homemade watere question

[shay0903]

My DH made a homemade waterer using a large metal pan and a 5 gallon plastic bucket. He attached it to the pan and cut the holes to let the water drain out. Our problem is....the water never stops flowing out. If we fill it up it just continues to run on out of the pan. ??? I know its probably something simple we are missing but why does ours not work and the store bought ones do?? Any help is appreciated....this is our first homemade waterer.

 

[Arcnadius]

Does the bucket have a lid?

 

[wyoDreamer]

The bucket needs to have a lid that will seal it airtight. This will form a vaccum which will let water out only when the level in the tray gets below the top of the holes at the bottom.

Good luck!

 

[shay0903]

Ahhhhh...something simple...so the lid should be attached to the pan so that when you fill it up, attach the pan and flip it upside down like the ones you buy. But of course must seal securely to keep the water from spilling?? Any good tips on getting a good seal? The lid is also a plastic one that snaps onto the top that came with the bucket....just in case it doesn't seal good when we correct it? Thanks Everyone!!

 

[Mervin]

Some lids for 5-gallon buckets have a gasket in them. For instance, a friend of mine that installs geothermal heating systems gets them on the buckets of anti-freeze they put in the geothermal loop. I don't know where else you might find them though.

 

[Arielle]

I'm having the same gasket/seal problem to make my own waterers. Have gone to using nipples in the meantime. Have more buckets than nipples . . . still looking for a solution, too.