Winter water?

[Island Roo]

It is an Exo Terra Repti Flow 200: 2.2W 45 GPH. The flow rate is adjustable, basically a volume restrictor. The impeller sits in a round housing with a square hole for the water to go to the tube. The restrictor is a round cap with a similar sized square hole that fits over the impeller housing. It has 4 little suction cup feet and hangs nicely on the wall of the bucket

At 2.2W I guess I don't need to be TOO OCD about running it more than absolutely necessary. Even if it run 24 hours a day, it is still less than 1.6 kW a month. At our rates, that is ~$0.21/month. Still I just hate using energy if it isn't necessary. Now, if I had solar and wind generators, I could use all the "free" electricity and not consider whether there is pollution caused creating that power.

The system doesn't depend on the pump to get water to the nipples, the "other end" does that via gravity. The only purpose for the pump is to ensure that above freezing water is circulating through the pipe. As I've not used it yet, I can't say how effective it will be when we hit below freezing let alone sub-zero F temps. .I didn't put it in until the temps got to where they might go below freezing, I will take it out once we are safe from overnight freezes. No need for it to sit in the bucket unused 7 or 8 months a year.

And a question for you: What Greenhouse thermostat are you using? A quick Google found a number of them made by [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]SureSTAT at one site. They cost about twice what a ThermoCube costs but if they are reliable, I don't mind paying more. [/FONT]

My thermostat is made by Canarm so it may not be available in the US. It has a stainless steel coil temp sensor.

The Dayton Adjustable Heating / Cooling Thermostat seems similar and can be used for heating or cooling: http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/accessory/controls.shtml
except it has adjustable differential which I don't have a use for.

Its $45 so the thermo cube is definately cheaper - at least in the short term.

I'm looking at a 9 watt 90 gph statuary pump to use in 20 ft of 3/4 inch pvc. That should refresh all the water in the line every 20 seconds. Overkill maybe.

 

[bruceha2000]

Its $45 so the thermo cube is definately cheaper - at least in the short term.

I'm looking at a 9 watt 90 gph statuary pump to use in 20 ft of 3/4 inch pvc. That should refresh all the water in the line every 20 seconds. Overkill maybe.

That is the same site I found the SureStat I mentioned. I'm thinking about the one with the 8' cord.

I don't know that 90 GPH is overkill for 20' of pipe. My little one only needs to deal with 3' of pipe and maybe 4' of tube . AND as I said, I don't even know yet if it is big enough. I wouldn't go any smaller for my application.

I presume the GPH rating is what comes out of the pump. Add the drag of the pipe and the distance and it won't be the same as the rated value. Plus, if yours is adjustable and you find it is moving too much water or creating a pressure that causes the nipples to leak (I think they can only take 5 PSI??) you can turn the flow down.

Bruce

 

[CGinJCMO]

I live in SW Ontario, and we get some pretty cold winters! I have 8 different pens with chickens in them inside a barn. Right now the chickens are on automatic watering bowls that run from a large bucket outside the pen down a hose and fill the dish when the chickens peck at it. One bucket is shared between two pens. It would be easy to heat the buckets because there is electricity in the barn, but i worry about the water freezing in the hose or in the dish? Does anyone else have a similar situation or a possible solution?

Yesterday I ran electrical heat tape/wires around the hoses leading to my two pens and there was enough "left-overs" that I ran it around the 18 gallon bucket twice to hopefully keep it from freezing. I did have a section where the wires are out in the air not wrapped around anything so I don't know if it will do anything or not.

If you want a photo I can do that for you but it will take a couple of days since I won't be able to do anything Tuesday since I have to work late.
CG

 

[Mehjr10]

If you did not do it, buy some foam pipe wrap and put over the wire and hose.

 

[armorfirelady]

Here is the outlet I am going to use for my 2 heated dog dishes for the winter. I purchased the same one last year for my ice melt cables for the roof & had no problems

(sorry pic is sideways) $16.99 at Lowes

 

[Twister-n-Dos]

Here is the outlet I am going to use for my 2 heated dog dishes for the winter. I purchased the same one last year for my ice melt cables for the roof & had no problems

(sorry pic is sideways) $16.99 at Lowes

What is the on and off temperature range for that one?

 

[benwantegg]

This is what im gonna use:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-your-water-heaters-design-setup#post_9850089

Simple and cheap!!!!

 

[CGinJCMO]

If you did not do it, buy some foam pipe wrap and put over the wire and hose.

I think I will, or the stuff like tape. Foam sounds easier to apply, but tape will conform around curves.

Arg, too many choices!

What to do...What to do.

CG

 

[Mehjr10]

Most hardware stores has a foam pipe insulation with the sticky on it flexible and will fit most shapes. Also in different ID's for the size of pipe, or you can wrap with insulation and put the white plastic wrap over. The foam is alot easier. If you do not wrap it may not perform as desired.

 

[AkTomboy]

I have quite a few thremo cubes around my place I use them for everything from my horse water tanks, chicken house, the heat tape for my pipes of my house and even my trucks. I have used most 4 or 5 years by this point and they are still chugging along