Water troughs and heaters

[trails4jd]

My 37/38" Eddy can just reach the 100 gal trough if it's full. When the water level drops down he cannot. Thus I use a plastic muck bucket that I keep outside for his water which is perfect--untill it freezes so hard I can't break the ice up with a hammer. So, with latest bit of icy dicey weather I've been bailing water out of the big, and heated, trough and putting it in buckets (on the ground) inside the stall but that water freezes up soon when it's cold enough. I'd like to find a container and heater that will work for Eddy. I know they have heated buckets but I would like to find something with more capacity. Any suggestions? I'm guessing there wouldn't be any heater that would be safe to leave in a plastic muck bucket?! Thanks!

 

[1roadtoad]

Yes. there is a bucket heater that can be used in plastic. For more than 20 years or so, I have used a Bucket/Utility De-Icer (actually a heater) by API. It is the 250 Watt-30 gallon heater, Made by Miller Manufacturing. It's model number is:
DT250. The units actually have thermostats within them (somehow) that keep the water from freezing. If the water is not freezing or if they get pulled out of the bucket somehow, they turn off (again, I don't know how this works). It's funny you should ask about this now, as I just ordered one about 4 days ago from Blain's Farm & Fleet. They were/are having a sale on them for less than $40., plus shipping, which is a really good price. As I said, I have use this brand for all of my horses. When I had riding horses, I put the heaters in their 5 gal. plastic water buckets. Since I've had my mini, I put the same heaters in 3 gallon buckets. The heaters work in buckets up to 30 gallons. I think 2 of my heaters are 20 years old and another is about 10. The reason that I just ordered another one, is to just have an extra one on hand.

 

[1roadtoad]

Forgot to mention that I think they also make a 400 Watt heater, but I don't think the extra wattage is necessary.

 

[trails4jd]

Thank you so much!!

 

[Standards Equine]

There's definitely solutions to your conundrums. Just got to do some shopping.

 

[chandab]

I don't have power at my mini barn, so I've never used one, but they make heated buckets for water; so if you have power, this might be a solution, but they can't run dry as that increases fire risk. I think they make different sizes, just google heated buckets for livestock (or horses).
https://www.jefferspet.com/10qt-hea...erm=4583451685696771&utm_content=All Productshttps://www.farmandfleet.com/produc...eed and Equipment>Livestock Feeding Equipment