running water lines

[rd_macgregor]

We have a heated waterer in the barn with the supply line buried (about) 4 ft.

In the pastures, I put a "Y" in the drain tiles from some springs and tapped the flow into water tanks, then back out into the tile. I has worked pretty well except when the drain/overflow line gets plugged with algae or leaves. The constant flow keeps the tanks from freezing up in all but the very coldest weather. Of course, this only works where you have springs and enough contour/slope...I have an excess of both.
BOB

 

[forgeblast]

I like the black pipe idea, what about getting that cheap foam insulation with the slit that goes around copper pipe and putting that around the pex and then putting that into the black pipe. we just burried water lines that are for summer only. I us my aircompressor to blow the lines out in the fall. I would think some are deep enough but i didnt want to have to dig them up if i was wrong.

 

[dan_d]

*aaak!* i just typed a nice long reply and it got lost oh well, here we go again...

holy crap that's a lot of info in a short amount of time!

Kays Supply, you're right i totally forgot to google for some reason :ashamed: Must have been asleep at the wheel yesterday...

Thanks Piloon for your pipe-within-a pipe idea, and forgeblast for the insulating the inner pipe idea... in fact, google found me this: Insulated underground pipe which i guess they use for those outdoor wood furnaces. I'll ask around here if anyone sells the pre-fab stuff, may not cost much more than DIY

my current plan is to use the existing 50gal tub + floating heater with a float valve and a heated hose, connected to an insulated/heated dry hydrant. The $20 float valve is a bit cheaper than the $500 Nelson waterer, so i'll take a chance on it first

the 3 tubs I an running water to will require at least 600ft of line so any underground electrical solutions would be prohibitive. The frost line in south-central ontario is ~3ft, but i'll be lucky to get 2ft in some spots with all the rock in there... hence why i want to make sure i get it right the first time; the last thing i need to be doing is figuring out where along 600 ft the line is frozen, and having to drag hoses out every day until it's thawed!

Thanks to everyone for the tips! I'll be sure to update the thread in the spring and let you know how it turned out

Dan

 

[Obed]

[Ithe 3 tubs I an running water to will require at least 600ft of line so any underground electrical solutions would be prohibitive. The frost line in south-central ontario is ~3ft, but i'll be lucky to get 2ft in some spots with all the rock in there... hence why i want to make sure i get it right the first time; the last thing i need to be doing is figuring out where along 600 ft the line is frozen, and having to drag hoses out every day until it's thawed!

Dan,
You might consider putting in some freeze protected spigots in that 600 ft of pipe. If the pipe freezes or breaks, opening the spigots to see where the water comes out will help to locate the section of pipe that is frozen or busted.
Good luck.
Obed

 

[204saskman]

Well your really not to far from me, i know for a fact that my water lines are burried at 8' or better in some places. I had water problems 2 years ago but this year i didnt have one problem this year at all(our winter got to -40 fairly often). I installed some heat tape to the bottom of mine and left it on all winter and not 1 issue. I also installed a new watering bowl(automatic waterer) made by SPI. It is an awsome waterer for our horses and we havent had an issue. For 400 bucks it was a well invested option. I wouldnt cheap out IMO, nothing worse then trying to get them unfroze at -40.

 

[crusty 1]

check out the web sites for out door wood boilers,they sell very good insulated pipe to run water lines through.Central boiler is the stove I have and they sell the stuff,but a bit priceyDave

 

[dieselscout80]

Has anyone try these? Bar Bar A Home Page

I'm starting to look for auto waters.

 

[204saskman]

Here is the one i got

SPI Industries Inc. Livestock Waterers Electrical Model VS15E

The reason i went with a electric one is cause we used to have those no power ones and had issues with it. You have to train the animals to use them, Some animals spook easy and i know my horses would sooner drink out of the slough then out of the old water bowl. For 400 bucks and it comes with the heater and heat tape, worth every penny.

 

[EddieWalker]

Unfortunately for me there isn't an awful lot of topsoil in some spots that I will be running line, \

Dan,

What is under the topsoil? What are you planning to use to dig the trench? How far does the trench need to be and how deep?

Since you are wanting to do this right and not have to mess with it again in the future, I would NOT rely on anything to heat or insulate the hose. Every one of those ideas has as many negatives to them as they might have positives. Fixing one problem by creating another isn't a solution that I'd be wanting.

There is something out there that will dig the trench deep enough. Ususally it's more money, and that might become an issue for you, but if it does the job and you never have to go back and redo it, replace it or maintain it, them maybe a little more money isn't such a bad idea considering the long term gains that you will receive.

Go to the rental yards and ask what they have to get the job done.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[dan_d]

Under the topsoil is essentially bedrock... giant slabs of rock (mostly shale, but other stuff too) generally 10+ft across. I suspect the only way to get deep enough would be to blast, since the equipment required to dig that rock up would be pretty significant, not to mention time-consuming.
There are 3 separate runs of 100, 150 and 250ft, which should be at least 3ft down to keep from freezing
I had the guy out this week to dig the trenches, i'd say about 1/2 of my runs will require insulation since the bucket hit solid rock at 2.5ft or less, some spots he barely got a foot down! I'm going with the pipe insualtion inside the drainage tube idea, but i'm trying to figure out what else i could add for the sections that are exceptionally shallow.

Thanks to everyone for the links to other products, I'll be bookmarking them for sure Nice to see a Canadian product in the lineup, certainly worth a look since UPS absolutely shafts me if i order anything from the US!

I found this one one of those sites, which looks likea pretty decent insulator, not sure on the price tho..
SPI Agricultural Livestock Waterers Earth Tube


Cheers,
Dan