Help please with cup waterer....urgent

[triplejfarm2]

Ok bought the cup waterers, ran the pvc, put a flush valve on one end, the pressure reducer on the other.... Hooked it up and i cant get water to come out unless we really toggle them back and forth, and t sprays just a bit... Then it comes out for a few time and locks up again, and i can really play with them and get no water.. So my assumption was that they had to much pressure, but when i open the flush valve we get just a little burst o water ...the reducing valve is turned all the way down... What am i doing wrong ???

 

[weasel killer]

Just a guess try a little more pressure

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Most of them I've read about need around 8 lbs of pressure

 

[LoneOak]

They work better on a gravity flow system than they do with a regulator on hose from the house.

 

[triplejfarm2]

Yeah but i already have it all purchased and set up to be hooked up to the hose, if i did the gravity fed i needed to hook it up the other side if the barn, ...ugh... If i turn the faucet most if the way down and use the regulator, it should work ?? I just don't know what the heck is wrong... I guess i should have stuck with the auto dog waterer i just took out... Dang it

 

[triplejfarm2]

How do i measure my pressure ?

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: All you need to rig up a gravity feed is a container and the inside workings of a toilet to control the water level

The type on the right would work in a 5 gallon bucket and you could use either type in larger containers

The pressure range should be on your regulator, or on the information that came with it
Otherwise you'd need a gauge to test it.

You could put in a screw -in Schrader valve on the top of the pipe and test with a low pressure tire gauge, but it would require drilling and tapping the pipe

 

[triplejfarm2]

Yes, we had a rabbit nipple gravity fed system, we were hoping to get away from a bucket.. We have the hose running along the side of the barn up againt the fence, coming down to then run thru 4 pens against the back of the barn out to the other side, where we have a flush valve.. I would have to cut it all apart and reverse it (no room for bucket or checking it) its all glued and set up.... So is it a case of the pressure reducer just doesnt work well enough ???

 

[LoneOak]

I do believe that you may be 100% correct with your last statement!

Is this the kind of Pressure Reducing Valve you have, I thought these work ok but I've never used one.
To be really successful with this type setup you may have to go with this Heavy Duty Pressure Reducing Valve but this bad boy is expensive. Read the description for these two valves and it will answer your questions.

You could use this type Float Valve in a bucket for gravity feed and hook it directly to the hose and never have to worry about it. I have a valve like this in a bucket that feeds from a 55 gal barrel up in the hay loft of my barn. The pressure was too high directly out of the barrel so I now feed the smaller bucket with the float valve in it and then gravity feed to my waterers out of the small bucket.

 

[triplejfarm2]

Yes the first valve is what we have... the water wont come out at all by tapping the valves, but if I grab one and forcefully wiggle it, water sprays out... am I right in thinking that the water shoudl just trickle out correct..??

I guess I can call the company and try and return the pressure reducer and exchange it with a float, but ugh... just didnt want to have to mess with more parts that might not work if your gone or something...

also, what do you do in the winter,? do you just unhook everything and take the cups off,,?? or just leave them on ?? not sure what the best way to handle the winter "Storrage" of the line and cups are... (the line is permananet) also why I cant just turn it around and move the hose/float bucket... ugh