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Angie KJ
Member
Username: ajudson1
Post Number: 196
Registered: 6-2009
| | Posted on Saturday, Sep 12, 2009 - 1:55 pm: |   |
Has anyone had success with keeping their horse tanks ice free without electricity, in areas of where it stays below freezing for months?
I see our rates are going up, AGAIN, about $1/day. So I was researching solar methods, and did find this link: http://extension.missouri.edu/adair/Livestock/DIY.htm
And this one:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071010180336AA15aw0
One more:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/WaterHeating/water_heating.htm#Animals
Anyone have anything like this?
How well does it work?
Do you still have a tank heater to fall back on?
Thanks for any input. |
DianE
Member
Username: scooter
Post Number: 4876
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Saturday, Sep 12, 2009 - 2:15 pm: | |
Bring them in the house??
One of my friends had a big tank, they built a plywood box around it and stuffed it full of insulation. Put insulated plywood over most of the top of it, out it in a sunny spot, left enough so 2 horses could drink comfortably open. It was easy to build, and for the most part stayed open, if it froze she could knock the thin layer of ice off easily. Seems to me, but I can't remember she had some kind of ball or something floating on the side the horses couldn't get at to help keep it open....worked well for her, was very easy to build and cheap!. I think you would be wise to have some kind of heat tank back up...just in case. BTW THEY say we are suppose to have a mild winter...hope so! According to my horses hair, I would disagree...the horses were right last year |
Angie KJ
Member
Username: ajudson1
Post Number: 197
Registered: 6-2009
| | Posted on Saturday, Sep 12, 2009 - 2:59 pm: | |
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/WaterHeating/SolarHorseTank/Construction.ht m
Well, here we go! Step by step instructions on "how to build it!" Showed it to hubby, told him we have most of the materials around here as we are always building something it seems, and he says "Ya, I've been thinking of doing that for the last couple of winters." Well, geez, how about doing this for this winter?!?!
I was all ready to point out the $aving$ on the electric bill, and didn't have to even start that conversation.
He said he'd get the tools lined up for me to start on it, lol!!! Hmmmm....maybe if HE measures, and I double check his measurements, then I can put it together, it don't look too complicated.
Oh, my. My horses have started getting thicker hair, and today it is 86* as of a few minutes ago!
Hot and buggy. Glad I rode this morning, but even then the bugs were bad.
Yup, hubby said he'd plan for the tank heater to be in there too. We had too many winters without one, and what a pain that was. I think it would be worse to have ice in a tank that is "built in." |
DianE
Member
Username: scooter
Post Number: 4877
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Saturday, Sep 12, 2009 - 3:39 pm: | |
That's it,! except theirs was a bit more primitive.
As I was looking at this I was wondering how durable the front sun panels are? You know they will try to stick their hooves through it don't you? |
Angie KJ
Member
Username: ajudson1
Post Number: 198
Registered: 6-2009
| | Posted on Saturday, Sep 12, 2009 - 4:32 pm: | |
Ah huh. I thought;
A) We'd put the tank & box up a bit off the ground.
B) We used to have some really stiff wire that was like 3/8" squares. Now to find it. (After it cools down..gee but I hope this is the last day til next summer I feel this HOT late afternoon! Not complaining, it's better than mud/rain/snow/sleet )
Tango, always Tango, likes to chew on the Rubbermaid tank. I think he's part beaver, so have to plan for that too. If wood gets in the tank, I don't see it being easy to take the tank out to clean it, but want to be able to remove it totally next summer.
Does your friend take the tank out of the insulated box during the summer?
Does it still freeze some times during the winter?
How cold does it get where you are? You must also have months of below zero weather like we do. |
DianE
Member
Username: scooter
Post Number: 4878
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Saturday, Sep 12, 2009 - 5:22 pm: | |
Angie I think our weather is very similar to yours, you might get it a little longer. We stay below freezing for half of Dec. thru Feb usually and yes we get below 0 weather quite often.
They never had problems with wood chips in the water, and they did leave it as is thru the summer. Tho if you go with the solar panels in front I don't think that would be a good idea, your water would get too warm for summer I would think. Otherwise the insulation helps keep the water cool in the summer also.
If you can keep it out of the north wind and in the south sun, it should work, it did for my friend. I think the actually used the spray foam insulation for the lid part. I have also seen people around here completely spray the outside of the insulater box with that insulation, looks like crap but was very effective I see a lot of that around the countryside on my routes. OR you could really go green and use horse poop! Might be the thing to set your tub on
 . I've always told hubby if we built out house out of horse poop in kept that hot cat of ours in there we wouldn't need heat...Horse poop does seem to have great insulating properties
http://www.biblicalagrarianism.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1606 |
rtrotter
Member
Username: rtrotter
Post Number: 371
Registered: 4-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, Sep 12, 2009 - 6:42 pm: | |
Angie, great discussion thread. I have this problem too so in keeping with the non-electric thread for heating water. Does anyone have any ideas for regular water buckets?
I am in a more temperate situation where my regular water buckets freeze most of the time at night and I have no electric to heat my heated water buckets. Does anyone know of a way to use a regular plugin heater with a small solar charger, or a way to heat a 5 gallon bucket so it won't freeze? Any battery operated heated buckets?
Rachelle |
Angie KJ
Member
Username: ajudson1
Post Number: 199
Registered: 6-2009
| | Posted on Saturday, Sep 12, 2009 - 8:57 pm: | |
Rachelle,
Just quick, one of the links above had something about buckets in tires I think. Probably not what you meant as you most likely hook buckets in the stalls?
Hmmm..battery operated buckets? I like the sound of that. |
DianE
Member
Username: scooter
Post Number: 4879
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Saturday, Sep 12, 2009 - 9:32 pm: | |
My neighbor has these in her stalls and says they NEVER freeze...HMMMM. I have horsesat for them before and they didn't freeze. Pricey, but in the long run probably worth it.
http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/prod1%3Bft1_livestock_equipment-ft1_livesto ck_watering_equipment%3Bpg107695.html |
rtrotter
Member
Username: rtrotter
Post Number: 373
Registered: 4-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, Sep 13, 2009 - 10:30 am: | |
Diane,
Yep, I think those Farmtek insulated buckets are just what I need. Do you know if a regular 5 gallon water bucket fits in them or do I need a 5 gallon bath bucket (similar to what they sell)?
Rachelle |
leslie645
Member
Username: leslie1
Post Number: 981
Registered: 8-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, Sep 13, 2009 - 1:52 pm: | |
My hubby is actually working on a solar powered trough heater. we plan on making millions off it
This winter I will be testing the prototype.
Last winter I used electric heaters...but always worry about them and feel I need to replace them with new ones quite often, which gets expensive. |
DianE
Member
Username: scooter
Post Number: 4887
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Sunday, Sep 13, 2009 - 10:13 pm: | |
Rachelle if I recall they hold a regular 5 gal. bucket, but I am not 100% sure. It's been awhile since I've seen them. According to the description it sounds like a regular 5 Gal. should work. |
