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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
  
Location: Jersey Girl | I have to board my horses. I can't remember ever boarding at a farm that DOESNT use tub heaters. IMO its just good common sense and good horse keeping. I totally understand if you are on a 500 acre ranch and no electric. What do you do so your horses have watervto drink??
I found a barn with an indoor, outdoor, trails and my horses would have a private field with a run in. It's a self care place and very affordable for all the facilities. My horses pretty much live out 24\7. They will not allow tub heaters. Period.
What are your thoughts?
The barn I am at now has no facilities but are supposed to put an outlet outside so I can use a heater but haven't yet..... |
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 Lived to tell about it and will never do it again
Posts: 5409
| If they just don't want the electric bill for the heaters ask the if you can use a propane heater. That way they aren't out electricity and you can get the bottle filled yourself. |
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I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
Location: Jersey Girl | euchee - 2015-09-15 7:49 PM If they just don't want the electric bill for the heaters ask the if you can use a propane heater. That way they aren't out electricity and you can get the bottle filled yourself.
Propane? To power the heater? How does that work? Where do you get one? |
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I Need a Xanax!
Posts: 2774
 
| I don't blame them due to the cost....tank heaters use a lot of $$'s of electricity if they run continuously. I'd ask if they would allow a tank heater if its set on a timer so that it only turns on for a short time 2 or 3 times per day. I have electric timers plugged into everything around here. The ones I buy can be turned on/off up to 3 times in 24 hours I believe. Here is the ones I use.....cheap and saves a lot of time/hassle turning things on and off and you get the $$ savings of the power turning itself off too.
http://www.amazon.com/Intermatic-TN311-Heavy-Grounded-Timer/dp/B005... |
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I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
Location: Jersey Girl | Used2B - 2015-09-15 8:36 PM I don't blame them due to the cost....tank heaters use a lot of $$'s of electricity if they run continuously. I'd ask if they would allow a tank heater if its set on a timer so that it only turns on for a short time 2 or 3 times per day. I have electric timers plugged into everything around here. The ones I buy can be turned on/off up to 3 times in 24 hours I believe. Here is the ones I use.....cheap and saves a lot of time/hassle turning things on and off and you get the $$ savings of the power turning itself off too. http://www.amazon.com/Intermatic-TN311-Heavy-Grounded-Timer/dp/B005...
They don't allow them because the electric needs to be updated. They won't allow the use of them period. Draws more electric then the wiring can handle. |
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I Need a Xanax!
Posts: 2774
| fulltiltfilly - 2015-09-15 8:00 PM
Used2B - 2015-09-15 8:36 PM I don't blame them due to the cost....tank heaters use a lot of $$'s of electricity if they run continuously. I'd ask if they would allow a tank heater if its set on a timer so that it only turns on for a short time 2 or 3 times per day. I have electric timers plugged into everything around here. The ones I buy can be turned on/off up to 3 times in 24 hours I believe. Here is the ones I use.....cheap and saves a lot of time/hassle turning things on and off and you get the $$ savings of the power turning itself off too. http://www.amazon.com/Intermatic-TN311-Heavy-Grounded-Timer/dp/B005...
They don't allow them because the electric needs to be updated. They won't allow the use of them period. Draws more electric then the wiring can handle.
Aww, bummer : ( |
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 Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | get a solar heater. |
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Veteran
Posts: 231
Location: OK | Ever have a horse get shocked by one - we will not use them |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| Used2B - 2015-09-15 7:36 PM
I don't blame them due to the cost....tank heaters use a lot of $$'s of electricity if they run continuously. I'd ask if they would allow a tank heater if its set on a timer so that it only turns on for a short time 2 or 3 times per day. I have electric timers plugged into everything around here. The ones I buy can be turned on/off up to 3 times in 24 hours I believe. Here is the ones I use.....cheap and saves a lot of time/hassle turning things on and off and you get the $$ savings of the power turning itself off too.
http://www.amazon.com/Intermatic-TN311-Heavy-Grounded-Timer/dp/B005...
Mine run ALMOST $50 PER heater so yes, cost is a major issue although I wouldn't/couldn't be without them here in Kansas in the winter if we have a bad winter. Mine SAY they have a thermostat but I think they run 24/7. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1367
Location: mi | There are ways to insulate your tub and even add like a solar panel to it so that the sun during the day heats it up. I have never tried it. I just buck up and put in a heater but they might be a good option for you. I would google insulated water trough or something of that nature. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 762
Location: NC | Past couple years we boarded at a barn with no electric that we could use. We ended up buying bucket coozys for our inside small buckets. it kept them sorta insulated and ice free. Only issue is my mare pulled the tops off when she was bored. |
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | It won't help with water temperature but I know some people put a ball in the tank. It's moving to keep the top from freezing. I've never tried it but, just am option I've heard over BHW |
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 Witty Enough
Posts: 2954
Location: CTX | I fill a milk jug with salt water (half, not full) and put that in the stock tank. The water will freeze, but not in the jug. So the horses can push it around and break the ice. I do have to keep the ice layer thin but as long as I break the ice a couple of times a day it works pretty good. But of course I am in Tx so it doesn't get crazy cold here. (well, most of the time....)
Another thing I am wanting to do is dig a big hole where the tank normally sits.
We replaced our colvert a while back, and still have the old one. Hubby cut that in 4 2' sections. So I want to stick 2 of them in the ground and place the tank on top of them. I would hope that the earth warmth would keep the water from freezing. |
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 The Color Specialist
Posts: 7530
Location: Washington. (The DRY side.) | Cranky B4 10AM,
Don't hold your breath on that helping. They have to be a LOT deeper than that to do any good. I have one that is about 5 feet deep and it does NOTHING.
Edited by RacingQH 2015-09-16 11:19 AM
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 Expert
Posts: 1395
Location: Missouri | ThreeCorners - 2015-09-15 8:16 PM
get a solar heater.
Any idea where one could find a solar heater? We don't have electric out in our horse barn. Pervious house owners ripped it all out :( needless to say I'd love an alternative to breaking ice and carrying steaming hot water from the house to melt it! |
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Witty Enough
Posts: 2954
Location: CTX | RacingQH - 2015-09-16 11:18 AM Cranky B4 10AM,
Don't hold your breath on that helping. They have to be a LOT deeper than that to do any good. I have one that is about 5 feet deep and it does NOTHING.
Well darn it, I really thought that would work....
But thanks for the heads up. At least we won't be wasting our time now..... |
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Expert
Posts: 1543
Location: MI | ajs2002 - 2015-09-16 7:28 AM
There are ways to insulate your tub and even add like a solar panel to it so that the sun during the day heats it up. I have never tried it. I just buck up and put in a heater but they might be a good option for you. I would google insulated water trough or something of that nature.
We are in MI and we tried building a box around it, insulating well and solarizing it (using a plexi type front and painting the metal there black). I think it did help, but certainly did not keep the ice off.
Last year we didn't do anything other than a tank heater; the year before tank heater/box combo. The combo seemed to be the best - kept the wind off of it, and decreased tank heater need. |
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Lived to tell about it and will never do it again
Posts: 5409
| I will have to do some searching on the propane heaters, I haven't had one for several years. Way back when we did use one it worked great and kept the water at a good temp so the horses drank really well.
Here is a link to one site I found that sells them http://westernsaddle.com/prsttahe.html They are kind of expensive but will last forever
Edited by euchee 2015-09-16 7:51 PM
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I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
Location: Jersey Girl | Anybody have one of these? I decided to move to that barn anyway and will be purchasing one.
http://www.ranchtanks.com/productinfo.html
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People who don't use tub heaters in winter.....and boarding