Cookie Tin water heater

[hinkjc]

Sooner, I don't use metal waterers anymore, but my experience with them is the cookie tin is not hot enough to keep the metal waterers from freezing. Of course, I didn't try higher watt bulbs as we switched to all plastic waterers. They may work, I just can't confirm it - maybe with a higher watt bulb. They are also a bit small for some of the bigger metal waterers and you risk tipping.

 

[oldchickenlady]

I made a cookie tin heater today, but didn't use lamp parts. I found a thing that has a light bulb socket on one side and a plug in for the wall on the other side, no cord involved...it is like you are plugging a light bulb into a wall plug. Anyway, I bought one (97 cents!), also found 40 watt appliance bulbs there, said on the package could take the cold of a refrigerator or the heat of an oven...so should be able to take any built up heat inside the can. I just used a hammer and a nail to start a hole, then found a metal 'punch' in my DH's tool box to enlarge the hole, then used wire cutters to enlarge the hole enough to get the plug in part of an extension cord through it, pulled it through leaving the extension cord plug inside the can. I was going to use my drill to start a hole, but as usual...battery was down, so not being the patient person I need to be, I improvised. Screwed in the bulb, plugged it into the extension cord, light came on, set the waterer on top. I plan on making another for my other waterer and hooking them both up to either a timer or a thermal cube. I have to leave town in the morning and coming back Sunday, so I wont have to worry about them having frozen waterers! Yay!

 

[nhnanna]

Quote:
Where did you get it and what is it called? thanks

 

[oldchickenlady]

I found it at Walmart in the hardware/electrical department. I cant remember what it is called, already threw the packaging away, but it is small and has the two metal prongs that go into a wall socket on one side and a place to screw in a light bulb on the other side. Cheap and easy breezy! I found it by accident it was so small, but definitely worth looking for, unless you want to go the more complicated route of finding lamp parts and putting it together that way. I didn't because it had been so long since I read the post about turning a christmas tin into a waterer I forgot all the parts that were used in the original post I read, and just went with my own idea.

 

[nhnanna]

Thank you. That's an idea also, how about a string of christmas lights in one of the tins?

 

[Terri O]

I dont think the Christmas lights get hot enough by design. So they dont burn your tree or house down I guess...I use those plug thingies all the time around the farm. I can never seem to find a trouble light when I need one so I improvise with that. They also work great on a timer for your extended daylight in the coop during the winter!

My cookie tin froze my waterer yesterday.

I had a brand new bulb in there and it died...the new one thawed out the water pretty quickly though. I like that idea about the appliance bulb--thanks! That might be just the ticket to keep the bulb alive during this cold weather. Terri O

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I didn't use Christmas lights in my Thermostat controlled cookie tin but thought about it. I did use them in my thermostat controlled brooder heater pipe.

A whole 25 foot strand is about 125 watts of output so a little more heat than a 120 watt bulb. An when one blows you don't lose everything. There also stronger than house bulbs.

 

[ElioraImmanuel]

How big/thick does the tin have to be for the pointy light or for the appliance light?

 

[gootziecat]

Dumb as I am, I figured out how to make these heaters. Being unsure if plastic waterers would be ok on the metal tins, I opted for the one gallon Fortex pans at TS. They're inexpensive and easily rinsed out.

 

[nancypo]

Our plastic waterer has been fine on top, using a 65 watt. bulb, but it's cold here! 17 tonite... The 2 hats on top help too...