Solar panel to power tank de-icer?

Is there such a thing? Plans for one would be fine, or a unit that had both parts included (the tank de-icer and the solar panel). I’m trying to reduce power costs at the barn. The only things I have found are enclosed tanks with insulation for $600+. Was hoping for something much more affordable.

Essentially looking to power one of these: http://www.kyhorse.com/store/images/SINKING-DE-ICER1.jpg with a solar panel.

Thanks!

I think this question gets asked every year. :smiley: So far that expensive solar tank is the best answer. You can also build an insulated box around your tank. I’m sure someone will have a link for that.

Last year I downsized from the standard 1500 W tank heater to 750 W heaters. They worked just fine in my 100 gallon stock tanks. Night temps rarely get below the teens here and daytime temps are usually in the 20s.

A deicer just draws too much power for a solar charger or even a car battery for that matter.

If you want something you don’t need to run a power line out to, take advantage of the ground’s thermal properties. Below the frost line (depends where you live, generally 3-4 feet down) the ground it about 50 degrees year round.

The Bar Bar A horse and cattle drinker works off this principle, there are probably others but this is the one I know about. http://horsedrinker.com/

There is work in installing it but once it’s set up, it’s pretty low maintenance from what I’ve read.

Haven’t tried this yet, but an engineer recommended this concept and I might try to build one this year. He suggested using a radiator (like from a house) with copper tubing that puts water into tank/draws it out. (Yeah, I know this isn’t a real explanation but think of it as a mini-concept…) Hot water flows down and into tank/trough, cool water is pulled up and heated. You put the radiator in the sun, and it draws heat during the day. Anyhow, it sounds interesting so I thought I’d share.

What about solar powering something like this: http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/allied-precision-heated-bucket-16-gal

Still impossible?

ETA: it only uses 260 watts apparently.

we solved the problem by moving from Kentucky to Texas to be closer to the winter-time sun

Has anyone tried solar powered aerators? I have found a lot but haven’t yet found one that has a battery that is recharged by the solar panel. Anything out there?

Much will depend on your physical location in the USA. What works for some places is useless for others. I am in MI, which has so many (normally) cloudy days, that solar power is pretty ineffective to power the fencer or a water tank heater. I would be wasting my money on such things for my location.

Further West, the sunshine is “more powerful” in the brightness that comes on the land. This is measured by Lumens. So even if I get bright days here in MI, the sunshine is not as bright, less powerful, for those solar cells than sunshine in Nebraska for instance.

We built our wood insulated boxes that hold the stock tanks, using Styrofoam insulation to help keep the water unfrozen. Sure didn’t cost $600!! Find a local Carpenter to make some up for you around your tanks. Our wood boxes have a half cover, screwed down, so only one end is open for drinking. Half cover also is keeping the tank warmer and preventing horses from reaching the sunken tank heater. We don’t use floating heaters since they seem to have a shorter life and are IRRESISTABLE to the bored, playful horse who will pull them out and break them or set things on fire!!

With the boxes being insulated, I only run the heaters at night, since our horses are all in the barn at night. This night use of heaters is on cheaper electricity, with no chance of a possible short in the heater to Zap a horse trying to drink. The water stays warm all day for us, with no heater running. So I get a bit of money savings doing this. I put a cover on the open half of tank for the night, again to help hold in heat, save some money.

In general, if what you want is heat, using the sun to directly make something warm is going to be much more efficient than using the sun to create electricity to charge a chemical battery to in turn provide heat.

There are many designs and technologies around passive solar heat, some ready made, some homemade.