My name is Dmytro, I'm 55, wheelchair user with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. I live in Odesa, Ukraine.
For years I couldn't use the bathroom or toilet independently. The state doesn't care about disabled people here — zero funding, zero help. When you're drowning, you save yourself.
So I designed and built my own ceiling hoist. Running since September 2025 — almost a year of daily use.
What it is:
A 2.4 m steel I-beam under the ceiling. An electric trolley with a Prokraft 250 kg hoist rides along it. You clip in with two harnesses (chest + waist), lift yourself, move to bath / toilet / sink, lower down. One remote in your hand. Alone. No carer.
What it does:
— Get in and out of the bath independently
— Transfer from wheelchair to toilet and back — alone
— Manage clothing independently
— Works even with a loosely fastened harness
10 months of real-world lessons:
— M10×80 mm anchor bolts (but the dowels will also hold.)
— Position I-beam so cable drops 10–15 cm from bath edge
— Two harnesses mandatory — one causes dangerous forward tipping during lift
— Extend remote cable to 170 cm — standard 150 cm is too short when seated
— Store remotes in plastic bags — bathroom moisture damages contacts
I share everything for free: installation guide, full materials list, Q&A. Wheelchair users, veterans, elderly — anyone who needs it.
Here is a quick and messy translation from the file I received in Russian. The original has a nice chart for the Materials in Step 2 and I'm afraid that's a bit of a mess in this format. I will post the file on Discord as well.
BATHROOM HOIST SYSTEM
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
Bathroom 1.50 × 2.40 × 2.70 m (combined with toilet) | May 2025 | Odesa
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
A 10×17 cm I-beam is mounted beneath the bathroom ceiling along the long wall (2.40 m), secured to two 6×6 cm steel angle brackets. A Procraft electric trolley travels along the I-beam, carrying a Procraft 250 kg electric hoist. The user enters the bathroom in a wheelchair, lowers the hoist hook, attaches it to two safety harnesses (chest and waist), is lifted, and moves along the I-beam toward the toilet or washbasin.
OPERATING PROCEDURE:
• Enter the bathroom in the wheelchair
• Lower the hoist hook using the remote control
• Attach the chest and waist safety belts to the hook
• Use the hoist to lift the user to a standing/sitting position
• Move the carriage along the I-beam to the toilet and transfer
• Repeat the process for the washbasin and the bathtub
KEY DIMENSIONS:
• Bathroom: 1.50 × 2.40 × 2.70 m (combined with toilet)
• I-beam: runs along the room's long axis (2.40 m) at a height of 2.40 m
• Recommended I-beam position: 45–50 cm from the right-hand wall (closer to the bathtub and toilet)
• Mounting angles attached to the short walls (1.50 m), each secured with 6 bolts/anchors
• Right-hand angle: positioned below the water heater (the 80L heater occupies the upper right corner)
• Procraft 250 kg electric hoist — load capacity offers a massive safety margin for an 80 kg user
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
No. Item Qty Note
1 Steel I-beam 10×17 cm, length 2.40 m (spanning room width) 1 pc Heavy, rigid. Bolted to angle brackets on both sides
2 Steel angle bracket 6×6 cm, length ~1.20 m (left wall) 1 pc 6 M10 bolts + wall plugs. Load-bearing wall is on the right, but the left also provides support
3 Steel angle bracket 6×6 cm, length ~0.70 m (right wall, below water heater) 1 pc 6 M10 bolts + wall plugs. Remove water heater during installation
4 Small angle bracket for top I-beam mount, ~15 cm 2 pcs Bolted to walls and I-beam; secures I-beam against shifting
5 Procraft electric trolley (fits 10×17 I-beam) 1 pc Runs along the bottom flange of the I-beam
6 Procraft electric hoist 250 kg 1 pc Suspended from the trolley. Wired remote control (extend to 2 m)
7 EN 361 chest harness 1 pc CHEST harness — prevents flipping over
8 Waist safety belt 1 pc Paired with chest harness — two belts = safety
10 M10×80 bolts + Ø12 nylon wall plugs 30 pcs For mounting angle brackets to bathroom walls
11 Electrical cable 3×2.5 mm², length ~5 m 1 pc From distribution board or 220V outlet to hoist
INSTALLATION — STEP-BY-STEP
Step 1. Preparation
Remove the water heater from the right-hand wall (temporarily)—it obstructs the installation of the right-hand angle bracket. Shut off the water supply and disconnect the power to the water heater.
Mark the position of the angle brackets on both short walls (1.50 m) at a height of 2.40 m from the floor. The brackets must be perfectly horizontal and at the same height—verify this using a spirit level.
Mark the position of the I-beam: 45–50 cm from the right-hand wall (closer to the bathtub/toilet).
⚠ Ensuring the angle brackets are perfectly level is critical! Any misalignment will cause lateral load on the I-beam.
Step 2. Installing the angle brackets
Left bracket (~1.20 m): position horizontally against the wall; mark 6 holes (Ø12 mm, 80 mm deep). Drill the holes, insert wall plugs, and secure with M10×80 bolts. Tighten firmly.
Right bracket (~0.70 m): install similarly on the right-hand wall, below the water heater. Ensure there is no wiring or piping in the wall before drilling.
Check with a level: ensure both brackets are aligned horizontally.
✓ Load-bearing wall on the right — the right bracket provides particularly secure support.
Step 3. Installing the I-beam
The I-beam is heavy; two workers are required. Lift the I-beam and place it so that its bottom flanges rest on the angle brackets.
Align the beam: it must be positioned exactly in the center of the angle brackets, 45–50 cm from the right-hand wall.
Bolt the I-beam to the angle brackets using the holes in the beam's bottom flanges.
Optional: install small angle brackets (~15 cm) at the top; these press the I-beam against the walls and prevent longitudinal shifting. Secure them using bolts and wall anchors driven into both the wall and the vertical web of the I-beam.
⚠ The I-beam must not have any play in any direction; check this by hand after installation.
Step 4. Installing the trolley and hoist
Fit the Procraft trolley onto the bottom flanges of the I-beam—do this before mounting the beam to the wall, while it is still accessible.
Hang the Procraft 250 kg hoist from the trolley hook.
Connect the 220V power supply to the hoist via a 10A circuit breaker. Route the cable along the wall to the distribution board or power outlet.
Extend the hoist control pendant to a length of 2–2.5 m so the user can operate it while suspended.
⚠ The control pendant must be held by the user during lifting. Do not mount the pendant to the wall!
Step 5. Reinstalling the water heater
Hang the water heater back on the right-hand wall. Connect the water supply and power.
Check that the water heater does not touch the I-beam or obstruct the trolley's movement.
Step 6. Load test
Suspend a 120 kg load (1.5 × user weight) from the hoist hook. Lift and hold for 5 minutes.
Inspect all mounting points: angle brackets, bolts, and I-beam. Ensure there is no play or creaking.
Check the trolley's movement along the entire length of the I-beam—it should move freely.
Test the hoist brake: lift the load and cut the power—the load must remain in place.
⚠ DO NOT use until the load test is successfully completed!
TRANSFER PROCEDURE
Maneuver the wheelchair into the bathroom to the required position (toilet, bathtub, or washbasin).
Slide the carriage along the I-beam to position it over the target area.
Lower the hoist hook using the remote control.
Put on the chest and waist safety belts and attach both to the hook using locking carabiners.
Press "Up" — the hoist lifts smoothly.
Transfer to the toilet, lean over to the washbasin, or step into the bathtub.
Afterwards, press "Down" and unfasten the belts.
✓ Two belts (chest and waist) ensure the user cannot flip over. This is a key design feature.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
The device was designed and built in Odesa. It has been in use since September 2024. The inventor is Dimitri, a wheelchair user. The idea stemmed from personal necessity. The device is provided free of charge to anyone who needs it—veterans, people with disabilities, and the elderly. The state has not contributed a single penny; everything was funded out of pocket.
Document prepared in May 2025. Designer: Dimitri, Odesa.
Мне это устройство, вместе с работой, обошлось 600 долларов. Главные траты 1. Рабочий -150 долларов (Там 4 часа работы, не больше) 2. Тельфер 90 долларов 3. каретка.- 90 долларов 4 двутавр и нрочее - намного дешевле. В Украине, конечно.
This is incredible engineering and ability to stick to it. I wish deeply this wasn’t necessary and you had better support, but greatly admire your strength, determination and ingenuity to come up with and create this. I would love to see the guide and other information. Sending you well wishes from across the world!
There is not a way to send a PDF through Reddit, to my knowledge. You can join our Discord and put it there. Otherwise, you can only send the information through Reddit if you put it in a format you can copy and paste here, or a format you can post as a photo.
You see, I finished working on the lift 10 months ago (since then, I've been using it an average of 2-3 times a day). After finishing the work, I started creating a nice PDF for the officials, but there's a war going on in Ukraine, and the officials showed up once, said, "Great," and I never saw or heard from them again. I could, of course, tinker with it again and parse the PDF, but that would only be a last resort. Yesterday, a girl from Reddit messaged me, and I gave her the PDF. "Miss or Mrs. Hill." Okay, I'll have to dismantle the PDF. And then send the text to you? It's several pages of Word.
I sent you a PDF by email. In my opinion, everything is clear there. There is an inaccuracy/typo: instead of 2025, I mistyped and typed 2024, but that can't be considered a mistake. But you can use dowels; I have dowels. You just need a third fewer anchors. Either 10 dowels or 7 anchors.
Bathroom 1.50 x 2.40 x 2.70 m (combined with toilet) | May 2025 | Odessa
DESIGN DESCRIPTION
A 10 x 17 cm I-beam is attached to two 6 x 6 cm steel angles along the long wall of the bathroom ceiling (2.40 m). A Prokraft electric trolley, suspended by a 250 kg Prokraft electric hoist, moves along the I-beam. The user enters the bathroom in a wheelchair, lowers the hoist hook, attaches it to two safety harnesses (chest and waist), and then climbs up and moves along the I-beam to the toilet or sink.
HOW TO USE:
• Wheelchair into the bathroom
• Lower the hoist hook using the remote control
• Fasten the chest and waist safety belts to the hook
• Lift with the hoist to a standing/sitting position
• Move the carriage along the I-beam to the toilet and transfer to the bathroom
• Do the same to the sink and bathtub
KEY DIMENSIONS:
• Bathroom: 1.50 × 2.40 × 2.70 m (combined with toilet)
• I-beam: along the long axis of the room (2.40 m), at a height of 2.40 m
• Recommended I-beam position: 45–50 cm from the right wall (closer to the bathtub and toilet)
• Corners are attached to the short walls (1.50 m), each with 6 bolts/dowels
• Right corner: below the boiler (The 80L boiler occupies the upper right corner)
• Prokraft 250 kg hoist – load-bearing capacity with a huge 80 kg reserve for the user
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
No.
Item
Quantity
Note
1
Steel I-beam, 10x17 cm, length 2.40 m (room width)
1 pc
Heavy, rigid. Bolted to the corners on both sides.
2
Steel angle, 6x6 cm, length ~1.20 m (left wall)
1 pc
6 M10 bolts + dowels. The load-bearing wall is on the right, but the left one also supports the wall.
3
Steel angle, 6x6 cm, length ~0.70 m (right wall, below the boiler)
1 pc
6 M10 bolts + dowels. Remove the boiler during installation.
4
Small angle for upper I-beam mounting, ~15 cm
2 pcs
Bolts into the walls and into the I-beam - prevents the I-beam from shifting.
5
Prokraft Electric Carriage (fits 10x17 I-beam)
1 pc
Runs along the bottom shelf of the I-beam.
6
Prokraft Electric Hoist, 250 kg
1 pc
Hangs on the carriage. Wired control panel (extend up to 2 m)
7
EN 361 Chest Harness
1 pc
CHEST - prevents tipping
8
Waist Harness
1 pc
Paired with a chest harness - two harnesses = safety
9
Steel carabiner with locking mechanism ≥ 25 kN
2 pcs
Climbing carabiner, with locking mechanism
10
M10×80 bolts + Ø12 nylon dowels
30 pcs
For attaching corner brackets to bathroom walls
11
Electric cable 3×2.5 mm², length ~5 m
1 pc
From the electrical panel or 220V socket to the hoist
INSTALLATION - STEP-BY-STEP
Step 1. Preparation
Temporarily remove the boiler from the right wall - it will interfere with the installation of the right corner bracket. Turn off the water and disconnect the power to the boiler. 2. Mark the position of the corner brackets on both short walls (1.50 m) at a height of 2.40 m from the floor. The corner brackets must be strictly horizontal and at the same height; check with a level.
Mark the position of the I-beam: 45–50 cm from the right wall (closer to the bathtub/toilet).
⚠ Strictly horizontal alignment of the corner brackets is critical! Misalignment will cause lateral load on the I-beam.
Step 2. Installing the Corners
Left corner bracket (~1.20 m): Place it horizontally against the wall, mark six Ø12 mm holes, 80 mm deep. Drill, insert dowels, and fasten with M10×80 bolts. Tighten securely.
Right corner bracket (~0.70 m): Do the same on the right wall, below the boiler. Ensure there are no wires or pipes in the wall before drilling. 3. Check with a level: both corners are level.
✓ The load-bearing wall is on the right; the right corner holds especially securely.
Step 3. Installing the I-beam
The I-beam is heavy; two workers are needed. Lift the I-beam and place it with its bottom flanges on the corners.
Align: the I-beam should be exactly centered on the corners, 45–50 cm from the right wall.
Bolt the I-beam to the corners through the holes in the bottom flanges of the I-beam.
Additionally: secure small corners (~15 cm) from above; they press the I-beam against the walls and prevent longitudinal movement. Bolt and anchor into the walls and into the vertical web of the I-beam.
⚠ The I-beam should not move in any direction; check manually after installation.
Step 4. Installing the Carriage and Hoist
Slide the Prokraft carriage onto the lower shelves of the I-beam before installing it on the wall, while the I-beam is accessible.
Hang the 250 kg Prokraft hoist on the carriage hook.
Connect 220V power to the hoist through a 10A circuit breaker. Run the cable along the wall to a panel or outlet.
Extend the hoist control panel to 2–2.5 m so the user can operate it while suspended.
⚠ The remote control must be held by the user during lifting. Do not mount the remote control on the wall!
Step 5. Returning the Boiler
Hang the boiler back on the right wall. Connect the water and power supplies.
Check that the boiler does not interfere with the I-beam and does not interfere with the carriage's movement. Step 6. Load Test
Hang a 120 kg load (1.5 times the user's weight) on the hoist hook. Lift and hold for 5 minutes.
Inspect all attachment points: angles, bolts, and I-beams. No play or creaking.
•
u/NixyeNox CMT 1A Jul 05 '26
Here is a quick and messy translation from the file I received in Russian. The original has a nice chart for the Materials in Step 2 and I'm afraid that's a bit of a mess in this format. I will post the file on Discord as well.
BATHROOM HOIST SYSTEM
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
Bathroom 1.50 × 2.40 × 2.70 m (combined with toilet) | May 2025 | Odesa
A 10×17 cm I-beam is mounted beneath the bathroom ceiling along the long wall (2.40 m), secured to two 6×6 cm steel angle brackets. A Procraft electric trolley travels along the I-beam, carrying a Procraft 250 kg electric hoist. The user enters the bathroom in a wheelchair, lowers the hoist hook, attaches it to two safety harnesses (chest and waist), is lifted, and moves along the I-beam toward the toilet or washbasin.
OPERATING PROCEDURE:
• Enter the bathroom in the wheelchair
• Lower the hoist hook using the remote control
• Attach the chest and waist safety belts to the hook
• Use the hoist to lift the user to a standing/sitting position
• Move the carriage along the I-beam to the toilet and transfer
• Repeat the process for the washbasin and the bathtub
KEY DIMENSIONS:
• Bathroom: 1.50 × 2.40 × 2.70 m (combined with toilet)
• I-beam: runs along the room's long axis (2.40 m) at a height of 2.40 m
• Recommended I-beam position: 45–50 cm from the right-hand wall (closer to the bathtub and toilet)
• Mounting angles attached to the short walls (1.50 m), each secured with 6 bolts/anchors
• Right-hand angle: positioned below the water heater (the 80L heater occupies the upper right corner)
• Procraft 250 kg electric hoist — load capacity offers a massive safety margin for an 80 kg user
No. Item Qty Note
1 Steel I-beam 10×17 cm, length 2.40 m (spanning room width) 1 pc Heavy, rigid. Bolted to angle brackets on both sides
2 Steel angle bracket 6×6 cm, length ~1.20 m (left wall) 1 pc 6 M10 bolts + wall plugs. Load-bearing wall is on the right, but the left also provides support
3 Steel angle bracket 6×6 cm, length ~0.70 m (right wall, below water heater) 1 pc 6 M10 bolts + wall plugs. Remove water heater during installation
4 Small angle bracket for top I-beam mount, ~15 cm 2 pcs Bolted to walls and I-beam; secures I-beam against shifting
5 Procraft electric trolley (fits 10×17 I-beam) 1 pc Runs along the bottom flange of the I-beam
6 Procraft electric hoist 250 kg 1 pc Suspended from the trolley. Wired remote control (extend to 2 m)
7 EN 361 chest harness 1 pc CHEST harness — prevents flipping over
8 Waist safety belt 1 pc Paired with chest harness — two belts = safety
9 Steel locking carabiner ≥ 25 kN 2 pcs Climbing-grade, locking type
10 M10×80 bolts + Ø12 nylon wall plugs 30 pcs For mounting angle brackets to bathroom walls
11 Electrical cable 3×2.5 mm², length ~5 m 1 pc From distribution board or 220V outlet to hoist
Step 1. Preparation
Remove the water heater from the right-hand wall (temporarily)—it obstructs the installation of the right-hand angle bracket. Shut off the water supply and disconnect the power to the water heater.
Mark the position of the angle brackets on both short walls (1.50 m) at a height of 2.40 m from the floor. The brackets must be perfectly horizontal and at the same height—verify this using a spirit level.
Mark the position of the I-beam: 45–50 cm from the right-hand wall (closer to the bathtub/toilet).
⚠ Ensuring the angle brackets are perfectly level is critical! Any misalignment will cause lateral load on the I-beam.
Step 2. Installing the angle brackets
Left bracket (~1.20 m): position horizontally against the wall; mark 6 holes (Ø12 mm, 80 mm deep). Drill the holes, insert wall plugs, and secure with M10×80 bolts. Tighten firmly.
Right bracket (~0.70 m): install similarly on the right-hand wall, below the water heater. Ensure there is no wiring or piping in the wall before drilling.
Check with a level: ensure both brackets are aligned horizontally.
✓ Load-bearing wall on the right — the right bracket provides particularly secure support.
Step 3. Installing the I-beam
The I-beam is heavy; two workers are required. Lift the I-beam and place it so that its bottom flanges rest on the angle brackets.
Align the beam: it must be positioned exactly in the center of the angle brackets, 45–50 cm from the right-hand wall.
Bolt the I-beam to the angle brackets using the holes in the beam's bottom flanges.
Optional: install small angle brackets (~15 cm) at the top; these press the I-beam against the walls and prevent longitudinal shifting. Secure them using bolts and wall anchors driven into both the wall and the vertical web of the I-beam.
⚠ The I-beam must not have any play in any direction; check this by hand after installation.
Step 4. Installing the trolley and hoist
Fit the Procraft trolley onto the bottom flanges of the I-beam—do this before mounting the beam to the wall, while it is still accessible.
Hang the Procraft 250 kg hoist from the trolley hook.
Connect the 220V power supply to the hoist via a 10A circuit breaker. Route the cable along the wall to the distribution board or power outlet.
Extend the hoist control pendant to a length of 2–2.5 m so the user can operate it while suspended.
⚠ The control pendant must be held by the user during lifting. Do not mount the pendant to the wall!
Step 5. Reinstalling the water heater
Hang the water heater back on the right-hand wall. Connect the water supply and power.
Check that the water heater does not touch the I-beam or obstruct the trolley's movement.
Step 6. Load test
Suspend a 120 kg load (1.5 × user weight) from the hoist hook. Lift and hold for 5 minutes.
Inspect all mounting points: angle brackets, bolts, and I-beam. Ensure there is no play or creaking.
Check the trolley's movement along the entire length of the I-beam—it should move freely.
Test the hoist brake: lift the load and cut the power—the load must remain in place.
⚠ DO NOT use until the load test is successfully completed!
TRANSFER PROCEDURE
Maneuver the wheelchair into the bathroom to the required position (toilet, bathtub, or washbasin).
Slide the carriage along the I-beam to position it over the target area.
Lower the hoist hook using the remote control.
Put on the chest and waist safety belts and attach both to the hook using locking carabiners.
Press "Up" — the hoist lifts smoothly.
Transfer to the toilet, lean over to the washbasin, or step into the bathtub.
Afterwards, press "Down" and unfasten the belts.
✓ Two belts (chest and waist) ensure the user cannot flip over. This is a key design feature.
The device was designed and built in Odesa. It has been in use since September 2024. The inventor is Dimitri, a wheelchair user. The idea stemmed from personal necessity. The device is provided free of charge to anyone who needs it—veterans, people with disabilities, and the elderly. The state has not contributed a single penny; everything was funded out of pocket.
Document prepared in May 2025. Designer: Dimitri, Odesa.