Freezing Water Trough

[zanewilson]

Does anyone know if burying 10" PVC vertically below a metal trough will help with keeping the ice out during the winter? The trough will have a valve and float installed from underneath also to keep supply line from freezing. I was thinking of burying multiple 10" pipes under a 9' trough at least 10-15' deep.

Thanks for any and all advice,
Zane

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I'd try something besides a metal tank. Fiberglass or rubber would hold the heat from the water better.

 

[Nicky]

I agree with BMR, but they do say the vertical pipes under the troughs help.

What part of Or are you in? Welcome to the board

 

[zanewilson]

From the Madras area.

 

[Denny]

Cut the end's out of some plastic barrels and slide them together and bolt them. The bigger the air opening the more ground heat you will utilize.We have also stacked used tires one on top of another it works well but takes 2 people while you back fill. I alway's do things the least cost way free barrels and free tires is least cost here.Works good to put down a 4x8 sheet of 2" insulation board before you poor your concrete.I also cover the water line with a 4" pvc that way you can drop a heat tape down if need be or run hot water in along the frozen pipe.

 

[Triangle Bar]

I tried this a few years ago. I used 18" culvert 14 feet long, buried vertical and then centered the water tank on top the culvert. It works surprisingly well, even with steel tanks....a tire tank would probably work even better.

 

[Hoop]

do you allow airflow from outside thru some type of vent? or is it butted up tight to the bottom of the tank?

 

[Denny]

do you allow airflow from outside thru some type of vent? or is it butted up tight to the bottom of the tank?

Seal it up tight or the wind will freeze it up in short order.

 

[LCP]

We've installed 10 or so rubber tire tanks from 9 to 14' in diameter. A 10" PVC pipe that goes down 6' with an insulated box on the top to trap the heat works pretty well. I agree with Denny, keeping the wind out is important. The tank-size-to-number-of-cattle ratio is important too. A lot depends on how often the cattle are drinking and how often the valve opens. We've had a well-insulated 11' tank stay open in -30 F weather but it had 225 cows drinking. The 9' tank with 45 steers did not.