~Winter water???

[tactilecontact]

Just out of curiosity, would using a hunter's Heat-A-Seat under a metal or plastic bucket work... possibly, maybe? If you have the cushion in another insulated container to help keep heat from escaping too quickly, beneath the bucket - or whatever other type of vessel - of hot water, would that slow the water's heat loss?

 

[drumstick diva]

solar heaters sound great unless you have many sunless days , like we get.

 

[chickens really]

I use a heated bucket and a Rubber horse bucket. The rubber bucket works great in winter because when it freezes it wont crack and it is easy to get the ice out of. The heated bucket is great for the times your not going to be home and they will have access to water at all times..I use both all winter...

 

[SunHwaKwon]

It worked until about 10 degrees, below that it was just a waste of electricity.   I even tried a barrel wrapped in heat tape with a heater inside insulated it  and inside another barrel with a heat light on a drinking cup. Other than raising my electric bill, nothing good happened.

I am still searching for the perfect winter waterer.   I am actually thinking of dumping hot water into the rubber bowls and them only getting water until it freezes.


BTW Hot water, regardless of what the wives tales say, will stay unfrozen longer than cold, there are more calories to leave, at some point the hot and cold would have to reach the exact same temp on the way to becoming ice. It defies logic to think the water that was hotter once would freeze faster from that point on.  I have heard that same thing about hot water freezing faster, I wonder where it started and why?

That old wives tale always baffles me, along with "you can recharge batteries by putting them in the freezer". Another dumb one I heard was that a smaller blob of cookie dough will make a bigger cookie. These must come from an alternate universe.

 

[mamaof2wi]

That old wives tale always baffles me, along with "you can recharge batteries by putting them in the freezer". Another dumb one I heard was that a smaller blob of cookie dough will make a bigger cookie. These must come from an alternate universe.

http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/General/hot_water.html

 

[SunHwaKwon]

http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/General/hot_water.html

Interesting. I know I tried it with ice trays as a kid and the cooler water froze first lol. Looking at the suggested causes of the phenomenon, it seems it wouldn't apply to a waterer because for the evaporation and "hot top" to have effect, I assume an open top might be necessary.

 

[mamaof2wi]

Interesting. I know I tried it with ice trays as a kid and the cooler water froze first lol. Looking at the suggested causes of the phenomenon, it seems it wouldn't apply to a waterer because for the evaporation and "hot top" to have effect, I assume an open top might be necessary.

Right it does sound like it is caused by evaporation and agree that an open top would be necessary. So if you put warm/hot water with a lid outside in the winter I would guess the cold water would freeze faster.

 

[duluthralphie]

Interesting! I am going to try this this winter in an open dish. It defies logic. I remember when I was in school a physics teacher telling us it was a wives tale.

OF course that was Waaaaaaay before 1998.

Once they hit the same temperature as the cold water they should go the same, I would think.


However, the reasoning makes sense too. If the bottom of the hot water has the heat "sucked" out of it by evaporation so it is actually cooler than the cold water on the bottom.


Interesting..... Must try..Must try..must try. Unless we go without a below zero day this winter.

 

[56 Forest Ridge]

I've gone through 2 of these types of waterers now. The cords don't hold up and tend to separate and break. They also only keep the water unfrozen, to 10 degrees.
I've gone with the same company Farm Innovators, and love the heated water buckets. They have 2 and 4 gallon ones and keep from freezing to -35 degrees. I haven't had a problem yet. Also have a cord protector.
The ducks can dunk their heads easily too, and our chickenshave no problems either.
Great winter waterers and I tried most others, and living in the Boise National forest, it gets cold and snowy!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I've gone through 2 of these types of waterers now. The cords don't hold up and tend to separate and break. They also only keep the water unfrozen, to 10 degrees.
I've gone with the same company Farm Innovators, and love the heated water buckets. They have 2 and 4 gallon ones and keep from freezing to -35 degrees. I haven't had a problem yet. Also have a cord protector.
The ducks can dunk their heads easily too, and our chickenshave no problems either.
Great winter waterers and I tried most others, and living in the Boise National forest, it gets cold and snowy!

They are great buckets I have a couple that are at least 5yrs old still working great.I use the heated bowls too for feeding fermented feed in winter.

Welcome to BYC @56 Forest Ridge