cashcrop said:
Rambler,
I haven't spent the money for the propane heater or a 100lb propane tank. I only bought the galvanized water tank. The reason I posted about this now is due to the fact that people locally are not the most advanced. I know of no one who uses/owns automatic waterers. Stretching a series of electrical cords 100 yds to run an electric tank heater doesn't seem sensible though! I have never heard of Cobert equipment and I know the lovely landlord would not let me run a pipe out to the waterer but, am I grasping at straws when I think of getting a smaller water tank to put in their 3 sided shed with the hogs and another for the steers to do like wise?
I have 5 months to figure out alternatives.
Here is the web site of the freeze-proof no-energy waterer. There are other such. Before I forget!
http://www.cobett.com/
Perhaps I spoke out of turn.
Your system would work somewhat if it is indoors. But at first read, it sounds like it is outdoors? You would need shelter for the hogs at least, so is an indoor (out of the wind, body-heat from the livestock) location available? If you can keep the temp above 15 degrees much of the time, and above 25 most all of the time _and_ out of the wind, it takes a while to freeze, and the livestock have time to use up the water you supply.
There are some insulated/ solar / homemade type of deals that keep the water temp up, but they are quite a work of art, and rely upon water feeding into them as the livestock drink to keep the water temp up. Many start as an old construction tire, a plastic cover, poured cement in the bottom, and a water feed up the middle.
Additionally, I was assuming the water feed was already at or near this location, below the frost line in the ground. Now it sounds like there is no underground water supply. Are you bringing water with 5gal pails, & how many head of livestock are you watering? I guess I would do better if I understood the scope of the project a little better. You mention it is so far from the house, so I was figuring it was too far to carry water - cattle drink a _lot_, so now I'm left puzzled.

You could do this the old fashioned way, just offer them water 2 times a day, _every_ day, as much as they drink & dump the excess before it melts. They do not need open water in front of them at _all_ times, esp if they have some snow to 'graze' on. But they do need water, you need to satisfy them 2 times a day, preferably shortly after they eat.
How do you currently water the livestock?
I'm guessing northern Wisconsin would have an equal climate to my southern minnesota, tho lake effects or other can cause things to be a lot different than I am thinking...
Sorry if I went off course on you, the project appeared differently to me. I'm not sure what you are starting with now, or how big a job it is.
I currently water 20-40 head of cattle without any heat. I run a normal float on a metal tank, and as long as they are drinking the water flows because it is bringing it's own heat or as long as the sun hits it, but I need to shut it off and get the water out when they stop as the pipe freezes. I have a typical burried line & frost-free hydrant. It's not a fun system - esp at -15 degrees. However, for next year - see the above web site.
--->Paul