56 Gallon waterer to prevent freezing in the winter

[bevis]

Too much work, just get a bunch of these on the outside and close it up like a ice chest or get a food grade plastic barrel and insulate it as such.
View attachment 3622949

I suspect the supply source and the water in the cups will freeze overnight

 

[bevis]

In Iowa, the average temperature is far enough below freezing that the water would freeze even with topping it off. Emptying it and refilling it might help for a while if you can keep the drain itself drained when it isn't being used and if you can keep the water beside the drain from freezing. It will freeze in from the sides and up from the bottom so that won't be easy to do.

The bigger problem with emptying it is that the water will make a sheet of ice on top of the frozen ground. Then pretty much stay there until spring.

In Kentucky, the average temperature might be warm enough for this plan to work. I don't know Kentucky weather very well.

if i put a heater in the tank, i think it will be a non issue. if the drain is clear ( and it will be because its way more than 1/4" to the foot drop ) i dont expect any issues with the drain. not to say it may try to freeze on the input side of the ball valve at the tank. we shall see. as far as a sheet of ice near the drain, mine drains onto a hill near the RR tracks so i dont really care if it creates a sheet of ice.

 

[bevis]

As you can see from this chart where I live, I should not have any issues ( other than a freak incident ) with the freezing of that 56 gallons of water especially with a heater.

 

[bevis]

Right. This set up will freeze without a heat source. Trying to break ice just to have it freeze back over is not worth the effort. Good point about the drain freezing. But, would be nice for the warmer seasons.
Heck we have electric poultry waterers rated for -20 or something close that ice up.

I contend that using a spud bar or hammer to bust up the top layer of ice is going to be WAY easier than carrying heavy water in multiple 5 gallon buckets 200' to refill normal heated waterers EVERY day. I'll take the bust ice method over the carry 40+ lb buckets to the run every day .. Im 65 and disabled and trying this to keep from carrying water. If it works, GREAT !

 

[saysfaa]

I think it will work very well for you, bevis. It was in colder Iowa where it has those problems.

I thought the average temperature is more helpful than average highs and average lows - yours is lowest in Januaru at 32F. Dec is 36, Feb is 35.

Most of the time, the air temperature will help keep the water above freezing before it has been below freezing long enough to freeze that much water.

You will probably have only a few weeks (total, in various cold spells probably) where you will need to help the system along - empty and refill more often, maybe, or add boiling water if you don't want to get a stock tank heater. The stock tank heater is the easiest way by far.

The hose will freeze much faster than the tank. Between fills of the tank, you will need leave the hose running a trickle or drain it or drag it somewhere above freezing.

 

[RoyalChick]

As you can see from this chart where I live, I should not have any issues ( other than a freak incident ) with the freezing of that 56 gallons of water especially with a heater.

With those temperatures there won’t be any ice to break. My 5 gallon bucket with horizontal nipples doesn’t freeze until it is below 24F for the whole night.
It gets colder than that here in NJ and I stand the bucket on a very low wattage heat pad and that is plenty warm enough to keep water flowing to the nipples for most ordinary NJ winters.

 

[bevis]

I think it will work very well for you, bevis. It was in colder Iowa where it has those problems.

I thought the average temperature is more helpful than average highs and average lows - yours is lowest in Januaru at 32F. Dec is 36, Feb is 35.

Most of the time, the air temperature will help keep the water above freezing before it has been below freezing long enough to freeze that much water.

You will probably have only a few weeks (total, in various cold spells probably) where you will need to help the system along - empty and refill more often, maybe, or add boiling water if you don't want to get a stock tank heater. The stock tank heater is the easiest way by far.

The hose will freeze much faster than the tank. Between fills of the tank, you will need leave the hose running a trickle or drain it or drag it somewhere above freezing.

i was going to buy a heavy duty hose reel and just let the water run out of the hose as i rolled it up and then unhook the hose reel from the hose bib. hopefully i can avoid hose freeze. im going to get a stock tank heater to eliminate any freezing issues.

 

[aart]

then unhook the hose reel from the hose bib

Unhook the hose bib before you roll up the hose or it won't drain well if at all.
Hopefully it is down hill from bib to tank, that would help a lot.

 

[ChickyWhicky]

I contend that using a spud bar or hammer to bust up the top layer of ice is going to be WAY easier than carrying heavy water in multiple 5 gallon buckets 200' to refill normal heated waterers EVERY day. I'll take the bust ice method over the carry 40+ lb buckets to the run every day .. Im 65 and disabled and trying this to keep from carrying water. If it works, GREAT !

In Kentucky sounds like no problem. I was just noting with my first post that with Iowa's average winter temps at 14 degrees farneheit, this set up won't work well. I do like it for the other seasons though! I also HATE carrying water, so I get it!

 

[bevis]

Unhook the hose bib before you roll up the hose or it won't drain well if at all.
Hopefully it is down hill from bib to tank, that would help a lot.

you are correct. and it is downhill to the chicken house and run