Does anyone else's PVC feeder "sweat" ? *pic added*

[HennysMom]

Okay - so we have a PVC feeder that we made, its been acclimated to the weather for a very long time, however I'm finding that the tube that will hold at least 7 days of food is sweating, causing the feed to mold. So now I am just filling up the trough (which oddly, doesnt sweat

) and that will hold 2 days of food.

I know its humid outside now with summer and I'm hoping in winter we wont have this problem, but its soooo annoying

The trough is covered so no water can get to it (top covered with a gutter guard and back with plexiglass) - so its not getting wet that way, its the actual tube that holds the feed.

Anyone else have this issue?

 

[Heavy D]

Is your feed you put in the PVC a different temp than the PVC?...say you store the feed in a cold part of the barn on the floor 55'F and then put it out in the feeder where its warm 80'F?

 

[HennysMom]

Nope... feed is same temp as the pipe. Its the pipe thats sweating - its empty and I can take the top off and look in.... condensation abounds

Doesnt make any sense...it should be acclamated to the temps outside by now, been outside for over a month or so.

 

[Heavy D]

Huh...for condensation to happen there has to be a cooling effect on the humid air...when cooled, it can not hold on to as much water as the warmer air around it so it releases it in the form of condensation...what could be cooling the empty pipe ?? Does it sweat all the time or just in the am?

 

[HennysMom]

Just has to be the weather patterns I suppose.... humidity here in VA has been brutal in my area here lately (its usually high anyway). It's pretty much moist all the time (and its empty so..), which is why I dont put feed inside the tube any longer, just in the trough. Makes it pretty redundant to have it if I cant put feed in it.

I know others have PVC feeders and live in humid conditions too - something has to be going on there, it just cant be my feeder.

 

[jqs birds]

Is the feeder against concrete? that would cause the cooling.

 

[HennysMom]

nope.. not against concrete; free standing pretty much - its tie-tied to the chain link fence but not touching it - if that makes sense. It's got 1 in. backer boards to keep it away.

I'll have to take pictures to show you how its done.

 

[HennysMom]

Okay - here is my feeder.... its the pipe that gets sweaty - not the trough. The trough is covered and protected by the gutter that is over it so no rain can get to it, and the back is protected with plexiglass, so no water can get to it that way either.

 

[Hillbilly Rooster]

Have you tried to take the top cover off the pipe in the hot days. As the sun hits it with the cover on and it is not breathing cooks the food which can have some moisture left in it you may have to vent it.

You have built a small silo.

At the elevators you have silos and they have vents, corn will ferment because there is still moisture. We always had to clean out the bottoms when they were empty very gross.

I do believe most of the feed has a little corn in it.

Hope this helped is some way

 

[HennysMom]

Quote:
I dont know why this made me laugh out loud but it did

Made me think of a missle launch for some reason

Ya know.. I thought about that (taking the top off) but I'm afraid something might get IN the feed... like bugs