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

[chad-o]

I use the horizontal nipples too. I agree tey are great I ordered mine from the buy sell and trade section.

 

[skippyscage]

silly question - I understand what the heater does, but why the pump? Is that to move the water around to help it from freezing again?

 

[jimmywalt]

silly question - I understand what the heater does, but why the pump? Is that to move the water around to help it from freezing again?

Yes. Not sure if I really needed the pump, but I thought that maybe it would circulate the water so that the thermometer inside the heater doesn't just feel the water by the heater. Also moving water doesn't freeze easy.

When you says "again"............ well it shouldn't freeze at all.

 

[skippyscage]

ha, yeah, again shouldn't have been in there

I know the heater is via a thermocube, and I assume the pump is the same?

This is my project for Monday.

 

[jimmywalt]

Yes the thermocube does both items.

This works perfectly. While I don't care for winter, I'm interested to see how great this works when we have a long cold spell (20 degrees or less).

 

[chad-o]

silly question - I understand what the heater does, but why the pump? Is that to move the water around to help it from freezing again?

Moving water will not freeze.

 

[Freeholder]

Moving water will not freeze.

Depends on how cold it gets. Rivers in Alaska (in the Interior) usually freeze nearly solid in the winter. Rivers here (Eastern Oregon) can freeze over if it gets cold enough for long enough. That said, I don't think the pump would be sufficient by itself (the water in the nipple would freeze, even if the water in the bucket didn't). However, I do think that the heater should be sufficient without the pump. Wish I had electricity to my coop! I have to carry water all winter to the chickens, goats, and calf.

Kathleen

 

[aart]

How did this hold up over our frigid winter?

 

[jimmywalt]

How did this hold up over our frigid winter?

ABSOLUTELY Perfectly!!!!!!!

We are in Michigan just 4 miles from Lake Michigan. It was below zero MANY nights and daytime highs hardly hit the teens for days at a time!

Heater and pump never failed!!!!!! Recently we had a day at about 40 degrees. I went out side just to check if the thermocube would turn off everything and it had!!!

This is the best winter time waterer in my opinion! I'll never use anything else!

By the way, we didn't have ANY heat in the coop either!!!!!

 

[chad-o]

Moving water can freeze but at much lower temperatures. The reason the horizontal nipples don't freeze when other types do is there is no water in the nipple to freeze. Only the back end of the valve is in the water and not exposed to the cold. Take a look at the pictures and you will see what I am talking about.

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