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Energy free livestock waterers

R

ridgelane

Member
Do any of you fellows use energy free livestock waterers for cattle? If so, what brand and how do they perform.

Since I live in an area where the temps can go quite low, minus 40 or lower, I need a waterer that will remain operational with little or no daily maintenance.
 
I tried a Ritchie once. I probably didn't have enough critters drinking from it, so it always froze. Need to keep the water flowing through it to keep thawed.
 
Most of the ones I have seen count on water being consumed fairly frequently so that the water below the surface which is 40 to 45 degrees replaces the water at the unit which has dropped below that temperature. Which is to say you want a fair number of cattle drawing out of a given waterer over a given day. I don't know how it would be servicing just 1 or 2 cows drawing out of it at the temperature you described. There may be something fairly recently put on the market that works differently but I have not seen it.
 
I have two Behlen four hole waterers. They have a valve down in a heat well that's insulated, as well as the water tank. The top is also insulated, and dark colored, so it absorbs some heat on a sunny day, and melts some of the ice off. We do have to knock some ice off occasionally, and have had the cows manage to get a sealing ball stuck and had the flow valve freeze up a couple of times. But the waterers are close enough to the barn we can take a hairdryer out to them and unfreeze them. They do need some flow, the more the better. During hard weather, I try to use the one nearest to the barn where I have electric, plus the cows don't have to go as far to get to water. But they work good for us. There are a few more on the market that look like they would be a good unit, and a few I've looked at that I'd rather not try. You may want to go to a machinery expo and look at a few first and decide from there.
 
I got a floating electric heating coil, setting in a wire cage, to heep it from getting too close to the poly tank walls, or float unit. Haven't found any electrocuted calves yet, and worry about that, off and on. It don't keep the hose from the hydrant, from freezing up nightly, but it is only 6' long, and can be taken off, and thawed fairly easily.
 
Just another thought, because I don't know your ground. But if you have any springs, you might try a spring development or two. They're not hard to put in, very low maintenance, don't freeze up, and get the cows out of the mud. Nothing mechanical at all to go wrong, either.
 
I use one call GeoTherm that"s made in Wisconsin. They clain they are used in ND at -40°F. Mine have worked well down to at least -25°F. They use a temperature sensitive mechanical valve that opens at 32°F and charges the bowl with fresh water. The excess flows out an overflow to an underground drain field ( basically drain rock and sume plastic tubing. There is a tube that runs through the realtively warm drain field that supies wasrmed air via natural convection into the tile that the water line comes up through. It"s simple and reliable and costs about $400 for the basic unit. If you want, post back and I"ll post a picture.
 
Can you tell me which waterers seem good to you and which brands you would rather not have?

I need to get something and would like to have some good honest proof that they are decent units before I spend the cash. I am running over 250 head so flow is not a problem, just want something low maintenance and durable.
 
I'd love to have a spring. My dad, who lives less than a mile away, has two springs on his place and the kids a few miles away have one there too, but I have the livestock and no springs.

I've had to put in a solar powered pump to pump water from a slough across the road from one of the pastures cause there is not a drop of water on it, while the land around it, across the road, has acres of water.

Just my luck to have the stock and problems getting water.
 
I'd have to go out and look at the brand,it escapes me right now. Has the balls in it. Installation is the important thing. There's a big styrofoam tume that you need to put down in around the pipe to let the heat from the ground come up. It's 20 inches outside diameter,16 inches inside. I've heard of guys using things like drain tile and having problems,having to dig them up and reinstall using the styrofoam tube.
The valve has never frozen in mine,but in extreme cold,the balls will freeze and I have to kick them loose now and then. I've got a wooden wind break on two sides on mine too so they can only drink out of 2 sides. Keeps the balls from freezing so quick.
All in all,I don't see the point installing one that uses electricity. These work good when you install them right and don't try to cut corners.
 
I have a Ritchie, I dont have enough head drinking out of it so the valve will freeze when it gets about -10 F. In my opinion it's a bad design with the supply pipe almost touching the the top of the tank. Its only 100 yrds from the house and 5 gal of hot water will thaw it out so I tolerate it, but I wont buy another one.
Nate
 
While I don't know of anyone that has actually tried it I have read that you can bury a culvert in the upright position and with a tank placed over it the heat from the earth will keep the tank from freezing over.

Guess if I weren't retired and got back into the cattle business I would give it a try.
Earth heated waterer.
 
we sell and install spi door type waterers and find they are far ahead of all ball type due to parts and larry for details we ship all over
 
I have used "Bar Bar A" drinkers for several years now. Winter temps have been below -25 F and have not had any freeze up problems. However, my total tonnage of ice produced during the season has taken a drastic drop. A price I have to pay that I am more than willing to live with.
 
I can't find anything online about these bar bar A waterers. Can you give me more info or a link to an online site? I'd like to check out as many options as I can before I buy.

Thanks for all the suggestions
 
Good to know, thanks.

I've looked at them and never really cared for the design but never spoke to anyone who actually uses them.
 
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