DIY Instructions for Very EASY heated waterer for under $20 bucks

[Cluckies]

Some people use the insulation with the silver material on the outside, don't know what it is called though.

 

[Crunchynurse]

I will research what the insulating material is. Just brought in waterer. This is what it looked like with 125 watt ebo aquarium heater on max, current temp 16F, high today was 23. Was not fun hauling a full 5 gal bucket out of the run! Its windy too. Figured best to thaw this bucket as forecast is -1 tonight.

Again, it's not the slightly frozen water that is the issue here, but the nipples are frozen on the inside. Edit, I just stuck my hand in there. There is a thick layer of ice on the inside coating sides from top to bottom. That's why the nipples don't work at all. Heater is only keeping the middle of the bucket liquid, with a little open water at the top also.

Jen

 

[aart]

I will research what the insulating material is. Just brought in waterer. This is what it looked like with 125 watt ebo aquarium heater on max, current temp 16F, high today was 23. Was not fun hauling a full 5 gal bucket out of the run! Its windy too. Figured best to thaw this bucket as forecast is -1 tonight.

Again, it's not the slightly frozen water that is the issue here, but the nipples are frozen on the inside. Edit, I just stuck my hand in there. There is a thick layer of ice on the inside coating sides from top to bottom. That's why the nipples don't work at all. Heater is only keeping the middle of the bucket liquid, with a little open water at the top also.

Jen

125 watt heater won't keep that liquid in 23F?!?!
That doesn't sound right....was it outside in the wind or in the coop?

I'm using a 50 AQ watt heater in 2.5gal jug in the coop...has been fine in our lowest of 6F night.

Maybe put some bubble wrap around the bucket and underneath it.

ETA: are you sure the heater is functioning at all? The first heater I bought(the one suggested in the beginning of this thread) failed after a week and one 14F night.

 

[Cluckies]

Hmmm. wow. and that is with a circulating pump going as well?

So I put my bucket outside at 4:30am this morning when it was -14F it stayed out all day and was still functioning when I got home at 3, it was still -4F at that time. I'm not sure what is going on with your set up. here is my bucket:

I may leave it out tonight and see how it does. but it is only suppose to get to -6 tonight. I wonder if it makes a difference that is it only a 2 gallon bucket? (easier for me to haul than a 5 gal)

 

[Crunchynurse]

@aart The light comes on, on the heater. Other than that I can't say for sure how well it is functioning. I do think bubble wrap or reflectix is a good idea.

@Cluckies Yes, there is a little circulating pump. But I added it after it started to freeze, don't know if that matters. It came in the mail 2 days ago. We used a 5 gal because we had a few on hand already. I was not planning to haul it, but to have my son remove the lid and top it off using a smaller bucket. I only moved it today because I knew it needed to come in the house to thaw. I know the heater/pump are doing something, because usually I see thick ice on the top. But there is thick ice on the bottom and sides instead. So maybe wrapping with bubble wrap or insulation would help, but not sure.

Jen

 

[Crunchynurse]

@aart It was in the pen, not the coop, but the whole pen is wrapped in greenhouse plastic right now.

Jen

 

[Cluckies]

Plug the aquarium heater in, in the house and see if it warms up, it doesn't sound like it is heating at all at this point...

 

[aart]

Reflective bubble wrap will surely help, I set mine on a plastic feed bag wrapped chunk of 2" foam too.
I use warm water when topping off the jug so as not to trigger the heater on when adding water to vessel.

Would be a good idea to test the heater in the house before taking it back outside.....
........follow the directions of tuning it off for 30 minutes before removing form the water tho.

Not sure if using less water would help or not...thermal mass of water is usually more insulative and air space.

 

[lazy gardener]

Crunchynurse (love that screen name!) Can you put the heater in a bowl or bucket of water, and feel it with your hand to see if it's kicking out any heat?

 

[matt44644]

They problem you might be having is that if the water is too cold the heater doesn't heat.I have a $15 50 watt heater that if the water is under 65 it wont heat,if above 65 it will heat.My tap water right now is 50 degrees.So for it to work i'd have to heat the water first.