is there such a thing as a solar trough heater?

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Great site! I swear I saw a solar water heater for a trough to keep it from freezing solid in the winter. Of course mentioned it to a friend in need of one and cant find the catalog I saw it in...any ideas? i'll be looking forward to your ideas.... thanks, Beth

-- Beth Esfandiari (lroanfarm@home.com), September 19, 2000

Answers

Beth, I would sure be interested in this one too. I did see a solar bird feeder, which I thought of using for the chickens. Normally I'd just let them eat snow but we didn't have any last year until the end of Jan. What a pain going out 3-4 times a day breaking up the ice and refilling!! I dread doing this with the goats huge rubber water dish!! Good question you posed hope WE get an answer!

-- evelyn Bergdoll (evandjim@klink.net), September 19, 2000.

Your going to have a heck of a time generating enough heat with solar panels to keep a trough from freezing. Resistive heat is very inefficent.

What you can do with solar power is keep the water moving and not let it freeze. A solar powered air pump or water pump to move the water is your best option.

-- Gary (gws@redbird.net), September 20, 2000.


I have not tried this, and of course you would need electricity so it may not help.... But I read about using a fish aquarium air line. The little box motor with a plastic line... It seems it would work for chickens anyway. I have used a electric heater in the chicken coop, but it uses so much electricity though i might try the bubbler this year. Good luck. Tami in WI

-- Tami Bowser (windridg@chorus.net), September 25, 2000.

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