Heated metal fount base

[kmoranjr1]

I have a galvanized , heated fount base that has been tripping my GFCI. I'm not sure if its being used the right way. We have been using it as a bowl, and filling it with water. I opened the wiring box and it seemed that all the wires were covered well with heat shrink. It has worked well for about a month but has been causing me all sorts of headaches the last few days. We decided to shop for a new one and while surfing online I came across an ad that seemed to suggest that you flip it upside down and rest the fount on it. I am really going to feel like a huge DA if thats the case. Any tips would be appreciated

 

[princess araucana]

Sorry, you DEFINITELY are suppose to flip it over and use it as a base to place a waterer fount on top of.
If it makes you feel any better I can see how you might want to use it as a bowl.....

 

[FortWorthChicks]

sounds like something I would do!

 

[kmoranjr1]

I still feel like a huge DA , but thank you anyway

 

[kmoranjr1]

The funny part is that its been over 2 months full of water without any problems, with the wires and element fully submersed in water! The power went out the other day for about 10 hours and it froze solid. I guess the ice must have damage the wiring and caused the short. just wondering how long it would have worked if it did not freeze.

 

[dickies chics]

make sure to dry it out very good before using it correctly. you may be alright

 

[kmoranjr1]

I just went outside and unplugged it . The thing was still working fine. Tomorrow we are going to get a new fount and place it on the base the right way.

 

[Burbs]

Wow........surprised the chooks didn't get zapped. BTW works really well with the fount on top.

 

[Terri O]

This thread really made me chuckle! You see, the first fount heater we got my DH set up and placed the water fount INSIDE the heater bowl. Well, chickens arent the neatest with their water and when it malfunctioned I took it apart and saw all the connections had burned and shorted out. It was fried so I went and got a new one. This time I set it up and read the directions! Yup, he was using it upside down! The funny thing is that it is embossed in the metal "this side up"! I never saw it because it was up side down all year!
So now our new one is lost (of course) and I built this:

I got the idea right here on BYC (cant find the thread) and it only cost me 50 cents for the tin...the rest I had around the farm! I will probably find the new fount heater tomorrow now that I built this one! Terri O

 

[fiberart57]

A friend of mine had been using one for her chickens and it kept doing the same thing. When I went shopping for a heated waterer, I looked at those bases and the ones in my area say that they're only good for 10 or 15 degrees and since we get colder than that, I decided to go with the dog water bowl. I'm wondering that, if your temps are consistenly lower than 10 or 15 degrees, the waterer just can't handle it and keeps shorting out.

Mary