Automatic Water Fill...Seeking Simple-Reliable Method

[TexasRancher]

Hello Gang,

Have a water line and a steel tank....any suggestions for a simple and reliable fill-float (level control) water shutoff system. Do you limit-down the water pressure? How? Assume little, if any, water freezing conditons. thanks.

 

[Jalopy]

Is this as a permanent installation or a temporary situation?
For temporary just use a garden hose and a float that attaches to the side of the tank. For a permanent installation it can get more involved.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

We just use the float valves that clamp on the side of the tank. Our water ph is high and it really eats up the cast aluminum valves so we now use the plastic one.

Just a note of caution! DO NOT use cheap garden hose as they will blow out on these hot summer days and you will have a big mess and a large water bill. Use only commercial or contractor grade hose that is at least 6 ply. Don't even think about 4 or 5 ply hose. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Jalopy]

Texas Papaw-- You are right about that cheap hose. The days here get hot but not as hot continuosly as you have and I usually have many head on one tank so that the water flowing helps cool the hose. I guess I did not consider about the hose breaking. Thanks for mentioning that, JLP

 

[grannysoo]

Temp or permanent?

I don't limit the pressure on the cattle water tanks. The only pressure I regulate is for the chickens and rabbits. I run a 3 pound pressure system there. That would never be fast enough for the cows.

 

[TexasBred]

Only thing I'd do differently would be to use the Hudson float valves rather than those little plastic ones that attach to the side of the tank and if this is to be a permanent waterer I'd lay PVC pipe and do it up right to start with. The Hudson valve is much more reliable and longer lasting but may cost about twice as much.

 

[dun]

Only thing I'd do differently would be to use the Hudson float valves rather than those little plastic ones that attach to the side of the tank and if this is to be a permanent waterer I'd lay PVC pipe and do it up right to start with. The Hudson valve is much more reliable and longer lasting but may cost about twice as much.

I bought into that progaganda a while back. Threw the one I had away. Leaked all the time, the slightest bit of anything in the line would screw it up. Got tired of taking it apart every couple of days.

 

[pdfangus]

Only thing I'd do differently would be to use the Hudson float valves rather than those little plastic ones that attach to the side of the tank and if this is to be a permanent waterer I'd lay PVC pipe and do it up right to start with. The Hudson valve is much more reliable and longer lasting but may cost about twice as much.

I bought into that progaganda a while back. Threw the one I had away. Leaked all the time, the slightest bit of anything in the line would screw it up. Got tired of taking it apart every couple of days.

I second that only with Jobes.
I bought a couple and they are far less reliable than the simple tank mount float valves.
When they work they work great but when they don't shut off you are in the pond business. If I have to check the tank twice a day I may as well just fill it twice a day.

 

[The Bachelor]

You know the best luck I've had has been with a toilet valve and some fence wire for temporary stuff. Its about half the price. For some reason there are alot of toilets next to the highway around here, so I usually get one for free.

 

[TexasBred]

Only thing I'd do differently would be to use the Hudson float valves rather than those little plastic ones that attach to the side of the tank and if this is to be a permanent waterer I'd lay PVC pipe and do it up right to start with. The Hudson valve is much more reliable and longer lasting but may cost about twice as much.

I bought into that progaganda a while back. Threw the one I had away. Leaked all the time, the slightest bit of anything in the line would screw it up. Got tired of taking it apart every couple of days.

Amazing....I've got 9 in use and haven't replaced anything, nor had any of them go out in over 6 years. Used them on the dairy as well with no problems. Those little screw on numbers would get tilted or completely displaced by the cattle and turn watering areas into standing water and slop. That one little cotter key that holds the float in place will also either rust and break or rust and freeze the float in place where it won't operate properly. but if they work for you guys that's great. They are less expensive.

 

[pdfangus]

I have two of those Jobes and if I leave them both on, at least once a week one of them will not shut off.

Paid near 40 bucks a piece for them too.

fortunately most of the stock is on the solar water trough that is gravity feed from storage. The solar pump pumps two hours a day and any overflow goes through another tank and that overflows back to the stream we pump from.

 

[Silver_Knight]

I've got four of the plastic ones that clip on the side of the tank you can get at TSC. I use good hoses to connect to the valve and barely crank open the valve so if the hose fails there we be very little flow. I used to open the valve almost wide open but after turning my wet weather creek into a all weather creek for a few days I leaned a good lesson.

 

[1982vett]

I use the cheap plastic floats, also I am switching the 100 gal. rubbermaid tanks. Bolt the float to the lip of the tank. Water hose from the faucet to the float. Only problems encountered have been the factory ends on water hoses seem to be easily pulled off the float by calves with to much mischief in their blood. Remedied that by using a good brass hose end. But then, I don't have to worry with winter freezing things up either.

 

[dun]

We set the tanks as close to the source as possible and use the high pressure hoses for washing manines. The ones with the metal braid on them the calves don;t chew on

 

[Silver_Knight]

We set the tanks as close to the source as possible and use the high pressure hoses for washing manines. The ones with the metal braid on them the calves don;t chew on

Good idea!

 

[TexasBred]

I use the cheap plastic floats, also I am switching the 100 gal. rubbermaid tanks. Bolt the float to the lip of the tank. Water hose from the faucet to the float. Only problems encountered have been the factory ends on water hoses seem to be easily pulled off the float by calves with to much mischief in their blood. Remedied that by using a good brass hose end. But then, I don't have to worry with winter freezing things up either.

I use the rubbermaid tanks too...set them between two crossties set in the ground...then put a 2x4 from one cross tie to the other on each side and pressing down on the rubbermaid tank...run the pvc up the cross tie on one side and over to middle of tank...attach the waterer to the hose bib..the pipe is between the 2x4's and protected from the cattle

 

[TexasBred]

I will just stick with my ritchies. Texas bred that is to much work.

Only the post hole digging...lol. Really works well tho since cattle can't get to the pipe or the float valve.