how to keep 55 gal automatic waterer from freezing in winter?

[Huxta]

I built a 55 gallon automatic waterer. Barrel is outside the run and has pvc running 5 ft to a pipe with water cups inside the run. Looking for suggestions of keeping it from freezing in the winter. Southern Indiana so we do get freezing temps but usually hasn't been too bad the past few years. The run and door to the run are too small for the barrel to be inside. Just worried about for when I have to be away for a few days. Would a submersible stock tank heater inside the barrel and some heat cable wrapped along the pvc pipes work?
*Having someone check on it while I'm away is not an option*

 

[paneubert]

The stock tank deicer, yes. The heat tape on the PVC pipe hopefully. The cups......are going to be virtually impossible to keep from freezing. There is not really a way to keep the trigger thawed and the small bit of cup water thawed. Perhaps finding a way to replace the cups with another "end" may work. Horizontal nippeles would stay unfrozen if the water in the PVC pipe is thawed.

 

[Huxta]

The stock tank deicer, yes. The heat tape on the PVC pipe hopefully. The cups......are going to be virtually impossible to keep from freezing. There is not really a way to keep the trigger thawed and the small bit of cup water thawed. Perhaps finding a way to replace the cups with another "end" may work. Horizontal nippeles would stay unfrozen if the water in the PVC pipe is thawed.

I will look onto those horizontal nipples. Thank you.

 

[blackdog043]

Another option you might want to consider, make a different waterer for the winter. Hopefully you have room for a five gallon bucket inside your run. Horizontal nipples can be found on Amazon.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ock-tank-deicer-and-horizontal-nipples.74609/

 

[Oogie88]

Gosh, this is my exact same set up and the question I have. I am stymied by it. People on the Facebook group I’m part of say where we live in western Washington state, where it does get to freezing, that a submersible heater and heat tape wrapping should work...I think I’ll try that but also have a heated base for a 2-3 gallon waterer.

 

[Club cramahe coop]

I have the same set up. I use horizontal nipples. I built a box around my water barrel and insulated it with styrofoam. Then I use a stock tank De iced in it that comes on when the temperature of the water goes below freezing. That works for the water barrel but the hoses and pvc pipe will still freeze without circulation. For that I put a small fountain pump in the barrel. I have two hoses coming and going from the barrel, one attached on each end of the pvc pipe. The pump pushes a small trickle of water through the pvc pipe and back to the barrel. As long as the water is warm and moving , it will never freeze. For the pump , I plugged it into a thermo cube so it only runs when it’s cold as well.