Posted 2014-11-14 8:30 PM Subject: Anyone use Solar heated water tanks?
Location: Georgia
Looking for info on solar heated water tanks. I can only find one manufacturer. Anyone use the "Sun Tank"? Or have you built a home made one? Do they work? Thanks for any advice!
Posted 2014-11-15 9:57 AM Subject: RE: Anyone use Solar heated water tanks?
Veteran
Posts: 246 Location: Idaho
We have one! My parents and grandparents built it. It does work. Last year when we got down to single digits and into the negatives it would get a small ice crust on the top but it was very easily broke. A couple of things i dont like about it is it is heavy and hard to move (takes a tractor to lift it) so if you built it in a place where it would stay forever it would be ideal. The hole we have in the top of ours should maybe be bigger because they can only get their head in so far before they cant reach the water if it is low. Also our has corners that we need to cover because they are sharp. And it helps if they cant get all the way around it. The one side is kind of sloped so they cant reach over it to get a drink. So if that side is outside of the pen it seems to work best. I wish we had several more tanks like it on our place. But i would definitely do a few things different to make it a little more functional but it does its job and not messing with stock tank heaters is a huge plus!
Posted 2014-11-15 3:05 PM Subject: RE: Anyone use Solar heated water tanks?
I Don't Brag
Posts: 6960
I've been meaning to do some research on solar water heaters. I have LOT's of south facing roof to put a solar panel on, just need a heater and probably some kind of battery and power converter.
My water tanks sit in the barn and are somewhat insulated (one Rubbermaid tank sits nested in a second tank with some insulation in between). It doesn't take a lot of heating to keep them liquid so I currently have my tanks heaters on timers. I would like to switch the whole barn to solar as my lights are all of the low power types.
since I am recovering from an injury and am bored with NOT riding, guess now is as good a time as any eh? Thanks for the push!
Anyone use Solar heated water tanks?
