Deicer failed. Need help with diagnosis.

[linguini]

We have a K&H deicer since 2020, it never failed until the last two days. The circuits that supplies the power works fine (another unit on the same circuit works fine). Does anyone have any experience with this deicer or any idea how we can diagnose it? The unit is quite expensive, I would hate to have to purchase a new one!

A 5 gallon rent-a-coop waterer sits on top of the deicer. The water in the tank is mostly not frozen, but the bottom later and the spouts are frozen shut. The overnight temperature was 20-21F.

Here is what the unit looks like:
https://a.co/d/8MyydI0

 

[HollowOfWisps]

It sounds like the heating element has gone bad. If you have experience with electric you may be able to replace it depending on the unit, but if you don’t I don’t think I would attempt it.

 

[DobieLover]

I use a K&H 2.5 gallon fount waterer with a heated base. It is not the same as what you use. Regardless, these things have a finite life. I'm sure they are built to IPC Class 1 which means all they have to do is work coming out of the package.
Have you ever accidentally dropped it? That can cause damage to on-board circuitry within the controller. The thermostatic switch may have fried. There are any number of internal PCB issues that could have caused the failure. It sounds like it is just EOL.

 

[linguini]

I use a K&H 2.5 gallon fount waterer with a heated base. It is not the same as what you use. Regardless, these things have a finite life. I'm sure they are built to IPC Class 1 which means all they have to do is work coming out of the package.
Have you ever accidentally dropped it? That can cause damage to on-board circuitry within the controller. The thermostatic switch may have fried. There are any number of internal PCB issues that could have caused the failure. It sounds like it is just EOL.

No, we have never dropped it. It has been sitting in the same spot since 2020! If it's the PCB problem, there is no hope.

Any suggestion for a deicer that is auto thermal control and can be inserted into the rent-a-coop waterer?

 

[DobieLover]

No, we have never dropped it. It has been sitting in the same spot since 2020! If it's the PCB problem, there is no hope.

Any suggestion for a deicer that is auto thermal control and can be inserted into the rent-a-coop waterer?

Post a picture of your rent-a-coop waterer.

 

[linguini]

Post a picture of your rent-a-coop waterer.

The base actually feels warm to me. Just added two layers of extra insulation on top, looks kind of hideous.

The unit looks like this without the covering:
https://a.co/d/eymE2rw

 

[linguini]

Unplugged and replugged the unit, and added additional insulation, perhaps that did the trick - the waterer did not freeze last night. But last night was not as cold as the previous two nights. Keeping our fingers crossed!

 

[jreardon1918]

Unplugged and replugged the unit, and added additional insulation, perhaps that did the trick - the waterer did not freeze last night. But last night was not as cold as the previous two nights. Keeping our fingers crossed!

I can't help diagnose why the unit failed. It looks like the waterer you have can accept a submersible heater. Here is the one I am currently using. It keeps the 5 gallon bucket *water* I use *liquid* all winter. It looks a bit cheaper than the warming plate.

Edited to add liquid.

 

[linguini]

I can't help diagnose why the unit failed. It looks like the waterer you have can accept a submersible heater. Here is the one I am currently using. It keeps the 5 gallon bucket I use all winter. It looks a bit cheaper than the warming plate.

Thank you so much!

 

[Al Gerhart]

Does it have a way to open it to get at the internal components? If so, use an electric meter set on ohms or just a battery powered electrical test light. You need to check each wire of the power cord to see if the wire is unbroken from the male prong to where that wire connects to the electronic or resistance heater element. Unplug it of course, check one side then the other. Once you rule out the power cord being bad use an electrical meter set on ohms to check the resistance in the heating coil. Again you are checking for continuity, electric is going in and out and the amount of resistance which is what produces the heat as it chokes down the flow of electrons.

If you don't understand any of this, toss the heater in the trash and buy a new one before you electrocute yourself.