heater for inside tube style waterer?

I have horizontal pvc pipe with vertical nipples. I inserted a heat cable (the submersible kind) inside my pipe. It keeps them from freezing down to about 28 degrees, but when we have colder temps, the nipples still freeze up, even though the water doesn't. I think the more chickens using the cups, the more they will keep it un-frozen.

Maybe you can find something useful here -- https://oemheaters.com/topic/heating-tape
Hello! Any chance you have a photo of what you did? My husband and I are trying to make a better watering system that we can add heat to and keep it from freezing. We are thinking of a pvc tube that we can fill with a hose without having to go into the coop. Thank you :)
 
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Hello! Any chance you have a photo of what you did? My husband and I are trying to make a better watering system that we can add heat to and keep it from freezing. We are thinking of a pvc tube that we can fill with a hose without having to go into the coop. Thank you :)

Not the best pics, but I can get more later.
WP_20170429_14_46_28_Pro_LI2.jpg


We tried the heat cable taped to the outside of the pipe first, but it didn't work as well. But these pics are a little better:
WP_20161020_13_19_12_Pro_LI.jpg WP_20161020_13_19_21_Pro_LI.jpg

I put a 4x4 block under it for the shorter chicks.
WP_20170711_08_17_31_Pro_LI.jpg
 
Not the best pics, but I can get more later.
View attachment 1618404

We tried the heat cable taped to the outside of the pipe first, but it didn't work as well. But these pics are a little better:
View attachment 1618408 View attachment 1618407

I put a 4x4 block under it for the shorter chicks.
View attachment 1618409
Thank you!
This is perfect. Just to clarify, the tape didn't work as well as the submersed heating tube but the nipples have frozen with both set ups? We are going to be gone for a few weeks are are trying to keep things as simple as possible for our neighbors!
I love the block for the little ones :)
 
Thank you!
This is perfect. Just to clarify, the tape didn't work as well as the submersed heating tube but the nipples have frozen with both set ups? We are going to be gone for a few weeks are are trying to keep things as simple as possible for our neighbors!
I love the block for the little ones :)

The heat cable is the same, just done 2 different ways. At first we did not submerge it. We taped it to the outside of the pipe with electrical tape, and that did not work as well. So we drilled a hole just below the vertical end (I think it is just below the bottom row of tape in the first pic) and inserted the heat cable into the pipe. The hole creates a vent, and still allows use of a cap to cover the fill end.

Be sure to use a removable cap/plug on the far end also, to make cleanout easy. I think I’ve only totally emptied and hosed mine out two or three times in over 2 years.

The nipples only seem to freeze up if the temps stay below 25-30F for many hours at a time. We usually get above freezing most days, so it works pretty well here. I do provide a small quart waterer on those extra extended cold spells.
 

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