?? on cookie tin water heater

[Azriel]

If it gets hot enough to keep the water from freezing, why doesn't it get hot enough to start the shavings on fire? Do you put it up on something? I was thinking of making a large one for my 3 gal water fount, should I put it up on cinder blocks to keep it from touching the shavings.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Paper ignites at about 400 degrees

To keep water from freezing only takes temperatures of 35 degrees or higher.

Regular light bulbs rarely put out enough heat to ignite anything, especially enclosed in a metal container, and a 40-60 watt bulb is all you will need

It won't hurt to raise it up though since the waterer should be about as high as the birds backs anyway