Insulating your outdoor stock tank, hose question too...all about winter water

[Romany]

We’ll be using a frost-free hydrant this winter for the first time - wish us luck! Previously we’ve always been able to fill the trough from a short hose from the tap in the barn…which was, in turn, wrapped in electric heat cord and tons of insulation.

We keep thinking about those heated hoses, but have yet to be able to justify the price. I’ll probably just cut a hose to the right length and keep it on a portable hose reel. And use the brass quick dis/connects.

[Romany]

[QUOTE=Kodidog763;7783020]
We planned on building an insulated box for the tank last winter, but didn’t get around to it. We ended up with the tank sitting on a sheet of pink styrofoam insulation, and used this tank heater. I bought mine at Fleet Farm.

I did have an issue with my younger mare grabbing the cord for the heater and then swinging the heater at my gelding. So my husband installed a pvc “pipe” bent over the tank (and secured to it) for the cord to run through. Once the mare couldn’t grab the cord any longer, we had no issues.

Oh - we were running the hose from inside the house, so we couldn’t leave it hooked up, so I’m no help there.

This made it through all of the super MN cold weather over the winter without freezing up. I didn’t notice a huge difference in my electric bill, but I’m sure there was some impact (hard to notice since we were also running electric heaters in the house to preserve propane).[/QUOTE]

Kodidog - your link goes to a screen thing at Lowes - is that really what you used, or is the link nqr?

[Kodidog763]

[QUOTE=Romany;7784743]
Kodidog - your link goes to a screen thing at Lowes - is that really what you used, or is the link nqr?[/QUOTE]

Shoot! I fixed the link. It should have gone to this tank heater.

[Romany]

[QUOTE=Kodidog763;7784808]
Shoot! I fixed the link. It should have gone to this tank heater.[/QUOTE]

Thanks - I was puzzling how you’d wrapped your tank in great curtains of fabric, lol.

[Kodidog763]

[QUOTE=Romany;7784826]
Thanks - I was puzzling how you’d wrapped your tank in great curtains of fabric, lol.[/QUOTE]

LOL! That link was actually for another post describing the screen I would like use for the overhead doors on my barn! :lol:

[Simkie]

[QUOTE=Kodidog763;7784808]
Shoot! I fixed the link. It should have gone to this tank heater.[/QUOTE]

This is the one my ponies pulled out of the tank. When we got to the barn, it was sitting on some dry weeds, and they were smoking. :eek:

Not a problem if your horses will leave it alone, but was quite a tense moment for us!

[Kodidog763]

[QUOTE=Simkie;7784882]
Not a problem if your horses will leave it alone, but was quite a tense moment for us![/QUOTE]

My husband had to install a PVC pipe on the tank to run the cord through, because my younger mare would grab the cord and swing it at my gelding (I actually saw her do it - big looping circles at his head). Once she couldn’t grab the cord, we were all good. :yes:

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

I suppose I could just fill a bucket and dump it into the water. It will only be a couple steps away. I just like the convenience of the hose.

Whoever suggested hauling from the house–that’s why I’m spending all this money to have a frost-free line installed! No hauling Seriously, I hurt my foot this summer (still not right) and I realized I needed it set up so a person on crutches could do it, because you just never know.

And Mr. TrotTrot is not interested in winter water duty for some reason…

[tinah]

If anyone has any ideas to get water down the hill and back up again I’d love to hear it. Trying top save wear in the pastures, so like to use our existing shed and use electric rape to fence off a couple acres around it. . . But the existing spigots and water lines are 300 feet away and over a creek that is about 20 feet down a shallow ravine/gully/wash.