Build a DIY Cold Plunge

If you are looking to build a DIY cold plunge, this is your complete guide and I will go over exactly how to do it, multiple ways. But, there are a few questions to ask yourself first:

• How often will I cold plunge in this setup?

• How much do I want to spend?

• Where do I plan on putting this setup at (inside/outside)?

• How handy am I?

I want to walk you through the exact DIY cold plunge that made my a popular resource in this space in the first place. And this will give you the resources needed to do it yourself, along with links to purchase, prices, and all materials needed.

DIY Cold Plunge in your own Tub, Galvanized Trough, or Rubbermaid Tub (ETC)

This setup is ideal for those looking to save the most money, but with this you will need a submersible pump, and for that you will have to unplug this setup during every use (for safely). A few things to consider with this:

1. You wont have any insulation, connection ports, or a lid with this setup. This means stuff will get in and the cold will get out. The filter will be working hard to keep your water clean and the chiller will be working overtime to keep the water cold. This setup is ideal for beginners who dont want to use ice, and have this indoors or in a covered area with air conditioning.

2. This setup usually leads to people buying some DIY build out and youll end up spending more on this DIY when its all said and done that you would if you bought a mid-premium cold plunge setup. So dont do this if you know you’re that type of person. Or do, its up to you.

3. This is where I started, and it works, but its not ideal.

This setup is simple and most of the others will have a similar buildout. The submersible pump will go in the bottom of the tub, you will use the tubing and clamps to connect the pump to the in line strainer/filter, then you will connect the barb to the filter and use more tubing to connect this to the chiller (which will sit outside of the tub, but close to it) and connect that to the IN on the chiller, then finish with more tubing coming from the OUT of the chiller and have that tubing dump back into the tub. This will create a continuous flow of water from the tub going through the pump, filter, chiller, back to the tub. I will create another resource like this on cleaning your DIY setup, so make sure you subscribe to my youtube channel and to this Newsletter.

DIY Cold Plunge using an Ice Barrel 300/500, Frozin Tub, or Other Chiller Ready Options

This setup is ideal for anyone looking to level up their cold plunge game at home, without spending thousands on a brands specific chiller or premium cold plunge setup. This setup eliminates the submersible pump which makes the setup safer and keeps things cleaner looking. Nothing will be in the tub with you. A few things to consider:

1. If you go with an insulated option like the Ice Barrel 300 or 500, you wont need such a large chiller, and with a solid lid your cold plunge will stay cleaner.

2. You will spend more on the tub, but less on the chiller and energy bills.

3. This is the setup that thousands of people have done following my Youtube videos. But everyone chooses their own versions.

This setup is highly recommended. You just need to figure out what connection you need into the tub you choose, connect a ball joint to that so you can shut off water flow when cleaning out the filter, then follow the steps in this video here (its easier to see than to read).

If you are considering taking a chest freezer and turning it into a cold plunge, you might want to look into this option. Do whatever you feel most comfortable with, but this would be my top suggestion for anyone looking to save money and build their own cold plunge that will be easy to keep clean, operating, and safely enjoy. I will post some additional resources on how to keep these clean so make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel and to this newsletter. Also share this with anyone that would get some value from this.

This setup can also be done on any inflatable cold plunge with chiller connections, you will just need the materials in this kit: Inflatable Cold Plunge DIY Chiller Kit

Here are some additional resources that are more specific to what you might need on your DIY cold plunge journey:

Video Resources

• How I Keep my Cold Plunges Clean

• Using Ozone to Clean my Cold Plunge Water

• Building a DIY Cold Plunge with an Ice Barrel 300

• Building a DIY Cold Plunge with an Ice Barrel 500

• Building a DIY Cold Plunge with an Ice Barrel 400

Links to the Products I Used

• Ice Barrel (discount code MAUS)

• Frozin400

• ¼ HP Chiller Kit

• ½ HP Chiller Kit

• 1 HP Chiller Kit

• Best Chillers

• Best Pumps

• Other DIY Cold Plunge Materials

• Cleaning and Maintenance Materials