Thanks for the video. There is scarce detail out there about doing similar and I’m looking for some ideas to try. Going to build a smaller one for a small flock of sheep and see how it goes.
A local friend in the BC interior created a quick smaller version by putting an equal sized bucket inside of another. However in the bottom bucket he put about 1/3 water, his heater and aa few bricks or something as a spacer to hold the weight of the top bucket, which was then filled with the drinking water for his animals. I don’t know how effective this was but he felt it helped to insulate and keep water warm in the colder days. Big or small, creating an insulated layer around a bucket or trough is what helps. Wish there were more things on the market provided for us. Let me know what you ended up making and how it worked! All the best!
If you build this you should add a rubber baffle that hangs down several inches into the water. It will make a big difference in keeping the heat inside. Also you can add a round hollow or insulated plastic disc that is made to float on the surface of the water to add additional insulation. The livestock push this disc down when they drink.
I have a rubber trough. After watching this, I think I'll opt. for a 15 gallon heated bucket to set inside the trough with the plywood cover, leaving the 15 gallon open then put some straw inside the bigger trough for insulation.
Good ideas. My only concern with your design was drilling holes in tank for handles. Water will enter these holes and fill the gap between the tanks, thus reducing the effectiveness of the insulation. Another thought is a solar enclosure to heat the air gap.
My son bought a horse and it’s housed at a place that’s less than ideal but Jo land in our area to buy. Anyways long story short I’m trying to figure out how to make it through winter with the least amount of ice covering her buckets as possible considering the person who rents out these places didn’t provide electricity anywhere near the place where she is at. She is older and I am worried as it’s been years and grandpa had electricity by the stock tank by the house that was out to pasture so he never had to worry about this currently were floating objects but still having to break ice and was thinking of putting maybe our smaller unit(40gallon) inside a bigger unit with hay and foam. Still not sure what to do about the fact we don’t have electricity and warm water for her every now and again would be nice
Very cool. Bubblers are a lot less expensive to run than a coiled heater. Also, fill empty plastic bottles 3/4 of the way with salt water, seal them, and let them float around in the tank. The bubbler moves the salt water bottles around and the salt water doesn't freeze around the bottles as they bob around the tank. For severe cold, a person could put a timer on the coil heater so it doesn't run constantly. That could save some money in the long run.
I’m wondering if this setup would be effective without the electric heater? I’m looking for a solution to freezing troughs that only have the issue a few days at a time but no access to power (west TX)
We live in southern saskatchewan, how did the heat tape perform? Our horses pasture isn’t close to power, thinking about using solar power to run the heat tape.
Hi Robin, today we are sitting at -27 and our heater is on a timer to come on every so often and we are not all iced up. As for the heat tape, I cut the electrical plug end off and don't use it. I installed it inside the expandable foam and it started to melt/burn the foam. Now if you were to put the heat tape into the water maybe that would work? I don't know if it is recommended? You'd have to look into that. I think your idea of solar power could work, but the best thing we use are those submersible metal water heaters. There are a lot of emerging solar options out there, so I hope you'll find something that works. All the best!
@@justincarrier5778 Hey Justin, we have just had - 27 and it’s fine. Heater comes on twice a day for about 2 hours and this keeps any ice from building up. I’m sure if your heater was on every couple hours it’d be fine in -40.
@@fod4250 I don't even need to look anything up, and I wouldn't put any electrical tape heater, or whatever of the such, into the water. I don't care what advice, good or bad, I got from anybody. I wouldn't do it. Period.
how about a large trough with diagonal running copper pipe about one or 2 ft long outside the trough but enclosed, wrap heat tape around it(the pipe), and a small submersible pump to keep the water flowing?
How is this water trough holding up versus the temperatures? I'm going to be trying this same idea to a 50 gallon plastic barrel and a 17 gallon bucket. I plan to cut the barrel so that it's short enough for the 17gal bucket to sit in. I am in southwest Arkansas and the most I've had was 1.5 - 2 inch sheet of ice on a non-insulated bucket.
Hi sorry for the delay in response. We've used this for now 3 years and it still works awesome!!! We have cold winters here around -20 to -30 Celsius, which is around -4 to -22 in Fahrenheit. We found that having 1 to 2 heaters that you drop into the water work best. They are on a timer to kick on only for a few hours twice a day. This is enough to keep the water free of ice. The heating coil we installed in the insulated foam we stopped using as it just burned the foam. So I used wire cutters and snipped that line. The key is the insulated bottom, side and then an insulate top if you can do that as well. I think your idea should work well. Feel free to post a picture of what yours looks like. Would love to see it. Cheers - Tim
Great question. Thanks to Monster Busters for mentioning my other video. Hope this helps. As I posted below, Saran Wrap or plastic would work. All the best.
Let me try and explain something to you people. Try and grasp what a small enclosed pool would, and does, look like. Also, an enclosed hot tub, with whatever wood, except not the decking and accessories that go along with it. The heating coils would have to be bound OUTSIDE directly to the tank, or tub, or whatever you use for water. Foam, of any type, isn't going to help you in this situation. Foam insulation, in general, means absolutely NOTHING, in the predicament. Furthermore, depending on the dimensions of the tank, if it was bigger, you would need two sets of coil heaters bound to the outside. One running around the outside perimeter of the sides to the trough, and another separate heating coil arrangement at the length of the bottom of the tank. Whatever electrical cut-off, thermostat, timer, or whatever, is on you. Then, the whole thing is enclosed with wood frame, panels, or whatever.
Thanks for your thoughts. Been using this for 4 winters with -30 temps and the insulation works great. Just put in a sinking electric heater and it keeps the ice from building up. Take care.
Thanks for the video. There is scarce detail out there about doing similar and I’m looking for some ideas to try. Going to build a smaller one for a small flock of sheep and see how it goes.
A local friend in the BC interior created a quick smaller version by putting an equal sized bucket inside of another. However in the bottom bucket he put about 1/3 water, his heater and aa few bricks or something as a spacer to hold the weight of the top bucket, which was then filled with the drinking water for his animals. I don’t know how effective this was but he felt it helped to insulate and keep water warm in the colder days.
Big or small, creating an insulated layer around a bucket or trough is what helps. Wish there were more things on the market provided for us.
Let me know what you ended up making and how it worked!
All the best!
If you build this you should add a rubber baffle that hangs down several inches into the water. It will make a big difference in keeping the heat inside. Also you can add a round hollow or insulated plastic disc that is made to float on the surface of the water to add additional insulation. The livestock push this disc down when they drink.
I have a rubber trough. After watching this, I think I'll opt. for a 15 gallon heated bucket to set inside the trough with the plywood cover, leaving the 15 gallon open then put some straw inside the bigger trough for insulation.
Good ideas. My only concern with your design was drilling holes in tank for handles. Water will enter these holes and fill the gap between the tanks, thus reducing the effectiveness of the insulation. Another thought is a solar enclosure to heat the air gap.
Dipwad, huh? Solar enclosure?
My son bought a horse and it’s housed at a place that’s less than ideal but Jo land in our area to buy. Anyways long story short I’m trying to figure out how to make it through winter with the least amount of ice covering her buckets as possible considering the person who rents out these places didn’t provide electricity anywhere near the place where she is at. She is older and I am worried as it’s been years and grandpa had electricity by the stock tank by the house that was out to pasture so he never had to worry about this currently were floating objects but still having to break ice and was thinking of putting maybe our smaller unit(40gallon) inside a bigger unit with hay and foam. Still not sure what to do about the fact we don’t have electricity and warm water for her every now and again would be nice
Very cool. Bubblers are a lot less expensive to run than a coiled heater. Also, fill empty plastic bottles 3/4 of the way with salt water, seal them, and let them float around in the tank. The bubbler moves the salt water bottles around and the salt water doesn't freeze around the bottles as they bob around the tank. For severe cold, a person could put a timer on the coil heater so it doesn't run constantly. That could save some money in the long run.
Thanks for the helpful tips!
I’m wondering if this setup would be effective without the electric heater? I’m looking for a solution to freezing troughs that only have the issue a few days at a time but no access to power (west TX)
Absolutely. Even just insulting the water trough and putting a lid on it if possible would make a huge difference.
We live in southern saskatchewan, how did the heat tape perform? Our horses pasture isn’t close to power, thinking about using solar power to run the heat tape.
Hi Robin, today we are sitting at -27 and our heater is on a timer to come on every so often and we are not all iced up. As for the heat tape, I cut the electrical plug end off and don't use it. I installed it inside the expandable foam and it started to melt/burn the foam. Now if you were to put the heat tape into the water maybe that would work? I don't know if it is recommended? You'd have to look into that. I think your idea of solar power could work, but the best thing we use are those submersible metal water heaters. There are a lot of emerging solar options out there, so I hope you'll find something that works. All the best!
@@fod4250 How does it hold up in -40C ? Currently having a blast of arctic air here and it is regularly -40.
@@justincarrier5778 Hey Justin, we have just had - 27 and it’s fine. Heater comes on twice a day for about 2 hours and this keeps any ice from building up. I’m sure if your heater was on every couple hours it’d be fine in -40.
@@fod4250 I don't even need to look anything up, and I wouldn't put any electrical tape heater, or whatever of the such, into the water. I don't care what advice, good or bad, I got from anybody. I wouldn't do it. Period.
How did this new water bowl set up work out???
good idea . what size tubs did you use and what brand are they,
how about a large trough with diagonal running copper pipe about one or 2 ft long outside the trough but enclosed, wrap heat tape around it(the pipe), and a small submersible pump to keep the water flowing?
Give it a try and let us know how it worked! Seams like a reasonable idea.
What size troughs did you use?
Can't you kinda tell just by looking at the troughs in the video, you ignorant skank?
So it's 2020 and am wondering how this held up for you all winter?
We’ve used it a couple of winters so far and it’s holding up very well. I think it’ll last a decade or so with normal use and no special care.
It’s 2023 and the old insulated tank just keeps trucking along…
I would be worried about someone using it as a outhouse by accident.
Is that what you would do by "accident"? Wow. Now, that would pretty much take the classic kind of dumb ass to do such a thing. Wouldn't it?
How is this water trough holding up versus the temperatures? I'm going to be trying this same idea to a 50 gallon plastic barrel and a 17 gallon bucket. I plan to cut the barrel so that it's short enough for the 17gal bucket to sit in. I am in southwest Arkansas and the most I've had was 1.5 - 2 inch sheet of ice on a non-insulated bucket.
Hi sorry for the delay in response. We've used this for now 3 years and it still works awesome!!! We have cold winters here around -20 to -30 Celsius, which is around -4 to -22 in Fahrenheit. We found that having 1 to 2 heaters that you drop into the water work best. They are on a timer to kick on only for a few hours twice a day. This is enough to keep the water free of ice. The heating coil we installed in the insulated foam we stopped using as it just burned the foam. So I used wire cutters and snipped that line. The key is the insulated bottom, side and then an insulate top if you can do that as well. I think your idea should work well. Feel free to post a picture of what yours looks like. Would love to see it. Cheers - Tim
What the flip are you talkin' about? Yer gonna cut the barrel short enough for the bucket to sit in? That's yer friggin' idea, genius?
How
Big didn’t make the hole for the top
How did you put foam in the sides without it sticking to inner trough??
There's a 'first' video to this one. I watched it and I think he just covered the smaller trough in plastic.
Hi sorry for the delay. Ya we used plastic. You could use Saran Wrap.
Great question. Thanks to Monster Busters for mentioning my other video. Hope this helps. As I posted below, Saran Wrap or plastic would work. All the best.
Let me try and explain something to you people. Try and grasp what a small enclosed pool would, and does, look like. Also, an enclosed hot tub, with whatever wood, except not the decking and accessories that go along with it. The heating coils would have to be bound OUTSIDE directly to the tank, or tub, or whatever you use for water. Foam, of any type, isn't going to help you in this situation. Foam insulation, in general, means absolutely NOTHING, in the predicament. Furthermore, depending on the dimensions of the tank, if it was bigger, you would need two sets of coil heaters bound to the outside. One running around the outside perimeter of the sides to the trough, and another separate heating coil arrangement at the length of the bottom of the tank. Whatever electrical cut-off, thermostat, timer, or whatever, is on you. Then, the whole thing is enclosed with wood frame, panels, or whatever.
Thanks for your thoughts. Been using this for 4 winters with -30 temps and the insulation works great. Just put in a sinking electric heater and it keeps the ice from building up. Take care.