OK, another nipple waterer ?

[LVVCHAP]

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Mac is right, coming from a plumbing point of view, the higher the top of the water the more pressure you have. Even if you would only fill the bucket half full would reduce the amount of pressure . I have a friend who used a spring for a water supply for his house. There was a tank with 3/4" pipe coming down the side of a hill. I am not sure of the height of the tank in comparison to his house but he had 50 lbs. of pressure at the bottom. I know it would be difficult for the amount of chicks that you have, but the nipples in buckets have water only about 10" above the nipple. Hope this all makes sense.

Wes

 

[lfreem2]

It does and was a suspicion of mine with my very tall 55 gallon barrel. Stopping by the hardware store today to see if one of these gizmos would help my leaky drinking nipples.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

- Double Post -

 

[Mac in Wisco]

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The height was at least 115 feet (or higher if he regulated it back to 50 PSI). Water column pressure is .433 PSI per foot of height. (That's due to the weight of the water, 12 cubic inches of water weighs .433 pounds. If you have one square inch of water stacked 12 inches high it exerts a weight of .433 pounds on that 1 square inch area, hence .433 pounds per square inch). For a static column with no flow at any given height, you get the same pressure regardless of pipe diameter.

That's how most municipal water systems work. Water is pumped into a water tower or a cistern high on a hill to create the pressure that runs the system, so if you are on such a system, your entire house (and whole neighborhoods) are actually gravity fed.

So when I say I water our hens with four inches of water column pressure, the system is running at .144 PSI. During hot weather I may turn it up to six inches, which .217 PSI. The difference in PSI is fairly minute, but affects the nipple flow rate regardless.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

I just ran across the following post. This system uses a float valve to keep a bucket full. Expanding on that, you could install a float valve on the bucket to maintain the bucket water level and then hang the bucket from a chain. By adjusting the height of the bucket and thus the height of the water in relation to the height of the nipples, you can set a specific water column pressure and presto, you have a dirt-cheap, adjustable pressure regulator.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4373160

 

[Chickiebabyfluff]

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Thanks for sharing this link!!! I have been looking for a way to water my chickens in this fashion!!

 

[lfreem2]

Here's what I've discovered in recent days: water nipples and cups require a PSI of less than 5 to work effectively or they will leak. That's exactly what I see happening with mine because they are fed by a 55g barrel. Therefore, the ground under the nipples is continually wet.

I've tried to find a reasonably priced pressure reducer, but can't really find one that can get me to less than 5. I purchased one from the irrigation aisle at the big box store, but it only gets you down to 10 PSI.

So, I bought a watering cup that will accept anywhere from 10-70 PSI on Ebay. When I get it I will install and let you know how that one goes.

So, take note that if you buy water cups or nipples, you need to ensure you have 0-5 water pressure. That would mean a pretty small container.