High fail rate for heated drinker waterer bases?

[RPw1690]

I started using these metal heated bases in 2021, in North Carolina. MannaPro/Harris Farms, 125 watt thermostat controlled. The first unit I purchased still works fine, 5 years of faultless service. A second coop, identical, has an identical heater, also plugged into an outlet right next to the waterer.

(BTW a lot of posts about extension cords, these use 1.4 amps or less, so the cheapest cord will easily carry the load. The concern is only mechanical ruggedness, and keeping water out)

The 2nd waterer heater, identical except a year newer, lasted for 2022, 2023 and failed in Feb 2024.

I assumed defective, and MannaPro essentially honored the implied warranty, even though they gave only a 1 year warranty.

At $60 each, it doesn’t make sense to have to replace it every year.

The 2nd unit lasted from Feb 2024 to Nov 2025.

The failure mode for both was to stay on, even after the weather warmed up. It’s a low enough heat so you could probably run it all year and you might never notice if you keep a drinker on it.
However, if you are running an off grid solar electric supply, that 1.2 ampere load translates to 336AH (ampere-hours) per day, which is the capacity of $900 worth of lithium battery. When your system goes flat, a 1000AH system with 1000 watts of panels, you start looking for unusual loads.

So I’m curious just what other people are seeing.

I think all of these units are built by one place in China, and imported with a huge markup.

One thing I noticed when working in China is there is no reluctance for their manufacturing resources to switch their component sources if it saves some money.

As an example, I have a $200 3kW pure sine wave inverter that is 3 years old, works fine still, runs our well pump. Bought 3 more of these, same manufacturer, for tiny house power supplies, but they switched the control /display circuit board, that same year, the newer ones would no longer work with lithium batteries and solar panel charge controllers. Replacement modules, no help. They got all that equipment back.

Maybe it was a fluke I’ve gotten 2 bad heaters in a row, maybe not.
They are all riveted together, so not easy to get in.

For a North Carolina winter, these heaters might cycle for a few hours for maybe 20 days per year. They cycle maybe 6 times or less per hour, like 600 cycles per year. (Metal 5 gallon drinker on top)

These types of switches are typically designed for 100,000 cycles, so a 10 year product life should be easily achieved.

If you are heating your water year round, it will add an extra 1095 kWHr, or an extra $160 per year.

 

[cavemanrich]

You are running your things on solar power,,,,,,, so I do not have much experience in that field.
By what you describe,,,,,, it is apparent the thermostat gets stuck in the on position. I do have some knowledge, on those tiny thermostats. Such devices are used in coffee makers. They are rated for different temperature,,,,,,,, but they usually fail in the on position. What happens,, is the tiny contacts weld themselves closed. Then your coffee maker overheats your coffee. Easy solution to that dilemma,,,, is to turn off your coffee maker once your coffee is brewed. Well,,, you do have to heat up the rest of your coffee,,, one cup at a time in your Microwave. Still better than tossing a working coffee maker to trash.
Now in your water heater situation,, there is a small option to try. It is called a Thermo Cube. About $15.00 On at 35°F and turns off at 45°F Ambient temperature.
Since your water heater seems to be on constantly,, it will work,, but will be turned off when outdoor temps are warmer.
I know its not the ideal,,, but the only thing I can suggest.


WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[RPw1690]

You are running your things on solar power,,,,,,, so I do not have much experience in that field.
By what you describe,,,,,, it is apparent the thermostat gets stuck in the on position. I do have some knowledge, on those tiny thermostats. Such devices are used in coffee makers. They are rated for different temperature,,,,,,,, but they usually fail in the on position. What happens,, is the tiny contacts weld themselves closed. Then your coffee maker overheats your coffee. Easy solution to that dilemma,,,, is to turn off your coffee maker once your coffee is brewed. Well,,, you do have to heat up the rest of your coffee,,, one cup at a time in your Microwave. Still better than tossing a working coffee maker to trash.
Now in your water heater situation,, there is a small option to try. It is called a Thermo Cube. About $15.00 On at 35°F and turns off at 45°F Ambient temperature.
Since your water heater seems to be on constantly,, it will work,, but will be turned off when outdoor temps are warmer.
I know its not the ideal,,, but the only thing I can suggest.


WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

I had thought of an external freeze thermostat,!but the load is so high, it would take the batteries down too quickly, even if left on just during cold days. I have something similar to keep duck water from freezing, using low power birdbath heaters, I have enough overnight capacity to keep them on continuously. They pull about an an ampere of battery, so overnight is maybe 18 AH from one of my 200AH batteries .
I will look up those Thermocubes, as I have been spending over $30 for something similar, ambient sensing, with indication that shows if it’s heating.