Cooling System Heater with Pump

[JASTECH]

I need some ideas from you guys. It is freezing out here, so I like to add hot water to the dog food. I have a 55gal. plastic drum full of water with a submersable tank heater. This only keeps the water from freezing. So I would like to add hot water to the food to help warm up the dogs. I bought a Kat heater used for tractors and such to get the water hot. I had to **** the end of hose to get gravity to take it's course. It would not handle the flow from 5/8" hose I had on the in/out, so I had to hold my thumb on the hose to keep water to a trickle in order for it to be hot. I took it back to the farm store. So I need ideas please, there is a 120vac in out building to plug into. I feed 3 buckets of food each day. I checked the coffee/hot water thing for the sink at $110.00 and it would take 2 hours for water needed.
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Thanks, JASTECH & Son

 

[itguy08]

You could use submersible aquarium heaters. You can get them in various sizes. Or run a heater to where the dogs are. Or just bring the dogs inside.

 

[Ron Swanson]

How about this http://www.walmart.com/ip/10363535?...6607510&wl4=&wl5=pla&veh=sem#Item+Description

 

[JASTECH]

itguy, The sub. aq, heater would not work inline, that is why I tried a truck cooling system heater that connects inline from block to heater core. There are too many doggies for inside. I thought about using a water heater element screwed into a pipe "T" then in/out parts but not sure it would allow the flow to be hot enough. Maybe if I add a pvc valve at end of output hose to slow the flow? But would the element burn out without a thermostat?

 

[itguy08]

I'm confused (doesn't take much). Would it not work to wrap the 55 gallon tank in some fiberglass insulation and use a couple aquarium heaters? I think they may get the water up to 90 or so as I'd guess that's the upper limit they are designed for. When I had my fish tanks I think they were 50-100 watts so I'd imagine you could use a few on a good sized cord.

I'd imagine a submersibe element like from a hot water tank would burn up quickly without a thermostat. Maybe something hobbled together from a hot water tank thermostat + element. If you go that route make sure the tank is vented so it doesn't explode with too much pressure.

How about one of these - a little pricey but you'd have the added benefit of hot water in the building:

http://www.homedepot.com/Plumbing-W...Id=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051#.UM0y73y9KSM

or

http://www.homedepot.com/Plumbing-W...Id=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051#.UM0y5Hy9KSM

 

[JASTECH]

itguy, I have a livestock heater in the barrel, this is thermostatic and keeps water from freezing. Ok, so the next step is to heat "only" the water I put into the 3 buckets of food to 100° or more. That is why a "inline" type is needed for this application.

 

[itguy08]

I think I've got it - you have the 55 gallon drum with water for the dogs to use as water and you want to use some of this water, heated to mix with the food to make, say a stew for the dogs? I'm assuming that you feed 2x a day?

Do you have running water in the place where the dogs are? If so, I would imagine one of the electric water heaters designed for under counter use would work well enough to get the water to 100 or so, even in the freezing. I would think something with a pump could be used to circulate the water in the heater.

One other thing that may work is a block heater used for cars. From what I remember they can fit in a freeze plug so are designed to be submerged, can heat to around 100 degrees and are good for cold weather.

Or how about one of those 30-40 cup percolating coffee makers like they use for scool, church, etc functions. You could fill it up and have it warm the water. It wouldn't matter if it freezes since it's all exposed water with a vented lid. I would think it would work quickly and you could also be put on a timer for the morning.

 

[JASTECH]

itguy, The water comes from my well via a 1.5 HP stainless submersable pump. I came up with this home made inline heater that will also work for my diesel during winter. I will wrap teflon tape on threads and reassemble. I am not sure if the thermostate is needed or not. The element is 2000 watts, anybody know?

 

[JASTECH]

Bumpy for helpy?

 

[tomslack34]

One could utilise submersible aquarium heaters as they come in diffrent sizes.They could also use heaters where the dogs are or can bring the dogs inside.
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