Posted 2016-11-07 11:05 AM Subject: Running pipe for barns in south ga
Expert
Posts: 2533 Location: the land of dust & sticks
For those of you that have automatic water troughs in barn, how did you run your pipe? Under ground or over head and why? Any problems with the way you have done it? Thanks!
Posted 2016-11-08 3:36 AM Subject: RE: Running pipe for barns in south ga
Tuff question with no barn details ... setup of stalls .. already built or building ..
how many days of continuous freezing temperatures you have.. etc etc
Most peoples brains think underground in a barn and then regret it if lines freeze due to not being deep enough or use the wrong materials like the guy is doing in the photo below ... use schedule 40 plastic pipe or (hard metal if you are a plumber) or a combination of both ..
Since you say south ga ... means very few days below freezing ...
so due to location and eze of fixing anything as everything ages ..
on a already built or under construction barn >>>>>
I would go overhead and drop one line down to service two waterers in
adjoining stalls ...
Run your overhead main pipe at an angle .. higher on one end than the other
and have a simple faucet or easy connection to open up or hooked up to a frost proof faucet just outside the barn for emergency draining of pipes to keep them from freezing .. this out side faucet could be used for other purposes too ... i.e. wash rack .. lot water tubs etc
On the above draining comments ... just think of draining a water hose .. you have to have air come into the main line from the last water setup in order to drain all of the lines ... just put a brick on the last waterer floats or drop a faucet down to open up when needed ..
The above is a simple water system that works in a warm climate ...
If you decide to rob a bank and go underground then think of a double pasture water tank to service two stalls ... very hard for a horse to damage and designed to be freeze proof ...
Enjoy the picture of the guy routing his underground lines in an already
built barn ... again do not use the pipe with clamps and think of how you are
going to protect the short lines from freezing if hidden in a wall .. lol
Posted 2016-11-08 5:04 AM Subject: RE: Running pipe for barns in south ga
Expert
Posts: 2533 Location: the land of dust & sticks
Thank you for your reply, we are finishing up building our barn and if we go underground pipe will be ran along the outside wall of barn and then just come underneath stall wall, only 2-3 foot of pipe will be exposed and could be covered with insulation.
Posted 2016-11-08 7:10 AM Subject: RE: Running pipe for barns in south ga
Hugs to You
Posts: 7551 Location: In The Land of Cotton
We have ours underground, then up the outside with a split 1x4 covering it. It is buried 3 feet. We used schedule 40 pipe. We have an outside faucet to hook a hose to it when it is going to freeze the 5-7 times it does a year. We turn it on and let it drip away from the barn when it is supposed to be freezing.
Posted 2016-11-08 8:10 AM Subject: RE: Running pipe for barns in south ga
Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
for automatic waterers ours are underground. Our barn is 3 sided with the open side on the south and runs instead of stalls. we will be finishing the waterers for the runs next year, right now we have 3 waterers for the horses and cattle that are completely exposed to the elements.
A friend has a pvc system in her barn above ground just for filling buckets, not automatic waterers. Granted we are in Iowa and substantially colder than you but if they don't get the lines totally drained every night it freezes and SUCKS. So if you do go below freezing don't expect to have automatic waterers with above ground pipes. I really feel fresh water is especially critical when it's cold so this would be a real concern for me.
I think underground is worth the hassle if the barn is not completed yet.
Running pipe for barns in south ga
