Cookie Tin water heater

[Nifty-Chicken]

I would replace your two prong electric plug with a 3 prong and then bolt the ground to your cookie tin. Then make sure it's plugged into a GFI receipt.

Water and electric don't mix.

GREAT suggestion!!!

OK, got the 1157 automotive grade bulbs that are 27W each. 20 of them. haha

Now obtained 4 round cookie tins. These were only 36 cents each at walmart. Bought all from the shelf. These are pumpkin smiley from Oct 31.

Next up, the socket 1157 to find and some GXL grade wire.

So far, the cost is $1.20 for the bulbs and $1.44 for the tins. $2.64 total.

When the other parts are obtained and work started, I'll get a posting with pix.

Wow, that's fantastic! Please create a BYC page in our articles section of the site so we can add it to our waterers / feeders section. Even better, add it to our contest here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...s-feeders-win-a-20-byc-store-gift-certificate

 

[BMaverick]

GREAT suggestion!!!


Wow, that's fantastic! Please create a BYC page in our articles section of the site so we can add it to our waterers / feeders section. Even better, add it to our contest here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...s-feeders-win-a-20-byc-store-gift-certificate

OK, hope it was done right. It took some work, kind of like school work writing a report. ugh.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/723389/diy-12vdc-water-warmer

 

[Micki21965]

What a great idea. I will put it on my honey do list right now. Thank you for sharing

 

[BMaverick]

OK, hope it was done right. It took some work, kind of like school work writing a report. ugh.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/723389/diy-12vdc-water-warmer

OK, just posted the complete setup, parts, build and optional solar or wind power info. Just follow the link.

Will be setting this up over the weekend or the next.

 

[Hooligans7]

One other tip for the lid would be to apply a few beads or blobs of clear silicone caulk around the top edges. It helps prevent the waterer from sliding off the slick metal lid. (My waterer is plastic and slides quite well.)
Also, depending on the latitude where you and your chickens reside, a timer for the lamp could make sense. Of course, in places that don't get above freezing during the day, you'd leave it on 24/7. Just a thought...

 

[BMaverick]

One other tip for the lid would be to apply a few beads or blobs of clear silicone caulk around the top edges. It helps prevent the waterer from sliding off the slick metal lid. (My waterer is plastic and slides quite well.)
Also, depending on the latitude where you and your chickens reside, a timer for the lamp could make sense. Of course, in places that don't get above freezing during the day, you'd leave it on 24/7. Just a thought...

Yes, a timer has been mentioned in this rather loooong thread a few times. Good to keep it fresh in peoples minds. Also, there is a product called the "thermo-cube." This product will only turn on at 35F and below when the water feeder really needs to work. So, both solutions work well or combine both for a robust setup. Thus, the timer controls when to melt the ice water and for how long and the thermo-cube will only activate the power to the bulb. So, if the temp in the after noon is 45F and the timer is active, the thermo-cube will have the power off, saving battery and lamp.

 

[buzzbeehive]

Jes, I agree. This is a great idea. we all have a few of these tins laying around after holidays at least. Very nice way to reuse items. Thank you for posting this.

 

[The Lazy L]

I only have an extension cord running to my coop. It is not hard wired with a GFI. Can I just plug this into the powerstrip I have out there without a GFI?

Yes you can BUT a electrical short can fry all of your chickens and any human touching the heater! A GFI prevents this.

 

[WinterLadyAK]

I've read most (but I'll admit, not all) of this thread and attempted searching for how these do in sub-zero temperatures. Looks like some of you have used a 60 or even 100 watt bulb in them, anyone kept water thawed at -10F or -20F range? I have a nipple waterer with a bucket de-icer that freezes up when the temperature drops below zeroF so I'm looking for a solution. Thanks!

 

[BMaverick]

Yes you can BUT a electrical short can fry all of your chickens and any human touching the heater! A GFI prevents this.

If running 12VDC, a good charge controller and the battery can dispel this problem. Many of the charge controllers will trip the circuit.

If a GFCI can not be added to an older home or farm, using power strip could be an option. Find one with a very high joule clamp rating to trip the circuit. A Belkin or Tripp-Lite are trusted brands that meet strict UL and TUV standards. I would avoid the cheap no-name or unknown brands since Lazy-L states a good point of the birds getting fried otherwise, or worse, you or a family member touch the watering feeder and get zapped.

Just using a simple power strip means nothing without any protection built into it. In reality, those are just a harder version of an extension cord.



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