frost free fitting(??), ever saw/used one?

Anonymous-0 · Feb 21, 2012

These things are made for adding to each drinker. Principal is water expands as it freezes which pushes a spring loaded valve open to relieve pressure and move the water a little. Never used one but I wonder if it'd be the ticket on my frozen line problem. Idea is just put a T in the pipe as clost to where it comes in the utility room and screw this in. I just don't know if I understand the full scoop on how it works and if it would serve my purpose. Any of you folks seen them used?

You put them in place, turn on the water, then use an allenwrench in the end to adjust spring tension to the point not leaking but requiring only slight pressure (expanding water?) to seep/drip to relieve pressure.

Dave

Anonymous-0 · Feb 21, 2012

sounds like bs to Me, and I know a thing or two bout bs.lol.

sixtyninegmc · Feb 21, 2012

Sounds and looks like it is just an expansion chamber to keep from damaging the line?
Or is it supposed to start the water flowing to keep the line thawed? Either way does not sound like a very good way to go. Sounds like that doohickey needs to start freezing to work, if I were you I would try to prevent any more freezing, period.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 21, 2012

(quoted from post at 02:36:04 02/21/12) Sounds and looks like it is just an expansion chamber to keep from damaging the line?
Or is it supposed to start the water flowing to keep the line thawed? Either way does not sound like a very good way to go. Sounds like that doohickey needs to start freezing to work, if I were you I would try to prevent any more freezing, period.

Does have to freeze to work in a sense. Maybe the idea is to prevent freezing as far as possible and this takes care of the last foot or so where you don't want an animal exposed to electric.

They DO work, just don't know if they are a local thing or will serve my purpose.

On the bright side, I opened the faucet and had a few drops come out. Maybe only a couple days more.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 21, 2012

if you had a few drops come out then leave the faucet open a bit, will help speed things up.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 21, 2012

Farms use them around here, works in a well drained area, keeps the ice out of the bowl.

JDseller · Feb 21, 2012

They work on the principle that moving water will not freeze. So look at the valve in the picture. The holes you see around the top will have water run out of them when it gets to freezing. I don't mean just drip out either. It will run a small stream. So if this is inside then it will need a drain to get away. They work on the brass parts contracting when they get cold and opening a valve. THEY DO NOT work on the water pressure opening them. The adjustment is to set them to the temperature you want them to open. Once they open they will stay open until the fitting warms up enough to shut off. The water flowing will usually make them do this. They usually run a minute or two then shut off for 5-10 minute and open again. They just keep cycling that way. I had them on water cups in the old tie stall milking barn. When the cows would go out to eat the barn would get cold enough they would open. Then when the cows where back inside their body heat would keep it warm enough that nothing would freeze then.

I also used a similar type of deal on an out side waterer. It had small nozzles that would swirl the water in the water bowl. It also had a stand pipe drain that you ran down into a gravel sump for the water to leach away.

This will not stop your line from freezing because it is not freezing where you would have the valve. Your line is freezing outside under the drive/ground. Can you just leave a facet on with just a little drip when it is real cold??? I had a bathroom sink that would freeze when below zero and high winds. We always just opened the facet just a little to keep it from freezing.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 22, 2012

(quoted from post at 18:33:27 02/21/12) They work on the principle that moving water will not freeze. So look at the valve in the picture. The holes you see around the top will have water run out of them when it gets to freezing. I don't mean just drip out either. It will run a small stream. So if this is inside then it will need a drain to get away. They work on the brass parts contracting when they get cold and opening a valve. THEY DO NOT work on the water pressure opening them. The adjustment is to set them to the temperature you want them to open. Once they open they will stay open until the fitting warms up enough to shut off. The water flowing will usually make them do this. They usually run a minute or two then shut off for 5-10 minute and open again. They just keep cycling that way. I had them on water cups in the old tie stall milking barn. When the cows would go out to eat the barn would get cold enough they would open. Then when the cows where back inside their body heat would keep it warm enough that nothing would freeze then.

I also used a similar type of deal on an out side waterer. It had small nozzles that would swirl the water in the water bowl. It also had a stand pipe drain that you ran down into a gravel sump for the water to leach away.

This will not stop your line from freezing because it is not freezing where you would have the valve. Your line is freezing outside under the drive/ground. Can you just leave a facet on with just a little drip when it is real cold??? I had a bathroom sink that would freeze when below zero and high winds. We always just opened the facet just a little to keep it from freezing.

Thanks! Didn't figure it'd be that simple. Got my stuff all together to make sure this doesn't happen again (knock on wood) and will be making a backup water supply for stalls and filling tanks that is attached to the house and not buried. May just make it the primary and use the existing as backup.

frost free fitting(??), ever saw/used one?

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