Griddle used to keep 5 gallon bucket from freezing

Article Reviews (3) Gallery
Leave a rating
Latest Rating
ronott1
I like the using old things aspect.

Is the setup protected from water? Over time, I suspect that the chicken manure might cause an issue.
NameIwish
NameIwish
Over time almost any manure can cause an issue. So far KOW, so good. Not sure what you mean by protected from water. But thanks for the feedback
Lacy Duckwing
Neat idea, but appears unsafe for chickens. Looking in the picture, it appears the griddle is sticking out enough for chickens to stand on and possibly burn their feet.
  • Like
Reactions: Debbie292d
NameIwish
NameIwish
"appears unsafe for chickens"
Ah, appearances aren't everything - that's perception.
Of course you cannot tell from the images posted that the griddle is not energized in the photo. Nor can you discern the temperature setting of the griddle control.
We are not cooking the water. The griddle is set to its lowest 'warming' setting such that, when the temperature drops below 40 degrees or so, the griddle begins cycling on and off attempting to maintain a 'warm' surface - in spite of the 'below 40' ambient temperature. (Last nite, ostensibly down to 20 degrees F if the forecast was spot on).
Over time, the intermittent heat source warms the SS pan, the wooden supports, the plastic bucket and the 3-5 gallons of water therein creating a bit of a thermal mass inside the sealed bucket.
I suspect, indeed venture to guess, that the temperature of the griddle' center seldom reaches eighty degrees and the exposed peripheral edges seldom reach two thirds of that.
I suspect a hen, were it disinclined to fly up on one of the perches, might safely rest her head on the griddle's edge all night long without injury or discomfort.
As we have learned, chickens share much of their structure with dinosaurs and the like from some fifty million years before the griddle came to be. Does the expression 'tough old birds' ring a bell?
Debbie292d
I'm giving you 3 stars for ingenuity and explanation; however, using kitchen appliances outdoors is a recipe for trouble as the cords and electronics weren't built for outdoor climates. Could you rewire the heating unit with a higher gauge heavy-duty electrical cord?

I believe that temperature switch you speak of is called a Thermo Cube.
  • Like
Reactions: Lacy Duckwing
NameIwish
NameIwish
The appliance was designed to be used in a kitchen/household setting, of course. However, the relatively short AC cord is 14 gauge, heavily insulated whereas the orange 50' 'outdoors' extension cord is only 16 Gauge. Better setup would simply include a bit of cover/protection (box?) to protect the dial/thermostat. The extension cord and 'thermocube' are plugged into a GFCI outlet and the circuit is protected with a 15AMP breaker. While everyone is cautioned to hire a certified electrician and have the county inspect home electrical 'improvements,' some folks just plunge ahead and do what comes naturally. (In my case for many decades.) BTW - the cable on these griddles is only a 2-wire affair and it is UL Approved! Go figure.
Back
Top Bottom