet ? What does the council think about the system ?
Great video I may have just stumbled upon a job offer that puts me on an off grid situation and I’ve been trying to get in a place I can implement this stuff
"its going to take a while to pay itself off" i got a quote for a septic mound at 30k. Take that into account, its paid off 30 times the first time you poop. The rest is gravy. Im getting one for deer camp asap.
I think that this is the sort of technology that should be put in to all homes as they are being built, where a septic tank acts as your reservoir for waste prior to being connected to the sewerage. Making use of our waste in such a way makes absolute sense, especially as burning methane converts it to the lesser greenhouse gas: carbon dioxide plus water.
Thanks for sharing your setup! I've been excited about the idea of home biogas & kicking around ideas for setting up one of these units. Thinking of putting it in an attached hothouse with a heatsink foundation so it doesn't necessarily have to be located in full sun. The hothouse can also provide heat to the house and help prewarm water for washing. My plan is to use rainwater (cistern--we get a lot of rain here) and use that for flushing, have graywater going out to growing beds but you make some good points about the recycling. I was a bit worried about adulterants in the graywater maybe interfering with the digestion process. Curious about whether standard (eco) toilets can be plumbed to it and standard gas line plumbed off it. We have a lot of cats and expect the corn litter will help feed the digester, as well as any scraps not suitable for composting. It's such an exciting field, and although the concept has been around for years these well-thought-out units seem to be making it accessible for all.
It might help if you replaced most of your detergents with a biodegradable soap, and run it through a sand filter prior to using it to flush your toilet to avoid disrupting the methane digestor. Obviously using gray water on your plants isn't the end of the world but reusing it might help prevent your water source from drying up during a drought. Also you should probably treat the liquid that drains from a methane digestor like this the same way you would treat water from your septic tank with a leach field or an aerobic filtration system.
@@garethbaus5471 Thanks. We're on city systems so I am not really familiar w the septic treatment you refer to. The gray water irrigation set up I'm thinking of does involve running it through a gravel bed first which is probably what you're talking about. I'm already trying to use the greenest soaps I can find, and using the minimum necessary to do the job. Trying to get into habits now that will make it easier to adapt to limited (not infinite) resources (water, gas etc).
@@spudchick317 the water that comes out of a septic tank is only slightly safer than sewage, and you want to either have a field which you dedicate to processing your waste in which you can not grow food, or you need to run it through a series of tanks with air bubbles to allow the harmful stuff to break down quiker. A sand filter is similar to using a gravel bed, it just uses a finer filtration medium to catch more of the solids.
@@garethbaus5471 right, I just thought the biogas digester was supposed to fully digest so that the fertilizer liquid coming out of it is ready to use, or that was my understanding from reading the product description. Is that not quite accurate?
@@spudchick317 it is an exclusively anerobic process, and doesn't have proper separation between the new fluids and the old so if raw sewage goes in whatever comes out will be contaminated with raw sewage. It doesn't make this a bad product, just don't use it as your only form of wastewater treatment.
that toilet is exactly the same as you get on a yacht - you can get an electric pump and macerator for it so that will chew. up your poop and paper which is better for digestion by your microbes and then you don't have to pump at all. Just hit a switch and let it do it's thing.
Oh my goodness....I have been trying to talk to this company for over a week so thank you for answering all the questions I wish they would have answered! Really appreciate your info!!!!
Just a heads up your intro gives me migraines the way it moves and the blur effect I experienced. Might be just me but I thought I would share my experience.
This is great! I thought you cannot combine sewage and kitchen waste on biodigesters, bec. most actually show a biodigester exclusively for kitchen wastes and another biodigester for sewage.
If sewage goes into the methane digestor you should treat it like the liquid that flows out of a septic tank, and it should not be used to water any vegetables or crops. If you only use food scraps it is usually ok to use to fertilize non riot vegetables.
If you mounted it on a small trailer, it would be easier to move and you could insulate to keep temperature more even. Good idea and less expensive than some composting toilet.
Hi Lucidus, and thanks for another informative video. "Planning to switch to Hydrogen instead of propane" peaked my interest and I looked for your video on that but found none. Could you please elaborate on that? You're planning to burn H2 instead of Propane? Where are you going to 1) get it from and 2) store it? 3) Same burner as for methane and propane? Thanks.
Most the gasses that smell are flammable, so as long as you light the stove and don't have a gas leak it won't smell similar to natural gas or propane.
@@garethbaus5471 I wonder why natural gas cooking stoves are not considered a major source of methane emissions? If the gas is always burning? Strange.
@@voidisyinyangvoidisyinyang885 most modern gas stoves don't use pilot lights, pilot lights burn most of the methane long before it is released, and stoves are only a relatively small fraction of residential natural gas demand. Using natural gas for stoves isn't really all that great of an idea anymore now that induction cooktops are relatively easy to find, methane digesters at least have the advantage of using waste materials.
@@garethbaus5471 Gas stoves leak significant amounts of methane when they are being ignited and even while they are turned off, according to a new report, adding to the growing debate over the effects of gas-powered appliances on human health and climate change. The small study - based on measurements from cooktops, ovens and broilers in 53 homes in California - estimated that stoves emit between 0.8 and 1.3 percent of the natural gas they consume as unburned methane, a potent greenhouse gas. During the course of a typical year, three-quarters of these emissions occur when the devices are shut off, the study showed, which could suggest leaky fittings and connections with gas service lines. Dr. Lebel, Dr. Jackson and two co-authors used plastic sheets to seal off kitchens in private homes, Airbnb rentals and properties for sale or rent. They found that on average, igniting a burner on a gas stove emitted about the same amount of methane as did leaving it on and burning for 10 minutes. Gas ovens emitted methane at a higher rate than cooktop burners, they found, because ovens periodically ignite and extinguish their main burner to maintain the set temperature." crazy. I can definitely smell gas when our propane fireplace lights up. I adjusted the flame so less propane would get released on ignition. Still can smell it a bit though.
When I look at this setup I think of all the people in war torn countries whose infrastructure has been destroyed. If they had this to begin with and placed underground they would have energy. I wonder sometimes what all the hundreds of Ukrainians did with their toileting when living in bunkers for weeks or months. They could be quite comfortable with this. But the excess gas would have to be piped up to the surface.
Great video dude. Two questions though: (1) can you use a normal septic tank-friendly cleaner to clean the toilet, or will that kill the bacteria in the digester? (2) What happens to urine that goes into the system?
Would love to hear how the homeBiogas unit is doing inside the greenhouse during the winter. Is your container for the recycled shower water also insulated to prevent freezing? BTW mine is expected to ship next April and I shall follow your lead recycling the shower/bath/washer waters. Thanks for the many great ideas and suggestions!
Awesome to hear! Love to see the setup. I will be making another video detailing how it functions in the wintertime. It has slowed down tremendously but nothing is freezing. The greenhouse works pretty well.
LucidusLux; They should pay you for your review! Serious! I’m wondering if I could make something like this system (to replace the bag?) I’m all about the 3 RRRs, and love the idea, just with an already existing container? Also, I’ve done-lived in-sold a lot of trailers. I’m a retired code certified home inspector-renovation guru-house flipper :-) Thank you.
Awesome review! I very much appreciate your thoughtfulness and thoroughness, Well done. I was looking to use this system for an off-grid setup I'm getting ready to embark on and after your review answering the majority of my questions... it's a no brainer and I can't wait! Thanks!
needs its own greenhouse to stay warm. You might put the greywater tank in greenhouse and if it gets really cold, use the gas to heat the greywater as that is a good thermal sink and might keep things warm. Your using up the gas produced, but at least it should keep working. Just spit-balling some thoughts here. (oops wrote this before video end, guess your doing the greenhouse)
I have the same system . I am very happy with it however it is not recommended to have the effluent collecting in a bucket. It is fabulous fertilizer when it is only used as a food biodigester but you have to link it to a system ( sewage, sceptic tank or drain field)when your biodigester also processes your toilets. ( bacteria and stuff)
I’m looking into going off grid and this looks really great but I’ve looked everywhere for an answer to my question and haven’t found one. How do you wipe and where does toilet paper go? Does the entire set up come complete or do I need to purchase toilet separate from bio digester? Does company install it all?
The company does not install, the toilet comes as a separate attachment and I use it like a normal toilet. I do my business and everything goes out to the digester
