Are heated water bowls a fire hazard?

Michael Price · Dec 11, 2016

My mom has chickens and she always had their water bowl in the house frozen solid. Then goes and swaps it out once its thawed.

Ive thought about getting her a heated water bowl and there is even power in the chicken coop but Im worried about a heating element in a house packed with straw.

retired farmer · Dec 11, 2016

Put a GFI outlet in the electric line and set the bowl in a metal tray. Should be safe enough I would think. I have been thinking about getting a heated bowl for the shop cats.

Bob · Dec 11, 2016

Since he mentioned "fire hazard" how about protecting the circuit with an AFCI?

jeffcat · Dec 11, 2016

Just a thing to add about calrod heater elements. I had one that leaked voltage. Buy one and set everything up. Use a gfci and after it is plugged in use a digital meter and a Damn good ground to earth and see if you have any trace voltages. That damn stuff can ruin a milking heard too. My fingers are very sensitive to current and if I stick my finger into water I can feel that tinny tingle. Other than that the chick chicks and kitty's should be very happy.

MarkB_MI · Dec 11, 2016

We always used one of <a href="http://www.external_link.com/tsc/product/farm-innovators-heated-base-for-poultry-water-feeder">these</a>. Never had a problem.

showcrop · Dec 11, 2016

I would want it where it could not be moved and the wire comes in from underground under it. On hard pack dirt or concrete.

Pipestem · Dec 11, 2016

I've used a heater that goes in a metal bucket for years in the chicken house with no problem.

jeffcat · Dec 11, 2016

Just another thought. For the word police. I have heard them called GFI. Ground fault interrupter. The actual correct way is GFCI. That is Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. Picky, but a real union electritian WILL correct you.

Dave H (MI) · Dec 11, 2016

First of all, I would question why it is packed with straw. I sold a lot of straw last year to people wanting to use the bales as insulated roosts for their chickens...is that what you are talking about? Personally, I do not pamper chickens that much. Wide flat roosts, they sit on their legs. I do, however, like to have free flowing water always available as it is important to their comfort. Also extra corn in the ration during winter. The attached link has several heaters. You can put the fount up on a platform of sorts...pallet, blocks, etc. I would not use any heating device buried in a pile of loose straw.
Fount heaters

MSD · Dec 11, 2016

Got a plastic one in the garage for the cats. Second year for it. It's plugged into a GFCI.

Steven-Id · Dec 11, 2016

My fil always had his metal waterer wrapped with a heat tape and hooked to a thermal cube that turned on when if got below 34degrees. It was always sitting up on a platform so it wasn't buried in straw.

Steven

fixerupper · Dec 11, 2016

We've had one like the one in MarkB's link for years with no problems. The one we have now is probably the third heater in my lifetime so they last a long time or at least they used to with old world craftsmanship. One tip is to take the cord straight up from the heater to the ceiling to keep it off the floor. If you feel uneasy about having a cord against the ceiling suspend it down from the ceiling a couple inches. I have had the feeling I wouldn't want to put anything plastic on the heater and I always put it up on a block to keep it off the floor so the manure can't rust it as fast.

Michael Price · Dec 11, 2016

the arc fault is a good idea but I was more thinking the heating element some how screwing up and getting to hot. We have a raised cook so we keep straw on the floor to help insulate and keep the poop off the floor for easy cleaning. So you have loose straw and chicken running around.

What about a fountain pump like those little fountains people have on their patios? would that move enough water to keep from freezing?

retired farmer · Dec 11, 2016

Electritian? Should be - electrician.

David G · Dec 11, 2016

I would agree, AFCI should provide more fire protection than GFCI

tracto-man · Dec 11, 2016

I use a heated chicken waterer. $25 at tsc. Never had a problem.

fixerupper · Dec 11, 2016

The one I was talking about doesn't have a thermostat that I know of, it just gets so hot and that's it. If nothing is sitting on it you won't be able to hold your hand on it but it won't be hot enough to start a fire. If a pan of water or a five gallon waterer is on it the heat won't be bad at all. What can start a fire is an electrical short somewhere but that applies to anything electrical. These heaters have been around for many years sitting in straw in chicken houses so they must be fairly safe. One red flag that comes up in my mind is how dependable are the new ones compared to the good old well made heaters we used to have available to us. What burns down chicken houses is heat lamps falling in the straw or old wiring with rotted insulation giving bare wires the opportunity to touch and get hot.

Janicholson · Dec 11, 2016

Frost-X brand heat tape can be any length. It is self regulating and gets to 80degrees only the hotter it gets the less electricity it draws. No thermostat is used, no timer, nothing but 120 volts. It could be wrapped around a metal waterer and held on by rtv silicon coating it. The end could go upwards to a drop cord. it comes with a end cap and 110 plug. Pretty easy to deal with and permanent. Jim

mtny · Dec 11, 2016

I run a heat lamp bout 18 " above 2 hanging 1 gallon waterers. No problem s.

gene bender · Dec 11, 2016

Anything using AC can be a fire hazzard.

CKain(MI) · Dec 11, 2016

My heated bowls have never been a problem. Have had two shed fires due to heat lamps !

Leon in Mn. · Dec 13, 2016

Just go to your local auto parts store and get yourself an automotive type battery warmer. They are relatively inexpensive and safe to use. I used one for years on the round type chicken founts. I just wrapped it around the body of it and secured it with a couple of bungee straps. They do a great job of keeping the water from freezing and have a slow easy heat. I think some are even thermostatically controlled. I hung the cord from the ceiling as to keep the chickens off of it. AND they didn't peck on it. Mine was orange in color.

W_B · Dec 14, 2016

We've used the heated plastic buckets for water for our llamas for the last 20 yrs. with no problem. We had a heated dog water bowl for the barn cat but she just drinks out to the big buckets or the automatic water font and didn't touch the bowl so we gave it away. The heater element is in the base enclosed in plastic and the cord is wire wrapped so it won't get chewed. Never had an over heat situation, even when the get sucked dry or dumped (they sometimes like to play in the water). Like anything AC electric it can be a hazard, so good sense is required.

Are heated water bowls a fire hazard?

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