Cookie Tin water heater

[Hooligans7]

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!

If the bucket de-icer has been ineffective, then you might consider wrapping the bucket with an insulator. The best one I can think of that's non-bulky and not likely to attract pecking is a "space blanket." One side of it reflects heat back toward its source. You'd need to tape or tie it on, and/or use a strap over the top to secure it, but it should reduce heat loss through the sides of the bucket. You could also put a piece of it on the top.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

You close the lid, plug it in and turn the light on. Place the tin on bricks or a hollywood block and set the waterer on top. Make sure they are plugged into GFI outlets - as someone mentioned water and electricity don't mix well. I've never had any problem with them and they work well here.

Jody

Just love it it looks so simple but awesome.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Thanks everyone, but I can't take credit for them. DH came up with the idea and is my handy dandy do-it-yourselfer guy. LOL I swear that man can do anything, which is really cool. I hope you have fun with it and it makes your winter lives easier.

btw..we found the cookie tins at the dollar store. You can get empty ones for about a buck or full of cookies for $2-$5. Enjoy the cookies and use the tin. Most of ours are Christmassy..and I think the chickens like the designs. lol

Jody

Of course they love the designs, its Christmas the birth of baby Jesus.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

I saw this idea years ago on the other BYC from some one else and my DH decided to make them as well. Over the years he has made them better, but we got a bunch of cookie tins at Arc stores or Good Will and some after Christmas at Walmart for $1.00 each.

I have used up to a 40watt light bulb in mine and have them plugged into a thermocube so that they only kick on below 35°F
They have been a godsend, no more frozen waterers. I did buy two real store boiught ones though for my 3 gallon rubber buckets though.

Awesome, dont mean to sound dumb but what is a thermo cube? love the idea of thermostatically controlled. Will this work with plastic waterers.

 

[Hooligans7]

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.



.

OK, in consideration of the GFCI retrofit challenges -- combined with a desire to keep my chickens safe AND being unsuccessful in finding a cookie tin anywhere within an hour's drive, here's my modified plan:
Build a 2 X 4 frame that you line 100% with concrete backer board -- the kind used as underlayment for ceramic tile. Screw on a full-coverage top and bottom of the same material. I plan to use 1/4" backer board throughout, fastened with 1/4" X 1" hex-head screws (1/2" backer board would be fine, too).
That way, you can use a 120V bulb inside with the comfort of knowing that backer board is 100% fireproof and nonconductive, so nothing can become energized beyond the lamp fixture itself; the juice has nowhere to go inside of the concrete backer board and your chickens will be 100% safe.
The backer board may take just a bit longer to warm up, but once it is, it should keep the waterer free of ice. The point is that with a concrete backer board lining, top, and bottom, a cookie tin is completely unnecessary -- just mount the light fixture inside of the backer board-lined wood frame. Also, elaborate electrical safeguards are unnecessary.
Nevertheless, a Thermo-cube would be a good idea to prevent unnecessary overheating.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

I've been using these for years. Here is the link to my own heaters if you want more pics.

http://www.rosecombs.ca/heatedwaterer.html

awesome pics great details.

 

[Hooligans7]

I've been using these for years. Here is the link to my own heaters if you want more pics.

http://www.rosecombs.ca/heatedwaterer.html

Hello Urban Coyote, I like that design and was going to do exactly the same thing, however,

1. There's a scarcity of cookie tins (believe it or not) in my neck of the boonies, and,
2. All the talk about potentially zapping one's chickens with an energized cookie tin inspired me to come up with a different design to avoid retrofitting a GFCI outlet.

So, instead, I've decided to make a 10" X 10" wood frame from scrap 2 X 4s (cheap, sturdy, and reduces lateral heat loss) and line it with 1/4" cement backer board, which is 100% fireproof, 100% nonconductive, and sturdy. The top and bottom will be of the same material, which eliminates any shock hazard from an energized light fixture. Even non-grounded lamp wire may be used. The cement board lining, top, and bottom will be fastened to the wood frame with hex-head screws.

 

[Gypsi]

Nitpicking your design. (and i'm in Texas so I have only needed to keep water from freezing once since I got chickens in 2010.)
Wood near heat is a fire hazard, while metal does not burn.
Does cement board conduct heat? I'm thinking maybe but it would take a much larger heating element actually embedded in the cement board (how heated flooring is done, waterbed style heater with concrete poured under and over it.)

I would not want the electric bill for an effective cement board heater, while a small amount of electrical tape and maybe a bit of silicone could virtually eliminate any hen-zapping tendencies of the original cookie tin design. (I picked up tins at Goodwill for $1 each after my last big freeze in winter 2010/2011... Haven't built the warmer because I'm still waiting for the next freeze to be forecast.)

 

[LAndersen]

THESE WON'T MELT THE PLASTIC WATERER'S?

 

[WinterLadyAK]

If the bucket de-icer has been ineffective, then you might consider wrapping the bucket with an insulator. The best one I can think of that's non-bulky and not likely to attract pecking is a "space blanket." One side of it reflects heat back toward its source. You'd need to tape or tie it on, and/or use a strap over the top to secure it, but it should reduce heat loss through the sides of the bucket. You could also put a piece of it on the top.

Well it's not the bucket de-icer that is ineffective, the water in the bucket is still ice-free and definitely above freezing, but the nipples freeze solid. So I'm not sure that insulating the bucket would help keep the nipples ice-free. Thanks for your suggestion though!