Using de-icers in stock tanks

[triplethorsefarm]

It is only the beginning of January and our winter has been ridiculously cold! I moved to SW Missouri from Chicago eigth years ago, to get away from the hard winters. Each year it seems like it gets a bit colder. We have already had three snow falls, which is the total we had last year! Long story short, breaking the water troughs with a t-post isn't cutting it anymore

Yesterday I went to the feed store and picked up a few of the floating de-icers that are safeto usein plastic tanks. I use the 120 gallon black rubber tanks. Well.....as I was placing it in the tank and reading the directions, I read that you should NOT use an extension cord and that you need a wooden stake grounded next to the trough. The only way I can get electricity to the field is with extension cords. I wanted to hear what you have done when using the de-icers. I don't want to risk shocking my babies. Please share your experiences and suggestions. Thanks

 

[Margo_C-T]

Although I am not recommending that you disregard the mfg's instructions, I will tell you what I have done/do...

I have a metal stock tank, so can use a 'standard' floating 1000 watt tank heater/de-icer. Although right now, it does not require an extension cord, because we do have an outdoor plug right there, in past I needed another such tank heater where the only way to use it was to use an extension cord. I used a PLENTY HEAVY DUTY, OUTDOOR-RATED, extension cord; I believe it was a 12 gauge? I made sure that where the heater plugged into the extension cord, AND where the cord plugged into the electric outlet, was fully and well-protected from moisture, and that the heater cord was well-protected from access by the horses--and checked it daily. A GFI outlet is important, too. I also use heated buckets, and the same caveats apply.

You might want to check w/ an electrician for the best possible ways to handle this problem; it might be worthwhile to have an underground electric line put in out to where you need the power. Is yours a 'sinking' de-icer? If so, you may not have the issue of possible access by the horses, but the other issues will still apply.

Good luck at working this out; I am a firm believer in heated buckets and tank de-icers, for both the horses' and the humans' benefit! I broke ice for WAY more years than I cared to.....and we are having a 'real' winter here this year, too---meaning plenty of COLD temperatures, snow and ice.

Margo

 

[bevann]

We have used extension cords for many years with tank deicers.Just be sure to buy very heavy waterproof ones like are used for construction.We have never had a problem.Good luck it is very cold and windy here in Delaware today.Wind chills in single digits and I have to go out to feed again.This year I am way down in numbers so almost everybody gets fed in the barn.I just open the doors and they come in quickly to eat then go back out to eat hay in covered run in sheds attached to the barn.I have 3 older ones who are in the barn with heated buckets.dreading my trip out again in the cold.

 

[Margo_C-T]

Sorry, double post!

Margo

 

[shorthorsemom]

I use a high dollar heavy duty extension cord to plug into. I use it now for the smaller type flat backed buckets that heat and have a plug that hides up under the bucket.. for my minis. When I had full sized horses I used the submerged deicer and had placed the tank up against the fence and used a bungee to secure the cord in addition to tying it with some baling twine so they wouldn't pull the heater out of the water and play with it. I had the plug part of the extension cord a foot away from the fence and put the end under a bucket so it wouldn't get wet. The kind of outlet I use is the kind that will "trip" the breaker if there is a problem.

I have friends that do not put the trough against the fence, and they run the cord through PVC pipe. My friend uses the rubbermaid trough and there is a type of heater that goes right through the drain plug hole. This type of heater does not have a cord the horses can pull on. She never has had a problem, she dug a ditch for the cord and put it in PVC to boot. Everybody I know run extension cords but keep them where the horses cannot bother them. Hope this helps..

I needed to go to the smaller buckets as my guys like their water fresh, they drink more. cheers.

 

[~Lisa~]

I do not use the heavy 1000 + watt de-icers we use the 250 watt bird bath or utility de-icers and those seem to work they did fail at below 0 temps but are good in single digit even in my 100 gallon tank.

I prefer those as one year I used one of those floating ones, it went bad and shocked the begezzuz out of me and I had it grounded

I do run extention cords the shortest that I can and place them in a PVc pipe to help protect them against the weather. I wrap where they connect to the de-icer with electrical tape

My vet told me one year to ground them all by using metal wire wrapping it around metal on one end and putting something metal on the other end and dropping that end in the water I am not sure if it works or not but I do it-

As a side note I have 1 heated large bucket which the water stays pretty warm in, one smaller tank with a deicer which the water is still warm but not really tepid like the first and the big 100 gallon tank I break ice in every morning. The one I break ice in every morning is the one most of my horses prefer to use during the day

 

[Marsha Cassada]

You need to use a very heavy extension cord. The shortest you can reach with. Make sure it is plugged into a grounded outlet (one with 3 prong holes). A GFI would not be a bad idea.

I have the heater that goes through the drain hole of the big rubbermaid. I have used an extension cord on it for several years.

 

[triplethorsefarm]

Thank you so much for all the great ideas. I am using an outdoor heavy duty extension cord. I had bought the floating de-icers, but i think I will go back and get the drain plug heaters, that way there isn't anything for the minis to play with. Thanks again- I know I can always count on the great people on this forum!

 

[minifancier]

Thank you so much for all the great ideas. I am using an outdoor heavy duty extension cord. I had bought the floating de-icers, but i think I will go back and get the drain plug heaters, that way there isn't anything for the minis to play with. Thanks again- I know I can always count on the great people on this forum!

I agree with you go BACK to the drain plug heaters way better IMO the any floating types. I had them one year and that was it no more will ever be in my tanks again.

The floating types that is.

And as far as a extension cord goes yes you can use one IF you have a heavy Duty one and that is 12 Ga. nothing any smaller. also it depends on the length of the run, the longer the run the larger the wire should be.

I even have my 1500 watt heater in a 150 gallon tank that is on a extension cord been doing that now for 12 years or better.

 

[WhiteTailsMinis]

We have used extension cords for years as well. Outdoor heavy duty types. we do not use floating device, we use the ones that go into the drain hole of the barrel and sit on the bottom. I like those better as I feel the horses cannot touch them.

One thing we worry about is the water level - we make sure we top off the tanks frequently to not allow the water level to get too low to the heaters.

We don't have "grounds" as described here.

 

[Thinking small]

We also use the type that goes through the drain hole, ours is a rubbermaid stock tank, they make a heater especially designed for it. The cord we use is heavy duty. I dble check it daily to ensure the water level is decent. It is set right beside the fence so the cord is not reachable to the horses.