help with frozen waterers

[gwithrow]

so all my freeze proof waterers are frozen....all eight of them...these are the kind with two big balls in them...insulated tanks...the cows are close enough to the creeks to have water, but I am concerned about the tanks breaking and then when it thaws, having a big issue....of course it is probably too late to have done anything to have prevented this, but does anyone have any suggestions for the next cold spell? we have several more days of bitter cold to deal with, then maybe a little warm up? but of course winter is going to be with us for a while longer...

[SteveO]

I'm not sure what it would do to the cattle but. What would adding a little salt to the water do. It would lower the freezing point. Or cover half of them in hay and a tarp and uncover later. But the best Ive seen on the site is bury it half way in hay and manure that will keep it cooking.
Stay warm
It is a balmy 18 in Ma at 11 Am

Steve

[agmantoo]

gwithrow,
I think the balls that seal the opening in the waterers are frozen to the opening of the storage tanks and that the water in the tanks is not frozen. There should be a plug in the lower outer edge of the tank that is in place on a compression fit. After turning the supply water off you can take something like a large wooden dowel and place it against the plug from the outside and tap the dowel with a hammer and drive the plug into the tank and the tank can then drain. You can also try pouring some hot water at the sealing area where the ball meets the tank lip and then use your fist to pound on the ball to force it loose. If you are feeding hay then I suggest only using one or two waterers so they will get used more frequently and winterizing the others. Do you have a vertical heat tube installed underneath the waterers?

[gwithrow]

you are right about the water freezing right around the balls...and I was able to knock a couple of them free....the water in the tank is mostly not frozen...however on at least one, the plug must have been leaking and there is an area where there is a lot of ice, this is at the base of the tank....I certainly hope the plug will reseal once there is some thawing, and I will watch it closely to make sure it is not leaking continuously....fortunately, this waterer is on a gravity feed system and not a well...as far as draining the tanks, I think the plug has to be unscrewed from the inside? did I understand you to say that this plug can be tapped into the tank?..... today, I am going to at least turn the waterers that are in areas not being used, off.....the cows will eagerly go to the creek....I am concerned about breakage and repairs....seems like the creek has no repairs, but then, Agman, you already know that!!!...the cold weather is affecting me more than the cows...they are eating the hay that is in the field....not baled...thanks...

[agmantoo]

Yes, you can drive the plug back into the inside of the waterer. The hole that is plugged is not threaded. When you install the plug and turn the thumbscrew you are just expanding the plug only. Trust me on this. PS....if you cannot get the old plug to seal contact me.

[gwithrow]

ok, we have been outside and have drained the tank...I see exactly what you mean about the plug....and I am thrilled that it can be knocked in....doesn't take much to thrill me these days....anyway, one tank had a faulty gasket....and one didn't have the balls adjusted high enough so air could get in there and freeze the water up....the gasket was replaced with a household, one...a round squooshy foam one...anyway it is sealed up and shouldn't freeze up anymore...at least not more than just around the balls...we will deal with the super frozen plug that apparently has been leaking, when the thaw happens...if that plug won't seal back, I will be in touch...I moved the cows to a new area, they are happy and they can get to water....for now that is all I care about...thanks for your suggestions...when the temps moderate, we will drain the rest of the tanks and clean them out...

[Cat]

Do you have photos of the type of tank you're using?

[genebo]

I have the same type of waterer. It has never frozen before this extended cold spell. I had to go out today and push the balls down to free them.

However, I only have 4 Dexter adults and 3 calves drinking. That doesn't bring in enough fresh warm water to make the frost-proof feature work. I think the paperwork said I should have at least 15 cows drinking from a waterer with two holes.

Maybe you could cover one hole in each waterer, so the cattle keep that side working. Or restrict the cattle from some of the waterers so they'll work the others more.

Remember, part of what makes them prostproof is the fact that all the cold water the cattle drink is replaced with warmer water.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

[moocow]

We had fountains with the ball. I think they were Mirafount brand. We had problems with the ball freezing. So we just took the ball out of one end of the fountain and left the other end with a ball. They used the other end enought that it would only glaze over with ice which the cattle could get trough easily. Occasional we would have to chip ice out but not often.

[gwithrow]

thanks for all the responses...I think we have discovered one of the problems with the worst one...when it was installed,( by a plumber who didn't know even how it worked,) it was set incorrectly, so that the 5 gallon bucket, which was used as an earth tube.(.to bring warmer ground temps to the bottom of the unit....).anyway he set the tank so that there was a small area of the bucket showing...so this is allowed the bitter cold air, and the north wind to get under neath and freeze things up....so that has been caulked....and today all was fine..and it was colder last night than it has been....the balls were slightly stuck, by a small area of ice...but it was easily broken...and in this weather I will leave the crossings open so that all the animals have access to the creek...which neither freezes nor breaks...