Automatic Float Valves for Livestock Watering

[GaryBDavis]

I've just finished my new shop out at the farm and I've put in a couple of new water troughs for the cows as the well equipment is now housed inside the shop. I've never been happy with the cheesy float valves we buy for $10 at the local farm supply. I've used the nice ones that are all brass, but our stupid cows always messed with the exposed float ball. I either need a better float valve set up or smarter cows.

Anyone have a good float valve setup that is proven to stand up to the test of time and stupid cows. Pictures would be great.

Thanks.

 

[jamath]

Mark this a another request for water trough ideas. I have one water trough that is fed by a pond that uses a similar type of float that is used ( or abused) by the cows. It doesn't last more than a week at a time before the float is out of commission and the pond water goes right out the overflow. Help??

 

[ns_in_tex]

I've just finished my new shop out at the farm and I've put in a couple of new water troughs for the cows as the well equipment is now housed inside the shop. I've never been happy with the cheesy float valves we buy for $10 at the local farm supply. I've used the nice ones that are all brass, but our stupid cows always messed with the exposed float ball. I either need a better float valve set up or smarter cows.

Anyone have a good float valve setup that is proven to stand up to the test of time and stupid cows. Pictures would be great.

Thanks.

Hi Gary,

Not sure I have the answer, but several years ago, I was feeling the same way and decided to try one of the commode tank floats where the float rides up and down the stand pipe. I do have it covered with sheet metal to keep the cows away & help with the freezing. I am afraid to say this, but so far it has worked flawlessly. Also runs the water faster than the old trough floats.

 

[GaryBDavis]

Yeah, we have to construct covers on ours to keep the cows off. Our bull especially likes to use the water faucet as a scratching post. Good thing it's in cement. I guess there's no other way.

 

[dubba]

We have goats that like to chew on anything & everything. You might be able to modify our remedy to your requirements.

We use a rubbermaid? grey plastic trough. It has a fitting for the heater in the middle of one side at the bottom. Position the trough along the fence line with the heater fitting next to the fence. Run a black plastic pipe from the heater fitting at least 4' beyond the fence line. Take an old 5 gallon bucket & put a fitting in the bottom for the plastic pipe. Put your automatic waterer in the 5 gallon bucket. We have to put a couple of cement blocks around the pipe so they don't chew on that. Have a nice day

 

[turnkey4099]

Yep, it doesn't matter what float valve you put in, you have to cover it or the animals -will- destroy it. Mine is next to a fencepost with a wooden mini shed over the valve.

Harry K

 

[Soundguy]

I've just finished my new shop out at the farm and I've put in a couple of new water troughs for the cows as the well equipment is now housed inside the shop. I've never been happy with the cheesy float valves we buy for $10 at the local farm supply. I've used the nice ones that are all brass, but our stupid cows always messed with the exposed float ball. I either need a better float valve set up or smarter cows.

Anyone have a good float valve setup that is proven to stand up to the test of time and stupid cows. Pictures would be great.

Thanks.

I've used both the metal and plastic shrouded float valves. only had cows mess with the plastic one once.

TSC carries one that has a cast aluiminum or pot metal shroud over it ( or they 'did ).. Still a cow could beat it if they wanted to.

I've used timber to build a 'top' shroud over the top of the housing on a plastic one.. and had it hold up in my round pen for a couple years now.

Soundguy

 

[Luremaker]

I have been using this cheap float valve for over 10 years with no problems. I use if from April to December for 20-25 heffers and 1 bull.

 

[Soundguy]

That's real similar to the cheap plastic on that is in my round pen right now.

Soundguy

 

[GaryBDavis]

I have been using this cheap float valve for over 10 years with no problems. I use if from April to December for 20-25 heffers and 1 bull.

Yep, that's pretty much what we use. If you have a fence to put it up against, that helps protect them. However, my troughs are out in the open.

I like dubba's idea, but I'm thinking on trying to modify it to my situation. I'll install a vertical piece of 6" diameter PVC pipe next to the trough and install a pipe between the two using the threaded drain plug on the water trough. I'll cap the 6" PVC to keep the cows from messing with it and install a float valve in it and connect the water pipe to it just below the ground. Since the two will be piped together, the water level will stay the same in each. This way, the float is enclosed and the cows can't mess with it. I can also insulate it to help protect against freezing weather which is mild here in central Texas.

Now, I just need to find a good way to connect the small diameter water pipe and tank pipe to such a large diamer PVC.

What do you guys think?

 

[Soundguy]

They make some large diameter PVC with smal diameter clean outs.. say.. 2" then just get a 2" to ? 3/4 bushing.. etc.

Soundguy

 

[texasjohn]

Well, I use the standard stock brass float valve... it has a long arm with round plastic ball on the end. My modification is to have the supply pipe and valve way under water very near the bottom of the trough... I attach a piece of light chain to the threaded long arm and use a bolt/screw thru the chain to attach the plastic ball float. This forms a flexible connection between the float and the valve. Make sure it swings free. Adjust the chain length to suit. I have found this to be a reasonable arrangement. It allows the cattle to mess with it and not break anything. I've had this installed until the chain rusted thru and needed replacement. Nothing is perfect

 

[stevenf]

Gary, Delta makes a valve that I've used in Boerne in our hard water for about 5 years they are in the toilet tanks but there is no reason that you couldn't use them in the bottom of your stock tanks it is a disc about 4" across and takes the place of all the floats and chains and such its cheap like less then $10 and has lasted well for our hard water. The good thing for you is its in the absolute bottom and just senses the water pressure and turns on and off accordingly. I'll have to admit that I've gone the lazy route on all my livestock stanks and just use the aluminum one from TSC but I'm raising equines and they aren't near as hard on stuff as a cow usually unless it looks like a toy and then they will play with it or carry it miles from the house before they drop it hitting each other with it the whole way they usually do this with the rubber feed bowls even the ones that are 2 or 3 feet across and 18" deep. I probably own 20 of them so I can wait until I'm on the last couple before getting to serious about gathering them up and starting the cycle over again. I copied this ad of the web to give you an idea of what it looks like its called a Delta Fill Pro
more info Toilet Ballcock Tank Valve - Delta Fill-Pro

Plumbing - Ballcocks - Toilet - Self-Contained Ballcocks


Item: 9389 ... Delta Fill-Pro Tank Valve


Price: $8.98
Check Volume Discounts

Steve

 

[GaryBDavis]

Well, I use the standard stock brass float valve... it has a long arm with round plastic ball on the end. My modification is to have the supply pipe and valve way under water very near the bottom of the trough... I attach a piece of light chain to the threaded long arm and use a bolt/screw thru the chain to attach the plastic ball float. This forms a flexible connection between the float and the valve. Make sure it swings free. Adjust the chain length to suit. I have found this to be a reasonable arrangement. It allows the cattle to mess with it and not break anything. I've had this installed until the chain rusted thru and needed replacement. Nothing is perfect

That sounds like a good setup. Do you have your piping entering the taknk from the top or through the tank somehow?

I've used the big o-ring connectors on my spray tanks and it occurs to me that you could mount one of those in the tank floor. In my case, it's a 6' tank, so if you put it in the middle, the float ball on a chain would be hard for the cows to reach. Even better, the valve and supply piping would be protected during freezes. The top of the tank may freeze, but not in the middle bottom of the tank.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm glad my horses are not the only ones that pull shenanigans like that..

I never know where my rubber feed bowls will end up...

Soundguy

unless it looks like a toy and then they will play with it or carry it miles from the house before they drop it hitting each other with it the whole way they usually do this with the rubber feed bowls even the ones that are 2 or 3 feet across and 18" deep. I probably own 20 of them so I can wait until I'm on the last couple before getting to serious about gathering them up and starting the cycle over again.

Steve

 

[stevenf]

I don't mind the feed bowls so much its other stuff like your working on your chisel plow putting on shovel points and you look up as one of them is running across the field with the bag of new plow bolts firmly clinched between their teeth that the real battle begins. Good to know I'm not the only one that has equines with a good sense of humor.
Steve

 

[Soundguy]

I've actually had my horses accidentally kill a chicken before. I was transfering a rooster from one pen to another ( too many roosters in one pen makes for quite an issue.. ) and I had the rooster in a small pet carrier. in the back of my CUV.. had to go inside to make a phone call.. came back out an dthe horses were throwing the pet carrier around in the field... poor bird was dead by the time I got to him... musta had a heart attack...

That's the kind of mischief that my nags get into...

I remember one day my horse got his halter hung on a gate latch and pulled back, popping the latch clean off. ( and staying attached to his halter... ) the gate was to a little 8x8 3 board fenced area around a well pump/tank in the pasture. The horse then proceded to eat the succulent grass in that area, and squeezed himself around the corner and then got himself stuck between the fence and the (expensive) pump and tank. Couldn't go forward due to the plumbing... couldn't go back due to the extreme angle he would have to back up.. I came home from work and about had a stroke when i saw that. I ended up having to pop the fence boards off ont he side and keep him calm while doing it. then move the boards so he didn't trip on them while exiting... Cost me an hour of work for that deal... At least i didn't loose the pressure tank... thought for sure I was going to!

Soundguy

 

[texasjohn]

GaryBDavis ,
I answered your question last night... but somehow the response seems to have gotten lost... let me try again.

Water line comes into the wall of the metal tank near the bottom... it is really intended to be a drain plug. Gotta take a metal pipe, add about 6 inches of threads to it, screw this pipe from outside into the tank.... several inches stick out inside and are threaded sufficiently to attach other components as needed to get the valve, arm, chain and float connected at right height.

Being near to ground, if you cover the input pipe then it is less prone to freezing, as you surmise... have had trough ice over ... remove top ice and water begins to flow when the ball again is floating, although shrouded in ice.