Heated water hoses ???

[Kathie in Thorp]

So . . . we got our barn set up before winter last year that we can feed all the cattle inside, and water tanks inside. Heaters in the tanks. But running the hoses from either an on-demand hydrant or an over-flow hydrant, and keeping the hoses ice-free is a pain in the butt -- drain them every time, hang them so they drain. Garden hoses. Have any of you tried the heated hoses? The reviews I've seen on them are pretty mixed. Like, they work fine for awhile and then leakage issues. And they are not inexpensive. Your thoughts? Have you tried them? Recommend any brand?

 

[hrsr]

I bought a 50 foot long 5/8 inch diameter Allied one last year on November 17. It was connected to a sump pump and was plugged in from when it was bought until April and worked without any problems. Just plugged it back in this week and today decided that it does not appear to be heating at all. The hose came with a one year warranty luckily when I talk to the store today they said they would still exchange it for a new one. From what a couple of people in the farm store said it sounds like there have been lots of them give problems and been returned. You also need to remember that only the rubber part of the hose is heated but not the metal fittings at the ends. I do not know if they are still available or how they actually worked but there used to be pressurized hoses available that when the water was turned off the hose was supposed to collapse forcing all the water out so that it basically self drained.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Mount a reel that winds the hose up when done at the faucet, and build an insulated box around it. Hang a light bulb in there and you're good to go. Don't really need the reel if you just throw the hose back in the box, but depending on the hose it may be a tangled mess.

I've used those collapse-able hoses before, and they would work if you just unhook it each time throw it in a bucket and set it in the basement or something. But I would think they would still freeze enough to be kinked or something if left outside. They are slick in summer, had one on the sailboat, and tucked away in a small space. It would work in my box idea though and you wouldn't need a very big box, or powerful bulb.