PVC feeder problem. Help please!

[hilari221]

Ok, the PVC feeder was awesome until we discovered a problem. I keeps getting mold in it. The part we pour the feed into is in the outside of the pen through a hole in the hardware cloth. It is under a small roof overhang from the coop, and we thought we had a watertight cap in it, but is somehow still getting moisture. Any suggestions? I hope I don't have to restructure it and put the whole thing inside (then we would have a large hole in the pen wall). Do you think a heavy duty plastic bag over the cap would help? Here's pictures. Thanks.

 

[chfite]

Two things come to mind. Water intrusion into the screw on cap that might be alleviated by making some sort of hat to keep the water off of the screw on part. It appears that the cap screws down into the female part. This might allow water to work its way down into the threads.

Another thing is the temperature gradient in the top versus the bottom of the tube that allows moisture to condense on the upper part of the tubing where the threads are located. Ventilating the top might solve that, but allow water to intrude without some sort of supplemental cover.

If condensation is the problem, the plastic bag would not help.

Chris