Coyote Ridge FarmsWelcome To Our Rural Blog

After much procrastination, I finally got started on the farm’s 2nd, automatic, frost-free waterer installation.  Last year, when we ran water lines for the Ritchie waterer east of the place, I added a “T” fitting and vertical pipe in the barn-yard.  I knew someday, I wanted another waterer.  As I kept doing research on these super insulated auto waterers, the more I was convinced I should place them in every location that we are presently using a stock tank over winter.

In the past, we, like most folks, simply add a submersible tank heater in the cold months… to keep the water free of ice.  For each stock tank, we could see a $25-35 increase (average each month) on the farm’s electric bill, during the cold months.  Instead of spending $150-200/yr, an insulated auto waterer cost approx. $32/yr to run.  In less than 3 years, a new waterer pays for itself.  We added one last year… and we’re adding another this year.

This new self-waterer is going to be used by the goats and sheep.  Last year we had a tank in the barn for them and twice a day (everyday) I carried 5 gal. pails of water from the outdoor hydrant to the indoor stock tank.  If I remember correctly, I carried 10 or more pales each time… it gets old.

In preparation for the new waterer, I first installed a thermal-vent tube.  It is a 7′ x8″ PVC air stack pipe.  Here in MN, frost can easily travel 5′ deep and what this thermal-vent does is brings the geothermal heat from below the frost line… up the tube to the inside of the insulated automatic waterer.  The warm air keeps the poly water pipe (that runs up inside the tube) frost free.

Here's the 7 foot hole I dug

It was not a fun dig.  I guess I should have made the hole bigger, as it was pretty tight quarters.  A few times, while trying to remove dirt from the hole, I caught the shovel handle on the dirt wall.  Remember the taste of dirt when you were a kid?  The taste ain’t much better now.

This is a view of the inside of the thermo-vent tube

The water pipe cannot touch the sides of the thermal-vent.  If it does and the ground is frozen outside the PVC tube, the water in the pipe will freeze.  To keep the water pipe from touching the sides, I simply taped some wood scraps to the water pipe before putting the vent in place.  It keeps it from getting too close to the wall of the thermal-vent.

I still need to fill the hole, bring in some gravel and build some forms.  In the next day or so, I’ll make a run to the home lumber mega-store and pick-up some cement mix for the pad the waterer sits on.  I already have electrical lines run to the location… most of the hard stuff is completed.  I’m nearly set.  Oh yeah, I better order the waterer.

Related posts:

1. Ritchie Waterer
2. Making Water Kefir
3. Kiwi Brace
4. Making Homemade Mozzarella Cheese
5. Remote Watering Station