Tank Warmers

[skyhightree1]

There's one I'll jump into!

I agree there..

IMO, the type of float pictured sucks any time of year, but especially in winter.

I put it on this spring and works fine for me tanks always full and I don't have to touch it like my automatic waterers I unhooked it for winter but will use next year

 

[John SD]

Our tire tanks have a valve we turn on with a small hole that lets water boil on top and then goes out the over flow to the ditch so they dont freeze

A few more thoughts:

The biggest advantage of the bleeder valve is that you can put a piece of copper tubing on it directed at the float to keep it from freezing. Downside is the bleeder valve can get corroded/works loose/strips threads.

Actually don't need the bleeder valve if you make a small hole in the drain pipe at proper level and set the float accordingly to overflow a constant pencil-sized stream.

I would not install a tire tank today without a drain. Really makes cleaning and overflow issues much easier to deal with. My tanks with drains have 4" PVC draining 30' from the tank.

In remote locations, if your water supply is sufficient, water is cheaper than propane while electricity is usually unavailable.

 

[Jake]

We have a tire tank in one calving lot but have never found a easy way of keeping it open. We just chop ice every day. Last year the power went out and the cattle drank the water completely out before it turned back on. Froze the line under the tank, was the biggest PITA to get it thawed out, the weather had to change before it finally thawed itself back out.

 

[jedstivers]

We have a tire tank in one calving lot but have never found a easy way of keeping it open. We just chop ice every day. Last year the power went out and the cattle drank the water completely out before it turned back on. Froze the line under the tank, was the biggest PITA to get it thawed out, the weather had to change before it finally thawed itself back out.

A lot of difference in KS and VA though.

 

[Jake]

We have a tire tank in one calving lot but have never found a easy way of keeping it open. We just chop ice every day. Last year the power went out and the cattle drank the water completely out before it turned back on. Froze the line under the tank, was the biggest PITA to get it thawed out, the weather had to change before it finally thawed itself back out.

A lot of difference in KS and VA though.

Oh a ton. I meant it more as a teach me how to prevent ours from freezing. I know the boys up north use them but not sure how they keep them open.

 

[jedstivers]

We have a tire tank in one calving lot but have never found a easy way of keeping it open. We just chop ice every day. Last year the power went out and the cattle drank the water completely out before it turned back on. Froze the line under the tank, was the biggest PITA to get it thawed out, the weather had to change before it finally thawed itself back out.

A lot of difference in KS and VA though.

Oh a ton. I meant it more as a teach me how to prevent ours from freezing. I know the boys up north use them but not sure how they keep them open.

I think they do have to use something else. When I was putting the first ones in I thought if I was in a colder climate I could dig strait down a but in a pipe standing up. Go far enough for the earth to help some and also have a top on it.
Here if we get a line even 8" deep it will almost never freeze. We have to go deeper just to feel them from being hit than to worry about freezing.
Also thought you could put a pipe in the middle coming up out of the water with a lid on it to keep rain or snow out and but in either charcoal, wood or some kind of propane heat. Would take very little to keep some open water.
I'm glad I don't have to do all that though.

 

[John SD]

I think they do have to use something else. When I was putting the first ones in I thought if I was in a colder climate I could dig strait down a but in a pipe standing up. Go far enough for the earth to help some and also have a top on it.
Here if we get a line even 8" deep it will almost never freeze. We have to go deeper just to feel them from being hit than to worry about freezing.
Also thought you could put a pipe in the middle coming up out of the water with a lid on it to keep rain or snow out and but in either charcoal, wood or some kind of propane heat. Would take very little to keep some open water.
I'm glad I don't have to do all that though.

Water lines are buried minumum of 6' deep here. Water lines WILL freeze if they are buried less than that.

They do make insulated and uninsulated heat sink tubes for water lines coming up to automatic waterers/tire tanks. Don't have them under my tires, but as long as the tank stays full of water, the line and valve in the bottom of the tank won't freeze.

Only time one of my tires ever froze up was when the float froze and cattle drank the tank down. Caught it in time and a small propane torch was enough to get the water flowing again.

I have used open top fiberglass and tire tanks with no heat and no cover with the valve in the bottom of the tank to -35 with no problems as long as the tank stays full of water. Ice gets about 6" thick on top so it is neccessary to chop a hole for cows to drink and chop the float loose.