# Solar water tub heater?



## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

I believe so, but what I did last year (I lived in VA too so it worked with VA weather) is I built a big box to put my tank into. The front has like polycarbonate panels which help trap the heat, and I paitned front of my tank black to draw in heat from sun too. The box is completely lined and packed with insulation around the tank as well. Last winter, evenn when it got -10 some nights, the most ice I'd have in the tank was a THIN layer.

I'm in Ohio now so will be a very good test on my box. I'm going to modify it a little this year though. The tank is such a tight fit in the box its very hard to clean, so I'm going to cut out a small square in abck, where drain hole is...add hinge and make it like a drainage door? So when I need to drain/clean I can flip open the door and plug in hose, then when done its closed and sealed tight again!


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## Shosadlbrd (Nov 3, 2013)

evilamc said:


> I believe so, but what I did last year (I lived in VA too so it worked with VA weather) is I built a big box to put my tank into. The front has like polycarbonate panels which help trap the heat, and I paitned front of my tank black to draw in heat from sun too. The box is completely lined and packed with insulation around the tank as well. Last winter, evenn when it got -10 some nights, the most ice I'd have in the tank was a THIN layer.


Sounds like something to try, Thank you


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

I'll try to take some pics of mine tomorrow for you, I don't have my tank in it yet though.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

This is what DH built for one of our tanks. It worked OK here in KY. Our problem is having to hook and unhook the hose for the filler. We have frost proof hydrants at the troughs, so we have hoses hooked to floats. The hoses don't work so well when frozen. I do not have power to my water troughs....


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## jenkat86 (May 20, 2014)

evilamc said:


> I believe so, but what I did last year (I lived in VA too so it worked with VA weather) is I built a big box to put my tank into. The front has like polycarbonate panels which help trap the heat, and I paitned front of my tank black to draw in heat from sun too. The box is completely lined and packed with insulation around the tank as well. Last winter, evenn when it got -10 some nights, the most ice I'd have in the tank was a THIN layer.
> 
> I'm in Ohio now so will be a very good test on my box. I'm going to modify it a little this year though. The tank is such a tight fit in the box its very hard to clean, so I'm going to cut out a small square in abck, where drain hole is...add hinge and make it like a drainage door? So when I need to drain/clean I can flip open the door and plug in hose, then when done its closed and sealed tight again!


I think you will be pleasantly surprised this winter. I'm in Indiana and we made something very similar. They work great! Last year we made smaller versions of them and added them to the stalls for the buckets. Since they were out of the sun, my husband wired in light sockets about 6 inches from the ground, inside the box. I put a 45 watt light bulb in it and on the super cold days turned them on. It kept ice from forming and it make a wonderful "mood light" in the barn, lol.


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

heres mine...some of the insulation got ruined in the move and needs replaced..but you can get the idea haha



















all walls insulated









even lid insulated ha









then I just stuck in as much of the other kind of insulation I could to fill all the gaps between tank and walls.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Someone Mother Earth mag. wrote about built a nice little fire pit with a metal rack. A few logs, build a fire and melt the ice in the steel 1/2 barrel on top.


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## zandstrafarms (Feb 14, 2015)

You can buy a bucket heater for $20 at horse. Com, will keep whole tank thawed unless wind blows bad and its -20. Then you get half inch ice on top. I live in central michigan 

Go to harbor freight and see about a solar kit for the tank heater. They sell solar kits, tell them what you need and bring the heater in with you and they can get you rolling. You could even use two heaters if you want.


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