Anyone using Farm Innovators heated fount? BURNED UP PICS!!!

[CARS]

I bought one of these about a month ago: http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovators-All-Seasons-Plastic-Fountain/dp/B001CCSJCQ

After using it, even the first time, the idea is great. The price is right. But I think they missed the boat on function.

My problems with it are that you fill it upside down through a plug in the bottom, then you tip it upright, spilling water everywhere. The water level is too high so you splash it all over while carrying it. And then, the part that really makes me nervous, you have to take an extension cord and plug it into the waterer. While I haven't yet got shocked, you never know... And one more thing that happens, the chickens keep unplugging it! I use a heavy orange extension cord, maybe if it was brown or something they wouldn't be playing with it?

Any other reviews???

 

[TcherDawn]

That is my review of it exactly! Except mine don't unplug it. But other than that, you are right on the money.
I wonder why the "plug" to fill it isn't on the top? I am not an engineer or farmer, so I don't know how to design things, but I was wondering...

 

[CARS]

If you take the vacuum out of the bottle/tank/whatever by opening up a top plug, it will just run right out the holes on the bottom.

My "summer" fountains are plastic with a top fill, but it also includes a cap for the bottom hole so it doesn't run out.

If I didn't have these new ones in use, I would attempt to re-engineer it's faults.

 

[fiberart57]

I have one, I like it, but it didn't work when the temperature got down to the below zeros. It turns on at 35 degrees so the water at the bottom of the pan was liquid but the surface was frozen solid. I like it for the low temperature reason; not too much electricity and ditto for fire hazard. It's outiside, sheltered in the run but I would be comfortable with it in the hen house, it simply doesn't get that hot.

I didn't mind the bottom fill once I got the knack of turning it over quickly. But since, like you say, the water level is high if the waterer isn't level it will leak out. I raised mine up on bricks and used a carpentry level to make sure the thing was level and it did just fine until the temperature dropped and I had to come up with another solution.

I didn't worry about the plug and extension cord because the electricity usage was so low and the connections seemed secure. I've not heard of them causing fire. When I first plugged it in, I obsessively went to the other end of the extension cord to check for heat and it was fine.

When the danger of temperatures below 10 degrees is over I plan to reinstate it in the run. Right now I have a heated dog waterer because it comes on at 41 degrees and stays liquid in cold, cold weather.

Mary

 

[phalenbeck]

Mine is on a dead level shelf, and plug is close to the wall. With minor redesign this thing would be much better, but it works. Just think soon it will be spring and we can go back to our normal stuff.

 

[ChicksR4Me]

I have one and my coop is not level so I tried hanging it. The problem I'm having is the water level is so high that the birds just bumping into to it spills it all over and the bedding gets all wet. I just took it out of the coop today frustrated and wanting to take it back but the feed store is closed today for the day after christmas. I'm trying to rig up something else now. I'm also afraid to plug the cord in when water is all over it. I was taking a paper towel out in my pocket. Unplugging the cord first. Drying off the plug on the side of the fountain. Plugging it in and then plugging it back into the wall. I haven't got shocked but everytime I go out the thing has been leaking all over the floor of the coop. I don't care for it at all.

 

[crooked stripe]

Here is a thread everyone should read when having trouble with heated waterers. It gives many ideas for solving water problems in winter.




https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=274397&p=1

 

[CARS]

Update! I need to take pictures of the dang thing to post here but this morning my wife went out to do the chores and she discovered the extension cord and heated fount to be melted in the area of the plug in. darn near had a fire in the barn! I pulled the other one too (had 2). I need to find my receipt and shove these waterers where the sun don't shine!!!

 

[NGT ANGL]

I have three of them and although I think they could be designed better, once I got the hang of turning it over quickly, I didn't have much of a spillage problem. All three of mine came with plastic hangers and after one broke and flooded the coop it was in, I fashioned chain hangers from all three. I have been pleased with mine.

 

[CARS]

Pics as promised:

The cord its self still has the terminals melted into it (sorry, too cold for a pic of the cord).

I was worried about the safety of this fount in my first post a couple months ago. Unfortunately it has more problems than spilling water while flipping it over